The first workshop February 15, 2008
Posted by S Gilhooly in : Assessing Active Learning, Blogroll, Classroom Management, Classroom Organisation, Workshop Ideas , trackbackThe first follow up workshop to the drop in sessions that happened last term took place yesterday on the 14th of February at Campie Primary School.
The opportunity was given for teachers and nursery nurses in the early years to come along and listen to some volunteer members of the ASG talk about different aspects of Active Learning. Firstly, Angela Paul from St. Gabriel’s talked about her experience in implementing and managing observations and assessments in the nursery. Jen Macaulay from Yester Primary then gave a presentation which focused on discussing different ways in which a classroom can be set up. She then went on to look at four examples in detail emphasising the possible pitfalls of each model. Next Stephanie Gilhooly from Loretto RC Primary talked about the way in which she manages Active Learning within her classroom referring to both a P1 class and a P3 class. She talked through a typical maths lesson and how she planned for assessments and observations within it. Collaborative planning with groups and whole class were referred to next. Finally she talked about the planning formats that she has made and how she feels they are working. Elise Sutherland then gave a description of “A Day In The Life of P1 at Gullane Primary” which included how she organised her Numeracy and Literacy lessons, how she made best use of support and parent helpers and how she collaboratively plans with the children. This made up the presentation aspect of the workshop.
Next, the more active part! Claire Lavelle from St. Martin’s organised workshops in which the audience was split into two groups. They were given a list of questions to discuss which were then reported back to the group as a whole. The questions helped people reflect on their practice:
1.What did you focus on?
2.What did you try which was more active?
3.What worked and why?
4. What didn’t work and why?
5. Next steps?
The feedback session that the groups gave was very positive, both groups highlighted many aspects of their practice that were working well, things that they were trying out and things that they were having difficulty with:
*Working well
-collaborative planning -classroom organisation (group rotation) -formative assessment -planning formats -whole class approach to reading
*Ideas being tried out
-Learning logs (P1-P7) sent home to parents to discuss with child -classroom setup i.e setting introducing zones into the classroom -giving it all a go! -training the children to be able to work independently without adult support - management of timing children in areas
*Areas of Difficulty
-time to set up resources -not having enough support in the classroom
In regards to all the areas outlined above it is fair to say that individual teachers are finding different aspects of implementing Active Learning easier than others. What we have found to be important here is that each teacher and nursery nurse at this workshop was striving to implement Active Learning in their classroom with their children in mind so that it works for them in their own specific environment.
The workshop ended with a massive thank you to all that attended the workshop and a list of what Active Learning is and what it is not:
Active Learning is:
- Focused on learning
- Relevant to child’s experience
- Involves children making some decisions about their learning e.g. collaborative planning, choice of resources
- Enabling children to investigate and explore in learning contexts using a range of resources and spaces
- Working in pairs, trios and groups and as a whole class
- Enabling children to practise their learning and explain their learning to others
- Increasing independence in learning
- Increasing confidence in learning
- Using planning formats which focus on key learning intentions whilst remaining responsive to child-led contexts
- Increasingly using observations as one way of recording progress
- Fun and motivating for children and staff
- Increasing pace and challenge
- Challenge pupils thinking
Active Learning is not:
- Focused on simply setting up activities
- Having children moving around to keep them “active”
- All about having “choosing” areas
- Having lots of different resources out all of the time
- The “Integrated Day”
- Allowing children to “choose” all day
- Abandoning whole class teaching time
- Abandoning rigour and tracking
- Children playing (although there is still a place for learning through play and for being play-ful!)
The presentations, discussions and workshop activities all provided a great opportunity for people to share ideas on their practice and listen to the ideas of others which can inform the practice of individuals. There was a very positive atmosphere at this workshop and I would like to thank the teachers and nursery nurses again for attending and their valued input, especially considering the short notice!
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