Another approach…

Ooh, I was grumpy on Thursday. Although I’m still a bit annoyed that I might have to rethink my plans, I’ve decided that as this is a very narrow, personal and quite negative way of reflecting on some very wide ranging proposals.

Gordon has helpfully summarised the proposals. I’d like to use this summary as a frame for my thoughts:

“1. New qualifications in literacy and numeracy will be developed at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5. Pupils will take these in S4 or later and will include a mixture of internal and external assessment.”
Although clearly literacy & numeracy skills are essential for our learners, does creating new assessments mean that these skills will be improved? There is a drive from CfE to embed these skills more explicitly across the curriculum and perhaps this is an attempt to ensure this happens? Does this replace traditional Maths & English qualifications, or is this as well as?

“2. Standard Grade and Intermediate 1 and 2 qualifications will be replaced by a new set of qualifications at SCQF levels 4 and 5. Standard Grade foundation level (SCQF level 3) will be replaced by Access 3.”
This is the most eye catching proposal. I’m finding it hard to objectively reflect on this, and I suppose this is partly due to the fact that I have no idea what these new qualifications will look like. It is clear to me that these qualifications do need rationalised and a rethink is in order, but how far will it go? Will the learning outcomes be dramatically different, and will they be successfully reflected in the assessment materials? I suppose only time will tell. So, it appears that I actually agree that change is necessary - I just don’t like that it’s happening now!

“3. Highers are seen as the “gold standard” of Scottish education. All national qualifications, including Higher and Advanced Higher will, however be reviewed to ensure consistency with curriculum for excellence.”
This is probably good news. It’d be even more scary if these were being replaced at the same time, and it would be frustrating if they weren’t tweaked to fit in with the changes taking place below.

“4. More flexibility will be embedded in the system. This is likely to include a winter diet of examinations and the most able pupils bypassing lower levels.”
Interesting…In my limited experience, flexibility costs money - primarily through smaller class sizes. Although great in principle, are schools equipped to offer real flexibility? If not, how will this be resolved?

“There was a very clear indication that pupils would not take qualifications until S4 at the earliest except for exceptional circumstances. It was also noted that new qualifications would be likely to be implemented in 2012/2013, ie for those pupils currently in P6.”
I’m not sure what is meant by this S4 thing. This is when the majority of pupils sit their exams anyway. Does it mean that pupils wont formally embark on these qualifications until S4? Does this mean that the traditional S1/S2 is being extended into S3? If so, what impact does this have on a school like mine which decided a few years ago that S2 wasn’t working so they now start their Standard Grade/Intermediate 1/Access 3 courses in S2 instead of S3?

2012/13? - that leaves us with another three years of the current system. I suppose that this means that we should have a fair idea where this is all heading in two years time (and we already have an idea from the Curriculum for Excellence experiences & outcomes). So, I suppose if I develop our activities in line with CfE, they will probably transfer across to the new system - and maybe help us to contribute to the consultation process?

So overall, I think I’m in favour of this. It has been on the horizon since I arrived back in Scotland as a teacher, and in many ways it’s exciting that it’s happening now. However, change is always threatening and uncomfortable - but it’s also inevitable.

What to do?

I’ve just seen this on the BBC News website:

Although this threat has been there for some time, my heart sank when I saw it. When these initiatives & changes come along, I find it quite hard to commit to putting in extra effort to update and improve courses which could well be in the bin very soon. To finally see Standard Grade’s card being marked is particularly disappointing for me personally. Due to the current “efficiency savings” we are having to review our departmental resources as we will not be able to afford the photocopying in the future. I had decided to use this as an opportunity to try to develop & improve the course to encompass the Curriculum for Excellence experiences & outcomes and to incorporate activities which are based on ideas such as active learning and social constructivism. In fact, I have started the process of collecting some baseline data for this project this week. This would obviously be a very long and demanding task - probably taking nearly two years to complete.

I am now faced with the prospect of carrying out two years worth of developmental work (and encouraging my department to join in) with the axe hanging over my (our) head(s) - so to speak.

I know the new courses will probably not be a million miles away from what we currently have and that they (probably) will incorporate Curriculum for Excellence experiences & outcomes [for some reason this isn’t actually mentioned in the article - surely this is what is driving this change!?!?] - but this doesn’t help with my demotivation. I really struggle to go the extra mile when I’m not sure of the long-term plan.

Am I being unreasonable?

Professionalism & Projects

Well, Saturday was another stimulating yet exhausting day. The focus of the morning was the nature of professionalism and considering whether teaching is a profession or not. After almost three hours of discussion with our tutors and Professor David Carr (I must get started on that book of his), I don’t think we got near to answering the question - but as the first half of our Module 1 assessment is an essay on this, that wasn’t the intention. The intention was to stimulate thought and discussion - I think it certainly did that!

The second half of the day was spent on the second half of our assignment. There are many aspects to this, but the bulk is an analysis of a piece of action research we have carried out. We have been working on this throughout the module, but it is really only making sense to many of us now.

Anyway, the upshot of all of this is that I am once again inspired to do lots of work for my module. So much so that I woke up at 5am on Sunday morning with my head swimming with ideas. It was so bad I couldn’t get back to sleep!! That’s the second time this has happened on this module and it was a long time prior to starting this course since I had last struggled to sleep from being so bursting with ideas for work! Now I just need find a way of creating some time to implement these ideas.

Excuses, excuses.

I’ve got my third of four Saturdays tomorrow, and as usual I’ve not managed to get as much homework done as I’d hoped. It really is difficult getting to all of the reading and self-evaluation needed for Module 1 when there is always so much “real work”. I am getting better. I have found I have to dedicate some time to Uni work - and this normally needs to be taken out of “my time” as opposed to “school-work time”. Or, in other words, Saturday mornings instead of weekday evenings!!

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll get there in the end. This is only module 1, I’m sure I’ll get better…

Anybody out there?

Thanks for the welcome back.

I was wondering how many blogs there are out there discussing the CT process so I did a little google search. I was quite shocked to discover how high up I am already!

There’s very little along these lines on the first few pages of a google search. Why is this? Is there a need for a web resource for chartered teachers and those working towards chartered teacher status? If so, what tools would it offer - blog platform such as edubuzz? discussion forums?

I’m Back!

I’ve thought of something else to bore you with - I’ve started working towards becoming a chartered teacher!

I’m in the middle of Module 1 and enjoying it very much. I’m finding it to be both extremely inspiring and challenging at the same time. It’s fantastic to be studying again, and to be seeing my day to day job from a completely different perspective. Although spending a Saturday in Uni looms threateningly all week, I actually find it very rewarding to spend the day with colleagues reflecting on our practice.

So, I’ve been feeling the need recently to resurrect the blog - so why not? I’ll try to write something when I feel the urge to and will see where that leads me…