Well… there we have it …Michaelmas Term complete. 13 weeks of Teaching and Learning done.
Question: do we just ‘tick’ this off or do we do something with
it? I predict that you probably already know the answer…
“The importance of reflection is so often overlooked and
ignored…”
In every classroom this week (and next) pupils will have been asked to go back over their learning, celebrate their achievements, revise the key points covered, give their opinions, self-reflect on their own performances, identify where they are going next and highlight any areas they need to improve on – all of this is noted down and used in powerful conversations next term. Why? Because this information is used to set pupils’ new SPB targets. In other words, from morning one of the Lent Term, teachers and learners are clear about their new learning pathway and all understand how they are going to move forward. In sharing and discussing the ST PETER’S SCHOOL BACCALAUREATE ®, highlighting is an essential part of this process in January.
If we ask the children to review and be reflective, then we had better model those skills too. The topics I have covered in my Teaching and Learning blog this term have been:-
- Individualism – celebrating yourself, as you already are today.
- Children embracing their own unique talents and how we support, challenge and stretch individuals to be the best that they can be.
- Intervention – how small group intervention enhances children’s experiences at our school.
- Enabling environments – focusing on how our classroom layout and design can encourage curiosity, memorisation, independence and peer teaching.
- Differentiation – the real challenge for each of the teachers – so hard to get right, yet, so important to get right.
- The importance of rest and how it is part of the programme here at St Peter’s (the children are currently exhausted from their endeavour this term and in need of another)!
- Following an inspirational tour to Rome this term I have written about Experiential learning and the benefits of being directly involved in your own learning.
- I have also recently addressed the need for strong relationships – the importance of connection – remembering that no child learns with teachers they cannot connect with.
- Last week I wrote about the idea of simplicity; keeping things within teaching and learning simple- do not over complicate the process and be clear that extraordinary things are going on every minute at school, whether planned or incidental – all of it is vital for ‘the journey’.
I have also, this term, begun to share with you how our faculty system works here at St Peter’s. Having described how we join subject areas together and look for learning skills that are shared between different subjects. I have lifted the lid so far on the MFL (Modern Foreign Languages) and Humanities (Geography, History and RS) departments. More areas of learning will be covered next term. Our aim is always to empower teachers in their delivery so they, in turn, can empower the pupils in their own learning.
It’s been a busy one. It’s been a successful one. So it just leaves me to say…
Have a very merry and reflective time…one and all.
Lucy Ball
