Scottish Teachers for a New Era

Perspectives on Learning Seminar

18 March 2008

The Student Experience

Sharing Experiences… the story so far

Year 1 Learning Courses

Responsiveness and Responsibility

Mhairi Freeman

(B.Ed Lecturer)

Responsiveness

• 2005/06 cohort feedback informed significant changes to the ‘Learning How to Learn’ course• Ongoing commitment to making rationale and thinking behind pedagogy and content clear in both first year courses• Co-construction of learning and active engagement by students is an essential element of both courses

Responsibility

• Learning How to Learn Reading > Questions shared in small

groups > Student-led tutorials > Lecture

• Learning How Others LearnReading & Lecture > Planning > School

Investigations Key learning shared in small groups > Student-led reflective tutorial

Expectations and Aberdeen

The story so far …

Hayley Peace

(B.Ed1 Student)

My Expectations• Learning about the curriculum Maths, Language, Art, Science.• Very little theory in first year.• Everything about children.• Treated as a number rather than a

person.• Just going in to Primary Schools.

What we actually do• Lots of theories of learning about both

me and children

• Set achievable SMART targets

• Treated as a person

• Lots of reading

• Placement once a week

Why I enjoy BEd

• Very interesting

• Lots of variety in lectures and tutorials which makes it fun

• Really personal

• Everyone is really friendly

• Very comprehensive

Semester OneLearning How To Learn

• Really interesting

• Shown that if you understand these

theories you can make other people

understand too

• They do link in with children

Semester TwoLearning How Others Learn• Learning more about children• Still got lots of reading to do• Fun tutorials with lots of

discussions which helps to enhance learning and understanding

Placement• An Aberdeenshire Primary School• Really friendly school• Highlights what influences a child’s

learning• Looks at the community aspects of

learning and how this contributes to the whole learning of a child

Thoughts In General • Great fun!

• Uses a variety of learning resources such as the internet and textbooks.

• Reading is easy to get hold of and is very comprehensive.

• Was much better than my expectations.

Thoughts on my learning

Mary Bolton

(B.Ed 1 Student)

My Feelings • Other people’s perceptions of our

course.

• Social Constructivist Approach

• Feedback

A Common Thought About Our New Course

“This new teacher training course is a load of rubbish, they need to be put in

at the deep end to experience what teaching is really about. That’s how

we were taught and I can’t see anything wrong with it. ”

Social Constructivist Approach

• Scaffolding• Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal

Development states that with the help and guidance of a more knowledgeable other we can achieve more.

Feedback

• The giving and receiving of feedback

• Self Assessment

The Happy Feedback Machine!

Now relating it to the field.

• Making Connections –

Theory and Practice

Learning Together

Robbie’s Autumn Adventure

Morag Russell

(B.Ed Senior Lecturer)

Learning from Years 1 & 2

• Presentation Skills

• Understanding of where and how

children learn

• Critical Reading

Spot the Refugee

Lego Poster: Spot the Refugee

Learning Across the Curriculum

Technology & Music

Language and Art

Health & Wellbeing & Sculpture

Bogh Frois

Assessment in Practice

A Rehearsal for Field Experience

Assessment in Practice

From assessing maths in schools we learnt that it is important not to pre-judge a child’s capabilities and that previous knowledge of the children is important when assessing children. We also now know the importance of evaluating the process the child went through rather than the end result.

On our first day, the P3 teacher had given us the reading books that the children were working. This allowed us to plan some fun, practical reading activities to do with the children. These activities included word swap, sentence reconstruction, using the big pointer, sequencing events and also a follow up book review. The children all really engaged with the tasks that we did and were very enthusiastic.

The tasks also provided opportunities for group work, predicting, using theirimaginations, developing their own ideas, listening to one another, observing their own surroundings and to enjoy learning!!

Assessment in Practice

On the whole we found the assessment in schools week an extremely rewarding experience, especially when after a few tries at a certain task, we could almost see a light bulb appear over a child’s head, as if the penny had dropped and they couldunderstand what we were asking them to do.

ERASMUS Students’ Comments

‘ They ask for opinions, it’s a reciprocal game.’

‘ In tutorials they want us to speak to each other.’

‘ Children are the main idea.’

‘ Observing the teacher’s role was useful.’

‘ We look at how their minds work.’

‘ Storylines helps us to teach through the imagination.’

‘ I have learned to be more flexible, more open minded and more

confident about challenging the practice in my own country.’

Hannah Slesser & Vikki Morgan

(B.Ed 2 students)

The courses: • Learning how to learn. • Learning how others learn.• From learning to teaching.• Learning in and through the curriculum.

• Psychology • An additional elective

• The STNE course• Reflective teachers• Interaction with tutors

Third Year and the Jump:

• T.D.A• Assessment

T.D.A. Social Subjects, Community Walk

• Robbie’s Autumn Adventure• A.T.L.A.C.• Rainbow Days

Robbie's Autumn Adventure: Garden Context

• Working with others. • Assessing.

First and second year placement:

• Observations• Learning Conversations• Pairs

Third year placement:

• Nursery • Early Years• Portfolio• Leadership

• Community Walk• Learning Conversations• SMART Targets • Peer Assessment

• Working with a mentor• Two way learning• Thank you for listening

A Teacher’s Perspective

Lorraine Gill

Portlethen Primary School

CPD event held at University provide opportunities to :

• Discuss the new Year 3 school experience model• Share views, concerns with other colleagues• Discuss assessment role and strategies for school evaluation• Explore our role as supporter/ mentors

Teachers as Partners

Supporting students on pre-school placement

A new school experience model

• Enquiry Week• 4 week block• Evaluation through observation, regular learning conversations and sharing of Professional Portfolio and PROP Forms• Shared Learning Experience

A Shared Learning Experience

• Cooperation• Collaboration• Co-learning• Co-constructing

What have I gained from being a supporter/ mentor?

Benefits include the opportunity to:

• develop a new and challenging role• further my own professional development• work in collaboration with others• work in partnership to support and influence teacher education course development

The Way Ahead

• Ongoing opportunities for teachers to work in partnership with the University

• Continuing review of student /teacher experiences to develop and fine-tune courses

• Opportunities for all teachers to access training to develop their role as mentors to ensure consistency and quality of assessment and support offered to students on field experience