New and Aspiring Subject Leader Training

1. New and Aspiring Subject Leader Training Session 2: Evaluating Teaching and Learning webfronter.com/bexley/nalt

2. Objectives of this module • evaluate the effectiveness of the departmental schemes of work • understand the purpose and process of improving teaching and learning through lesson observation and feedback • consider how to provide effective support for teachers

3. Achievement - Rank these 10 effects: John Hattie, Research into Effect Size Homework Acceleration of gifted students Computer assisted instruction Ability grouping Reducing disruptive behaviour in the class Individualized instruction Class size Teaching thinking skills Small group learning Feedback

4. Which leadership function has the greatest impact on learning?

5. Which leadership function has the greatest impact on learning?

6. Reviewing Schemes of Work Comparing and contrasting subjects • Working in pairs with a colleague from a different subject department, and using Handout 11, explore what you know about each other’s scheme(s) of work. • Start by filling in what you know or would guess about your colleague’s subject individually. • After 3 minutes, compare and discuss what you have written about each other’s subject. • Finish the task by completing together the box at the bottom about links and contrasts.

7. Schemes of work provide clear information about: • Subject’s distinctiveness and how it helps pupils’ learning and attainment • The department’s core values and intentions • The contributions the department makes towards whole school and cross-curricular priorities • How curriculum content, teaching and learning and the use of assessment are organised

9. Schemes of work – characteristics • Flexible • Incremental • Assessment oriented • Individualised

10. Audience and Purpose • Refer back to the end of Handout 12. Offer some suggestions in the three boxes provided about • who are schemes of work for • how they are to be used if they are to be worth the time spent constructing them.

11. Purpose of a scheme of work: for teachers in the department Consistency and reliability: • in a commonly agreed and ordered set of teaching objectives and subject-specific values • in the design, inclusion and use of assessment opportunities to gauge and respond to rates of pupil progress • across classes and the key stage in pupils’ learning opportunities Teamwork: • the sharing of ideas, approaches and resources  Securing provision: • continuity and coherence in the event of staff changes or extended absence Improvement targets: • clearly and manageably addressed over time

12. Purpose of a scheme of work: for subject leaders and senior managers Consistency and reliability: • provides for all teachers a framework for planning and teaching which can be monitored and supported • provides the context for curricular target setting and staff development in the light of audits and analysis of pupil attainment • enables resources to be evaluated for fitness for purpose and financial priorities to be targeted strategically Securing provision: • supports continuity in the light of staff changes or extended absence Quality assurance: • provides an evidence base in preparation for inspection or review • assures coverage of objectives and curriculum content

13. Purpose of a scheme of work: for teachers and subject leaders in other departments. Coherence for pupils: • enables links to be made for pupils across subjects in terms of content; skill acquisition and consolidation; independent use of knowledge, skills and understanding in alternative contexts Consistency: • promotes comparison, for example of teaching and learning approaches in similar topic areas; of contributions to national and local cross curricular priorities; of assessment methods and use of assessment information

14. Evaluating schemes of work • Working in pairs, look briefly in turn together at each other’s scheme of work, using the checklist provided in Handout 13 • Try to establish a set of points for further discussion, consideration or development – for example, at a future department meeting or in discussion with the department’s line manager

15. Leadership and problem solvingif time…. • Use the set of problem cards (Handout 14) • Partner A turns over and reads out the problem on the card and places it face up on the table. • Partner B considers the problem and offers a range of advice on how a subject leader and school SMT might address it. • Partner B listens, asks questions, plays “devil’s advocate” and seeks to reach an agreed strategy.

16. Lesson observation • How many of us are regularly observing/ feeding back teachers’ lessons?

17. Lesson observation  In small groups share thoughts on the following questions: • Why observe lessons? • How should we do it? • What are the key elements of in feeding back?

18. The purpose of lesson observation Subject leaders need to know: • how well the department is doing (and individual teachers within it) • how to help share good practice • how to improve standards • how to develop consistently high quality teaching styles across the department • where to focus professional development opportunities • where to share and extend teacher expertise Teachers need to: • acknowledge their individual strengths and be able to reflect on the areas of their teaching they can improve • receive positive and constructive feedback • be encouraged to create an ongoing dialogue about effectiveness • know that they will be supported and in turn can support others

19. Lesson observation is: Lesson observation is not: part of a professional dialogue to support and develop effective practice a one-way conversation where comments are conveyed from observer to observed a process only relevant to inexperienced teachers a process from which even the most competent teachers can learn

20. Key points to agree or clarify before observation • The particular focus of the observation within the lesson • The teacher’s intentions i.e. any background to the lesson plan • The extent to which the observer will participate in the lesson • How and when there will be feedback and discussion • What, if anything, will be written down • Who else, if anyone, will hear about the lesson • Any pupil specific information • Above all, it must be agreed that the outcome will not be the passing of a sentence!

21. During an observation • Let the teacher acknowledge your presence to the pupils • Be sensitive and natural; avoid an intrusive or inspectorial style. • Keep focused on the purpose of the observation • Screen out as far as you can how you yourself would teach the lesson • Make good use of those parts of the lesson when you can look at how pupils are responding to the teaching e.g. by looking at what they are writing or by listening to what they are saying in groups • Limit discussions with individual pupils so that they are able to complete their work • Close to the end, make a quick note of the main points you will feed back

22. Post observation feedback discussions • Start with specific positives e.g. I particularly liked… or Such and such was particularly effective. • The note to strike is one of open, developmental and professional discussion, not a formal Ofsted approach. • Use your factual notes to refer to specific examples from the lesson • You can use questions: ‘Why did you…’ • Allow the teacher to talk about his/her perceptions, and explain his/her thinking. • Be a good listener. • Keep coming back to the agreed focus. Continued on next slide

23. Post observation feedback discussions • Don’t quibble; keep to the big issues. • Don’t just hint at problems: that’s unnerving for the teacher. If it’s difficult to say, then pave the way by describing what actually happened and by asking a direct question. • Agree if there are any actions to be taken. • Finish by recapping the many positives and summarising the one or two points for improvement or action. • Be honest and remember, the aim is to say something that will make a positive difference

24. Lesson Observation and Feedback • Watch a short clip from part of a Y7 English lesson • Make notes that you can use to offer constructive feedback to the teacher • In pairs, role play the subsequent discussion • Handouts 16,17, and Self Review might be useful

25. Tricky situations • Schools are complex institutions and lessons are complex interactions. For this reason, tricky situations can arise. • Look at Handout 18 and complete the task. Work in pairs or small groups for about 8 minutes on two of the cards. • Do you have any more examples yourselves? • Finish by listing some key principles that could guide an SL in any tricky situation

26. Gap Task: report back next term on a lesson observation/feedback and what you did to make it as effective as possible. • Course Eval

27. Task – supporting teachers’ planning In small groups, discuss the following points: • How do you currently support teachers' planning in your department? • Does this involve all teachers' or only some (e.g. NQTs, non-specialists)? • How often do you support teachers' planning? • Does it include individual discussions with teachers, or collecting in planning sheets, or a combination of the two? • What are the key benefits of doing this? • What have been the biggest problems with supporting teachers’ planning? • Are there particular issues for small departments?

28. Role of the Subject Leader in Reviewing Teachers’ Planning • Role of the SL is to support their staff in monitoring the quality of their lesson planning so that good learning takes place • The SL should also ensure that planning meets the needs of the different audiences identified earlier