I came across this interesting video from a 1947 classroom which gives teacher tips on managing pupil behaviour. Have a wee look:
Some questions to reflect on:
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days, where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included:
“In the primary sector and at the early stages of secondary school, there is generally less emphasis in the key area of Topical Science than on the other four organisers……. In these cases, children and young people do not have enough opportunity to discuss and debate a range of ethical issues.”
To address this aspect the Sciences team hosted a “Topical Science and Partnerships” Glow Meet on Wednesday 4th March
To watch the meet again : https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/p5rd5cx8od8/
The glow meet will be once again be complimented by a series of professional learning twilight events.
To register :https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TwilightSessions2015
Breakout sessions will be provided by Dynamic Earth, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Glasgow City of Science and Stem Ambassadors.
Education Scotland will also be delivering sessions on Citizen Science, Community Resilience, Food and Science and Social Studies and Science.
The Supporting Early Learning and Childcare through Wellbeing conference was held at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh on 23 February 2015. Over 80 early learning practitioners from across Scotland signed up to what was a very positive and productive day of information, sharing and networking.
The conference was opened by Lesley Brown, Strategic Director for Families, Inclusion and Local Authorities within Education Scotland, who welcomed everyone and set the tone for the day by emphasising the importance of positive relationships for developing the children’s wellbeing.
Key drivers in current Scottish education policy were discussed, with an update on GIRFEC legislation from Pauline Davidson of Scottish Government – particularly looking at the role of the named person – with opportunity for delegates to ask questions and clarify points.
The importance of recognising and realising children’s rights, as outlined in the Children and Young People’s Act (Scotland) 2014, was highlighted by Paul McWatt, Education Scotland, who gave an overview of the articles of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and how they can be applied in an educational setting.
Tricia Madden, Early Years Development Officer, provided participants with an update on National Guidance around Building the Ambition. There was productive discussion exploring the Image of the Child and what this means practically in the early years setting.
A variety of workshops were offered, ranging from research-based finding on social, emotional and behavioural needs in the transition from nursery-primary from the Growing Up in Scotland survey, to building dens with Cowgate Under 5’s Centre to emphasise the positive impacts of child led play. The wellbeing indicators were further explored practically by Parkhead Nursery, Glasgow, and there was also opportunity to explore relational approaches such as nurture and restorative.
Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People closed the day with a summary of the findings of A Right Wee Blether – which again, highlighted the importance of children’s voice and positive relationships.
Participants – and presenters – spoke very highly of the quality of presentations and workshops, and of how useful and enjoyable they had found the day.
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days, where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included:
“In the primary sector and at the early stages of secondary school, there is generally less emphasis in the key area of Topical Science than on the other four organisers……. In these cases, children and young people do not have enough opportunity to discuss and debate a range of ethical issues.”
Young people are increasingly surrounded by scientific issues in the media and their everyday lives. By considering current issues through topical science, learners increasingly develop their understanding of scientific concepts and their capacity to form informed social, moral and ethical views. They reflect upon and critically evaluate media portrayal of scientific findings.
To address this aspect the Sciences team is hosting a “Topical Science and Partnerships” Glow Meet which will be complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
Join us on Wednesday 4th March at 3.45 – 4.45 pm in Glow TV to find out more.
Register https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/topicalscience/event/event_info.html
Register for the twilight session
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TwilightSessions2015
Sessions will include input from STEM Ambassadors, Royal Society of Chemistry, Citizen Science , Community Resilience, Creative Thinking and the Sciences and Glasgow City of Science
Education Scotland is building an online professional learning community for early learning and childcare practitioners.This will be the place where these practitioners and other Scottish educators can come together and converse, share resources, add, and take part in, professional learning opportunities and, of course, share the impact on learners.
The community (which is on the new Glow platform) goes officially live next week at a professional learning Masterclass in Dundee City Council. In the meantime, you are all very welcome to come in and say “hello”.
The community is at http://bit.ly/earlylearn and, if you are new to professional learning communities on Glow, look for the Support menu option.
If you are in the early learning and childcare sector in Scotland and need a Glow username and password, see How do I get a login?
We told you last week about our Digital Storytelling exercise. Well, already there has been a major plot development!
Award-winning childrens’ author, Theresa Breslin, has kindly agreed to provide the story starter for Digital Storytelling 3.
Among the schools who will be taking part are Kilbarchan, Lochfield, Invergowrie, Pumpherston and Uphall Station primary schools.
The great news is that as of the time of writing this blog post, there are still slots available. So if you want to take part, get along to the storytelling learning space
<Please note, there are also still slots available for Storytelling 2 (for older writers) see Digital Storytelling 1 and 2 update for another surprise!>
About Theresa Breslin
You can keep up to date with Theresa’s work online:
We told you last week about our Digital Storytelling exercise. These two stories haven’t even started yet and there has been a major plot twist!
Renowned Scottish childrens’ author, Cathy MacPhail, has kindly agreed to provide the story starters for both Digital Storytelling 1 and Digital Storytelling 2.
First to take up Cathy’s challenge will be the young writers of St Michael’s Primary in Dumfries. Of course, they won’t see Catherine’s starter until just before they start writing!
You can see all the other schools taking part in this particular challenge on Glow by going to the storytelling learning space
<Please note, Storytelling 1 is full but there are still slots available for Storytelling 2 and Storytelling 3 –see Digital Storytelling 3 update for another surprise!>
About Cathy MacPhail
You can keep up to date with Cathy’s work online:
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring guidance and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences.
To address this aspect the sciences team hosted a Glow Meet, Assessment in the Sciences, which was complimented by a series of professional learning twilight sessions across Scotland.
Practitioners have asked that the Meet be run again, therefore join us on Tuesday 10th March 3.35-4.45 pm in Glow TV.
Participants should be familiar with the Assessing Progress and Achievement Overarching Paper.
We will also be using a highlighted Assessing Progress and Achievement in the Sciences curriculum paper, Sciences Progression Framework and an Annotated Exemplification which can be downloaded through the blog link upon registration for the Glow Meet.
To register https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/assessscience2/event/event_info.html
Places are going really quickly for the ELCC Local Conversations about Professional Learning. Our three events in March (Ayr, Edinburgh and Inverness) give ELCC practitioners the opportunity to talk to us about what they would like to see over the coming weeks and months to support their learning and development.
We’ve just confirmed that SSSC will be coming along to each of the events to give an update about the various tools and resources available to practitioners. Some really exciting stuff happening there.
Make sure that you don’t miss out.
Sign-up for the conversations by completing a simple Survey Monkey questionnaire.
You can also comment here if you would like to make a suggestion as to what should be included on the day.
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days, where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included:
“In the primary sector and at the early stages of secondary school, there is generally less emphasis in the key area of Topical Science than on the other four organisers……. In these cases, children and young people do not have enough opportunity to discuss and debate a range of ethical issues.”
Young people are increasingly surrounded by scientific issues in the media and their everyday lives. By considering current issues through topical science, learners increasingly develop their understanding of scientific concepts and their capacity to form informed social, moral and ethical views. They reflect upon and critically evaluate media portrayal of scientific findings.
To address this aspect the Sciences team are hosting a Glow Meet entitled “Topical Science and Partnerships” which will be complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
Contexts for delivering topical science and methods for planning topical science will be addressed.
Join us on Tuesday 4th March at 3.45 – 4.45 pm in Glow TV to find out more.
Register now to take part.
https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/topicalscience/event/event_info.html
Generation Science (GS) – the largest science education outreach programme in the UK – is once again hitting the road as its 2015 tour gets under way, with science shows and workshops visiting Primary Schools the length and breadth of Scotland.
This Generation Science tour is set to be one of the biggest ever, with visits to all 32 of Scotland’s Local Authority areas scheduled, travelling from the Borders right up to Shetland. The 2015 tour also sees the addition of two brand new workshops to the GS stable, Fuel Hunters and Lego Mindstorms Advanced.
In Fuel Hunters pupils take on the role of exploratory engineers as they learn about geology, where fossils come from, and how oil and gas are formed over millions of years. They then form a team to build their very own 6ft oil rig platform – it’s exploration on a brand new level!
Lego Mindstorms Advanced sees pupils join ‘Mission Control’ to learn about the amazing real-life robots currently operating in space, before programming their own robots on a rescue mission to another planet, as we aim to inspire the computer scientists of our future.
Each year Generation Science tours all around Scotland from February until May, reaching around 60,000 children aged 5 – 12 years all over the country, where teams of skilled science communicators will bring science and technology to life across a range of subjects through 17 shows and workshops.
Visits are designed specifically to support and supplement the Curriculum for Excellence and introduce children to ideas in science and technology in a fun and immersive way. The programme also aims to inspire tomorrow’s scientists, by alerting young girls and boys to the possibilities of a career in science and technology.
For more information about the programme visit generationscience.co.uk.
It was great to be invited to join with ELCC colleagues in Wishaw to take forward their thinking about Numeracy and Mathematics. I really enjoyed the level of debate and discussion that took place. We talked about the importance of ensuring that children have lots of experience of using arbitrary measures and how they should be engaged in experiences that help them to experience the passage of time.
Colleagues managed to keep their focus despite the warm temperature in the room. I am sure everyone cooled quickly when outside.
Just a reminder about ways to keep in touch. Become a member of the Early Years Glow community. Login to Glow and search for http://bit.ly/earlylearn. All materials from the session are available when inside the Community.
I’d be very interested to know how you are taking forward what was discussed today. Lots of colleagues were interested in finding out about how to take Numeracy and Maths outdoors. Perhaps we could start a conversation about that in the Glow Community? Remember the Glow Community is a closed group so only members can see what is being discussed.
Follow us on Twitter @CaFTeam and search for #TalkELCC. There are some good photos of colleagues debating the issues of the day.
Just a reminder that we are having Local Conversations about Professional Learning in ELCC in March in Ayr, Edinburgh and Inverness. If you’d like to come along, register here.
Best wishes/Dùrachdan,
Lisa
Lisa McCabe Education Officer – Children & Families (Early Years)
T: 44 (0)1506 600466 | M: 44 (0) 7701 280805 | E: lisa.mccabe@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk | Glow: Lisa.McCabe@glow.gov.uk | Follow us on Twitter @CaFTeam
Education Scotland will publish the report of the Technologies Impact Review, “Building Society: young people’s experiences in the technologies”, on 9th March 2015. This report continues the series in which Education Scotland evaluates the quality of young people’s learning and achievements, in this case in the technologies. The report contributes to the overall picture of what it is like to be a learner in a Scottish early years centre or school in this second decade of the 21st Century.
Education Scotland have organized a launch event for this report and the college aspect report Computing and Digital Media.
Making tomorrow happen: technology education in Scotland
will be held in Celtic Park, Glasgow on 9 March 2015.
The event has been organized to raise awareness of the reports and to discuss the implications for future developments in the Technologies area of the curriculum.
It would greatly assist the organisation of the conference if you could send your nominees to Kenneth Rae – Kenneth.Rae@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk by 27th February 2015, stating their name, role and email address.
We’ve received a fantastic number of entries for the Scottish Education Awards but times running out now. The awards showcase and celebrate the hard work and dedication across Scottish education.
To be in with a chance of winning make sure you’re entries are in before midday on 16 February.
A full list of categories and details on how to enter are on the Scottish Education Awards website. Get you’re entry in now and good luck.
Participating in the Food for Thought project provides opportunity to raise awareness of STEM careers in the food and drink industry, one of our key economic growth sectors.
Recent figures estimate that 170,000 employees with STEM skills are required by 2020.
Apply now and take STEM forward in your establishment.
Applications can now be made to the Food for Thought: Education Fund Phase 3. The fund aims to support practitioners to build their confidence and capacity and to improve learning and teaching within food education in Curriculum for Excellence. Awards of up to £3000 per project are available. Apply now.
This year we are looking for schools to plan food education projects that:
Proposals must be submitted by Sunday 29 March 2015. You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been submitted.
Read also our news release: Food for Thought Education Fund serves up another course of funding.
The Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) 2015 will address the theme of raising attainment and achievement for all, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through:
* local partnerships and collaboration – to share approaches that lead to better outcomes
* self-evaluation – to ensure creative and innovative approaches to sustained improvement
* work-related learning – to improve transitions into sustainable, productive employment.
Is your establishment delivering Learning for Sustainability (LfS) that you would like to showcase? Are you able to share your approaches to promoting local partnerships and collaboration? Would you be willing to help others make the connections between the different aspects of LfS; including global citizenship, sustainable development education, outdoor learning, international education, children’s rights and play?
If the answer to any (or all) of these questions is “Yes”, we would love to hear from you. Please consider submitting your seminar proposal by Friday 27th February 2015.
The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms
This year a new award category for STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, has been introduced.
This category recognises establishments who are helping children and young people develop STEM skills and apply these across the four contexts for learning – curriculum, inter-disciplinary learning, ethos and life of the school and opportunities for personal achievement.
Nominations should be able to evidence the following questions and describe the impact on learners, the school and wider community:
Nominations for this year’s awards are now open.
Nominations close 12pm on Monday 16 February 2015.
#primaryscience
We’ve recently published some new informative case studies on our Early Years 
sharing practice webpage.
The case studies feature examples of good practice across a variety of settings, covering a range of themes to inspire approaches to 0 – 5 education for early learning and childcare practitioners.
If you have any questions about the case studies featured above or would like to share examples of good practice from your early years setting, please get in touch with Education Scotland’s Children and Families Team.
The case study’s featured include:
Confidential Books at St kenneth’s Primary Nursery Class
Staff at St Kenneth’s RC Primary School Nursery Class developed a confidential booklet to allow staff quick access to key information relating to children.
Children’s voices at Victoria Quay
Staff at Victoria Quay Nursery are actively listening and responding to children’s voices through involving them in the recruitment process.
Children’s learning journeys at Monkton Primary School Nursery Class
Staff at Monkton Primary School Nursery Class introduced responsive planning and children’s learning journeys.
An open plan learning environment at Wellgreen Nursery
Staff at Wellgreen Nursery reflected on the creation of an open plan learning space for children aged 2-5 years.
The use of floor books at Queen Street Nursery
This example shows how staff at Queen Street Nursery School incorporated planning for children’s learning into floor books.
The Seedling Room at Hailesland Early Years Centre
Staff at Hailesland Early Years Centre used knowledge gained from training on the Froebel approach to transform their provision for the youngest children.
The Scottish Learning Festival is Scotland’s largest annual professional learning event, offering education practitioners a great opportunity to increase their knowledge, discover new work, and improve their practice. Delegates can take part in a range of Conference sessions (Keynotes, seminars, discussions and more) and meet Exhibitors from organisations with products and services which benefit learners.
Scottish Learning Festival 2015 will take place at the SECC in Glasgow on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th September 2015.
The theme of this year’s event is “Raising attainment and achievement for all”, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through local partnerships and collaboration; self-evaluation; and work-related learning.
Education Scotland is inviting organisations to submit proposals for seminars that will become part of this year’s programme. Full details of the themes and the online submission form are available on the SLF website. The closing date for submitting proposals is Friday 27th February 2015.
In the Social Studies team we are keen that the final programme includes great examples of effective and stimulating practice from schools, including creative projects and fresh approaches to learning. We are interested in all the subject areas within Social Studies, and in any sector. If you would like to showcase some of the work that your school or class is undertaking, or an activity that supports the professional development of teachers, please do consider submitting a seminar proposal.
SLF 2015 takes place on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September in Glasgow.
SLF provides high quality continuing professional learning and is a rendezvous for educational professionals both nationally and internationally, providing a unique platform to engage with a diverse range of experts, colleagues and suppliers.
We are now accepting seminar proposals for the 2015 conference programme which will feature around 100 seminars over the 2 days.
Is there a project you have been working on that could be showcased? Or perhaps you are aware of establishments that demonstrate good practice? We would encourage you to share this information with your colleagues and networks and submit relevant proposals for consideration.
The theme for SLF 2015: Raising attainment and achievement for all, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through:
• local partnerships and collaboration – to share approaches that lead to better outcomes
• self-evaluation – to ensure creative and innovative approaches to sustained improvement
• work-related learning – to improve transitions into sustainable, productive employment.
Full details of the theme are available on the SLF website.
If you would like to submit a proposal for consideration please do so before Friday 27 February. Proposals received after this date will not be considered for inclusion in the conference programme. All proposals must be submitted online.
There is a robust review, evaluation and scoring system in place to help ensure that all submissions are treated equally therefore it is essential that all requests to participate go through the submission process and adhere to the timescales.
Last year we received in excess of 300 proposals which allowed Education Scotland to deliver a relevant and balanced conference programme covering all key areas of education. The 2015 conference programme and registration will be launched in May and will feature the sessions that have been submitted and selected for inclusion.
We look forward to receiving your proposals and hope you will contribute to SLF 2015 to help continue to deliver Scotland’s largest annual national education event. If you would like any further information about SLF 2015 please contact the SLF team.
This is the second post in a series which describes some of our work on ‘content-free’ templates for educators and learners to use in CfE learning.
This space is on Glow O365, so it is best to log into Glow (eg on the Learning Spaces Community) before you explore the links below
What’s the thinking behind the Learning Experience space?
This space helps learners and educators co-create a learning experience starting from a bundle of Experiences and Outcomes.
It follows closely the approached offered by the NAR flowchart. In fact, there is a behind the scenes planner which may reduce some of the workload associated with some other methods of planning learning.
What does it do?
For the learner, they can be involved in devising learning intentions and success criteria, talking about their learning, showcasing learning and getting support when needed.
For the teacher, it makes the planning and delivery of a BGE learning experience a wee bit easier.
How do I get it?
The Learning Space template is on Glow O365 and is available to any member of staff from their school site. See How to create a Learning Experience Space for more details
Summary of support available
British Science Week (BSW, formerly National Science & Engineering Week (NSEW)) is a ten-day programme of science, technology, engineering and maths events and activities across the UK aimed at people of all ages.
Anyone can organise an event or activity, and the British Science Association helps organisers plan by providing free activity and support resources. It welcomes and supports any type of organiser, from schools to community groups and from parents to large organisations. The resulting programme of events is a hugely varied and eclectic mix.
Get lots of information about how to plan your events for British Science Week and find events you can attend near you.
For further information and details regarding registration click on the link below:
http://britishscienceweek.org/
Keep Scotland Beautiful is encouraging all beach visitors this summer to participate in the first citizen science Scottish Seashell Survey. A fun way to learn about the natural world while helping to collect useful information about the creatures that live around our coasts.
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring guidance on and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences.
To address this aspect the sciences team will be hosting the second of three Glow Meets, complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
The Education Scotland assessment support documentation will be explored, using exemplifications from the NAR, addressing particular science Significant Aspects of Learning.
The second Glow meet Assessment in the Sciences will take place on Tuesday 13th January 3.45-4.30pm
To register: https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/e7wzsiv2uvs/event/event_info.html
Dates, times and venues for the complimentary twilight sessions to date are:
Dundee, Education Scotland Endeavour House, Monday 26th January 4-6pm
Dumfries, Lochside Education Centre, 27th January 4-6pm
Inverness, Mercure Hotel, Wednesday 28th January 4-6pm
Aberdeen, Satrosphere Science Centre, Thursday 29th January 4-6pm
Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth, Monday 2nd February 4-6pm
Glasgow , St Andrew’s Secondary, Thursday 5th February 4-6pm
Please sign up through https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/twilightsessions
Revisit the first Glow meet Supporting Primary & Early Years Science
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring guidance on and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences.
To address this aspect the sciences team will be hosting the second of three Glow Meets, complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
The Education Scotland assessment support documentation will be explored, using exemplifications from the NAR.
The second Glow meet Assessment in the Sciences will take place on Tuesday 13th January 3.45-4.30pm
To register
Dates, times and venues for the complimentary twilight sessions to date are:
Dundee, Education Scotland Endeavour House, Monday 26th January 4-6pm
Dumfries, Lochside Education Centre, Tuesday 27th January 4-6pm
Inverness, Mercure Hotel, Wednesday 28th January 4-6pm
Aberdeen, Satrosphere Science Centre, Thursday 29th January 4-6pm
Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth, Monday 2nd February 4-6pm
Glasgow, St Andrews Secondary, Thursday 5th February 4-6pm
Please register through survey monkey
Revisit the first Glow Meet
We’re delighted to announce that SLF 2015 will take place on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September in the SECC, Glasgow. SLF is the largest education event in Scotland and will focus on raising achievement and attainment. Those interested in presenting a seminar at the festival can submit a proposal in January, when further information will be available on the SLF website.
Registration for the SLF will open in May, look out for more information over the coming months and save the dates in your diary now.
We are also working with a range of partners to host a series of SLF Extra events in 2015. On 17 February, Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Education Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council will host the Aberdeen Learning Festival in the AECC. The festival will include keynotes, workshop and an exhibition. More information about the event and how to register will be available in January.
On 27 February Children in Scotland, in partnership with Education Scotland, are hosting the first in a series of six free events for all those involved in education. The morning session will focus on pupil engagement and participation and the afternoon session will look at parental engagement. This first event takes place in Melrose and more information is available on the Children in Scotland website.
More SLF Extra events will be taking place in 2015, visit the SLF website for details.
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring guidance on and exemplifications for assessment in the sciences.
To address this aspect the sciences team will be hosting the second of three Glow Meets, complimented again by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
The Education Scotland assessment support documentation will be explored, using exemplifications from the NAR, addressing particular science Significant Aspects of Learning.
The second Glow meet Assessment in the Sciences will take place on Tuesday 13th January 3.45-4.30pm
To register: https://meet.glowscotland.org.uk/e7wzsiv2uvs/event/event_info.html
Dates, times and venues for the complimentary twilight sessions to date are:
Dundee, Education Scotland Endeavour House, Monday 26th January 4-6pm
Inverness, Mercure Hotel, Wednesday 28th January 4-6pm
Aberdeen, Satrosphere Science Centre, Thursday 29th January 4-6pm
Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth, Monday 2nd February 4-6pm
Glasgow , St Andrew’s Secondary, Thursday 5th February 4-6pm
Dumfries and Borders (tbc)
Please sign up through https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/twilightsessions
Revisit the first Glow meet Supporting Primary & Early Years Science
Yes it’s that time of year again when we welcome Santa back to Glow TV! Santa will be taking a break from making all the toys at the North Pole to come to a school in Scotland to answer all the questions that you might have about Christmas and Santa. He will be with us at 10am on Thursday 18th December.
How does he make all the toys? How does he deliver them all on time? What does he feed his reindeer? How does Rudolph help him with his red nose?
These and many many more questions will be answered in this very special Glow TV event.
Sign up and join us in Glow TV.
The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.
This year a new award category for STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, has been introduced. 
This category recognises establishments who are helping children and young people develop STEM skills and apply these across the four contexts for learning – curriculum, inter-disciplinary learning, ethos and life of the school and opportunities for personal achievement.
Nominations should be able to evidence the following questions and describe the impact on learners, the school and wider community:
Nominations for this year’s awards are now open.
Nominations close 12pm on Monday 16 February 2015.
#primaryscience
Nominations for the Scottish Education Awards 2015 awards are now open. Celebrating the hard work and success in Scottish education, the awards recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people.
There are 17 awards available across a range of categories covering all areas of education. New awards for this year include learning for sustainability, making languages come alive and transforming lives through partnerships.
If you know of a school or teacher that deserves to be recognised for their hard work visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information and to submit a nomination.
Nominations must be submitted by Monday 16 February 2015, good luck.
Date: Tuesday 9 December
Time: 16:30-18:30
Venue: Studio 1, Learning Centre, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Cost: Free
Booking: Please book your FREE space by email schools@nms.ac.uk or phone 0131 247 4041. Tea/coffee and cake will be provided. Spaces are limited so please book your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
This session will introduce teachers to the Game Masters exhibition in preparation for visiting with a class.
The event will run as follows:
4.30pm – Registration and Refreshments
4.45pm – Introduction, practicalities about visit & overview of resources
5pm – Sarah Rothwell, Assistant Curator (Modern & Contemporary Design), introduces exhibition
5.15pm – Short tour of exhibition, followed by opportunity to explore exhibition and try games
6.15pm – Finish
More details about school visits to Game Masters: www.nms.ac.uk/schoolgames
Glenfield Pre-five Centre in Renfrewshire was inspected by Education Scotland and Care Inspectorate last year and received an excellent evaluation for Meeting Learning Needs. Here the staff of the centre reflect on what it is they provide to meet learning needs.
We start our effective links with parents before children start at our centre as we believe in the importance of strong relationships with parents and families. We visit children at home, complete all about me booklets and make parents feel welcome in our centre during their child’s settling period. Parents and families are able to build relationships with us and these early discussions help to ensure ongoing communication. Parents are always welcome in our centre.
We support and develop individual children at whatever stage of development they are at. Across our staff team there is a deep knowledge of individual children and staff are skilled at responding to their needs and interests. Staff planning reflects responsiveness and we use mind maps, discussions with children and individual observations in order to plan effectively to meet their learning needs. All of the children who require additional support have a support plan. This plan helps to take forward the child’s learning at an appropriate pace for their stage of learning. Parents are fully involved in this planning process as well as room team members and outside agencies. Staff link closely with outside agencies and have built strong, positive relationships as a result of this work.
Staff in our centre have regular professional dialogue and routinely meet to discuss observations of individual children. Their knowledge of children enables them to plan activities which have developmentally appropriate learning intentions and success criteria tailored to individual children’s needs. This ensures all of our children achieve success in their learning which is of paramount importance in building our children’s confidence and self-esteem.
Staff at Glenfield Pre-five Centre are totally committed to the work they do and are confident in taking on leadership roles. This is reflected in the experiences and learning environment provided for our children which meets their learning needs in a highly effective way.
Here are the children, staff and parents enjoying sports day!
The sciences Glow 365 site continues to develop and is being populated with many resources to support the sciences curriculum.
A tile entitled Primary/Early Years Science is now available on the site through which you can access our newsfeed, resources and blog page. All are easily accessible and provide up to date relevant information for practitioners in each sector. 
Our latest blogs include details about grants from the British Science Association, how to access the new FREE primary ReachOut CPD programme and you can download the recent Supporting Primary and Early Years science Glow Meet.
To access the site http://bit.ly/glowsciences
The site is work in progress and further developments will be introduced as the Glow 365 platform takes shape
You can also access information and discuss the latest developments with colleagues through the Learning Together site www.bit.ly/learningtogetheredscot
#primary science
South Lanarkshire Council, Psychological Service, have kindly given permission for their “a-z of attachment and resilience” publication to be shared on the early years section of the Education Scotland website. Elizabeth King, Principal Psychologist, is featured in the latest edition of Early Years Matters and this resource compliments the attachment theory and practice that she talks about in her article. The “a-z of attachment and resilience” is in PDF form and can be found by clicking the link below.
Glasgow City Council would like to invite you to our first Restorative Approaches National Conference. This conference is for everyone working with children, young people and/or families. It will be of interest to those who are involved in relationship-based interventions, working with young people and adults to help resolve conflict, repair emotional harm and utilise reflective practice within schools and communities.
We are delighted to bring Marg Thorsborne, a leading expert from Australia in the area of Restorative Approaches, to Glasgow. Marg will deliver keynote speeches over the course of three days. These will incorporate an overview and implementation of Restorative Approaches. She will also facilitate, through a series of workshops, how this practice can help promote and maintain positive relationships in our daily interactions with adults, children and young people.
We are delighted that Marg is spending most of her time in Scotland at this conference, in addition to her further training events with Education Scotland and other local authorities.
The Forestry Commission Scotland offers training for early years’ staff in developing forest kindergartens. The training consists of a one day taster course for Heads and Managers of nurseries and a three day training course for nursery teachers and early years practitioners.
One Day Taster Course – The taster course gives promoted staff an introduction to the philosophy of Forest Kindergartens, an opportunity to consider controlled risk taking and discussion of the value of learning in nature using natural materials in woodlands or other green spaces. The content of the course consistently refers to the Early Years Framework and Curriculum for Excellence. This course gives promoted staff the opportunity to consider their role in supporting staff in developing forest kindergartens and sharing information with parents and the wider community. Part of the day is held indoors and the remainder outdoors.
Three Day Course – This course is designed to support staff in embedding forest kindergarten as part of their Pre-Birth to Three and Curriculum for Excellence practice. The course gives staff the opportunity to share their hopes and concerns, discuss controlled risk taking and understand how this approach embraces the Rights of The Child. Participants learn about the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, challenging outdoor experiences that can be offered and ways that the Curriculum for Excellence supports experiential outdoor learning. The course gives staff a theoretical overview and the opportunity to engage in practical outdoor activities. Staff also visit an established forest kindergarten and discuss practice with staff who have completed the course and are now experienced forest kindergarten leaders. Part of the course gives staff opportunities to consider responsive planning approaches and ways in which woodland experiences can impact on indoor practice and the nursery outdoor environment.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the past three days. All my inhibitions and fears about taking children off site are well and truly gone. The course was delivered to a very high standard and I know I’ve learned a lot”
“I was not really a fan of getting outdoors and getting dirty but now I understand the benefits it has for the children and I am motivated and excited to get started”
Forestry Commission Scotland Support – Forestry Commission Scotland offers this course to all staff delivering the curriculum for Excellence at the Early Level in nurseries and schools. Ongoing on-site support continues from FCS to assist staff in identifying suitable woodland or green space and involve staff teams, parents and carers and the local community. FCS can also participate alongside staff to support them in developing the quality of their session. Each participant receives a training pack and pen drive loaded with essential information. This includes awareness raising materials and activities to engage children, staff, parents, carers, and the local community.
A new Training for Trainers course is being prepared so that existing forest kindergarten leaders can deliver training alongside forestry commission staff within their own local authorities. North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire staff are currently co-presenting the 3 day course.
There is an opportunity for staff to continue developing their knowledge and skills through supplementary courses lasting one and a half days each to learn how to use ropes, fire and tools. In future a course on The Pedagogy of Forest Kindergartens will be offered
Forest Family Bags are also being created to support families using woodlands with their children and a Transition pilot programme is about to be developed to support the continuation of forest kindergarten into primary one.
For further information on any of the above please contact: Marian Cairns, Acting Central Scotland Education Officer, Central Scotland Conservancy Email: marian.cairns@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 01698 368553, Mob: 07747474790
Twig refresh now live!
Education Scotland and Twig World are delighted to announce the launch of the newly updated and refreshed Twig On Glow website, which coincides with the switch over to the new Glow platform. Twig continues to bring you stunning film footage and learning materials for sciences, maths and geography all linked to Curriculum for Excellence. Twig has already started the process of mapping the content to the national qualifications and there are quick links now available in the top menu bar. More links will be added as further content is mapped, for instance to the newly included Science Experiments films.
Faster loading
As well as the refreshed design interface, users will find that the new Twig On Glow site loads faster, the mind map responds more quickly and the films cache more effectively which will improve streaming.
New content on Tigtag
People and Places is the new Tigtag module for geography. Matched to Curriculum for Excellence, the module includes 223 films covering six topics:
Imperial College London and Tigtag launch free online resource to help Scotland’s primary school teachers with science
Primary school teachers can sign up now at www.reachoutcpd.com
Thinking like a scientist is a valuable skill. Analysing information, asking good questions and recognising how evidence wins arguments; all these things help people make better decisions. The time to nurture this skill is when children are naturally most curious about the world around them – when they are of primary school age.
According to a 2013 National Science Learning Centre report, only 5% of primary school teachers have a science degree, and teachers themselves say that their confidence to give inspiring science lessons rises when they have access to appropriate training, guidance and resources, to help them plug the gaps.
That’s why Imperial College London (www.imperial.ac.uk) and education technology provider Tigtag (www.tigtagworld.co.uk) have come together to support every teacher to deliver the science curriculum.
Through Reach Out CPD (Continuing Professional Development) teachers can learn directly from Imperial experts about the science they need to cover in the classroom. Offering concise topic knowledge, short films, experiment ideas and more, this new resource aims to equip all primary teachers with the skills to excite children about science. All training is delivered online in handy 20-minute units, so busy teachers can top up their knowledge anytime, anywhere on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
At the end of a course, teachers can download an official Reach Out CPD certificate endorsed by Imperial College London – one of the world’s leading science universities.
Reach Out CPD is free to Scottish teachers and will remain so!
Sign up now at www.reachoutcpd.com
More awards for TWIG
Twig World has been nominated as one of the Top 25 Most Innovative Companies within Digital Education in a new report by Total Education, the global educational technology event company. The report was compiled by interviewing experts in the major education markets around the world including teachers, industry professionals and keynote speakers. Twig World is one of only four content providers in the report. This latest acknowledgement adds to a growing list of accolades for the company. Twig World has won many international education awards including the prestigious Bett Award for the past three years running. Anthony Bouchier, CEO of Twig World says: “To be selected with the likes of Google and Microsoft just three years after launching our first product is a huge achievement and testament to the talent of our teams in Glasgow and London. We are still at the start of our mission to empower teachers and learners as digital resources reach the classroom – there’s a much more to come from us in the years ahead!”
The report is available at http://blogs.terrapinn.com/total-education/2014/09/03/top-25-innovative-companies-digital-education
The new Primary Science Glow 365 site is currently under development but at the moment we have a Primary /Early Years blog page which is easily accessible and provides up to date relevant information for practitioners in each sector.
Our latest blogs include how to access the new FREE primary Reach Out CPD programme and you can download the recent Supporting Primary and Early Years science Glow Meet.
To access the site http://bit.ly/glowsciences and remember your glow password
The site is work in progress and further developments will be introduced as the Glow 365 platform takes shape
Life, the world around us and the search for extra-terrestrials will be explored though a range of hands-on activities at Big Biology Scotland on Sunday 12th October 2014.
This free event for all ages, at Mugdock Country Park from 10:00-15:00, will include outdoor activities such as a Bug Hunt, Sun spotting, Rocket making and Bird ringing.
Inside the visitor centre, budding biologists can get busy making Crafty Critters and DNA bracelets. Older visitors can learn more about health with ‘Bacteria Combat’ and ‘Meet a GP’.
The theatre will host films and talks from ‘Meet the Scientist’ and the Cosmic Way Roadshow where you can explore the origins of life in the stars.
To celebrate National Fungus Day (also on Sunday 12 October) Mugdock park rangers will run a Fungi Foray from 13:00-14-30 and Jaw Brew and Battlefield Bakery will be on hand all day to show how the yeast fungus is vital to brewing beer and baking bread.
Big Biology Day Scotland is one of six science festivals taking place all over the country as part of Biology Week 11-18th October 2014, organised by the Society of Biology.
Dr Mark Downs, Chief Executive of the Society of Biology, says: “Biology affects us all: biological research has helped provide food, medicines, vaccinations, and much more. We have organised Biology Week to share our fascination with the world around us.”
For more information visit: https://www.societyofbiology.org/events?event_id=581
Development Officer Posts – Community Resilience and Learning for Sustainability
Working in a team led by a Senior Education Officer, Development Officers work in partnership with colleagues from across the education sector, Scottish Government and other national organisations to develop, promote and support effective and innovative approaches within their specialist areas. We invite applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals to support ongoing curriculum development in relation to the following two areas:
LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
This role will support the implementation of the recommendations in the Learning for Sustainability Report. Candidates should have an excellent knowledge of a number of aspects of the learning for sustainability agenda including: global citizenship, outdoor learning, sustainable development education, international education, children’s rights and play. The post-holder will also play a key role in supporting the activities of the National Implementation Group for Learning for Sustainability and will work closely with colleagues in the Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government as well as in Education Scotland.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Flooding and other extreme weather events have affected many areas in Scotland and it is important for schools and their wider communities to be prepared for emergency situations like these. The post-holder will be responsible for liaising with key contacts in local authorities and other national and regional bodies to help learners and their school communities to become more resilient. This post requires an individual who will bring enthusiasm to the role and who is skilled in working in partnership with others. A detailed knowledge or previous experience of community resilience activities is welcome but not an essential requirement as a suitable induction and training programme will be provided.
The successful candidate for each post will remain on their employer’s salary rate, terms and conditions. They will continue to be paid by their employer and will remain an employee of their organisation during the period of secondment.
Candidates should have an excellent knowledge of Curriculum for Excellence and be able to contribute to its continued development and implementation. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills will be required for both posts and candidates are expected to hold a relevant degree and have experience of teaching in a school.
Secondment duration for each post: 23 months.
Location: Successful candidates can choose to work from any of the Education Scotland offices subject to local availability.
Closing date for applications: Midnight on Sunday 5 October 2014
Further information about the posts and how to apply is available from the education Scotland website: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/about/vacancies/dosustainabilityresilience.asp
Applications should be returned electronically to recruitment@educationscotland.gov.uk
The Dance National Working Group (NWG) met for the third time on 2nd September at the Optima, Glasgow. Notes from the meeting are attached below.
Dance National Working Group (NWG) Meeting Notes
The Implemento document attached below summarises the ‘futures’ discussion we had in relation to dance education 3-18. From the process we have identified key areas for development and action.
Comments and suggestions in relation to all the above documents are very welcome.
The draft action plan document explains how we arrived at the actions and next steps for the group to take these forward.
The Dance National Working Group will meet again at the joint NWG meeting on 27th November at Atlantic Quay.
The Children and Families team have two conversations that they would love you to come along to. The conversations take place in Conversation Area B and are as follows: Wednesday 24th September
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Early learning and childcare | Sian Neil, Senior Education Officer and Shona Taylor, HMI |
Thursday 25th September
| 15.00 – 15.30 | Family engagement in learning | Sian Neil, Senior Education Officer and Susan Doherty, Development Officer |
Please come along!
Community Resilience Education – Free Conversation Day and Networking Event
09:30 (for 10:00 start) – 15:00, Tuesday 7th October 2014
Venue: Thistle Hotel, Millburn Road, Inverness, IV2 3TR
Education Scotland is excited to be hosting a second community resilience conversation and networking event with a view to developing a shared, partnership approach to provide 3-18 resilience education opportunities.
The day aims to bring together members of the Scottish Government, emergency planning and civil contingencies teams from local councils, representatives from local education authorities, and members of other key organisations to consider the potential of community resilience as a rich and exciting context for teaching and learning. Key contexts for focus include flooding, severe weather and pandemic flu and the impact they can have on communities and how we can take steps to mitigate against their impact through educating learners.
We would also like to extend this event invite to school representatives (members of management teams, or teachers who have been, or are interested in engaging in community resilience education) to explore how we can take forward resilience education. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Conversation activities will provide delegates with opportunities to network and engage in professional dialogue in relation to developing more resilient individuals, families and communities. Selected examples of good practice will be shared through engaging presentations delivered by Education Scotland, Scottish Government, local councils and schools.
All interested delegates should register online at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N2F3TWC to confirm attendance and inform us of any special dietary or access requirements you may have.
If you have any further questions or your school is/has been involved in community resilience projects or initiatives and you would be interested in presenting at the event to share your practice with others, please contact Jennifer Moore at: Jennifer.Moore@educationscotland.gov.uk
Following the publication of its 3-18 Curriculum Impact Report for Sciences in September 2012, Education Scotland organised a series of conversation days where priorities for action to secure improvements in science education nationally were identified.
Key aspects for development emerged, which included primary and early years practitioners requiring:
To address each aspect the sciences team will be hosting three Glow meets, complimented by a series of professional learning twilight sessions.
The first Glow meet Supporting the Sciences: planning the primary & early years science curriculum will take place on Wednesday 17th September 3.45 – 4.30pm.
To register for the glow meet: http://bit.ly/supportingthesciences1
Further information regarding dates and venues for the professional learning twilights relating to this Glow meet will be available shortly.
Sign-up now for TeachMeet @ Scottish Learning Festival 2014.
Learn something new, be amazed, amused and enthused. This is an informal gathering of those curious about teaching and learning. Anyone can share great ideas they’ve trialled in their classrooms, ask important questions or simply sign up to take part in learning conversations. Education professionals from all sectors are welcome to take part.
The Scottish Learning Festival TeachMeet is always something special. It is usually the biggest TeachMeet in Scotland and often attracts some of the biggest names in education. It is also great fun!
With SLF 2014 now only 4 weeks away we hear for one of this year’s keynote speakers, John Carnochan about his keynote and thoughts on Scottish education.
Responding Differently
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” Herman Melville
Teachers, parents and families have a collective responsibility to ensure our children receive a rounded education that helps prepare them for life. Sadly, in the process, we too often forget or ignore the fundamental importance of human connection and relationships in our lives.
We seem to think now that as professionals we just need to do more of the same and everything will be ok, more policy, more training, more process and everything will be fine. This slavish adherence to professional process is, at times, naively arrogant and often ineffective. Not only does it ignore the value of human attributes, it often deliberately de-values them as being somehow unprofessional.
Professionals do not have all the answers and neither can we continue to assume that professional skills are the only “skills” appropriate or adequate responses to persistent problems. The strategies, systems and structures that exist today often can only manage the problems we face, new thinking is required if we are to make these problems better. We must begin to Respond Differently.
Professional and technical skills are important but they are not more important than the human attributes that demand we care for our fellow humans that help us establish relationships and that keep us connected. By combining the professional technical skills with our human attributes we will produce far more effective services and also help us do the right things for the right reasons.
Teachers are on the front line of Responding Differently, helping prepare our children for life. It’s certainly true that our children will need many of the technical skills delivered so effectively everyday in classrooms across Scotland. But these technical skills alone will not be enough if our children are to lead successful and productive lives. There is every possibility that many will be working in roles and doing jobs that have not yet been invented; they may be working in industries that haven’t been created yet. The skills that will be of most use to them in everything they do will be human “skills’. Our children will need to be resilient, adaptable, courageous, thoughtful, collaborative; they will need to communicate, problem solve, negotiate, compromise. Most importantly they will need to connect with others, they will need to be human; create better relationships and in schools it will create better learning and better behaviour.
In Scotland we have started to Respond Differently, particularly in Education. We have defined What our ambition is for our children, we want to make Scotland the Best Place to Grow Up. We have also defined How we are going to do it with the introduction of national policies such as GIRFEC and CfE. The inclusion of “wellbeing”, in CfE, with its aims to help children become Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens is hugely important.
This is an exciting time for Scotland and I sense that we have started to Respond Differently to children how we educate them and how we include them.
We know What we want to do and we know How we’re going to do it that’s a great start. Change is always difficult but if we remember also Why we are doing it the angst borne of the change will lessen as our aspirations increase. We are after all humans first and change is what we humans do, its what we have always done. Leadership has a role to play but we are all leaders and we can all Respond Differently.
If you want to hear John’s keynote then register for SLF 2014.
With SLF 2014 now only 4 weeks away we hear for one of this year’s keynote speakers, Prof Alma Harris about her keynote and her thoughts on Scottish education.
I am looking forward to being part of the ‘Scottish Learning Festival’ 2014 and engaging with this vibrant educational community. I will be bringing a group of Malaysian educators with me and I have promised them a warm welcome but not warm weather! In my previous visits to Scotland I have found that teachers and principals appreciate honesty and integrity so my aim is demonstrate both.
In my session I will argue that we need to go ‘beyond PISA’ to find the touchstone of real educational success and that there are important lessons that systems, like Scotland, can give to the global educational community. Despite the fact that education systems in Asia currently dominate the top of the PISA tables, there is much that the East can learn from the West in terms of educational change and improvement. Some of these messages will be shared with you all.
The aim of the session is not to devalue or dismiss PISA but rather to underline that high performance in education is defined by much more than rankings. The session will argue that we need to put the ‘learner’ at the forefront of our educational reform processes and avoid being seduced by superficial explanations of ‘high performance’ that tend to objectify learners and place performance above learning.
I will also focus upon leadership and will aim to answer the question, ‘what type of leadership is required to ensure success for every student in every setting?’ To answer this question, I will share the findings from two recent comparative studies. The first set of findings comes from a ‘7 System Leadership Study’ that is exploring the relationship between leadership development and leadership practice in differentially performing systems (Australia, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia Singapore and Russia). Initial findings highlight that there are more similarities than differences in the approaches these systems are using to secure and sustain improvement. The findings also challenge some of the cultural assumptions and popular assertions about ‘high performing systems’.
The second study looks at leadership within high performing organisations across different sectors (education, sport and business). The full range of empirical findings can be found in a new book with Andy Hargreaves and Alan Boyle called ‘’Uplifting Leadership’. Among, a range of conclusions, the findings from this study show that the type of leadership needed to secure and sustain exceptional performance is that which builds professional and social capital.
Overall, my message is that we need to look ‘beyond PISA’ and to move past the current preoccupation with international rankings, if authentic school and system improvement is to be achieved. I will propose that the real power and potential for system transformation in Scotland resides in the professionalism of its teachers and its school leaders, combined with an unshakable belief that every child deserves the best education possible.
It is with a huge degree of humility that I take part in this ‘Scottish Learning Festival’ 2014 involving educators from many countries. It is also with a great sense of pride that I am speaking at a conference that is about learning first and foremost. Putting the learner at the heart of the reform process, deeply, authentically and genuinely gets us much closer to the outcomes that we want for all young people.
If you want to hear Alma’s keynote then register for SLF 2014.
1 day – Thursday 25th September 2014 from 09.30-16.00
The Lighthouse, Glasgow
Delivered by Made-by (www.made-by.org) on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland
This event is suitable for individuals and companies involved in the design and manufacturing of apparel as well as academic and education professionals interested in the wider issues of clothing and environmental sustainability.
Event detail
The days training will provide you with an overview of:
Alongside the global case studies you will also hear from our speakers working within Scotland
For further information and to book onto this event please visit here.
Community Resilience Education – Free Conversation Day and Networking Event
09:30 (for 10:00 start) – 15:00, Tuesday 7th October 2014
Venue: Thistle Hotel, Millburn Road, Inverness, IV2 3TR
Education Scotland is excited to be hosting a second community resilience conversation and networking event with a view to developing a shared, partnership approach to provide 3-18 resilience education opportunities.
The day aims to bring together members of the Scottish Government, emergency planning and civil contingencies teams from local councils, representatives from local education authorities, and members of other key organisations to consider the potential of community resilience as a rich and exciting context for teaching and learning. Key contexts for focus include flooding, severe weather and pandemic flu and the impact they can have on communities and how we can take steps to mitigate against their impact through educating learners.
We would also like to extend this event invite to school representatives (members of management teams, or teachers who have been, or are interested in engaging in community resilience education) to explore how we can take forward resilience education. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Conversation activities will provide delegates with opportunities to network and engage in professional dialogue in relation to developing more resilient individuals, families and communities. Selected examples of good practice will be shared through engaging presentations delivered by Education Scotland, Scottish Government, local councils and schools.
All interested delegates should register online by Friday 29th August 2014 at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N2F3TWC to confirm attendance and inform us of any special dietary or access requirements you may have.
If you have any further questions or your school is/has been involved in community resilience projects or initiatives and you would be interested in presenting at the event to share your practice with others, please contact Jennifer Moore at: Jennifer.Moore@educationscotland.gov.uk
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published new web resources designed to support school managers in adopting a sensible and proportionate approach to health and safety risks. The resources will also interest anyone who provides advice or direction to schools or education providers, including local authorities.
The guidance draws on the work of HSE’s Myth Busters Challenge Panel. Some of the Panel’s cases raised concerns about over-protective approaches to health and safety in school activities. School managers themselves called for more support in developing rational approaches to risk management – particularly when dealing with risks to children.
HSE has used the experience of people working in education, so the guidance addresses the issues faced by schools on a day-to-day basis – illustrating the balance between overly cautious risk aversion at one extreme and failing to manage the significant risks at the other. In summary the guidance aims to:
The guidance tackles activities in the classroom and at school premises, and extends to the challenges and benefits presented by school trips and other outdoor learning activities – with links to case studies on sensible risk management outside the classroom
HSE hopes the new resources will help schools to strike a balance and prioritise and target the real risks while enabling pupils to experience learning opportunities to the full.
With SLF 2014 now only 5 weeks away we hear for one of this year’s keynote speakers, Dr Frank Dick OBE, on his thoughts about how people are prepared to take ownership of their lives and the vital role that teachers and mentors play.
A Winning Lead
Whether as teacher, coach or mentor, our purpose is to prepare the pathway that takes people from who they are to who they will become. My thinking in this was mostly shaped by two life changing books: Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull which to me was about taking the risk of being different; and The Prophet which persuaded me that the coach is to the athlete as Kahlil Gibran saw the parent to the child – the parent is to the bow as the child is to the arrow.
Both of these seemed to point to preparing people to take ownership of their lives – to doing things right and to do the right thing.
We are not in total control of conditions in our lives, nor of results, but we are of our attitude to dealing with them and of our performance. And because life is more like a white water ride than a flat water glide, our attitude must find us controlling the controllables and being agile to turn uncertainty and adversity to advantage. In this, focussing on the performance of those whose development we influence and our own, is key.
Our behaviours, it seems to me, must work to a simple acronym: “O.D.D.” Own: take personal ownership of each moment to turn it into opportunity. Decide: take considered risks in decision making to turn opportunity to advantage. Do: just do it – effectively and excellently.
Giving ownership means not only preparing people to be let go (arrow) but being prepared to let go (bow).
Whether teaching, coaching or mentoring or being taught, coached or mentored, the most important quote to reflect on is Arie de Geus: “Probably the only sustainable advantage we have, is the ability to learn faster than the opposition.” The key to this, clearly is in being prepared to learn.
“Being prepared” is about attitude (again!) and process. The attitude part is clear and must be there every step of the life experience pathway towards who we will become.
The process starts with learning to learn and having in place the “machinery” to learn. For example, before a Commonwealth Games you must put in place how you will collect the necessary intelligence to debrief meticulously all that has influenced the performance and results.
In all of this we might agree that there are some things in life we can be taught, and others we can only learn.
Early in our life experience pathway of shaping personal and professional growth, we are taught the “science” for our education and development role. As we proceed, through experience, we learn the “art” of translating the science to action excellence by effective decision making.
The trouble, however, as Vernon Law avered, is: “Experience is a hard teacher, because she gives the test first and the lesson after.”
Yet if we are to learn the art of delivering our purpose in education, we must be exposed to the challenge and pressure of experiencing the untrodden path. It is by taking such risk that we turn fear to courage in the process of making right judgement calls.
It is important to get this right. The learning experience must be planned to ensure it is appropriate for the intended lesson, and we must have a critical competency set in the person responsible to teach, coach or mentor following the experience.
To return to our purpose: by preparing the pathway well, we not only develop people for their arena, but through the process for a better life. We not only develop them to improve performance, but to deliver it under pressure, on the day.
Want to hear more from Frank? Then register for SLF 2014 today.
Blake Stevenson and consultant Dr Suzanne Zeedyk recently undertook a year- long evaluation of the Bookbug for the Home training, which aims to expand the reach of the Bookbug programme (this encourages families to read with their children from a young age) to vulnerable families and those living in deprived areas. Professionals who work in families’ homes, such as social workers, are provided with the knowledge and resources to introduce the principles of Bookbug Sessions – talking, singing, cuddling and book sharing. 1,145 professionals have been trained over the last two years and 800 more from 8 local authorities in Scotland are signed up to take part this year.There was a noted impact on professionals who undertook the training, with 99% saying it was relevant to their role and a good use of their time and 71% stating that it had positively impacted on their professional practice.
Researchers found that parents who took part in Bookbug for the Home had developed closer bonds with their children, and felt more equipped to play, interact and read with them, with the number of people reading daily with their children increasing from 41% to 78%, and the number of people singing or rhyming daily with their children increasing from 53% to 78%. This in turn has had a beneficial effect on children’s confidence, social skills, speech and language development and positively impacted on parent and child attachment, with 98% of the professionals who undertook the training noticing a positive impact on the families involved in the programme. To read more about this positive evaluation and to learn more about the Bookbug for the Home programme please see link below.
http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/early-years-professionals/assertive-outreach-evaluation
Bookbug is run by Scottish Book Trust and funded by the Scottish Government.
