Category Archives: 2 Prof. Knowledge & Understanding

Going on trips in social studies

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This morning myself and my friend took a trip to the RRS Discovery Boat Dundee. I went there with two aims in mind; to learn more about the history of Dundee and to evaluate what it would be like to take a class there.

As a child, I remember visiting the Discovery Boat multiple times however I had absolutely no idea about the history behind it. I was amazed to learn about the journeys the boat has been on and really liked the way the exhibition led you through time from construction, to the first expedition, it’s life after the expedition and how it came back to Dundee today. The exhibition was extremely informative and described many aspects relating to the boat and its expeditions such as what they ate during the expedition, the conditions in Antarctica and the types of studies they carried out there. All of these subtopics had my teacher mind spinning and I began to consider what a topic based around the Discovery Boat would involve. I feel this topic has links with many other subject areas and therefore could easily be covered over a whole term. This fits in with the Interdisciplinary Learning Approach discussed in Curriculum for Excellence Briefing 4; “Learning in different subject or curricular areas is used to explore a theme.” (Scottish Government, 2012).

Examples of possible cross-curricular links:

  • History – Dundee’s role in ship making and what other ways we used/use the river.
  • – What type of food and clothes they had back then. (SOC 1-02a, SOC 2- 03a)
  • Geography – The path the discovery took to reach Antarctica, the climate in Antarctica and how it is being impacted by global warming ( SOC 2- 08a, SOC 2- 12a, SOC 2-14a)
  • Technology and Design – The construction of the boat (TCH 2-09a, TCH 2-10a)
  • Literacy – Writing diary entries about what it was like to be on the boat (ENG 2-27a)
  • Skills – researching, note taking, comparing and contrasting, reflecting, presenting.

(Scottish Government, 2009)

As mentioned, I previously knew little about the RRS Discovery, therefore, it was not until I had been through the whole exhibition and engaged with the resources that I felt I had a full understanding of what it was all about.  On reflection, this made me realise that without previous knowledge the children may not be able to piece the story together themselves and might not get as much out of the experience. Therefore, I think the visit would be best to come during the topic rather than at the beginning. This will allow the teacher to give the pupils some background knowledge on the topic and gather what the pupils would like to learn more on. Pickford, Gardner and Jackson (2013) call this a deductive approach to fieldwork, where pupils make predictions and generate thoughts about the topic which are then answered during the fieldwork. Whilst at the visitor’s centre, I came across a book which tells the tale of the Discovery Boat and its journey. I think this would be a good way to introduce the topic to the pupils as hopefully the story would spark curiosity, imagination and inspiration while giving some background knowledge.

I then moved onto thinking about what activities I would plan for pupils during the visit. Some reading, such as Hoodless (2008) discusses giving pupils free range to explore the museum how they like. However, I felt there was a lot of information in the museum and if pupils were not focused, they may not get the most out of it. I thought of splitting the class into ‘specialist explorer groups’ where each group would have a specific area to research. Pupils would then report their information back to the class once back at school. Turner – Bisset (2005) discuss that this literacy aspect may put pressure on pupils and take the fun out of a visit. They suggest allowing pupils to record their information in various formats such as pictures, videos and sound clips. This is something I would definitely take into consideration.

Along with this, I feel it would be beneficial for pupils to do a personal piece of work when they returned to school too. This could involve pupils putting themselves in an explorer’s shoes and reflecting on how they think they would feel. I found the experience very moving and inspiring therefore I think this would work well.

Finally, I considered the risks of the trip. Firstly, if you were an inner-city school you may walk to the centre. This would involve crossing and walking along some very busy roads. Therefore, the need for high vis vests, what adult- pupil ratio is required and the route would need to be pre-investigated. Although, if pupils were to be getting a bus to the centre, the road outside is still very busy. This may be something I would discuss with pupils before getting off the bus. Once indoors the centre is very enclosed with fences around the whole outdoor area. This is good as it would stop pupils wandering off. The centre is also small meaning it is easier to keep an eye on pupils.

Overall my visit to the Discovery Boat was very beneficial for me as a teacher. I learned a lot about the city I live in and how the 18/1900’s was a period of ground-breaking expeditions to Antarctica; a place people back then knew so little about. This will really help my own professional knowledge. I also learned how to conduct a pre-visit and evaluate places.  I considered when is best to carry out a trip, what activities are suitable and what risks need to be considered.

While walking around the exhibition I also had myself in a leaner’s shoes. I found going to the Discovery a very exciting experience, much like how I felt whenever I went on a school trip as a child. The exhibition included lots of interactive pieces and appealed to lots of learning styles, for example the 4D Cinema. The exhibition was laid out in such a way that felt like you were part of the expedition through dressing up and handling equipment. Due to this array of hands-on learning I can see how this would help consolidate knowledge learned in the classroom.

Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to speak to the education officers at the centre however the website details the variety of resources the centre can offer for schools (Dundee Heritage Trust, 2018). This is something I would definitely draw upon as it may bring in more child aimed experiences and the staff will be able to give pupils more in-depth subject knowledge.

References

Global Citizenship

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Today we had our first lecture on the third part of Social Studies ‘People in Society, Economy and Business’ and focussed on the idea of what it is to be a ‘Global Citizen’.

To me, a global citizen is someone who is aware how their actions can impact other people and holds the values of respect and diversity.

As an activity we watched a clip from the Paddington movie where you see Paddington meeting the Brown family for the first time. We were then to pick a theme from this scene and develop an activity you could use in the classroom. Paddington has found himself homeless and is sitting in the train station wondering his next move when the Brown family get off their train. Mr Brown makes assumptions about Paddington straight away and says things such as ‘stranger danger’, ‘keep your eyes down’ ,’ he’s probably selling something’ and is not happy when his wife goes back to approach Paddington. He then continues to be hostile towards Paddington as he explain how he came to be homeless. Therefore I choose to look at the theme of making judgements and ignorance.

I brainstormed the various ways we can make judgements in society. For example about: homeless people, refugees, people of different nationalities and race, criminals, celebrities and politicians. I then began to think about why we may hold these judgements, for example influence from the media and our family. My activity idea involved presenting pupils with a photo of different people in society and get them to write down the words that come to mind. As a class we would then discuss, challenge and begin to explain where these ideas have come from. The main outcome of the lesson would be to encourage pupils to be critcal about what they are told by the media and other people in their lives before making up their own opinion with he values of respect and diversity in mind.

I took this further at home by watching a Ted talk about something called the ‘Ignorance Project’ conducted by GapMinder. The project conducted studies on peoples answers to stereotypical questions and then analysed why people were giving the stereotypical answers. They discussed how all we see on the news is the bad and we forget that the majority of the society/people/the world are not experiencing this ‘bad’. They suggested the way to lessen these judgements is to teach positively, that the ‘bad’ is getting better. For example poverty levels have reduced, defences against natural disasters are increasing and that refugees bring valuable skills.

Ted Talk: https://www.gapminder.org/ignorance/ (Accessed 1/10/18).

Overall I found this lesson extremely motivating and helpful. I feel I have benefitted as learner by taking a minute to challenge the judgements I may personally make which will in-turn positively impact my professional values. While I have also developed an understand of how to teach a Global Citizenship lesson and have gathered some useful resources for this.

 

 

My understanding of Interdisciplinary Learning so far…

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What is Interdisciplinary Learning? 

Curriculum for Excellence’s Briefing 4 ‘Interdisciplinary Learning’ explains that ” the curriculum should make space for learning beyond subject boundaries” and that learners should be making connections between different subjects. This involves grouping together experiences and outcomes from across the curriculum (Education Scotland, 2012)

Barnes’ (2015)in his book ‘Cross -Curricular Learning 3-14’ explained that there are many different types of cross curricular learning, for example:

  • Theme-based – Using a theme to explore several subjects. Barnes advises that this method works well with teachers who have a vast knowledge of the topic, however if they do not they can find themselves making weak links.
  • Multi- disciplinary- involves using a single concept to explore different subjects but also using different subjects to understand the concept. In this method there is no link between the subjects being explored.
  • Hierarchical – this method aims in achieving progression in one subject while using another subject to do this.  Usually these other subjects are of the arts. Barnes stresses it is important to ensure these subjects do not get labeled as ‘less important’.
  • Interdisciplinary – This where you are applying knowledge from various subjects to work on a topic/project or problem. In this model links are made between the subjects too.

(Barnes, 2015)

Benefits of Interdisciplinary Learning 

  • Strengthens motivation and promotes an inquisitive attitude
  • Development of collaborative working skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Engaging and memorable

(Humes, 2013)

  • Empowers children to apply their knowledge and skills by showing them how they can be used In other ways
  • Consolidates knowledge

(Education Scotland, 2012)

Advice for planning 

Through my reading and lectures I have discovered that if not taught/planned correctly learning can be confusing, unconnected and temporary (Humes, 2013). Therefore I found the advice for planning extremely useful:

  • Start with a few Experiences and Outcomes
  • Ensure you are able to justify choosing these E’S & O’S
  • Plan what you want to achieve form each session and next steps
  • Reflect after each session to ensure you have not gone off track
  • Involve children in planning to increase motivation

(Education Scotland, 2012)

  • Assess in context
  • Measure how well they can apply knowledge and skills

(Humes, 2013)

References

  • Barnes, J (2013) Cross-curricular learning 3-14. SAGE: London
  • Education Scotland (2012) CFE Briefing 4 Interdisciplinary Learning. Available at: https://education.gov.scot/Documents/cfe-briefing-4.pdf. (Accessed 25/09/18)
  • Humes, W (2013) ‘Curriculum for excellence and interdisciplinary learning’, Scottish Educational review, 45(1), pp. 82-93.

 

Lesson Planning

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Today in Social Subjects we were asked to use a current news story as a stimulus for creating a lesson. It was for a primary 7 class and the lesson could be anywhere in a series of lessons, it did not have to be the first one.

I choose a news story that discussed the effects our rubbish was having on turtles and created a lesson around recycling. You can see the lesson plan I made here:

We then presented our lesson plan to other members of the class. I found this activity extremely useful and learnt many things from it. Firstly it introduced to me the idea of using a news story as stimulus. I can see how this would give the children a context to their learning and show them it is meaningful and current.

Secondly,  after discussions with my tutor and peers it was brought up that many aspects of my lesson plan were teacher initiated/led. For example, instead of the teacher telling the pupils ways in which our rubbish can impact the environment; I should be letting the pupils research this themselves. We continued to talk about how it can be extremely beneficial for pupils learning as it allows them to develop many skills such as note taking, team work and evaluating sources. Another benefit is that it cuts down teacher workload and time can be spent on other things.

I feel like I now have a new perspective on lesson planning and will ensure that after planning I critically reflect my lesson plans and consider if things can be done differently.

 

The Child’s Voice

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In this weeks lecture we looked at the child’s voice in the classroom, how this can be incorporated and the advantages of this.

Arguments for encouraging children’s voice in the classroom. 

  • Stimulates development of skills ( accountability, resilience , confidence, turn taking, debating )
  • Children can bring in their personal experiences, making the learning more relevant to them
  • Children can be ‘co-teachers’ and can help other children understand concepts using ‘child’s language’
  • This also benefits the ‘co-teacher’ as by talking through a concept it will help consolidate it in their own learning
  • Children can steer direction of learning, which in turn increases motivation
  • Can add knowledge the teacher didn’t know
  • Shows the child that their voice is valued which can be vital in relation to child welfare issues

(Catling, 2014)

How can we encourage children’s voice? 

  • Involve them in planning of new topics
  • Set up projects or clubs and make them leaders and decision makers
  • Help them develop a critical eye and skills on forming arguments
  • Organise debates
  • Organise ‘co- teaching’

(Cartling, 2014)

Arguments against children’s voice in the classroom (with solutions)

  • Not all children are able to articulate their voice – Give them other ways to be heard, eg drawing, acting etc.
  • Puts unnecessary pressure and stress on the child, especially with decision making – ensure that participation is voluntary.
  • Could develop a lack of respect for parents, teachers, elders – ensure that rules are in place for these discussion times.

(UNICEF, n.d)

How does a teacher’s educational philosophy influence the implementation of approaches that encourage children’s voice? 

  • Teachers can struggle with giving away full control as they feel it is their job, however if the child does not feel their voice is not actually going to make a difference they will lose motivation to contribute again. Therefore it is not enough to just listen to the child, we must allow them to steer decisions too.
  • It is part of teachers philosophy to be the educator, however in order to get the most out of the child’s voice we must sometimes be ‘co- learners’ and learn with the child.
  • As teachers we are so busy and sometimes go for the quickest method of learning. However, so much more can be learnt for example during classroom discussions.

(Cartling, 2014)

If I am honest I have never put much thought into the role of children’s voice in the classroom, however now I feel I have a much greater understand of the benefits and how I can implement this in my practice.

References

  • Cartling, S (2014) ‘ Giving younger children voice in primary geography: empowering pedagogy – a personal perspective’, International Research in Geographical and Environment Education, 23(4), pp. 350-372.
  • UNICEF (n.d) Every Childs Right To Be Heard. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/french/adolescence/files/Every_Childs_Right_to_be_Heard.pdf (Accessed 18/09/18)

 

 

 

New Module Motivation

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Yesterday we had our first input of our new module ‘Developing Effectiveness In Learning and Teaching’. The module aims to show us how we can ‘take learning beyond subject barriers’  known as Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL). This is where teachers plan to make appropriate links to other subjects across the curriculum to create a learning experience (Education Scotland, 2012).

I found the whole input very interesting and as the class discusseed their own IDL experiences at school I constantly found my mind getting carried away with hundreds of ideas I could use in my own practice. However, now the time has come for me to reflect on my own experinces I am at a stand still. I only remember some of the topics I covered in school such as Evacuees, The Victorians and Bridges etc. I recall very little about what activities and avenues we explored within these topics. The only memory that truly sticks out was when my class visited a mock victorian school.  We spent the morning dressed up as victorian children and were taught by a victorian teacher. We got to see the type of resources children in those days used and got to experience the harsh ways of victorian teachers. This experience was very exciting for me as I loved history and it was showing me clearer than ever what it was really like back then. From a professional perspective reflecting back on this I appreciate it is not always possible to go on school trips but it has got my imagination running wild with ways you can bring that aspect of realness into the classroom.

I have gone on to read Education Scotland’s CFE Briefing 4 ‘Interdisciplinary Learning’ which has given me a real insight into what IDL learning should look like in the classroom. The briefing emphasised the importance of careful planning of IDL ensuring the links are strong and are clearly planned through a few Experiences and Outcomes. It also suggested teachers should always call upon childrens previous knowledge and involve them in the planning too (Education Scotland, 2012).

Overall I am very motivated to learn more on this topic and look forward to further inputs.

 

References

  • Education Scotland (2012) CFE Briefings, 4 Interdisciplinary Learning. Availible at: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/CfE%20Briefings. Accessed 18/08/18.

The Role of Knowledge in the Curriculum

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After many hours of reading articles about powerful knowledge I was struggling to get a grasp on what this term means. However, I am hoping by combining my notes in this post, that by the end I will have a clearer understanding.

What is Powerful Knowledge??

Powerful Knowledge was a concept introduced by a curricular theorist named Michael Young who was on a mission to determine what should be included in a curriculum. What I believe Young means by this term is knowledge that you would not have access to out with formal education/ teaching (Roberts 2014). He also emphasised that this knowledge is specific to subjects and is not related to prior experiences or everyday knowledge (Young, 2013). He believed this knowledge was important as it give pupils access to new understanding and new ways of thinking.

What are the arguments for powerful knowledge in the classroom??

Some of the positives to powerful knowledge in the classroom is that it helps give stability to teachers and pupils. It clearly indicated what content is being learned and what subject it is related too. Secondly, this type of knowledge is usually taught in a hierarchical way meaning that it is easier to plan and see progression in (Young, 2013). Finally, Young argues that a curriculum made up of powerful knowledge would provide national coherence as it would ensure every child is being taught the same thing. He continues to explain that if teachers use children’s home experiences’ as a starting point for teaching then different things would be being taught across the nation. This could also lead to inequalities as he explains that some children would have access to ‘better knowledge’ (Young, 2013).

What are the arguments against powerful knowledge??

 Young believes that powerful knowledge should be separate from every day experiences. However, he acknowledges that the practical implications of not linking knowledge to children’s experiences could cause them to be less interested and less motivated to learn (Young, 2013). This links with Vygotsky’s theory of ‘Spontaneous Concepts and Scientific Concepts’ discussed in Roberts (2014). Vygotsky explains that a spontaneous concept is when a child learns something subconsciously through everyday experiences. On the other hand, scientific concepts are learnt through instruction from a teacher. Vygotsky proposes that these two concepts are linked and work together to consolidate concepts and enhance further learning (Roberts, 2014). This therefore supports the argument for linking knowledge with everyday experiences to support the child understanding and progress their learning. It could also be argued that it is not possible for a curriculum to put an end to educational inequalities and that there are many other factors that cause geographical educational inequalities.

 My thoughts on knowledge in the classroom/ curriculum…

 I am glad to say that I now feel I have a much better understanding of powerful knowledge and its place in the curriculum.

I acknowledge that powerful knowledge is fundamental to learning and therefore must be included in the curriculum and classroom. However, I do not agree that this knowledge should be kept separate from other important aspects of the curriculum such as every day experiences and the development of skills. From my own experience as a learner I know that if new concepts are linked to things I experience in everyday life I will find it much easier to understand and remember in the future.

The Curriculum for Excellences Experiences and Outcomes give perfect examples of how the two can be combined;

I explore and discover the interesting features of my local environment to develop an awareness of the world around me. SOC 0-07a  (Education Scotland, 2016)

 This incorporates knowledge such as the name of the features, how they came to be there etc but also links it to the child’s life.

Overall, I believe teaching should be meaningful and memorable. Nobody likes to sit and listen to facts all day…

 

 

References

  • Education Scotland (2016)  Experiences and Outcomes, Social Studies. Available at: https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/Experiences%20and%20outcomes#soc ( Accessed 12/09/18)
  • Roberts, M (2014) ‘ Powerful knowledge and geographical education’ , The curriculum journal, Vol 25(2), pp. 187- 209.
  • Young, M (2013) ‘Overcoming the crisis in curriculum theory: a knowledge-based approach’, Journal of Curriculum Studies,45(2), pp.101-118.

 

 

 

 

Dance… love it or hate it?

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Friday mornings dance workshop gave me a whole new perspective on the subject I once did anything to avoid. I have no previous experience of dance and always thought it was not for me. This, combined with the fear of making a fool of myself left me ‘hating it’ throughout my childhood.

However, after Friday’s workshop I began to realise I can no longer be the child scared of making a fool of themselves. I need to be an adult; A teacher that inspires children with full confidence in the subject. The workshop highlighted to me the importance of this subject in the curriculum. I believe if dance had been part of the curriculum when I was in primary school this would have given me the chance to try it and learn some basics.  By the time it became part of the curriculum when I was in secondary school many children had thrived in outside school dance clubs and I still had no experience. This has motivated as a future teacher to give every child a chance to try out dancing and inspire them continue it into later life.

But why bother you may ask?

After doing some reading on the ‘Get Scotland Dancing’ campaign and the Curriculam For Excellence Subject outcomes and experiences I have found dance is a huge part of Scotlands culture and brings in many important aspects of a child’s development. First, it helps the child develop their creativity through choreographing and demonstrating their feelings and ideas through a different media. Second, it is a very good and fun activity that can help towards children reaching their 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Finally, dance is a very social activity that builds on teamwork, cooperation and friendship all of which are very important for good mental wellbeing.

This new information got me motivated and inspired to teach dance in a successful and exciting way to all children. However, I am obviously facing some challenges due to my lack of experience. Therefore I am going to make a professional commitment to improving my knowledge of dance and my ability to teach it.  I plan on doing this through more reading, watching dance performances and fully participating in the dance workshops. I thoroughly enjoy physical activity therefore I know I can do this in order to make me a better teacher in the future.