Category Archives: 2 Prof. Knowledge & Understanding

Planning Investigations

Last week, we had a workshop about planning an investigation which I found really helpful. At the start of the workshop, our groups had to draw a picture of a scientist. This resulted in a handful of very similar images revolving around a middle-aged man with crazy, electrocuted hair wearing a lab jacket and holding a test tube. It really challenged me when the lecturer pointed out how no one had drawn a female scientist or one that was under the age of twelve or disabled or not middle/upper class. It hit me how much the stereotypes of society have infiltrated us all and the message that it sends to children- that they have be a certain kind of person to be a scientist.

Science begins when we start to question our everyday ideas. Iike this diagram of what we can do with children when we are questioning something in class. It follows a constructivist approach, in that we recognise our own misconceptions and intervene to challenge them by setting up a controlled experiment. This will result in the children and I reformulating our ideas and solidifying what we have found in the experiment.

Science experiments practice and develop a lot of different skills; observing, raising questions, predicting and hypothesising, planning and carrying out investigations, measuring, recording, evaluating and communicating. I thought that the planning sheets we used in our experiment were really helpful; planning an investigation can be quite daunting, but when you split it up it is a lot easier! I now feel a lot less nervous about planning an experiment with my pupils, and I plan to use the sheets with my class in the future.

Ten Little Frogs…

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In our mathematics and science module we have been looking at how picture books and nursery rhymes can be used to help children develop their understanding of mathematical concepts and language.

The book that I looked at is called ‘One, Two, Three, Four’ by Mary Grice. It is a book compiled of different poems with illustrations by Denis Wrigley. The poem I focused on in it is called ‘Ten Little Frogs’.

I believe that this poem can help children develop their understanding of subtraction. It could be used to give them a visual image of a subtraction question. You could tell the children the first part of the verse e.g. ‘ten little frogs sitting on a well, one leaned over and down he fell, frogs leap high and frogs leap low’ and then ask them to tell you how many frogs would be left. You could also challenge them by asking them if one came back how many there would then be, getting them to practice their addition skills. Even the mathematical words and concepts ideas of the frogs sitting on the well and how when they fell they fell down are being practiced.

Some of the mathematical language which might be practised are words like ‘subtraction, on, down, high, low, 1-10, total’. You could use toy frogs to act as a prop for the poem and to help the children count how many are left each time. It doesn’t even have to be toy frogs, the idea behind the poem can be adapted for a range of things.

Classroom Organisation and Management

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I was given the task to design a classroom layout for a class of 28 pupils; 23 boys and 5 girls. This is the classroom layout I designed;

I would really like to have a smart board and a white board so that demonstrations can take place in different areas of the classroom. I have heard of many schools bringing in iPads or tablets for their pupils and I think this is a great idea! This fits in with the GTCS SFR: 2.1.4 Have knowledge and understanding of contexts for learning to fulfil their responsibilities in literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and interdisciplinary learning and 3.1.3 Employ a range of teaching strategies and resources to meet the needs and abilities of learners . By using the tablets, lessons can be even more interactive and may make the pupils feel more relaxed and comfortable if it reminds them of the experiences they have at home. I think it is important to have quite a lot of the desks facing the Smart Board as this is probably one of the most used classroom resources and so saves the children craning their necks. Beside the Smart Board there is a list of classroom rules, therefore, whilst the children are looking at the front they can be reminded of what is expected of them. At the start of the school year the class could discuss/suggest this list of rules and this list being beside the Smart Board means that I can easily point to it to remind the pupils of the rules we agreed on. This comes under the GTCS SFR: 3.2.2 Develop positive relationships and positive behaviour strategies and 3.1.5 Work effectively in partnership in order to promote learning and wellbeing.

I have arranged the tables so that the pupils will hopefully have a good view of both the White board and the Smart Board. I think that the ‘L’ shape of the tables will enable the teacher to move around smoothly and be able to reach any child easily who may need help etc.

I placed the teacher’s desk at the side near the back so that I have a good view of all the pupils in the classroom .Beside the teacher’s desk is a white board because I know that they are a common feature in classrooms and I think that they are practically very handy. They can be used, for example, to remind one group of the work they should be doing whilst the other board is used. I also placed the desk in between the Interactive Learning Zone and the Quiet Zone so that I can easily keep an eye on these areas and make sure that they are being used properly.

There is a Quiet Zone at the front right of the class. This is an area where children can come to ‘cool down’, have a ‘time out’ or do some silent reading. It could also be used to gather a smaller group in the class to teach. This comes under the GTCS SFR:3.2.1 Create a safe, caring and purposeful learning environment. It is opposite the Interactive Learning Zone at the back of the classroom. Since the majority of the class are boys, I thought that it was important to have an area where they could come and do some practical, hands-on learning. This area will be filled with different resources, such as building blocks, number games and a range of other tasks. This fits in with the GTCS SFR: 3.1.3 Employ a range of teaching strategies and resources to meet the needs and abilities of learners .

There is also a ‘finished work tasks’ board for pupils to give them options other than just silent reading/ Interactive Learning Zone when they are finished their work. This will contain tasks such as quiz questions, poster ideas and crosswords etc. which the pupils can complete at their desks. This will prevent the Interactive Learning Zone and the Quiet Zone from becoming too overcrowded. All three areas are placed very far apart to prevent overcrowding. This comes under the GTCS SFR: 3.2.1 Create a safe, caring and purposeful learning environment.

I also want to have a ‘compliment board’ in my classroom. I think it is important to create a positive atmosphere and a classroom environment where children know that they are accepted for who they are. If they have confidence in themselves, then mkorsakov_-__ this will hopefully influence their motivation to learn and to work hard. Also, in today’s society , there is a pressure among males in particular to keep their feelings bottled up and to not show any emotion. There is a pressure among both genders to look and act a certain way. By creating this safe environment, I hope that it will encourage the pupils to be trusting and open to sharing if anything is bothering them. This also fits in with the GTCS SFR: 3.2.1 Create a safe, caring and purposeful learning environment.

Around the walls I will have examples of all of the pupils’ work to show them that they should be proud and to really make it feel like it is ‘their’ place. There will be a welcome board containing some information about each pupil (which they will write them selves). This is so that visitors can find out more about the class and so that each pupil knows that they are an important member of the class. I will have an achievements wall which will be updated regularly. There will also be an information board near the door containing, for example, registration notices and lunch menus. This is so that pupils can check it as they come in and so that they are reminded that they are in a classroom and so they are reminded of what is expected of them.

Intertwining drama into lessons

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As a child, I used to love putting on dramatic performances, whether it was in front of the school in the Christmas plays, or simply in front of my family in the comfort of my own home. I loved going to the drama club at my Church every week and secretly dreamt of one day being an actress (who knows, there’s still time).

The great thing about drama is that it is so versatile! It can be easily applied and shaped into any subject. It is a way of reinforcing what the pupils have been learning. Speaking from experience, I know that drama can bring a topic to life and can make learning fun and interactive. There are many different ways to integrate drama into a lesson; it can be used as a summary of a lesson, as a way to develop the class’ peer assessment skills or as a relaxing activity at the end of the day. I have researched three conventions with suggestions of how they can be applied in the classroom;

Conscience Alley

This method could be used when looking at a range of subjects. For example, the influences and reasons for alcohol / drug abuse, what different religions would have to say about a particular issue/topic or even simply in readin UmmAbdrahmaa_ g when a character has to make a decision. The class forms two lines facing each other. One person walks between the middle of lines as each member of the line gives their advice regarding the situation. This could be done so that each line is giving opposing advice. When the person reaches the end of the tunnel they have to make their decision.

Soundscape

This convention could be used to set the scene of a story being studied in an english lesson. It could also be used to imitate the atmosphere surrounding an important historical event in a history lesson or to recreate the buzz of a city or the peace of the country in a geography lesson. One person acts as a conductor whilst the rest of the class are the ‘orchestra’. Using their voices and bodies, the class tries to create a ‘soundscape’ of a particular theme or mood, for example the seaside, a city, a jungle.

Thought Tracking

This convention would go hand-in-hand in literacy when reading a story or even in a social studies lesson when discussing how a historical figure felt at a significant point. It starts off with a freeze frame then each character in the freeze frame explains how they feel and the situation that they are in.

Scientific Literacy

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Last week in Science, we were learning about the concept of ‘Scientific Literacy’. I was surprised at how much more there is to science than just learning the facts and experiments. There is a lot of critical thinking behind it as well which has enabled us to get to the point we are at today. We were asked to write a piece on Scientific Literacy.

The Assessment Criteria was;

AC1 – Explanation of the concept of scientific literacy

AC2 – Analysis of an example where a lack of scientific literacy has led to inaccurate media reporting

AC3 – Discussion of how teaching fair testing in school science links to scientific literacy

AC4 – A carefully researched and referenced paper on scientific literacy

AC1 was written by myself (Laura Clarke), AC2 was written by Lucy Gray, AC3 was written by Colette McEwan and AC4 was completed by Anna Polson.

[AC1] According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Scientific literacy is ,’the capacity to use scientific knowledge, to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions in order to understand and help make decisions about the natural world and the changes made to it through human activity’ (OECD, 2003, p133).

Scientific literacy is a step further than just knowing scientific facts; it is applying this knowledge to real life situations. It involves thinking critically about a piece of information and coming to an evidence-based judgement of it.

Rodger Bybee proposed four stages of scientific literacy development. This starts off with ‘Nominal Scientific Literacy’; when a student has some knowledge of scientific vocabulary, but doesn’t understand it and may have some misconceptions about it. Scientific literacy then develops to a ‘Functional’ and then ‘Conceptual’ stage until the pupil reaches a level of ‘Multidimensional Scientific Literacy’; when a student can ‘relate their understanding of concepts and processes and the nature of science in the wider context of science technology and society. It includes philosophical, historical, and social dimensions of science and technology’ (Bybee, 1997, cited in Dunne and Peacock, 2012 , p.84).

Becoming scientifically literate is one of the aims of the curriculum for excellence, ‘The experiences and outcomes in science provide opportunities for children and young people to develop and practise a range of inquiry and investigative skills, scientific analytical thinking skills, and develop attitudes and attributes of a scientifically literate citizen’ (Scottish Government, 2004)

[AC2] A famous case of scientific illiteracy in full effect is the MMR jab case. It was feared there was an association between the MMR jab and Autism in the late 1990s this resulted in a decreased number of children receiving jabs for measles mumps and rubella. The Lancet 1998 was the medical journal that suggested the link between the vaccine, autism and bowel disease. (SOURCE: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/33892/No-MMR-jab-and-autism-link-study) The lack of scientific literacy behind the accusation of the jab caused an uproar amongst the population even prime minister at the time Tony Blair refused to say if his baby also had the jab. (SOURCE: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/13550/Dangers-of-MMR-jab-covered-up) In more recent studies in which a solid knowledge of scientific literacy is in practice has websites removing the MMR Autism claim. The Advertising Standards Authority said: “We understood that the position held by the World Health Organisation and the Department of Health was that no evidence existed of a causal association between the MMR vaccine and autism or autistic disorders, and that the Cochrane review, looking at the general evidence available, could find no significant association between MMR immunisation and autism. (SOURCE: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/338290/Website-to-remove-MMR-autism-claim) The fear caused by the uncertainty of MMR vaccine claims created an epidemic amongst the people so strong that the media fed on it and produced many displays of scientific illiteracy.

[AC3] Fair testing is done when carrying out an experiment, you make the test fair by only changing one factor at a time to ensure the results are as accurate and fair as possible. Fair testing highlights that by changing just one factor how the full experiment can change and result in a different outcome. Teaching fair testing in schools is essential and develops scientific literacy as it allows children to not only stop thinking when they get a result, but are able to understand and explain how it works and how they got that result. Teaching fair testing also links to scientific literacy as it ensures children don’t simply accept everything they see or hear, but are able to think critically about situations and challenge them.

References

OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] (2003) The PISA 2003 Assessment Framework – Mathematics, Reading, Science and Problem Solving Knowledge and Skills. Paris: OECD.

Dunne, M. and Peacock, A. (eds.) (2012) Primary science: A guide to teaching practice. United Kingdom: SAGE Publications.

Scottish Government, Curriculum for Excellence- Science Principles and Practice. Available at http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/curriculumareas/sciences/principlesandpractice/index.asp [Last accessed 12/02/2016]

Goal setting in Science

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I had a science input which has really motivated me to revise what I know about science as it is a key part of the curriculum. I know that I am going to need to know not just what I am teaching, but facts around it as you can never really predict what sorts of questions your pupils will ask! I have had a good science education, but unfortunately most of the science information in my brain has been hidden and so I need to retrieve it by revising some topics. Therefore, I have set myself a SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) target;

S- I plan to look specifically at vibrations and waves, in particular, at sound vibrations and light waves

M- I will possibly create a poster or write a blog post to show off what I have learnt and will upload it to my ePortfolio.

A- I know it is attainable as I have learnt this subject before, so I am revising it to bring it to the front of my mind again.

R- It is very relevant as in the curriculum for excellence it says, “Through research on how animals communicate, I can explain how sound vibrations are carried by waves through air, water and other media. SCN 2-11” and “By exploring reflections, the formation of shadows and the mixing of coloured lights, I can use my knowledge of the properties of light to show how it can be used in a creative way. SCN 2-11”.

T- I aim to have this completed before the start of my placement.

Beating the maths myths and anxiety

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Today, I had an introductory tutorial on mathematics; it’s importance in the curriculum, why we need to learn it and the different ways we can involve children in understanding mathematics.

Fortunately for me, mathematics is a subject which comes quite naturally to me and I believe that I am quite good at it. I would even say that I enjoy it! I hope that my enjoyment of mathematics reflects when I am teaching so that my class are motivated to learn it. However, one thing I am worried about is the whole process of having to take a subject which is second nature to me, and to put it into words so that children who are hearing it for the first time can understand. This is something I will have to continuously reflect on and plan effectively.

One thing which really stood out for me in the tutorial is the importance of the support of the teacher and discussion. It is a shame to hear that parents whose skills don’t lie in mathematics assume that it is a genetic thing and so they tell their kids that they won’t be any good at it either. Teachers have to work to beat these barriers, and to make sure every child has the equal opportunity to understand and to thrive in mathematics, regardless of what their family believes. It is important that teachers are flexible to explain a particular aspect of maths in different ways to suit different learner’s needs. I remember when I was doing my AS Level maths in high school, I struggled a lot at the start of the year because even though I enjoyed maths, it was quite a jump from just doing normal maths at GCSE to AS Level. It didn’t help as well that the rest of the class (bar one) had done additional mathematics at GCSE, and so they took to the AS Level maths like a duck to water. This made me feel quite inadequate and frustrated. However, my maths teacher made sure to always check that the other non-add-maths girl and I understood, she explained things over and over again, gave us extra work for practice and even held a class in one of our free periods to go over things. I don’t know if it was the way she explained things, or her enthusiasm and love for maths, or just her belief in us, but as the year went on I understood things a lot better and my maths grades started to improve. I am so proud to say that I went from getting E’s and D’s at the start of the year, to getting a B in my final AS result. I know I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teacher and for how she kept motivating us to keep going through the hard work.

Especially in primary school mathematics, I think that it is so important that teachers bring maths to life. This is done by fully involving children in their learning. Teachers could plan lessons which make the children imitate using maths in everyday life, for example, setting up an imaginary shop and getting the children to count their money. They should use different resources, such as aesthetically pleasing worksheets and practical counters. They could play different mathematical games with their class, so that they are learning but having fun at the same time.

I also noted the importance of discussion in mathematics. Reflecting on my experience through school, I don’t believe enough time was given to discussing mathematics. It is through this that children can describe their methods, and so develop a deeper understanding. They can also see how they went wrong and so learn from their mistakes. By talking to their partner, they can learn from each other. If they both are struggling with something I believe it makes them feel less isolated and so they are less likely to feel as mathematically incompetent if someone else also doesn’t understand. This also may give them the confidence to ask for help, as it can be quite intimidating sticking your hand up in front of a silent class. I have really taken this into account and so when I am a teacher, I want to give my class the time at the end of a maths lesson to discuss with each other what they understood about it and where they struggled. Then they can feedback this back to me, and so I can then decide if a topic needs gone over again or if it is okay to move on.

I conclusion, I believe that maths is a vital subject for our children to learn, and so it is up to us as teachers to beat the myths and anxiety surrounding it. I could not summarise it better than this quote from ‘Mathematics explained for Primary Teachers’ by Derek Haylock and Ralph Manning;

“Learning experiences for children in mathematics should ensure that children enjoy learning mathematics, by providing opportunities to: (a) experience the sense of pleasure that comes from solving a problem or a mathematical puzzle: (b) have their curiousity stimulated by formulating their own questions and investigating mathematical situations; (c) play small-group games that draw on mathematical skills and concepts; (d) experiment with pattern in numbers and shapes and discover relationships for themselves; and (e) have some beautiful moments in mathematics where they are surprised, delighted or intrigued.”

Technology in the Classroom

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Today I was reflecting on the importance of animation in the classroom. I was taught how to use programs such as Pivot Animate and ZU3D, programs which can make lessons more interactive and engaging for the pupils. I used these programs to create a short film with my peer, Polly, which you can view below. I really got to see how useful these programs can be, as you can use them to help children develop their understanding of other areas of the curriculum, while at the same time, develop their ICT skills. For example, you could ask the children to write a very short story in groups based on a history topic that they are learning and get them to act it out. Then let them either animate it using Pivot Animate software or film it with plasticine figures, Lego models etc. on the ZU3D program and then they could review each other’s work. If it seems appropriate you could teach them how to add sounds, subtitles etc.

Of course, to be able to do this, it is important that I as a future teacher, am aware and up-to-date on the programs that are available to do this. Today’s workshop has really motivated me to search around for the different software that I could use in the classroom. Fortunately, I feel that the programs we used today were quite easy to get the hang of and so I definitely believe I will use them in the classroom in the future.

I believe that animation does link in to the GTCS Technologies Experiences and Outcomes as it states that children should explore and enhance their knowledge of software, they should be able to use these electronic sources to support and enrich their learning in different contexts. Using animation will develop their imagination, creativity, team work skills and in some cases, their time management. Even a simple half an hour lesson on how to use these programmes can lay down the foundations for their skills in ICT.

Here is the film I made with Polly today using the ZU3D software.

The song in the background is Nellie the Elephant – Instrumental with Lyrics – Karaoke

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