November 1, 2015
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Comments Off on Active Learning and Co-operative Working.
In my opinion, active learning is very beneficial. One of the most important benefits to active learning is that it develops a positive attitude towards learning. It is very common for people to associate education with stress, for example when it comes to exams, however active learning provides the opportunity to associate learning with fun […] Continue reading
November 1, 2015
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Comments Off on Enquiring Practitioner
Menter et al (2001) defined practitioner enquiry as a ‘finding out’ or an investigation with a rationale and approach that can be explained or defended. Practitioner enquiry is most commonly undertaken within the practitioners own practice however, it can also be collaboratively undertaken with peers. Being an enquiring practitioner you must reflect and evaluate all […] Continue reading
November 1, 2015
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Comments Off on Fabulous Feedback
What is Feedback all about? Feedback can be one of the most valuable tools throughout education. That is, if it is done properly! As wonderful as it is to be given a good grade for a piece of work; without feedback pointing to what exactly you did well, the grade has no impact on your future […] Continue reading
October 30, 2015
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Comments Off on Practitioner Enquiry
I am a creature of habit. I imagine that many of us are. Ingrained and habitual activities, for me, are comfortable and for many years, have formed the very basis of my day-to-day life. However, I am conscious of the fact that what works for me personally, may be completely unproductive for others. In order for […] Continue reading
October 30, 2015
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Comments Off on The Enquiring Practitioner
As stated by the GTCS: “Practitioner enquiry, as defined by Menter et al (2011), is a ‘finding out’ or an investigation with a rationale and approach that can be explained or defended. The findings can then be shared so it becomes more than reflection or personal enquiry.” I believe that an enquiring practitioner is someone […] Continue reading
October 30, 2015
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Comments Off on Learners of our own teaching
There is a wonderful quote from Professor John Hattie which states: “The biggest effects on student learning occur when teachers become learners of their own teaching” (cited on Teaching Scotland, 2014). To me, this says that a successful teacher is one who does not stagnate, rather is continuing to grow and develop within their own professional […] Continue reading
October 29, 2015
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Comments Off on Practitioner Enquiry
Practitioner enquiry an important support system for teachers to get them more engaged in supportive research that will aid both their pupils and themselves. This wheel taken from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)’s website was very useful in coming to terms with what practitioner enquiry actually is. Practitioner enquiry involves engaging with teaching […] Continue reading
October 28, 2015
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Comments Off on Practitioner Enquiry- A Brief Insight
What is practitioner enquiry? This image from the GTC Scotland website clearly shows that it is about practitioners engaging with teaching in a different way. It is very much about a continual learning process, where the teacher is responsible for furthering their own learning through continual research. This is a fairly new idea for teachers […] Continue reading
October 28, 2015
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Comments Off on I don’t know, let me find out.
An enquiring practitioner is ultimately an individual who seeks to gain more relevant knowledge. They further research aspects of interest or need and are then able to relay these to others. This allows the investigative work to become more than reflection, while also consolidating information that has been learned. For us on our journey to […] Continue reading
October 28, 2015
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Comments Off on What it means to be an enquiring practitioner
For me, an enquiring practitioner is a professional who is able to adapt the way they teach or learn based on critical research in to what works and what does not work. It is someone that is capable of reflecting upon their own previous teaching/learning and think critically about how they could better themselves. This evaluative […] Continue reading
October 28, 2015
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Comments Off on My understanding of Reflection
Reflection is a daily aspect of our lives whether we are fully aware we are doing it or not. This general idea of thoughts or consideration concerning a certain topic or a certain past experience that we have underwent. There are different types of reflection some in more formal circumstances where we have to be […] Continue reading
October 28, 2015
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Comments Off on Life in Poetry
Poetry is a word that can bring someone a sense of fear depending on the poem. I, for example, are one of those many people that remember dissecting and analysing poems in high school for months on end to then find out that that specific poem didn’t appear in the final exam. Pointless and time […] Continue reading
October 27, 2015
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Comments Off on The importance of being an enquiring practitioner…
As we learnt today, in Nikki’s input, being an enquiring practitioner is highly regarded within the teaching profession. This is something that I think we should acknowledge as new student teachers. On the GTCS website it states that “Practitioner enquiry is an area of professional learning which was highlighted in Teaching Scotland’s Future (Donaldson, 2011) […] Continue reading
October 27, 2015
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Comments Off on A Helping Hand – Working Together
An approach to learning. A learning style. Currently evolving. The sharing of knowledge. Expressing views and ideas. Assisting and helping. Working together. Collaborative Learning. Collaborative Learning is an ongoing and widely debated topic in Scottish Education and a learning style encouraged and discouraged. It is an approach to learning and a way of working together and sharing ideas, building […] Continue reading
October 27, 2015
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Comments Off on Co-operative Learning: why is it different to group work?
In this mornings lecture, a discussion about co-operative learning cropped up and it make me think about the importance of it in the primary classroom. Co-operative learning is a method of teaching and learning in which students team together to explore a significant question or create a meaningful project. It is a specific kind of […] Continue reading
October 27, 2015
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Comments Off on Base Jumping
Imagine we had been born with 12 fingers. An odd thought I admit but allow me to explain. We work in a base 10 number system in mathematics which uses ten digits (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9), but it wasn’t always this way and nor is it this way everywhere in the world. Binary, for example, is a base 2 number […] Continue reading
October 26, 2015
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Comments Off on Attachments
From the minute we begin to develop within the womb, we form attachments. Therefore, to me, this is a vital aspect of our learning. It has since been found that for a sound upbringing a child needs to have some sort of attachment so surely this is a great aspect in a child’s holistic development? […] Continue reading
October 25, 2015
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Comments Off on Is teaching a profession? Are teachers professionals?
Professionalism in the teaching discipline is diversely considered. Many people have the viewpoint that professionals are of high status in society, an example being lawyers. We must acknowledge the responsibility teachers hold in the profession and identify their roles as professionals, deservingly. Teaching is a paid occupation, therefore I believe should be defined as a […] Continue reading
October 25, 2015
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Comments Off on My Philosophy of Education – MA1
It is fundamental for any teacher to have their own philosophy of education, which is made up of their values and beliefs about learning, teaching and education, because this is an influential element of the learning, planning and reflecting process in the classroom, of which the teacher is responsible for. Education is a never-ending, lifelong […] Continue reading
October 23, 2015
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Comments Off on ~ Languages in Primary 1+2+3+4……
Languages are wonderful and diverse and according to the website ethnologue there are 7,102 known living languages in the world. This made me smile to myself. Then I realised that I only really knew smatterings of phrases from a mere … Continue reading → Continue reading
