Tag Archives: Workshops

Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, Skills, Vision and Leadership

Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool (SPBT) Workshop

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John Slavin – PTC Mathematics

Catherine Kerr PTC Science gave a presentation on the new Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool on the 6th December in St. Margaret’s Academy. The new SPBT will be used in place of the STACs which recorded the SQA results.

There are several major differences in the two systems. The new SPBT will have 7 categories, four national and three local ones.

The overall presentation is much more visual than STACs. The home page shows the dashboard which has the four national measures, based on the national priorities. It is called a dashboard to emphasise the interconnectedness of the measures.

Continue reading Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool (SPBT) Workshop →

Interdisciplinary learning, Skills

Science in Industry

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Collette MacAllister – Chemistry Teacher

Having worked in the semiconductor industry for 18 years prior to joining the teaching profession, I was keen to share my experiences not only with my own pupils but with fellow teachers and pupils out with my own classes. When chatting to two of the Physics teachers they mentioned that semiconductors was a topic within the Higher Physics course and asked if I would mind sharing my experience in this industry with their pupils and with them.

In the classroom the pupils learn about the device Physics (specifically n-channel enhanced MOSFET ) whereas my experience was in the manufacturing of many integrated circuit devices. I aimed to complement the theory taught in the class room to make this microscopic topic tangible and allow the pupils to see its real life application.

The pupils were keen to hear about the extensive travelling around the world that this line in work had taken me : from the UK, through mainland Europe ( France, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg to name but a few), through the US (from Washington State to Arizona) to Asia. Continue reading Science in Industry →

Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, Skills, Teaching Pedagogy

Developing Independent Learning Skills

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Keith Varty – Biology/Science Teacher  

During the recent  staff meeting I organised a short CPD workshop to support Learning and Teaching of the Senior Phase.   This workshop focussed on Developing Independent Learning Skills and aimed to share strategies that help the young people of St. Margaret’s Academy become  independent learners.  Although I knew that I foster these skills in the young people in my classes, I did not feel like an expert.  As a result, I decided that during this workshop staff would have the opportunity to work independently through this PowerPoint presentation before having the opportunity to discuss any questions that arose. 

I then provided a demonstration of how I make use of the virtual learning platform that is Edmodo, to  give pupils more responsibility for their learning.  This involvedshowing staff how I:

  • Share topical science news articles and videos
  • Share Smartboard presentations used in class
  • Publisce deadlines
  • Create quizzes to consolidate learning
  • Set an array of homework acticities from which pupils chose their focus
  • Provide feedback on homeworks and assessments
  • Support learners outwith the classroom
  • Share research tasks with the class for peer-assessment Continue reading Developing Independent Learning Skills →
Interdisciplinary learning, Literacy, Self-Reflection, Skills, Teaching Pedagogy

SSERC Chemistry Residential

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At a recent SSERC course I was able to take part in a range of innovative practical activities that I hope to be able to integrate into our science and chemistry courses at St Margaret’s.

Practical activities included:

  • a novel method for carrying out chromatography that can be used in biology (separating compounds found in plants) in chemistry (chemical analysis in the new National 5 course)
  • etching zinc plates as a new way to demonstrate displacement reactions  – this allows a possibility of creating cross-curricular links with art (using the plates for printing) or CDT (shaping the plate to make a product).
  • ethanol rockets as a way of comparing energy from different fuels (this can be run in conjunction with physics to allow calculation of acceleration, velocity and average speed.)
  • making and analysing a shampoo from herbs and natural oils
  • extracting limonene and pectin from oranges and using the pith as an absorbent
  • looking at the properties of hydrogels
  • making ceramics
  • making liquid crystal displays

Continue reading SSERC Chemistry Residential →

Skills, Uncategorized

Science Cluster CPD – Working Together to Better Science Learning Part 2

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Laura Watson, Collette MacAllister, Scott Wood, Louise McAdam, Catherine Kerr and Keith Varty – Science Department

On Friday 20th September members of the St Margaret’s Academy Science department ran a workshop which provided our primary colleagues with a variety of practical experiments which they could take back and introduce into some of their science work. There were three different practical stations set up during the workshop one for Chemistry, Biology and Physics. These stations lasted for approximately 20 minutes and provided ideas for work that could be used to cover 3 of the 2nd level science E’s and O’s. These stations also showed how the pupils develop in this area when they carry out their 3rd level work at St Margaret’s Academy. Continue reading Science Cluster CPD – Working Together to Better Science Learning Part 2 →

Health and wellbeing, Uncategorized

Health and Well-being INSET 7th May, 2013 ‘Unlearn Art’

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During the INSET afternoon on 7th May, I invited my colleagues in St. Margaret’s Academy to ‘Unlearn Art’. The invitation meant coming to the Art and Design department for the afternoon to spend what was to become real quality time, working together to produce artworks, with no preconceptions of what the outcomes were to be, not to worry about not being able to draw or paint and just simply enjoy being creative again, which for some meant not having lifted a paint brush since S2! What a wonderful afternoon. My creative colleagues were cross curricular, including staff from Science, Maths, English, French, TLC , and of course, Art and Design. I am tirelessly impressed with the variety of work produced by my pupils even when following the same instructions and Learning Intentions and my creative colleagues were no different. The individuality displayed was amazing, I was so impressed by the enthusiasm and total engagement, as each one threw themselves into their art work with total abandon! Fantastic, I couldn’t have wished for more. However all good things must come to an end but staff returned over the next few days to complete their art work which had become a source of pride and enjoyment for them, and rightly so. Thank you for sharing the Health and Well-being INSET with me and ‘Unlearning Art’. Hopefully we will be able to repeat the experience soon, but most definitely next year. I’m looking forward to it already. Take the time to peruse the gallery of artworks and comment as you please.  Diane Continue reading Health and Well-being INSET 7th May, 2013 ‘Unlearn Art’ →

Literacy, Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, Skills

Moderation and Assessment of Reading in St Margaret’s Cluster

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Mary Gibson – St Margaret’s Cluster Development Officer

On Tuesday 12th February all primary staff from across St Margaret’s cluster, representatives from Cedarbank School  and teachers from the English Department met to embark on the first of a two stage exercise to moderate and assess reading at Early, First, Second and Third level. Early and First level meetings took place in Howden St Andrew’s and St Nicholas’ primaries while Second and Third level staff worked in St Margaret’s Academy. The overall aim of this exercise was to establish a standard across the cluster of “secure” learning in one outcome.

The process involved using a template* to plan and deliver lessons to pupils who were secure at Lit1- 19a, Eng 1-19a, Eng 2-19a and Eng 3-19a. Passages were provided for selection according to the needs of the pupils involved. Continue reading Moderation and Assessment of Reading in St Margaret’s Cluster →

Interdisciplinary learning, Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, Skills, Vision and Leadership

Stirling, CERN, SQA and RRSA CPD Activities

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My recent CPD activities have included completing the West Lothian Leadership course and have now started an MSc course in Educational Leadership at Stirling University. I have also undertaken marking for the SQA of both Standard Grade and Advanced Higher scripts. I have been leading the Rights Respecting Schools initiative within my school and have recently been appointed the Business Links development post holder within the school. Over the past year, I have also been trying to implement more use of technology in my teaching, by using facilities such as the PS3 and XBOX to enhance the learning of pupils. In addition I have recently been looking to use Edmodo with my classes such that more online resources have been available to them. I have also lead a recent foreign trip to CERN in Geneva, and undertaken the arrangement of the end of term shows within the school. Continue reading Stirling, CERN, SQA and RRSA CPD Activities →

Interdisciplinary learning, Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, This is our Faith, Uncategorized, Vision and Leadership

R.E. Inset Day

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Frank Quinn – Principal Teacher R.E. Department

As part of the school’s plan in implementing “Shining the Light” and “This is Our Faith” (T.I.O.F.), it was decided that some time should be spent looking at part of the document “T.I.O.F.” by the whole staff during an Inset day.  The school believes the way forward with “T.I.O.F.” and the school’s Religious Education programme is to approach it as a whole-school responsibility, like Literacy, Numeracy and H&WB.  Each department should be aware where there are opportunities for them to contribute to the R.E. in the school.

Continue reading R.E. Inset Day →

Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All, Self-Reflection, Skills, Vision and Leadership

Diabetes Workshop

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Helen Powley, P.E. Department

This was a very informative CPD experience. We have many pupils in the school who have diabetes and we must be aware of their needs. The CPD went through the two differnt types of diabetes and how these can be controlled. Examples of the different pieces of equipment were there for staff to look at and try! The main message I took form the session was that it  is important for staff, parents and medical staff to work together to ensure the wellbeing of the pupil. NHS staff were keen to point out that staff and parents must contact them if they need support. There are a huge number of pupils in the lothian who have diabetes and few nurses, so if support is required we must ask.

If pupils are going away on a school trip I recommend that a meeting set up with parents, and if required NHS staff to ensure that the correct plan and resources are in place for the duration of a trip. For example, medication may need to be changed for a sports activity trip. Continue reading Diabetes Workshop →