6. Focus on learning, not grades “Pupils show greater motivation, are better behaved and are more likely to be independent and strategic thinkers when teachers are not obsessed by grades.” “If there is one new thing we need in our school system right now, it is a well-developed focus on learning.” Chris Watkins, Institute of Education, Aug 2010 From an analysis of 100 international studies on how children learn
7. A new government, a new curriculum? “The best schools & nurseries design learning for their pupils and then cross check against the national expectations to see they have done right by the pupils in terms of the agreedentitlement for all the nation’s children. The attainment targets give a touchstone for the expected standards and that’s it.” Many schools believe the myths that have been peddled about the national curriculum and some current ministers seem to believe them too. The truth is nothing can be changed by statute until 2012. Even then, it will only be the national expectations. It doesn’t really matter what comes from government; how it is packaged, what it contains. In the end, the curriculum is the one that children in schools and nurseries meet day in, day out.
9. Not everything counts Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton
19. Challenge We need more stories and less facts, for narrative develops an understanding of sequence; we need more dialogue and less transmission of knowledge, for it is through dialogue that we learn most; and we need more challenge and less instruction, since it is from challenge that one grows in body, mind and spirit. Matthew Lipman, 1991
22. Challenge and Learning Too Hard PA Potential Ability Learning Zone CA Current Ability Practice Zone SA Subconscious Ability Too Easy 82
23. The Teaching Target Model (TTM) PA Learning Zone CA Performance Practice Zone SA Time 85
24. A continuously improving setting will have well-qualified and experienced staff who: “... are committed to the development of sustained shared thinking by offering encouragement, clarifying ideas and asking open questions which support and extend children’s thinking and help them make connections in learning – while ensuring a balance between adult-led and child initiated activities” (EYFS 1.27)
25. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Developed during World War II, MBTI is a personality indicator designed to identify personal preferences In a similar way to left or right-handedness, the MBTI principle is that individuals also find certain ways of thinking and acting easier than others Evidence Gut feeling Sensing Intuition Think to talk Talk to think Introversion Extroversion Definite Possible Judging Perceiving Logic/Reason Empathy Thinking Feeling
36. What do we mean by “succeed”? Learning Intentions To explore numbers 1 - 10 Respond to others thoughts Investigate importance of different body parts Increase our awareness of different weather types Learning Intentions To know numbers 1 - 10 To express our thoughts To name body parts Describe different types of weather
38. Piaget (1896 – 1980) Biological Development leads to learning Knowledge is constructed Focus on a child’s current ability (CA) Vygotsky (1896 – 1934) Cultural Learning leads to development Knowledge is co-constructed Focus on a child’s potential ability (PA)
39. The Teaching Target Model (TTM) PA Learning Zone CA Performance Practice Zone SA Time 85
46. By the time they start school Some children start school knowing 6,000 words. Others, just 500 words. Source: BBC 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8013859.stm
47. Number of words heard by children A child in a welfare-dependent family hears on average 616 words an hour 500 A child in a working-class home hears on average 1,251 words an hour 700 A child in a professional home hears on average 2,153 words an hour 1100 Number of words spoken by the time children are 3 Hart & Risley, 1995
49. What matters is what you believe about intelligence People who believe intelligence comes mainly from nature have a ‘fixed’ mindset People who believe intelligence comes mainly from nurture have a ‘growth’ mindset Professor Carol Dweck, Stanford
50. Fixed vs Growth Mindsets Growth Intelligence is incremental I’ve developed talents My abilities change over time I can get better at almost anything Fixed Intelligence is innate I have gifts I’ll always be good at certain things I’ll never be good at other things
51. Problematic praise Clever girl! Gifted musician Brilliant mathematician Bright boy Top of the class! By far the best
52. The effects of different types of praise Mueller and Dweck, 1998 In six studies, 7th grade students were given a series of nonverbal IQ tests.
53. Mueller and Dweck, 1998 Intelligence praise “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must be smart at this.” Process praise “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must have tried really hard.” Control-group praise “Wow, that’s a really good score.”
56. The effects of praise Swimming “You do your best swimming when you concentrate and try your best to do what Chris is asking you to do” Ballet “What a brilliant ballerina you are!” A new Dawn (Fraser) ?
76. 1. Girl or boy? 2. What is she/he wearing? 3. What object is she/he holding? 4. Where’s she/he going? 5. On the way, she/he meets …? 6. Unfortunately … 7. Fortunately … 8. Then the weather changed … 9. Bringing with it … 10. Finally …