Who is Thinking in Practice for?
The ‘Thinking in Practice’ meetings are opportunities for
teachers and other educators to share their practice in an
interactive manner, explore new ideas, or different approaches to
using the familiar. We recognise that there is no definitive
approach and as adults we need to practice what we preach – to be
active thinkers, to share ‘work in progress’, to ‘take learning
risks’ and be prepared to construct and reconstruct our own
understanding
Some Thoughts from previous Thinking in Practice meetings
We have shared practical examples of TASC (Thinking Actively in
a Social Context) from nursery upwards. Many schools and teachers
are using TASC to focus thinking and as it can be used with all
ages, including adults, it is providing the basic framework to
understand the use and relevants of specific skills and
strategies.
Philosophy for Children (P4C) is also proving very useful to
extend children's thinking across disciplines, again by children
from nursery upwards. We are now offering the fifth repeat of the
introductory course with Barry Hymer. Check the side panel for
details
DIFFERENT WAYS OF INTRODUCING THINKING MODELS INTO SCHOOLS
a) Introduce a range of models
over a relatively long period of time. Different groups of teachers
research and develop their knowledge of different models. Gradually
building up an awareness of a variety of different models to
incorporate elements as appropriate. Underlying concept ‘start
where you are – not where you want to be’.
b) Focussing on just one or two
models to enjoy the perceived ‘security’ of using an endorsed
package in which the ‘thinking’ is done for you. Awareness of
specific packages can be renewed through re-focusing weeks e.g.
‘BLP’ weeks and re-training where appropriate
c) Opportunity for individual
teacher to research, develop and champion a particular thinking
model.
d) Model introduction needs to be
consistent and developmental. All stakeholders need to be actively
involved. Need to generate a supportive culture, understanding the
needs of Head, Staff and Learner is important and supportive.
e) Model introduction needs to be
consistent and developmental. All stakeholders need to be actively
involved.
f) Implementation of
thinking models in secondary schools bring with it different
challenges as teachers tend to be focussed on their own subject
.
g) Opportunity for transferring
good practice from primary to secondary schools
identified.
USING TASC (Thinking Actively in a Social Context – by Belle
Wallace)
One school has been using TASC as part of its post OFSTED plan
to develop speaking and listening and has found TASC has proved
effective. Improved pupils ability to talk about themselves as
learners as well as enhancing differentiation enabling teachers to
find out what students know.
Pupils take on effective topic planning ‘they come up with the
good ideas and teachers can find out how much the pupil knows’. The
pupils learn how to use learning skills in action in different
aspects of the curriculum and learning and TASC enables pupils to
reflect upon their own learning and to develop a metalanguage.
TASC is successfully being used by adults as well as children in
Staff Meetings and Parents Workshops which demonstrates the use in
the adult world of the skills which are being taught from the early
years.
There is a group of teachers working with BSUC to take their
work with TASC forward.
FEEDBACK ON USING BUILDING LEARNING POWER
BLP is being used in the Bath Learning Network as ‘BLP gives
learners the independence to become active learners’ pupils working
as a group as oppose to ‘in a group’.
There is a focus on teacher as learner. Including modelling,
example cited of two teachers learning origami in assembly. ‘It is
very liberating to reveal self as a learner, children enjoy the
feeling of all being in it together’
Used visual representation of BLP strands e.g. Resilience –
Shield, Resourceful – Bag, Relationship – Mobile Phone Reflectivity
– Mirror, as mnemonics.
P.A.S.S. (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School)
www.pass-survey.co.uk
P.A.S.S. is an online self-evaluation and attitude measurement
which can be used at an individual, class, group or school level to
identify areas to address or to contribute to the evaluation of
work. An innovative approach to inclusion and raising pupil
achievement. There are measures of attainment and attendance.
P.A.S.S provides a method of ‘measuring’ influential aspects of
attitude.
There is a large cross key stage project in the authority. 6
secondary and over a dozen primary/junior schools have already
purchased P.A.S.S. and hopefully everyone in Bath and North East
Somerset will be using it. BSUC are supporting the
work.
