HARMANS WATER PRIMARY SCHOOL

1. HARMANS WATER PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHING, THINKING & LEARNING POLICY 2004

2. TEACHING,THINKING & LEARNING POLICYCONTENTS HOW TO PLAN HOW WE TEACH WHAT A GOOD LESSON LOOKS LIKE WHY ARE TEACHERS IMPORTANT? HOW DOES A TEACHER NEED TO FEEL TO TEACH WELL? WHAT DOES EFFECTIVE TEACHING LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE USE PARENTS TO SUPPORT TEACHING? HOW DO WE USE CHILDREN TO SUPPORT TEACHING? HOW DO WE BALANCE WORK LOAD? WHAT IS OUR PRIORITY?

3. Address the NC, NS & LS Subject Managers plan schemes of work Long term plans evolve from QCA schemes of work Medium Term: planning in year groups from schemes for all subjects on a termly basis Plan in opportunities for assessment Short term plans: Drawn up weekly in year groups from medium term plans, taking into account progress made in previous sessions Variety of teaching techniques employed – Class, group & individual Opportunities for use of VAK activities Differentiated work for pupils Learning Objectives are clearly defined in the short term planning stage Foundation subjects blocked Use of individual expertise to inform planning. Lessons are well prepared. Realistic achievable targets are set. Know our pupils. Know what motivates pupils. Build self-esteem and levels of aspiration. Build a belief that they and we can succeed. Organise classrooms effectively. Differentiation. Explain things effectively. Maintain interest using a variety of techniques. Build confidence through repetition. Listen effectively to children. Establish routines and structures. Make learning meaningful and connected to the real world. Invite exploration and discovery learning. Confidence in your own knowledge and understanding of the subject being taught. Use assessment to inform and plan teaching. Use of appropriate marking and feedback. Demonstrate expectations through modelling Demonstrate modelling skills HOW WE PLAN HOW WE TEACH.

4. Learning objectives clear to children at the beginning of lesson. The work is challenging but achievable. The environment is calm, well ordered and stimulating. Children are interacting during the lesson, mentally, verbally and physically. Children are encouraged and praised. Children are given meaningful feedback on what they are doing well and how they may improve things they may not have done so well. There is evidence of independent and collaborative work during the lesson. There is good pace to the lesson. There is a meaningful plenary to reinforce the learning objective. Children aware of success criteria. A balance of activities to cater for learning styles To establish an effective working environment where children are: challenged stimulated Happy Safe Encouraged and appreciated Feel a sense of belonging. To establish routines and rules To be a role model for learning To be fair and consistent Individual and flexible Plan effective experiences Be a good communicator Provide a link between home and school. To give children the skills to learn Be a trusted ally Develop children’s strengths Become a ‘constructive critic’ Manage Conflicts effectively WHAT A GOOD LESSON WHY ARE TEACHERSLOOKS LIKE. IMPORTANT?

5. Confident Well prepared Valued Relaxed Respected by the children & colleagues Organised Supported by colleagues & parents – school infrastructure Positive Secure Happy De-stressed Appreciated Knowledgeable HOW DOES A TEACHER NEED TO FEEL TO TEACH WELL?

6. To know your children well. Integrate learning experiences across the curriculum. The use of varied teaching strategies to cater for different learning styles (VAK). To provide a comprehensive broad curriculum. Ensure our own learning through appropriate professional development. The use of individual, paired, small group and whole group learning in lessons. Employ both child centred and teacher centred activities. Provide an environment which is safe but provides risk taking. Ensure assessment is ongoing and set appropriate targets. Well resourced Effective questioning Lessons are interesting Has a ‘WOW !’ factor Teacher is enthusiastic about what they are teaching Be Insistent, Persistent and Consistent WHAT DOES EFFECTIVE TEACHING LOOK LIKE?

7. Encourage them to help with homework and reading regularly. Bring parents to school days. Encourage parents in to listen to children read. Regular newsletters. Curriculum feedback. Reinforce positive behaviour through ‘pupil of the week’ and behaviour certificated. Parenting courses Encourage active participation in their child’s education Make behaviour targets explicit. Paired work. Use of children’s work for modelling. Use of work for display. Bring in resources from home. Value cultural differences Response partners Encourage independent work while teacher works with groups Marking own work when appropriate Evaluate each other’s work HOW DO WE USE HOW DO WE USEPARENTS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN TO SUPPORT TEACHING? TEACHING?.

8. Manage our time Ensure marking is kept to a minimum and is informative. Not to feel guilty. Knowing when to stop. Prioritise Identify ‘key learning’ points Delegate work if appropriate Share planning and resources Ourselves The children HOW DO WE BALANCE WHAT IS OUR WORK LOAD? PRIORITY?

9. WHAT DO WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO DO? HOW DO WE CREATE A THINKING CLASSROOM? (WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WILL WE OFFER THEM TO APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE?) HOW DO WE PROVIDE OPPORUNITIES TO USE THINKING SKILLS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM? HOW DO WE PLAN TO ENSURE THINKING SKILLS ARE USED? WHAT THINKING SKILLS WILL WE TEACH THEM? WHAT IMAGE OF THEMSELVES DO WE WANT THEM TO HAVE? WHAT CHOICES DO WE OFFER THEM TO USE THEIR THINKING SKILLS AND APPLY THEM IN THE CLASSROOM? HOW DO WE REINFORCE THE KEY LIFE SKILLS? TEACHING, THINKING & LEARNING POLICY CONTENTS

10. Build on what they already know Become independent learners Use initiative Don’t accept things but question Communicate thoughts-validate their thinking Be open minded Share ideas Question effectively Be proactive and positive Self motivated Set their own goals WHAT DO WE WANT CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO DO?

11. HOW DO WE CREATE A THINKING CLASSROOM? (WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WILL WE OFFER THEM TO APPLY THEIR KNOWLEDGE?) • Stimulate imagination through effective displays • Use of open and closed questions • Through talk and discussion • Use of interactive exploratory environments and materials • Opportunity to apply learning to ‘real’ situations • Time to reflect • Speaking and listening opportunities

12. HOW DO WE PROVIDE OPPORUNITIES TO USE THINKING SKILLS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM? • School trips • Homework activities • Clubs – learning new skills • Playground games • Decision making in team games • School council • Healthy schools • Wider community • Internet • Current affairs

13. HOW DO WE PLAN TO ENSURE THINKING SKILLS ARE USED? • Use of questioning • Discussion of thought processes • Problem solving activities • Modelling • Hypotheses • Mind mapping

14. Flexibility Reasoned judgements Decision making How the brain works Recognise when goals are achieved Extract information Inference How to react to various situations Seriation Observation Classification Conservation Causality & effect Rules of the game Self evaluation Build on their own strengths and those of others WHAT THINKING SKILLS WILL WE TEACH THEM?

15. WHAT IMAGE OF THEMSELVES DO WE WANT THEM TO HAVE? • Positive • Self confident • Assertive • Well liked • Valued • A role model • Aspirational • The one they want to see !

16. Circle time Maths – use of different strategies Team games - decisions Group work Science investigations Project work WHAT CHOICES DO WE OFFER THEM TO USE THEIR THINKING SKILLS AND APPLY THEM IN THE CLASSROOM?

17. Be proactive Rewarding the good Discuss appropriate behaviours Set targets – the goal. PSHE Role models School council Assembly Citizenship Compliance with rules and rulemaking Giving and sharing responsibility HOW DO WE REINFORCE THE KEY LIFE SKILLS?

18. HOW DO WE MAKE OUR PUPILS INDEPENDENT LEARNERS? WHY DO WE TEACH ABOUT THE BRAIN? HOW DO WE CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT? HOW DO WE MAKE THE SCHOOL A LEARNING COMMUNITY? HOW DO WE MODEL THE LEARNING ROLE? HOW DO WE COACH CHILDREN AS LEARNERS? HOW DO WE IDENTIFY BLOCKS TO LEARNING? HOW DO WE MAKE LEARNING PERSONALISED? HOW DO WE WANT TO LEARN? TEACHING,THINKING & LEARNING POLICY.CONTENTS

19. By encouraging them to want to find out things for themselves. Encourage them to listen to and use advice and information we give them Self evaluation Classroom layout facilitates independent collection and use of resources. Through discussion of targets, children know their short and long term learning objectives. Ensure resources are available for this type of child centred learning Work with parents to develop independent skills at home Create a secure environment where there are clear boundaries to aid confidence building Opportunities for achieving success and rewards given Increase opportunities for independence and responsibility throughout a child’s school life. HOW DO WE MAKE OUR PUPILS INDEPENDENT LEARNERS?

20. So that children are aware of how their thought processes develop How information is stored Why people learn using different stimuli To have some understanding about how they react in situations To have a basic idea of how learning takes place in the brain WHY DO WE TEACH ABOUT THE BRAIN?

21. Interactive and thought provoking displays Ensure resources are labelled and accessible to children Playground markings Access to different media for learning Establish a routine Value work and display pictures of children at work Bright attractive room Comfortable temperature HOW DO WE CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT?

22. Involvement of AOTT’s; Sports coaches, health workers, religious leaders, parents etc. Book fair Healthy eating project Healthy schools Home/school competitions Website Encourage parents to have some ownership of child’s learning HOW DO WE MAKE THE SCHOOL A LEARNING COMMUNITY?

23. Display the fact that we don’t know all the answers Discussion about how answers may be found Put ourselves in child’s position Show that we can make and correct mistakes Teachers are human and are not perfect Partitioning problems into manageable sections Real life experiences Demonstrating good behaviour HOW DO WE MODEL THE LEARNING ROLE?

24. Demonstrate and model good practise Praise good behaviours – listening and responding appropriately Make children aware of their own learning and learning styles HOW DO WE COACH CHILDREN AS LEARNERS?

25. Assessment of what children already know Assess what children have learned at the end of a unit of work Oral explanation Identify when children learn best with them HOW DO WE IDENTIFY BLOCKS TO LEARNING?

26. HOW DO WE MAKE LEARNING PERSONALISED? • Differentiate work • Use of different teaching styles • VAK activities • .IEP’s • Take into account home circumstances • Personal targets

27. Working alongside others and sharing skills In a relaxed, comfortable, stress-free environment At our own pace and level By working with specialists both in and out of school By having opportunities to develop personal interests as well as ‘essentials’ By having opportunities to develop as a whole person –emotionally, physically, creatively and spiritually as well as professionally Through observing others in other schools as well as our own By being allowed quality time to work on own or in groups By being allowed time to apply new learning and experiment without judgement By having time to reflect Through inset that is relevant, practical and respects our professional experience HOW DO WE WANT TO LEARN?