Memory Clock and Revision

A simple way of structuring revision that is appropriate to years 10-13. It involves how pupils structure their time in revision lessons and study periods. The session will include evidence on spacing revision sessions and retrieval practice (exercises that can be built into lessons to aid memory).

Find the presentations from the session here:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1p-exTfLewe1yPc8gNGpZJrHnUX74Sm4v1ExaCs2Iu9I/edit#slide=id.g13cfef6f2f_0_5
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sQgaqMyuhpC_z_xJCxiG6SVAI0HbodsRjCHu7-qb1wc/edit?usp=sharing

Mini TeachMeet 11

1. Synopticity (JE)

• JE explained how synopticity is a key part of the geography curriculum. This is the quality of connecting apparently separate threads of the subject and showing an awareness of how they relate, link and connect with each other to give a comprehensive understanding of the whole.
• JE detailed how students can find this difficult and how he tries to make this more natural by using resources and artefacts in his teaching from his own hobbies and interests to model how these relate to geographical ideas/themes.
• JE shared poems, videos, images, music videos which showed how this can be achieved in lessons.

2. Memory Clock (DNL)

• DNL explained the Memory Clock for the benefit of those who had not been able to attend his session on the April training day. A 1 hour revision session should be broken down into 15 mins ‘Review’, 30 mins ‘Practice’ and 15 mins ‘Check’. 
• This is to be rolled out to all staff in September and so a discussion was held as to the best way to go about this. The consensus was for an introduction by DNL and DO followed by time around department grouped tables discussing and planning subject specific examples.

April 2018 INSET - Mark. Plan. Teach.

In this session, DO attempted to summarise some of the strategies described in Ross Morrison McGill’s book. There are three things that every teacher must do: mark work, plan lessons and teach students well. This book is packed with practical ideas that will help teachers refine these key elements of their profession.

Access the resources from this session here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1U01ryPZL1qsi60Cjs1NZ9E5ViFJeLvm4

April 2018 INSET - Cognitive Load Theory

We’ve all been there. Carefully thought through a brilliant activity designed to push pupils, only to observe the resulting car crash in despair. Either pupils lack the resilience to engage with independent thought without constant teacher intervention or what little they actually end up learning requires you to spend the next lesson (time you don’t have!) re-teaching the material. In this session I’ll run through some of the most widely accepted theories of “cognitive overload” and how, if certain practices are incorporated into your teaching repertoire and SOWs at KS3 a really challenging curriculum can help pupils learn, increase pupil motivation, and also be a real joy to teach. There will also be some time to discuss ideas with colleagues and think through what it might all mean in your own subject.

Access the session resources here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11AmimsedSvuVnqXOZt-W-qYCE267-8Cj

April 2018 INSET - Interleaved Learning

As we all progress through our ever expanding syllabuses, both in terms of content and complexity, it is an increasing challenge to help the students remember it all. Interleaved Learning is a simple strategy that can be used throughout the year to help the students transfer information from the short to the long term memory in the hope that they can retrieve it at the vital moment.  It is all about mixing it up!

Here is a link to the resources from the session: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SfFSMS-uz5c2H4r-Zh_4fkx4o2T5dlrD

April 2018 INSET - Motivating Intellectual Curiosity Effectively

There are many reasons why pupils switch off...but there are also many different ways to get them to switch on and engage with their learning. In this session we will look at some of the theory behind motivation, the impact of mental health and lots of practical and applicable ways of increasing student motivation.

View the session presentation here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1n7nyp9aE7qruz7-Xnyid9WmbJuU9CWAJ5wwLiTtF6ng/edit?usp=sharing

April 2018 INSET - Revision Clock and Spaced Learning

A simple way of structuring revision that is appropriate to years 10-13. It involves how pupils structure their time in revision lessons and study periods. The session will include evidence on spacing revision sessions and retrieval practice (exercises that can be built into lessons to aid memory).

Find the presentation from the session here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sQgaqMyuhpC_z_xJCxiG6SVAI0HbodsRjCHu7-qb1wc/edit?usp=sharing