Creative students

I set a homework task for my year 9s (targets C-E) asking them to summarise our last 3 lessons entitled 'Just how clever is a plant?' I'd revisited photosynthesis, taught them a bit of transpiration and done the AQA spec stuff on plant hormones with plasticine modelling. Some of them have come back with iMovies and pretty impressive Keynotes. I love that the new technology helps to inspire them to be creative with their learning.

iPads in lesson today.......

Year 10 researched nano science and presented using iPads. Not all had Bookcreator, so many just used keynote. How was this any different from a usual research and ppt lesson? Okay, not huge, but the speed with which the presentations were mirrored to the TV screen was brilliant. Also, very little time was lost accessing the hardware at the start of the lesson. Those using schools iPads literally signed a sheet, opened the box and they were up and away. No log in issues, network problems or lesson wasted due to start up time. ipad Owners have a permanent record of their work. Students who borrowed have saved to Dropbox accounts accessible from PCs and Macs in school and at home.

Following TMClevedon.......

Drove down to #TMClevedon last night. It was a long way but so worth it. What a brilliant evening. Loved @vicgoddard. He showed this poem. I love it. I was inspired not only to try lots of new ideas but also to organise a TMTrentham in the Spring. I've not heard of any local secondary teachmeets. We'll start small and then who knows.......might reach the epic event organised @ictevangelist at Clevedon School last night! I've already spoken to our 2 ASTs and cleared it with the Head. First meeting next week..........

IPads next week

Our @itrentham students have had the opportunity to sign up to an iPad scheme. In some of my classes over half the students now have personal iPads. We also have 2 class sets we can book out. Just trying things out at the moment.
Next week, I'm going to use Bookcreator with 2 classes - one as a research task on nanoscience, and one as a revision task. Students will create a book on their given topic. Once complete, another student will read it and peer assess. Choose a couple to project via apple tv. Students who own iPads will have a permanent record of their work. But what about the others? Hmm. Not sure. For now, I'll ask all students to make some written notes from the peer assessed book but that's not ideal.
Any ideas on managing this transition stage? Parents who've funded iPads will want to see them used, but I don't want students without getting fed up.

TMClevedon to do list

Where to start? I've decide a list might be a good idea. These are my favourite ideas from last night that I want to try out in my teaching over the coming weeks.....
1. Find an expert to talk to my class about what they do. Gavin Smart had his Grandad talk about hydrology. I think this could stretch to tutor time too and careers links
2. Creating a museum in school. Wow. Two talks on this but both quite different. Would like to develop this idea for some cross- curricular work. Maybe with the history dept, linking History of Medicine and Science or Geography department on Global Warming etc. the possibilities are endless........
3. Make apps in lessons. Brilliant. Thank you Andy Hutt.
4. Imaginarium. I like this very much. Might try to create a science department version with unusual artefacts for students to research as extension tasks. Thank you Gabrielle Murtagh.
5. Sort out department ideas/support virtual area. We're really good at asking and sharing, but there's no record of it. Nothing to go back to to remember what was said etc. Hope to do something based on David Gale's ideas.
6. Use Guardian eye photos in Tutor time. If science based, will also use as engaging starter tasks.
7. Suggest changes to department observations based on the wise words of John Wells
8. Use virtual learning platforms properly. David Morgan I felt positively guilty!!
9. Find out how I can use Skype in the classroom
10. Keep my blog up to date and write about one new thing I do each week.

Maths update

I still have to write a case study on my Maths project. I did finish it by the way! Submitted action research and presented it back in the summer. I also completed a reflective masters module based around my developing pedagogy around cross-curricular skills. All this should exain why this blog hasn't been updated for a while!
I enjoyed the maths work. And I've made subtle changes to my approach to maths in science that I think make a big difference to the students. Still need to work at making it department wide though and cementing better cross- departments links. hoping to set up a buddy system between members of staff in the two departments.

Maths in Science

Ok, so the formal part of my action research has come to an end although I will continue to add links between the maths and science departments to help students. The feedback from them is very positive in using the cards in science although many cannot see the relevance in maths. Hmmm. I think this will change if a couple of the maths teachers give specific examples of an application of maths in science when teaching it - percentages and efficiency for example.
I'm going to write a list of the language problems I've learnt about through the course of the research and share them with all maths and science teachers in my school. Hopefully everyone will recognise that we either need to explain why there is a difference between the subjects (or at least that we know that there is a difference) or find some middle ground and get rid of the difference.
I'll post an extract from my report on here later in the week.

So many things to try.....

CPD non-stop in the last few days!
We had 2 INSET days in school - one as a joint venture with a school local to us which I found really useful. Loads of great workshops but also a fab opportunity to network with another science department and offer support to each other.
I was too far from #TMClevedon to get there, but have watched most of the clips on youtube now.
I have so many ideas buzzing around in my head I don't know what to do first!
Anyway, I'm staying focussed on supporting KS4 in the run up to their exams, but will try to use some of what I've seen. I've already shared @MYGCSEscience's interactive Physics revision and I'm still using some of the videos for some flipped classroom stuff. I'm worried about the lack of independent learning going on though...particularly in light of linear exams, so I've given my year 10 chemists a structured but independent task on Our Changing Planet to start them off  bit.ly/IBGRt9.
Will definitely be trying Aurasia with year 8 over the next couple of weeks - that looks brilliant http://bit.ly/K5SYnk
Will write about the Maths project later

Flipping heck!

Some success here! Year 10 taught me about catalytic converters today, rather than the other way around! Safe start with flipped learning. Chose students at random to explain cat converters to the class. Couple of embarrassed students who hadn't completed the work. Hopefully they won't put themselves in that position again! Generally good uptake and standard of work. Happy teacher :-)

Flipping along

I've just set the flipped homework today. Only 2 students out of 25 thought they wouldn't be able to access youtube before Thursday. I've given them some literature to look at instead.
It's not the lesson I discussed on 8th April - although I will set that with another group later this week. This one asks students to watch a video about catalytic converters (See it here) and report back to the class on Thursday. We'll see how it goes!

Maths in Science

Making progress! I've collected some student opinion using survey monkey. No surprises but good to have their feedback confirmed. Lots of students suggesting better links between the departments in terms of method and language.
First approach to improving this is the use of help cards for the maths in GCSE Core Physics. You can see an example here: Electrical Energy Maths Card, although the reverse side is now written by the Maths department showing rearranging formulae and substituting into formulae. I'll update it later in the week.
If you view this on TES, you'll be able to see the other cards I'm trying.

Flipped classroom

#ukedchat on thursday night has got me thinking. I've got a lot going on already really, but I can't resist trying this flipped teaching when I get back after Easter. I can see huge benefits - particularly for the G&T students. My mixed ability (B-E) year 10s are about to start generating electricity - hmm, I wish - but you know what I mean. So, before i do the whole steam engine demo lesson I'm going to set a homework that involves watching a youtube video about generating electricity and maybe sketching a power station. I'm thinking this will help the top students because their focus in lesson can then be on the evaluation etc of electricity generation rather than the process. The others will get good consolidation and the chance to teach other students - a great way to learn. I can get a student or students to explain the steam engine demo instead of me. Maybe. It's a bit of a gamble. Homework is generally dragged from them but you can watch a youtube video on your phone - so maybe I'll have more success than with traditional homeworks.........comments welcome.

Current projects

So I'm currently working on 2 projects - an action research project and some reflective writing. The reflective writing is for the first part of my MEd, but both projects are based around the transfer of maths skills, by secondary students, to science (or the lack of!!)
Since my first weeks in training I've come across so many students who cannot make use of their maths skills in science. There seem to be several diverse reasons. In my classroom I'm trying to tackle some of them.
My action research is looking at using 'help cards' in science which show how to use the maths in science. On the reverse side are the basic maths skills required shown as they are taught in Maths. I've also surveyed the students about their thoughts on maths in science using survey monkey. Not enough results to report back yet but will do.
The other areas I'll be looking to change will be the links between the departments. We're a friendly co-operative bunch but there is definitely room for increased links - particularly in our schemes of work and planning.
If anyone would like share any observations from their own classrooms on the transfer of skills between departments, I'd love to hear from you. Equally, anything you've tried that has helped the students.

New to blogging

So this is the latest addition to my CPD. I'm hoping it will be a record of the new approaches to T&L that take place in my classroom (new to me anyway!) and of my progress with some action research and some reflective writing.
I want to share the things I try - the successes and otherwise! I'd welcome any comments