Why do we count in 4s?

 Why do we count in 4s in England?

As a former maths teacher who chose to work in #FEmaths I think we may need to look at assessment at age 16.

I give the analogy of a pilot in my book.

A pilot proves knowledge has been acquired and retained on key aspects of flying in an exam. But to fly a plane commercially they accrue hours of competency. They evidence, over time, how they apply this acquired knowledge. They progress in their roles held in a hierarchical structure with flying hours a key part.

When I think about assessment in England, we assess at 16 a whole course approach and those who don't achieve the desired grade 4 are immediately affected for the rest of their lives. 

Imagine a student who achieved a grade 3 in maths but 7s in all other subjects. They gain 4 A levels (not in maths). Go to university and achieve a BA. They do an MA and then decide to get a job.

The first qualification that is often required is a grade 4 in English and maths. The rest of this students brilliant study doesn't get taken into account unless that grade 4 is there.

The 4 is what counts.

Sure the student can re-sit alongside other study but the point is, we place all our emphasis on this assessment designed for students aged 16.

What were you like at 16?

We don't take into account experience, skills, evidence of learning over time. 

We count in 4s.

I say this having taught an adult who worked as a healthcare assistant in a hospital, during covid, who wanted to be a nurse. They re-sat maths 6 times. They earnt a healthcare assistant wage for the 6 years of re-sits they took. They gained vast care and medical experience in that time. The year of covid they passed maths and immediately began a nursing qualification. Upon completion all the years experience were recognised and they entered nursing at a higher band salary than would be usual.

The experience counted but only after we counted in 4s.

So I come back to the pilot example, yes a skills test of the basics. Then a process of evidencing learning over time, applying the subject to real life, showing what you know in a variety of non exam ways. Sounds like a good maths course for 16-19 years olds, no?

These are not our decisions to make but we can raise our voices and show how we think change would deliver better for our students.

We need to stop counting in 4s.

This analogy and other arguments for disruption are in my book which is raising funds for charity. It is also available as an audio listen along version as well. Info at www.whatthetrig.co.uk 

Accessibility for all

Image of a computer keyboard wrapped in a chain with a padlock

 

“All technology is assistive technology”  Carol Allen’s words are ringing in my ears from this EdTech Show from last year hosted by Bukky Yusuf. All technology assists us, makes things easier, that’s why we use it. Some technology, though, is essential for some users. For example text to speech software is essential to some. Yet text to speech is also useful for many. Text to speech, on whatever platform you are using, is probably built in, it’s probably built into most websites you visit too (look for the icons offering accessibility as you hover). For people with slow processing speed, low reading ages, visual impairment and a variety of other additional needs text to speech is essential. Yet it can be really useful for many too. For proofreading an email or a document; does it make sense when it is read back aloud to the author? Are you following a recipe and would it be easier to hear it as you navigate the pasta machine?

By bringing tools in we not only include those students who may have different experiences to others; we can also create strong authentic learning experiences for many. Collecting group work summaries in a voice note gives the group an opportunity to consolidate their position before submission and clarify their conclusions. This promotes critical thinking, communication and of course collaboration. But in using a voice note, those who may find writing ideas more of a challenge than others are included. Handing out 8 coloured overlays in class to different students creates a different learning experience to handing out devices to students and those who need an overlay turning it on or bringing it up with their roaming settings. Student independence with technology is a key factor also.

We don’t know the best time for students to access adaptations or software to help. By including technology in our lesson activities we can create opportunities for those students using assistive technology to be included and to be independent. Technology exists to make our lives easier, to assist us and we can bring it into our classrooms to create inclusive spaces.

But where to start is always the question, how do I know what is good? We have a strong EdTech community on many social platforms and WomenEd have a new group on LinkedIn too (come on over!). Websites, like Common Sense Education, which have user reviews of apps and websites are helpful. UK based website Includedu is a repository of assistive technology apps and websites that have teacher provided reviews, how the listed technology supported their students with additional needs in their classroom. Community websites like this are powerful to grab information from but they are also a place to lend your voice.

What is your top tip for using technology in the classroom to support those facing additional challenges? I would love to know your thoughts.

How are you?

                          "How are you?"

                    "Yeah, good thanks, you?"

Scratch that, my reply is more like;

"Yeah good, I've just made a scale model of the London Eye out of lollypop sticks for homework for one of the kids, you know, how are you?"

It's easier for me to deflect that to truly say how I am. It often is. I think in my head I'm asking, does this person have time to listen to how I really am? Do I have time to listen to how I really am? 

When I was freelance a popular session that I did was building communities online, drawing on the work of Dr Lou Mycroft . The thing people would always want to talk to me about after the session was what to say instead of "how are you?". In the session I talked about how you have to be prepared for the responses when you ask "how are you?" and if you don't have time to listen, don't ask.

I went for coffee this week with a friend who I shamefully haven't seen face to face for 2.5 years. (Agree that the full 2.5 years aren't my fault) For the past 2.5 years her replies to my "how are you?" messages have been "yeah good, you?". But this week she opened up that she's been in a fertility struggle all that time and it's been tough. I shared that another of our friends had gone through something similar, she didn't know. Next week the 3 of us are meeting so those two can share. Afterwards she text to say thanks and she was sorry for not opening up sooner but it was easier not to. I let her know that I am always here for her responses and she doesn't need to hide from me but that I get it. It's easier to say that we are ok and save those painful things for quiet moments.

I went to a presentation evening for one of my kids sports teams and a mum arrived heavily pregnant. She was heavily pregnant I remember from the last presentation evening but then I also remember that I've not seen her baby. She shared that they had lost that baby. So when all the other parents had been asking in the WhatsApp "how is everyone" it was easier for her to chuck in a 👍 and we would all move on.

If we truly want to know how someone is, we need to be prepared to listen to their responses. As painful and upsetting that might be for us, we have to have that openness to listen and show that we care. Otherwise "how are you?" is just a token, it's meaningless.

Weekly, I meet online with a bunch from #JoyFE (open invitation to everyone, DM me to know more) and our opening question is "how are you?" and it's here my answer this week has been

"I'm not feeling great, docs have done some tests. My 41yo cousin died and I only lost my 34yo cousin 3 months ago and whilst we weren't still mega close it's hurting, you know". 

This is where my online pals learn more about me than anyone else, because part of the Thinking Environment that this meeting is held in is that it's ok to not to be ok, there is time and space to be honest about how you are feeling. That's the difference of a Thinking Environment. 

Please check out the brilliant Thinking Cultures for more on the Thinking Environment and to book CPD for your teams, Dr Lou Mycroft is my go to expert on this.

I'm not against asking "how are you?" I think we should probably ask it more. But I do think we should mean it when we ask it and be ready for the response that comes our way. 

Wishing you a restful weekend. 

Hoping you are well.

Genuinely, how are you? DMs open 

Edtech and me

I write this as I am being nominated for an award (see this link)

I think it's important to remember where you came from and those who shaped your path, always. This might be an individual award (and I may not even make the shortlist) but recognition for others who helped me, is deserved.

Back in 2015 I took a break from FE for maternity. I returned in 2016.

What followed was a year of me finding my feet. Literally.

I was told that we couldn't use memory sticks anymore (hello 2016!) And that all my lessons were on Google. I'm not joking, that was all I got from the Google expert in my team! After a day of googling, 'where are my transformations of shapes lessons?' and crying I asked my husband if I could buy a Chromebook. No, I didn't need his permission but yes, having returned from maternity and having zero money of my own, I felt that I should. I spent £149 on a Chromebook and vowed to teach myself how to create lessons in this Google thing.

Welcome Johnny Diamond and Steve Hope to the frame. We had never worked together before but they said to everyone at college, if anyone could make good, maths lessons in Google for education they would reward them with money! When my child was at nursery and I had TOIL owed for evening classes, I wrote. When I got home early from the traffic and my child's nursery was paid for another hour yet, I wrote! Boy did I write! I wrote 30ish lessons, all original material for GCSE maths. What a learning curve. I included #Equatio (handy given now that's my actual job!) I wrote robust multiple choice quizzes with Equatio in Google Forms. I wrote full sequenced lessons on Google Slides, all original materials including diversity and inclusion examples as well as British values. Like I said, I wrote!

My motivation for this was purely financial, to earn the £149 I had just spent back, if I am honest! But this learning experience was to kick start a chain of events. On that same £149 Chromebook I became a level 1 and level 2 certified educator in Google for education. I was determined to teach myself!

My approach with EdTech is always, what need is it serving, does anything we already have serve that need, what else do we need to make this the best solution ever? This approach often means I stay in my lane.

Steve Hope saw something in me. Something. I don't know what it was, and we are still very close and I could ask him, but I don't need to, because I don't think it matters what it was. I was a nervous maternity returner but he saw me learn this Google thing, write all those lessons, teach across multiple campuses, all with a small child in tow. I didn't work for Steve, yet, he included, encouraged and supported me.

2018 saw another maternity leave. The day of my 12 week scan I interviewed for Steve for an advanced Practitioner role. I went for my scan, came in for lunch and the tried to appear 'normal' for an interview, this is not a recommended approach! Steve offered me the job and didn't bat an eye when I said I was pregnant again. That whole convo will stay with me forever. He genuinely didn't think it would affect my role, I have to be honest aside from 5 months fully away, it didn't. I also became a Google for education certified trainer in 2018. That Google thing that I had been determined to teach myself, I now had qualifications in it and could train others. 

In the months before my leave Steve brought Iain Thompson on board who was (and forever will be) my rock. We were a brilliant team. We still are, just it's a friendship team not a work team! Whilst on a KIT on maternity Steve asked me to apply for APconnect. I did (in a park mid baby feed via my phone!) When I returned to work in 2019 my focus was to get up to speed with what I missed on APconnect and lean on Iain Thompson. I relied on him. We went to an event and we met Lou Mycroft. I was back on track with my APconnect work. AP connect, did that, it connected me to other APs nationally to learn and grow with. 

2020, you know.

It was only recently when I said it out loud did it sink in. 2020, Iain, Steve and I supported over 1000 staff who had over 10000 students with all their Edtech needs as they taught online. We did this remotely in our homes, me in mine with a baby and a child in reception which meant homeschooling too. I don't think I can ever fully explore the feelings of that period, it was tough.

When it got really tough in summer 2020 I remembered Lou from APconnect offering us to reach out when we needed, I have no idea why this popped into my head when it did but I am grateful that it did and I found the ideas room with JoyFE. JoyFE gave me that peer support to test Edtech ideas on, we did Flip birthday cards for each other!

2020 I applied to be an innovator as part of the Google for education programmes. To my surprise I was chosen as one of 75 of the many who applied. I think everything until this point shaped things but this event changed things. I met  Ryan Evans here and just like I would be lost without Iain, I would be lost without Ryan too. There isn't a week that goes by without me needing advice from Ryan. We pushed, and still push, each other with EdTech, that critical friend that drives you on and always has your back, that's me and Ryan!

2021 I left working for Steve. I was now self employed trying to carve a path on the noisy world of Edtech and consultancy. In comes Jamie Smith and Ian Nairn. Late 2020 we began discussions and it was to be that I would have a regular self employed gig with C Learning working on exciting new products (AI/XR) coming to market as well as CPD for colleges and schools on Edtech. I was unknown to them, they took a chance. I vividly remember the day I finally said out loud that I was going to go self employed and that I was nervous. Jamie asked what's stopping you from doing it, and I said nothing, I won't let my family starve. That saying it out loud conversation was a massive moment.

2021 I was named Edtech50 (mind blowing). It also saw me be a Google Certified Coach (very early doors as in one of the first 2 in UK and Europe). Then mentor other cohorts through my gig at Canopy. Grateful for the work from canopy through this period too, consulting with colleges and local authorities on Edtech. Throughout all this self employed period, I still thought an evening class of GCSE maths every week, I loved teaching. How could I help people with EdTech if I hadn't used it myself? My classes also appreciated me staying in my lane, too much Edtech can distract from what we are here to learn. 

I have to mention my 2020-21 GIFs work. In my teaching I had a lot of students struggle with lack of access to internet and data. They had other financial struggles too and safeguarding referrals were regular but data and device access directly affected their learning. I built a short CPD course on how I turned to creating GIFs to bridge that gap. I delivered this to colleges and schools and recorded it and it's free on Eduspark. Hat tip to Eduspark for bringing me in early doors, supporting and believing in me.

Another regular gig in this period was APconnect itself. APconnect is run by Touch Consulting. That wonderful programme that had shaped me as an Advanced Practitioner, I now worked on. This was down to Joss Kang and Lou taking a chance on me. Here I got to hone my Edtech in a different way. Outside the Google for education eco system and support APs nationally.

2022 I decided to take a job, gigging had been fun, a blast! Texthelp had a role that I had seen advertised before and I decided the timing wasn't right. When I saw it advertised again I felt the timing was better for my family. And here we are.

I think whenever we are recognised as an individual it is really important to also recognise who helped make that individual. Hat tips throughout all of this long blog because I owe so many people for helping me learn and grow.

Owning the title former teacher

Rather un eventfully I left teaching April 2022. I don't know what I had planned for the event but it ended up being an email to senior leadership saying enough was enough. Truth is, I probably, had left the classroom long before, I had done a year as a zero hours evening class teacher, before that I had done 3 years as an evening class teacher on secondment. Actually the last time I think that was a 'teacher' teacher was probably 2017. When I shared with pals that I was leaving (for good this time) I shared that I felt a bit of a fraud having only been a zero hours teacher for a year. That in my head, because I wasn't working all day every day in the classroom I was less of a teacher. There were some interesting debates with friends. Some took the view that I was still putting the same love and attention in to my one class and having wider impact with my other work, some dismissed the idea saying once a teacher always a teacher, some said think of the ones you have taught.

I debated all of this and some! Why did I have this dilemma? In 2018 I became an advanced practitioner, a teacher who coached other teachers. To keep me fresh I still taught one class a week on an evening. That's the beauty of FE, there is always an evening class that needs a teacher! The plan for this was that I would practice what I preached to the teachers I was coaching and they could observe me anytime doing all the amazing things I was coaching them through. This meant that I should have been putting Ofsted levels of planning into that 1 class a week. Let's be honest, I wasn't. I had a lot on in my other role, and whilst these lessons were well planned, they weren't gold plated. The theory was also that I would still be viewed as one of them, one of the teachers that I was coaching, on their level, I could say, "I get it" 

I would like to apologise now to those teachers who I coached and who I said this to. Whilst I 'got' teaching and learning, and I still do, my one class a week was not significant enough for me to position myself with other teachers. Truth, most of my week was spent training, coaching and mentoring and very little time went into my alleged Ofsted level planning. So I wasn't the same, I wasn't in the team meetings hearing the same messages, I was an outsider parachuted in to cover that evening class who left after class. I wasn't there when someone had to cover reception at the community site. I wasn't there when they had a deep dive by SLT. I wasn't there when there was an attendance problem with students. No doubt I was having impact across larger teams in my role, my role was enjoyable and I saw progress with my coachees. But I was not a teacher the same as them, had I exited the classroom?

Let me tell you about being a zero hours teacher. No, it's not the same as being employed. The Christmas just eat voucher that HR give out from SLT is only for employees, not zero hours employees. The well being day that you can take is only for employees, not zero hours employees. The payroll who can, and do, kick back your time sheet and don't pay you because of a typo when you are zero hours. Yet employees who are salaried are always paid. All of this breaks my heart for others who are zero hours. My situation was very different. I had my own self employed work and was financially stable. I genuinely was still teaching for the love of teaching. It certainly wasn't for the salary. The salary was 50% less than my salary when I was an advanced practitioner and I know (and appreciate) that the zero hours pay I got was very generous too. Again I know how fortunate I am that I was able to combine my love of teaching with my self employed work. Fortunate that circumstances worked out and that I had my reputation from being an advanced practitioner as well was there being an evening class that always needed covering. 

Now, this past year as a zero hours teacher has been wonderful, in my virtual classroom. I have had such good times with my students. I have adored almost every second of it. I have enhanced my teaching digitally in a flipped/asynchronous style. My students have their work up front, at the start of the week, the morning after their evening class. This is a form that branches out depending on their responses. If they're ok with the topic (these are resitters) they get some questions, if they need help they get a video from me or another one I have curated from YouTube. My students have a choice of how they learn and when they learn. I think of it like each chalk and talk episode I would do in the classroom is a form, with a task built in for them to complete. The tasks are all self marking and then I ask for a student reflection on how they felt that it went. Each episode is linked together in one overall doc and if this is complete before the end of the timetabled class they are marked positively for attendance.

I have blogged about this before if you want to learn from my years 1 and 2 iterations here (link1 link2 link3 link4 link5 link6 link7). I then host a workshop live in the timetabled slot. This is shorter than the timetabled class as there are bookable one to ones as well on offer. If the forms are complete it is optional for students to come to the workshop. This also means that if students have ignored my work and attend live they can get the gist of what's been going on and return to the work post workshop or part way through too. Some students arrive for 10 minutes ask for a specific example explaining and leave. Some students attend the whole thing piecing together where they went wrong in the forms from their weeks work and some students come some weeks and not others. It has worked for 2 years. I have taught 3 cohorts this way over 2 years. I have done action research on it which I shared at ALT and I was doing more research in it as part of my MA. Obviously I'm not now as I have no sample as I have left! So had I left teaching when I became zero hours?

One student has never attended live apart from mock assessments where they heard my pleas and joined the call live. Every week their work was completed day 1 and the screenshots of their self marking tasks showed it was all correct. Their mock results were amazing, grade 5s and I really should have put them in for higher (but that's a whole other tale). This student also weekly appeared in my emails with negative comments from other tutors, late, no work, poor attendance notifications. These were always followed up by SEND team replies reminding other tutors of this students EHCP. This student had been at college previously and had sat maths and done worse than they had at school. Before I left I asked for a chat with this student. They obliged and on the call they appeared with their parents. Their parents explained that the student struggled with anxiety when on live calls and thanked me for never pressuring them to attend live. I explained my job is to find a way that it works for everyone as much as possible and where I can flex I always will.

FE maths is often the least popular subject in college. The one most students have to do but they really don't want to do. In this example the parent was telling me maths was their highlight. I asked the student why they liked maths and they replied, they don't. They hate it. Standard FE response I thought. They said what they liked was that I was respecting the challenges of the way that they learn and by allowing them to study at their own pace, at home, take breaks, revisit tasks and not be dragged to a live session face to face or online was what they enjoyed. I may have turned my camera off as I may have had a wet cheek from tears at this point. I asked about previous attempts at GCSE, I am always fascinated why it hasn't worked before and how can we make it work this time, it's always a question I ask! The student explained that they had never sat a full exam, they had reacted negatively to being in the exams before and either been removed or left after 10minutes. So the question then was, how do we make it better this time? The student had no answers other than that they would try. I made a promise to try too; to try to get all the forms for the rest of the years topics scheduled on Google classroom before I left. We had a deal. I wrote this before the date of the exam but I have heard from the SEND team that the student is still watching if I will keep my promise of scheduled asynchronous tasks and if so, they will keep theirs and try to sit the exam. (All the tasks are written and scheduled!)

So when did I stop being a teacher?

The other week when I had this call and left my current class. I think I was a teacher all along, just not as in it as full or part time classroom teachers. The level of work is similar but I accept I escaped the pressures of being in the building all the time. Yet the pressures of being zero hours and having to chase emails and attendance in your own time are significant I would argue, but different.

I am not still a teacher, I have now left teaching. Even though my scheduled tasks continue! But I will proudly wear the badge of former teacher, supporting those still teaching where I can!

AP connect and me

Let's start with where I was at professionally back in 2019. I was a brand new Advanced Practitioner (AP) in a large college group supporting teaching and learning with an EdTech focus and was 2 years into the role. Problem was I had taken 9 months off for maternity leave. Work, as in immediate team, had been great, really helped me out. But I have to be honest my confidence was low. Sure, I had become an AP but quickly that impostor had crept in and then I had gone off. I was just coming back and I was asked to apply to AP connect. Detailing my aims for being on the project and how I plan to share my work. That application was a task in itself that took me some serious thinking to do. I remember being in a park with my kids writing it on my phone. The epitomy of mum life.

I was accepted onto AP connect whilst on maternity and when I returned I was asked to catch up. The overwhelm was more overwhelming than an overwhelming overwhelm you have ever seen! I had a frantic call with one of the programme leads to catch me up and as brilliant as that was I was very much overwhelmed. Like I said my immediate team had been brilliant and my colleague invited me in to what he was doing and slowly I was grasping the part I could play. Then I was asked to go to a full day conference for AP connect in Birmingham, not local! I'm not going to lie, the stress of juggling baby, toddler, work and travel meant I was exhausted long before the day! The day came and the most horrendous weather came (people trapped in floods as in trapped in shopping centres) and all I wanted to do was go home. But my colleague was a real pro at managing and helping me through my wobbles and off we went. 

I arrived to meet Dr Lou Mycroft and a hug. A real hug, then and there I could have quite easily broken down and needed a million people to piece me back together. The day was brilliant from then on in. Power and influence analysis of our teams and organisations. How can we, as APs, lead and influence? Where can we research and reflect on our practice or the practice we are observing in others? What are the elements of an AP role? Then I met the thinking environment. Where everyone thinks as equals. Role, rank and ego are left at the door. We used it to explore an issue an AP was having and how we might help them resolve it. It was there, in that moment, that I knew why I was on AP connect. I was there to use my voice to help others, that was my role, and AP connect was giving me the tools to do that.

My confidence grew as I had new tools to adopt when I returned. It grew even more when APs asked for video calls with me to share what I was doing at our college and other APs wanted to learn from us. My confidence grew in that I knew I had a network of people that I could ring and ask that daft question to. The questions I didn't dare ask at work! Also the questions where I could anticipate my colleges response and actually I wanted to know another college's response to use in driving that conversation at work. I began using social media. As a total novice my colleague created a team account for us. Told you he was great at helping me. My confidence was growing but no way was it high enough to do social media, what did I have to share that was of note?

Social media grew and that network of colleges grew. As did my confidence again. AP connect had sparked something in me. Sparked so much that when Google innovator applications came around I put one in, me, I put an application in! I was selected (there were 75 ish globally that year) had I not done Google innovator I would never have ended up working in EdTech as a freelancer and had I not done AP connect I would never have applied for Google innovator! Social media grew again from this and I learned about #JoyFE. I became part of JoyFE. Actually without realising I had met some of JoyFE face to face at AP connect in Birmingham! 

JoyFE is a group of educators changing education, focussed on bringing joy. Weekly, the thinking environment happens in an ideas room. That Wednesday weekly ideas room was the place I could explore some of my ideas, how I wanted to do things at work, and others would help shape and form ideas. Sometimes people wanted to collaborate on ideas and next thing I knew I was in other colleges speaking and or training on maths or EdTech. I wouldn't have been able to do this had I not joined JoyFE and I wouldn't have heard of nor had the confidence to join were it not for AP connect.

We then arrive in 2022 (I feel like 2020-2022 blur and merge for me) and I was taking the decision to leave my college and go freelance. As a nervous soul this was a huge deal. But what I knew was that my values didn't align with the work I was being asked to do. I knew that others valued my opinions externally. I knew that I had changed what I could at college and that I could have wider impact as a freelancer. How did I know all these things? I knew them because I had learned from AP connect about influence and power. I was able to recognise my high influence externally, low influence internally and the power of my college and the limited ability I had to make any more changes. I had learned to find my voice. I had learned on AP connect the power of networks and collaboration. So that was it freelance was the life for me.

Early in my freelance days Joss from Touch Consulting (delivery partner on AP connect) called me to ask me to work with Touch Consulting. Not only was this a yes as it was one of my first interested parties but it was an easy yes as I knew my values aligned. We worked on some projects and I was eternally grateful to be working with a team that held the same values and worked in a joyful manner. Then I was asked to work on AP connect. Me, a graduate of the programme, to now facilitate it. What a perfect circle. I often say AP connect made me, me! I could now share this with new APs.

My mentees were from all over the UK and we happily bundled straight in to easful conversations. I am a person who if a DM comes in I get quite stressed. Yet the DMs from mentees were joyful. Me, they were asking, me for ideas and support. Of course I would love to help. 6/7pm phone calls to help APs navigate tricky situations. Facilitating the Festival Fridays schedule and booking inspirational speakers to share, all joyful experiences.

But this is where AP connect is truly brilliant. What did I learn as a facilitator on the programme? I learned that the stress I feel in time pressure situations dissippates when values align. If what you are doing, is really helping someone, I don't mind if that's taken my evening, made me break off from a project to take a call or led me to an email chain of epic proportions. It doesn't cause me stress when it is helping someone else. I also learned that if you ask, people often say yes. I approached some big names for the festival Fridays workshops and everyone said yes to me. They said yes because they too could see the values of AP connect. The values that everyone is learning collaboratively always.

This year's mentees projects ranged from coaching at work to embedding maths to action research. I adored and absorbed it all! One mentee made specialist resources for students with additional needs. All these APs were, and always, go the extra mile. So it is sad that AP connect has ended, sad that I will no longer be involved, but that is a selfish sad. It hasn't ended as a way of working, networks are established, slack channels are launched, APs want to and will keep connecting and collaborating. APs are still and will continue to drive change in their organisations. Us old mentors are only a DM away. That collaborative rhizomatic way of working continues when values align.

I firmly belief AP connect made me who I am today. Showing me where my values lie, giving me the tools to make changes. Helping me find my voice and grow in confidence. I am very pleased I was able to play a small part this year and set others on this path too. Long live AP connect.

The voice saying no

This week I joined Atul Rana for #MathsChatLive with Mark McCourt, Rhiannon Rainbow and Matt Man. It was a fab discussion that led me to a realisation that often as an FE maths teacher I feel like I don't belong.

When I first started working with La Salle Education on their Tutor programme I was welcomed in wonderfully. That led me to presenting at a MathsConfMini online. Even sat in the orientation a big voice in my head was saying, this is for maths teachers and not for you. Yet I couldn't have been made to feel more welcome or included by the community. When there was a local meet up organised by La Salle I asked permission if I could join as I was in FE. Again the answer was yes and it was almost like it should never have been a question I was welcomed so much. I will just say there are other maths communities too that welcome me in but I thought these La Salle examples thread nicely.

Let's take it back to when I started teaching;

Secondary school teacher - felt like I belonged

Alternative provision teacher - almost felt like I belonged

FE teacher - really started to feel outside the maths teaching community.

Mark McCourt said on #MathsChatLive if you are involved in the teaching of maths, you belong. His words ringing I continued thinking about FE maths as a whole. We have a really strong FE maths community. Be it with individuals, through CfEM or our podcast EM Booth. We are fairly joined up. Twitter has significantly helped me with this and other communities too such as the brilliant #AmplifyFE and #JoyFE.

So is it that we, as FE maths, place ourselves outside the maths teaching community?

I don't think so. Loads of FE maths teachers have shared at maths community events. Brilliant human she is Julia Smith bridges across FE maths and the maths community really well. Emma Bell, also a brilliant human who does this, the list can go on and on. Perhaps it's because there are more secondary and primary maths teachers in comparison to FE maths teachers? Hmm? Don't think so.

So is it that we feel we don't teach proper maths?

Let me explain, we shoe horn a 2 year programme of study often into 1 year. All of this done on 2-3 hours of maths teaching a week. I'm not going to debate the whys and wrongs of the grade D policy in FE but there it is.

Is it that we teach maths differently?

When I think back to year 8 exploring coordinate geometry in my class it was a full 3-4 lessons of work. In my FE class it's possibly a starter. This is not because I care less about deepening their learning but that they have seen it before in most cases. In fact most of my students have sat GCSE maths before, it is a resit class. Not including those students new to the UK who often also have maths qualifications (as well) and may be studying to get UK recognised ones.

The stand out point from here for me is time for FE maths. I promised I wouldn't touch the grade D policy but it's ugly head looms over a lot of what we do. If you don't know FE here is an example of how it works.

You go to school, realise you really want to be a plumber. You get by in school and you leave with a grade 3 in maths. Job applications generally require a grade 4. You enrol at college to do plumbing. You really want to be a plumber. The law is that you have to resit maths until you get that grade 4 or turn 18. But you really want to be a plumber and all of your lessons are in plumbing apart from 2 hours a week where you have maths with the dance students. It's loud in maths and you don't know anyone. You used to study maths every day at school and now you have this one class and some homework. You really want to be a plumber and focus on that, you don't want to fall behind. Slowly without meaning to you've missed some maths classes because you had other priorities. You can see where this is going.

The mix of cohorts in maths classes is different in many colleges. It remains where I teach. The 2 hours a week is about the average I've had on my timetable in all my years in FE. Naturally students express passion for their chosen career path and main qualifications. Maths is an add on to that. It is very much important in terms of future life chances but it's often not yet important enough in the eyes of many young people who have a feeling of failure they carry also from school.

No one likes feeling like they have failed. In truth often students don't fail maths at school. The fact they got a 3 is a pass at the qualification. A grade U is an ungraded result and a fail. There are some students who join us on grade U but these are a minority. Yet someone somewhere thinks that the incredible hours of teaching by brilliant secondary colleagues can be bettered by an FE maths teacher on 2 hours a week. In my experience students need to have to want it to a whole other level than when they did at school. Which some do and it's wonderful.

So maybe it's the competition element that makes me feel like I don't belong?

Is it that I am meant to pitch myself against secondary colleagues. Position myself as better than them. That student you didn't get a grade 4 with, I am going to be better than you and get them to grade 4? Sounds awful, no thanks. Am I meant to blame secondary teachers for handing me so many grade 3 students? As though secondary education is lesser than FE? Ridiculous notion. Saying it clear, no sector is better than another, we are all in it for the same aim.

So I am no further on with why I had this feeling as to why don't feel that I belong. Mark McCourt said if you are involved in the teaching of maths, you are a member of the maths community. 

He means us FE, we are invited too.

Building Communities Online ish

Relationships play a key part in what I do. As a professional and as a teacher. What I love is getting to know, and helping people. I recently presented at Canopy Live on building communities online. This is a session I trimmed down from a full day's training that Dr Lou Mycroft and myself offer colleges and schools ( happily discuss more about this with anyone interested, anytime). We talk about the practice of care in what we do and making people feel valued.

Forgive me for forgetting where I heard it, but the saying, you haven't arrived in the room until you have spoken. How do we create that culture of safety for students to feel that they have arrived and able to speak?

In the #JoyFE #IdeasRooms the opening round is always 'How are you?' This is a perfect way to arrive in the space, everyone feels valued, everyone is heard, no pity party is held but pain is acknowledged. And sometimes we need to say we are not OK and for that to be acknowledged for us to start to feel better. yet when teaching, this is a question I tread very carefully with. It is not that my students are worth less than my colleagues who I share this caring practice with. It is that I want my students to feel safe.

We know teenage years are incredibly awkward for many, we have lived them after all. If I were not OK when I was 16 and my maths teacher asked how I was, I am not sure what my answer would have been. possibly, 'yeah fine', and move on to the next person or maybe 'actually I'm unwell and I really need help because I have recently experienced X'. The first answer worries me as a teacher. I want my students to feel that they can talk to me about anything. I really do. How do I know when they are fobbing me off and saying they are fine when they are not? How do I unpick that as a teacher who sees them once a week? But it is the second answer that concerns me most.

A few weeks ago I was teaching online and I asked my students my own version of a question that welcomes them into a space. (Secret revealed shortly, hold on!) In the chat box came all the answers from my students and I commented on them as they came in. Then a student posted, "I've got the rona." 

When you ask "How are you?" You have to be prepared for the raw, honest and hurtful response that you may hear. You have asked how the other person is, and they are choosing to share. You can't preempt that response, therefore you cannot regulate your emotions to what is about to come your way. You are open and vulnerable to what is coming, you made your position clear when you asked "How are you?" Whilst vulnerability is brave and respected it is not a naturally comfortable position.

So what did I do with my ill student? I (rightly or wrongly) offered empathy, offered support and offered them a breakout room to chat more. Their reply was "nah, it's just having to isolate that does me in" 

What my student wanted was for how they are feeling to be acknowledged, they didn't need any help at that time. It is wonderful that I am aware and I can offer support for them in other classes and check on their health in a follow up message later. But they weren't annoyed at having Covid-19, they were annoyed at having to isolate. This then prompted a lengthy 15 minute chat between students about how isolation was causing havoc with their work and personal lives outside college. 

Honestly, as an adult, these were not the concerns that I was expecting. But this is what we do, we expect certain behaviours from students. Prensky (like or loathe the term digital native and immigrant) talks about how teachers need to communicate in the language of students. I struggle with a lot of what Prensky wrote in that piece but I think there is something in our expectations as teachers vs what students reactions. I am not talking about inappropriate behaviour nor refusing to engage with work. I am talking about how we, as adults, think along one path and students may think along another. How we expect students to respond to "How are you?" and how they choose to respond may be different.

So what do I do? I ask a random question that falls into my head. My previous top 10 hits have included asking "favourite sci-fi film?" "Pepsi or Cola?" "Best size of Easter egg?" "Favourite Christmas song?"

What am I trying to do? I am trying to welcome my students into the space by asking an extremely low stakes question. I can then engage with responses and hopefully build rapport. They have arrived in the space once they have spoken. This started off with good intentions and has been well received. So much so that with a returning student (a student who didn't achieve their target grade and is being compelled by law to resit again) said when introducing me to our new class together "You will like her, she asks all sorts of questions to get us going, she is funny like"

Coaching for motivation

I have been working with a colleague recently who was struggling to motivate students. They were looking to fix 'the problem'. We began unpicking 'the problem'. NB the students are not 'the problem'. The issues that my colleague experienced are the same that we all do from time to time; they don't listen. Work is of poor quality, students don't attend. These are all things that have happened to me in my FE classroom, face to face and online. My colleague said "it's different for you, your turn up"

My students have always turned up. I am that maths teacher that will go to their sports lesson sit on the sidelines waiting for them to catch my eye and then leave. No words exchanged but a knowing look and they will attend next week. I am that teacher that when I bump into you in the canteen I will challenge you for your attendance the previous week. I am that teacher that will ring home and ask if everything is OK if you don't attend as I may have a welfare concern. I care about your maths attendance.

I'm not saying my colleague doesn't care, of course they do, all teachers do. I genuinely believe that as it's not a profession you continue in lightly as it is so demanding. I asked my colleague what had they done about the poor attendance. They said they had emailed tutors, they had set extra online work for those who had missed out. I asked, if they weren't motivated to attend would they be motivated to do work online. My colleague suggested they might send praise cards home for those who do good work online. I think this is a brilliant idea but it won't fix 'the problem'.

'The problem' could be that the learners have a negative mindset. They are not engaged. Years ago, as a college, we removed the first 2 weeks of the scheme of work and looked at having a growth mindset. It led me to the work of Carol Dweck. Her TED talk on believing that you can improve is worth a watch here. The power in giving learners the believe that they can improve in maths is such a buzz. It is honestly why I do what I do. 

A lot of what we do in FE maths is to build and re build confidence with maths. Dalby and Noyes (2020) have evidence to support what my colleague is going through is sadly a wide experience "Teachers also find themselves trying to enforce attendance with students exhibiting emotional problems (e.g. anxiety) due to prior experiences of failure." FE maths students believe they have failed maths already. We have to undo that and teach them the power that they can improve. 

We set expectations of our students. In the face the face classroom this might be your mobile phone policy. Are they allowed or not? Online this might be cameras on or off? Your norms and your expectations determine the course your students take, if these are too high they may lose motivation. If they are too low students will vote with their feet or their mouse and not attend. Teachers have to find that sweet spot. In an observation I had with a group of games design students (who would rather be playing computer games, than learning maths, wouldn't we all?!) I was praised for my behaviour management. I was staggered, they barely did enough work for me in the session. There was lots of noise that I had to address. I said to the observer, all I did was teach and the lesson fell below my standards. 

It was then that I learned I had high standards. We don't we all have teacher discretion and it is that discretion that sets our expectations. It isn't easy for me because mine turn up like my colleague said to me. I have worked hard to get mine to turn up. I spend a lesson getting to know my students. I like to know why they are here and why they didn't achieve a grade 4 before. I love to hear how significant this grade 4 will be for a health care worker who wants to be a nurse and begin that journey together. That is the joy of FE maths. 

Years ago I covered a lesson for a colleague, it was a level 2 drama students maths class. We had a lovely lesson. A month later I asked my colleague I had covered for how Bushra got on in her race. My colleague looked blank, she didn't know. I had learned that Bushra races for Team GB in the indoor hurdles and had a funding race coming up. It was then that I learned part of my high standards are finding the motivation for my students and using this to guide them and together we form high expectations for their learning journey.

Sadly I was unable to fix 'the problem' for my colleague who originally asked for help with students lacking motivation. What we learned was that we have different expectations and different standards. Neither of us are right of wrong but 'the problem' can only be fixed when my colleague finds a balance between their expectations and the motivation of their students.

New term, new challenges

 How did we get to half term and me not write a blog about the start of the year?

There has been a shift in what I am seeing to gathering evidence as soon as possible. I am guilty of this too. That CAG TAG hell has forced change. Change can neither be good or bad when we are in it I feel, so time will tell as to whether this is long term the right approach. I seek no joy in setting initial assessments, local and college wide ones. Whilst I see the benefit of knowing what students know I also see the significant harm issuing initial assessments can do.

The argument, "students are used to assessments" rings partly true, there would be an expectation from them for us to initially diagnose. Likewise it is an opportunity for students to shine. For them to celebrate what they can do. This idea I like, the opportunity to shine. Yet it jars with me how we assume performance in an exam style scenario is success. Wrestling with the linear programme of GCSE maths study and an end of year summative exam is the defining grade for their efforts. So is it best that we get students ready for this process?

Also, if we are giving a diagnostic to learn what students can and can't do, will one diagnostic give us this information? Another point I am musing is...majority rule.

When planning lessons, can we honestly say, hand on heart that we are individually planning for every student, every lesson? I have observed some masters of this craft, and even then I saw groupings happening and majority ruling. If a class of 20 students have all done well on substituting algebra there could be some adjustment in the lesson to stretch them. But in the same class of 20, if 2 can do expanding brackets and 18 can't, do we have the space to send the 2 who can to another classroom or area to work on expanding double brackets whilst we concentrate on the skills the 18 need? Yet how often, do we set the diagnostic, do all the things with it, and then park it?

There is no blame attached, we are busy. When I am planning I will add a comment to my scheme of work at relevant weeks with top performers from diagnostics to remind me that they will need different work, potentially. Yet before the lesson I will always check for knowledge in the next week's topic, and often this isn't what the diagnostic told me. Factors affecting this are, what questions did I ask, how are they different to the diagnostic as well as the time lapse from the diagnostic to now. One time one student openly told me they wrote a random number down so they could go to lunch. We can't account for every situation.

Some teachers (not current nor recent colleagues) diagnose and then plough on through the scheme of work regardless. Again, there is no blame attached. And there is a performative expectation that the whole GCSE maths content be covered in one year. There are one year schemes of work that condense the two year programme for FE. Likewise there are local schemes that are full of topics, that work for our students.

Recently I reviewed a scheme of work for a college. A former colleagues asked me to give their new scheme a quick glance with their maths staff. We had a lovely meeting, all sharing how a personalised curriculum is best for students, how students do better when we adapt. How hefty the scheme is and it is daunting so if we can trim it down it will really help students. We had a lovely discussion. I then opened the scheme and it was full, every lesson, with a lesson slide deck to teach from.

I am sure that siren in my head was loud enough for the world to hear. If we are going to personalise the curriculum, we need to leave space for that to happen. Absolutely theme the week, assign a topic and maybe plan some activities that might work. But we can't verbatim plan the slide deck that we teach from, can we?

When I chatted to the maths team they were very open and said we still have a curriculum to cover. And that's it we still have a LOT to cover. Personalising the approach is wonderful, but that one year you don't teach vectors and the question comes up (this has happened to me and still hurts) means students have a right to be upset that they weren't thoroughly prepared for the exam.

And that is what it comes back to, we have a linear, rigid summative exam that is paper based. All the things we do in the classroom have to lead to that point. But I am not sure that day 1 paper based diagnostic assessments are the way we should start that preparation. If everything we know about teaching comes back to relationships, how do we build those whilst forcing students to sit a diagnostic early doors?

Move over SPaG, MATH is on the scene

I am writing this following our event Opportunities for FE English and maths #FEconnect cutt.ly/FEmathsEng. We opened the day with a discussion between Jonny Kay (https://twitter.com/jonnykayteacher) and myself guided by Lou Mycroft (https://twitter.com/LouMycroft). During the discussion I suggested a whole college marking policy for maths. Most likely colleges have one for SPaG but possibly not maths. Why not?

We spend a lot of time in FE, and we used to in schools when I was in them, trying to put English and maths front and centre. Jonny and I argued that co teaching and collaboration should happen across disciplines in colleges. If Pythagoras is being taught in the vocational area, maths staff need to share how they would teach it and a consistent approach to be taken across the college. We carefully craft policies for every eventuality and we may even have a maths marking policy and code, but what do we do in our day to day tasks to support the development of maths?

I remember maths stairs being a necessity, an equation revealed or a fact to be recalled as you ascend. Yet when the same students answers maths problems in hair and beauty there was no consistent maths marking to help build connections to the maths qualification they were studying. SPaG policies and marking codes are almost a given, common currency transferable between institutions. If you arrive at a new school or college you can guess 'SP' probably means spelling mistake in work maybe even '//' is new paragraph. This currency of whole college and school marking has become the norm for English. Some have moved away and things will always shift though.

In researching this blog post I lost hours on an image search of whole school marking policy. Lots of // and SP and P. All familiar to me. One post I read said that the marking policy must be printed in size A1 in the classroom so that all teachers adhere to it! I remember in my NQT re-marking a set of books that I had marked in the wrong shade of green and I was terrified my mentor would tell me off. They didn't; but they did point out that my students were using the wrong coloured pens for reflections. I'm not proposing maths teachers head down this route, but a more unified marking code may help bring maths out in other areas more to be celebrated.

The EEF found that there was little difference of impact of teacher using coded Vs non-coded marking, as long as students knew what the codes meant. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/written-marking/. They suggested that time can be saved for teacher in using coded marking. Maybe this is why SPaG took off, everyone has or had one, each with a nuance for their institution.

What I can't let go of though is a maths code. I know in primary I have seen some use of maths marking codes in my local area. I haven't seen it in secondary (granted not visited very secondary school around and would love to be shown successful examples). In colleges I haven't seen it either. Again if you are successfully using a maths marking code please share your experiences, I am keen to learn.

I often say we are the double glazing sales people of education as maths teachers. Everyone needs windows but they are reluctant to pay (put the effort in) for them. I know this is a generalisation, though, but I hope that you get my meaning. We are on the back foot from the beginning. We talk a lot about embedding maths in other subjects. Julia Smith (https://twitter.com/tessmaths) (on our podcast e-m-booth.site) suggests that my embedding maths we are pushing it down and squeezing it in. Julia suggests we should be enhancing out maths in other subjects. I think she is on to something.

In vocational subjects that tokenistic embedding of maths can happen. 

"When we look at graphs of data maths will be embedded in this unit of work."

Great, graphs, perfect! What I always say is, ask that next question. What does the data tell you? What would happen if the outliers were removed from the sample? What percentage of success can you assume from this data? Whenever I talk about embedding (or enhancing) maths I want staff to ask that extra question. Conversely, those not taking a tokenistic approach maybe actually teaching units that involve serious calculations. Think about the calculations needed in electrical engineering or motor vehicle or catering. These calculations will be being taught in colleges, but then we may encounter another conflict. The methods chosen might not be the methods used by the maths department. Who has checked for consistency of message? Who is looking out for the interests of the students here? Imagine being taught ratio one way by your vocational tutor (I have 4 ratio methods that my students regularly come to class with from school!) and the next day being taught it another way by your maths tutor? This could easily happen. Consistency is key.

Move over SPaG MATH is on the scene.

M - clear method used

A - accuracy in the stages of calculation

T - task met

H - Work is set out in a clear, legible manner.

Anytime there is maths being used in work, this code can be applied. In vocational subjects that have maths, in study skills sessions that cover maths, in maths lessons. There can be a consistent message. Adding in here for progression from functional skills to GCSE, consistent message is also key to supporting students in feeling settled. This MATH message suggested is also consistent to GCSE and functional skills marking codes as well.

GCSE and functional skills maths have coded marking too. M for method is common currency as is A for accuracy. The setting out of work is key skill we, as maths teachers, push. The examiner wants to award marks (trust me I examine for an awarding body) but only if they can follow the working out. High standards of the setting out of work is not only a great study skill; it is important when submitting work to be marked externally, which probably isn't just happening in students' maths subject but in their vocational subject also.

The time saved by teachers in marking using a code, as the EEF (ref above) found, is worth considering. Time saving, wherever found, should be explored. The MATH marking code, as I suggest, may save time and deliver a more consistent student experience. I would also include the movement to a coded policy could enhance the student experience further as it moves away from tick and flick. 

A tick at the end of the work doesn't tell a student what was good. Likewise a X at the end doesn't explain what or where they went wrong. I would love feedback to be given to inform students on every piece of work but we have to be mindful of teacher workload. I'm not going to stray into the difficulties in students receiving quality feedback, that might be another blog. A coded policy may be a handy bridge between tick and flick to full feedback, whilst also bringing focus on maths across all subject areas too.

In this example, the method and answer are correct but the setting out of work is wrong. There is no 24 x 37 = 888 but task met has been awarded as we can imply that is what was meant by the student. The method chosen hasn't been accurately applied, the 24 should have been where 88 is and 888 should arrive on the left hand side. I have indicated where the high standards also applies with the formation of 2 in 28. This may seem harsh to non maths specialists but these are the margins that can cause grades to change. Exam papers are scanned into a computer system to be externally marked for GCSE. Clarity is a key skill required. Opinions on this are all valid but these are the facts and the job of the maths teacher is to prepare students for their final exam, as it stands.

This is a paint mixing example from motor vehicle. Here the method is sound but there are errors in following through with numbers so A is not awarded. It is nearly set out and so H is awarded but the task hasn't been met as the final answer is incorrect and T isn't given. I can vision student reflecting on this and seeing that they have made mistakes within their working out using this code and seeking further guidance, or a teacher initiated discussion around the errors. The code is not the end of the journey but hopefully a consistent and speedy way to promote maths and high standards across colleges.

In this example the method is sound, there is accuracy throughout until the final stage which has meant the final answer is incorrect. H wasn't awarded as there is a mis-alignment of the expanded bracket and the =44. 

I think M sits well, is there a sound method being used? A, is the student accurate in their application of the chosen method? T, have they answered the question that the teacher set them correctly? H, does the work read easily?

I have tried, unsuccessfully at a college previously, to embed this marking code. The college had a whole college numeracy marking code and didn't want to change. That code wasn't used by staff, it wasn't reviewed, it wasn't on A1 printouts on the walls (maybe that's where it fell down?) And it was a full page long. It had numeracy, processing, shape all included. For example, of drawing shapes must be done with a ruler. That awarded the [] mark on the code. 0 indicated correct order of digits. You get the idea. It was lengthy and not shared regularly, most importantly it wasn't led from the front. Was it a policy to grab if OfSTED asked if they had one maybe?

What I'm suggesting here is a brief whole college marking code. Wherever calculations are used they are marked the same way. Consistency of message aligned to GCSE and functional skills maths marking codes. But it must be led, it can't be assumed others will follow it, maths needs pushing to the top of the agenda! If college resit results are to improve, something has to change. If you have a SPaG marking code do you have a maths one too? I would love to know more, is it commonly used, is it equally used as much as SPaG?

And if you don't maybe you might consider applying my MATH example?

Context whole links included to be more accessible rather than hyperlinked behind a word of text. I am a consultant to colleges on their teaching and learning, EdTech and embedding of maths; whilst still teaching GCSE maths in an FE college.

Student Feedback Worth it?

 This post is inspired by a thread from Twitter here started by Jude Mortimer (She is well worth the follow too :)

We were discussing the pros and cons and time saving tips on giving FE maths students, particularly adults, written feedback and target setting. Let me tackle target setting first off. I set my students targets at the start of the year. This is personal to them. I know it should be grade or qualification related, and sometimes it is. But sometimes it is to develop my English understanding of maths to support my son in high school. Once it has been, to be able to help my foster kids with their maths when they start high school. Most often it is, to get a grade 4 so I can apply to be a nurse/teacher/lawyer/paramedic/and so so many more careers that require it. My students are engaged with their target, we refer back to them regularly. I write them in all our student documentation on our systems. Minimum target grades are always entered and one grade above prior qualifications or an agreed minimum grade between me and the student if no prior qualifications are held. I will often refer to student targets in their one to ones with me. Rightly or wrongly I still do one to ones at least once a term. I set revision work for my students in my classroom and call them all one to one to a separate room and chat about their progress. I find it really useful to have quality time together and away from others to avoid awkwardness. I am by no means prefect in my lesson style but I am sharing truthfully what I do.

Work scrutiny was the next part of the thread. My department has booklets we have made and these are to be ready to be called upon when needed for work scrutiny as well as 3 times a year in formal work scrutiny periods. My student's work is never readily available. Not sorry. Why do I want to keep their work? Why does it need to be kept in a drawer in the office? Radically I let my students take their work booklets home. I let them reflect on their notes and revise from them all the time. I actively encourage them to do it! I call the booklets in ahead of work scrutiny week but I won't see them in between times. And that's OK. My feedback is given in another format as well. These booklets are covered in student marked work and my verbal feedback that they capture or highlighted notes to remind them to refer back to a specific example they copied form my modelled board work.

This has led to department discussions. I am a huge fan of everyone in the department try to do the same things at the same time for consistency so it doesn't sit well with me that I do something different. But I genuinely don't get why I need to keep their booklets? They make notes in them, they write in them, they reflect on them, they belong to them not me. It is their learning journey.

The thread then asked for tips on what should go into department booklets. I have to admit I don't think we have ever nailed this, in all the incarnations. But I do insist on QR codes being added to each page. The QR code links to a video from YouTube related to the topic. Giving students support that when they are revising from their booklet they can see some modelled work to help them address some misconceptions. Or if they are absent they can see an overview and seek out more work. One of my biggest challenges is getting the titles we call topics over to students. I am often asked, what do you call this question? I want to do more of them. So in the booklets is an exam question on the topic and the title. Like forming expressions for isosceles algebra questions or ratio for the 10p 5p question, if you know you know!

So then I was asked how do I give feedback, and how much written feedback to my students? I have found a process that works for me, it may not work for you and I am not saying it is brilliant. It is actually pretty basic but, like I say it works for me. In our college we need to have summative assessment that is defined in the lesson. We also need to give students next steps. I don't have an issue with this and have included it in my feedback template. So here it is:

I have used this with 16-19 and adults alike and it has iterated over the years and this is it's current version. Well it has been like this for 2 years now! 

Checkpoints - from sharing the learning intentions all the way through my lesson I ask students to reflect as to where they are on the progress line. The aim is to visually see progress over the lesson and them celebrate that. If they don't make progress, which happens!, it can also promote messages form students as to what has gone on. At each episode in the lesson I do a mini assessment, usually an exam question, and then I ask them to reflect on their progress line.

Assessment - the defined assessment in the lesson will be flagged as such by me. Here I ask them how did it go? This can be a score from the student of their opinion on how the assessment went.

Follow up - this is where I respond and provide next steps. These and my retrieval grids are on the tables at the start of the lesson. I collect them in at the end, read and respond to them, scan them in so I have a record and return them to students the following lesson. 

Text messages - Here students chat with me. They capture my verbal feedback. We discuss private issues that they don't want to share in class time. We identify barriers to learning that they may be experiencing. Or simply students ask questions they are too scared to ask in class. I have read it all in these messages! The foster mum alerting me to a new child on placement and her being unable to do any homework the coming week. Through to the 16 year old starting a new job and needing to move back in with his dad and wanting to chat about how that was making him feel. I find that this space gives my students space to share their voice.

Here are some examples:

You can see my green pen scribbles replying and responding, and in these examples there aren't many next steps other than referring to let me know how you get on after attempting the homework. I love to see the progress marks growing as the lesson goes on. I love to hear my students voices, those conversations we struggle to have in large classes, so it is great we can do this privately too.

Obviously this is all in the face to face classroom. When online teaching my students have made use of the private chat in Google Chat and we still have these conversations. I ask them to enter their progress in a Google Form during the lesson. The same form over and over again. It is 1 question, rate where you are against the learning intentions. The beauty of Google Forms is that the responses are time stamped so I can see the journey in the Google Sheet after the lesson.

Like I said this isn't perfect but this is what works for me, if it has sparked an idea for you to use, please let me know!