Mentor materials
Final presentation of module inquiry, and module review
Mentor materials content
ECT Mentor session
Module 8: Developing quality pedagogy and making productive use of assessment
Week 16: Final presentation of Module 8 Inquiry. Module 8 audit
Learning Intentions for this session
The focus of your mentee’s inquiry for Module 8 was on an element of the Early Career Framework (ECF) from Standards 4, 5 or 6. They might have chosen a focus which combines different elements of these and other standards.
Aims of this session:
• a presentation by your mentee of their findings from their Module 8 practitioner inquiry.
• using the Module 8 ECT audit as a stimulus for discussion around your mentee’s current knowledge and practice in relation to ECF Standards 4, 5 & 6
• supporting the mentee to make accurate judgements about their progress in this module
Introduction
You and your mentee have come to the end of Module 8, where they have focused on one area, or a small number of areas, for development. They have implemented changes to their teaching and monitored the impacts of those changes on themselves and their pupils. They have achieved this mainly by conducting a practitioner inquiry.
The main focus of the session is to learn together from the findings of the inquiry.
Try also to leave some time towards the end to do a final audit of learning across Module 8. (To speed this up, you may ask your mentee in advance to self-assess against the relevant standards.)
Case Studies
There are no case studies for this session. You may wish to refer back to Week 14, to remind yourself how the featured teachers shared their inquiry findings with colleagues.
Mentor Meeting Activities
Review & Plan 5 mins
Clarify the learning intentions for this session with your mentee, which are to learn together from their practitioner inquiry, and to complete the Module 8 audit
Theory to Practice 40 mins
- Sharing of Practice
Regardless of which way your mentee chooses to present the findings of their inquiry, you did ask them to cover these points:
- the issue they chose and how they chose it – what aspects of the ECF were they concerned with? What were they trying to learn how to do better?
- how they gathered evidence and decided on the alteration to their practice
- their evaluative inquiry question, and any adjustments they made along the way
- how they gathered a fuller range of evidence – the overheard, unexpected and counter-evidence
- the impact the inquiry had on them
- the impact the inquiry had on their pupils – their final claim
As you listen to, read or watch the presentation, take a note of any areas that you want to follow up. As a mentor, ask ‘What can I learn about this from my mentee? What can I learn how to do better?’
This might include:
- insights into the research contained within the ECF
- the process of conducting a practitioner inquiry
- how to decide what alteration to make to my practice
- how to decide which pupils to focus on
- how to collaborate better with colleagues
Conducting a practitioner inquiry in a disciplined way can be hard but rewarding work. Remember to congratulate your mentee. Encourage them to continue to develop themselves in this way.
Remember also to discuss with them how they can share the insights from their inquiry with others. For example:
- putting a poster up in the staffroom, and advertising a 15-minute lunchtime ‘share’
- having a slot in an upcoming Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event, perhaps with other ECTs
- discussing at a phase or department meeting
- presenting to Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
- writing a summary for the staff bulletin
- posting a blog on an online staff CPD platform
- sharing on social media
Self-assessment
At the start and midpoint of this module, you looked at some of the learn how to statements for Standards 4, 5 and 6 and conducted a module audit with your mentee. Look back at this audit now. We understand that getting better at teaching means having ‘practical fluency’: the wider knowledge, experience and beliefs to make judicious use of practical skills in the specific situation that the teacher is in at a given time.
If time does not permit in this session, you may need to ask your mentee to do this in their own time and report back to you later. Encourage your mentee to review the learn how to statements from Module 8 and make claims for where they now feel they know how and when to make use of the practical skills, i.e. they can be ‘judicious’.
To support this self-assessment, you might share with them a model, e.g.
- I know it is important to first teach the necessary foundational content knowledge before asking my pupils to engage in critical thinking and problem solving. In my curriculum planning, I have started to identify what the key content is and how I will ensure my pupils can gain a firm grasp of it. I am beginning to see that this is working well with all of my pupils, and it is helping them with their critical thinking.
- Now more than ever I realise how making use of textbooks in the department (at least those that fit well with our curriculum principles) can save me from unnecessary workload. Although I do like to create my own resources, I have more contact time this year and so less time to devote to planning. I have discovered that textbooks often give extra scaffold for those pupils who need greater support or who are ready for an extended challenge.
- Although I accept that I need to apply high expectations to all of my pupils, I am still struggling to ensure that my low prior attaining pupils have access to a rich curriculum. Sometimes I resort to providing them with easy worksheets, in the hope that they can get on with them without further help from me. My aim is to more frequently intervene with them in lessons – possibly in small groups – to scaffold work so that they have the same access to a rich curriculum as the rest.
- When I question pupils in class, I now never allow them to give an answer without also demanding that they elaborate. My favourite instant response is ‘Why do you say that?’ or ‘Why are you so sure?’ My pupils now know to expect this, and they enjoy trying to convince me. I now have a much better idea of whether their answers are built on secure understanding.
Next Steps 5 mins
Note that Module 9, the final module of the programme, begins after the half-term.