Mentor materials
Module audit
Mentor materials content
ECT Mentor session
Module 7: Engaging pupils in learning
Week 1: Module audit
Learning Intentions for this session
- to use the ECT audit for Module 7 (which is a continuation of the Module 2 audit) as a stimulus for discussion around the mentee’s current knowledge and practice in relation to Module 7 (ECF standards 2 & 3)
- to carry out a repeat audit, supporting the mentee to make accurate judgements of their current knowledge and practice
- to agree with the mentee areas for particular focus for an exploratory practitioner inquiry to run throughout Module 7 and to compose an inquiry question
Introduction
In this first mentor meeting of Module 7, you will work with your mentee to audit their current knowledge and practice in relation to the relevant content of the ECF. You should use your expertise to support the mentee to complete their audit with reference to a range of sources of evidence and to agree with the mentee any areas of particular focus over the rest of the module. This should inform any decisions you make about sequencing and orientating the remaining sessions within the time you have available with your mentee.
In Year 2 of the programme, your mentee is embedding their learning from the ECF into their practice. The audits that you will carry out with your mentee at the start of each module will help you to focus your attention on a smaller number of the ECF statements, allowing your mentee to gain greater expertise in those areas. With your guidance, your mentee will conduct two more practitioner inquiries—one for each of module 7 and 8. While engaging in this sort of inquiry is itself a great form of sustained professional development (ECF 8a), their purpose is to focus sharper attention on the ECF and to help your mentee acquire the deeper, practical knowledge and skill they will need to be a really effective teacher.
This session is designed to be completed within the allotted mentor meeting time. You may choose to agree with your mentee that they will complete the audit in advance of the meeting, in which case, the meeting can be truncated to reflect this.
You will need to brief the mentee in advance of the session so that they have access to a range of sources of evidence while completing the audit and during the session. This could include:
- notes from formal review meetings conducted throughout the NQT year
- their teacher assessment records
- examples of their planning paperwork
- a selection of pupils’ work
- notes from independent reading and professional learning activities
Then, you will help your mentee to construct another exploratory question, similar to the one for Module 6 but now focused on Standards 2 and/or 3. This question will be your mentee’s main focus for the rest of this module.
Case Studies
There are no case studies for this session, in which you are working with your mentee to audit their current knowledge and practice in relation to the Early Career Framework.
If you wish to boost your knowledge of the Module 7 content at this stage, you may choose to read ahead so that you can engage with the case studies for each of the remaining Module 7 sessions.
Mentor Meeting Activities
The Module 7 ECT audit is organised into a number of sections (‘learn that’ and ‘learn how’ statements for ECF standards 2 and 3). You can choose whether to work through the review / plan / theory to practice cycle below for all content at once, or to work through each section of the audit separately and repeat the cycle for each section. Choose what works best for you and your mentee.
Review 15 mins
Ask your mentee to work through the audit and to self-assess against each criterion, comparing their current responses with those from Module 2. They should base their judgement on their current knowledge and/or practice. Some suggested definitions to support this assessment are offered below. All should be interpreted in relation to the mentee’s context and what can reasonably be expected of an early career teacher.
Emerging: I don’t feel very confident in this area. I have substantial gaps in my knowledge and / or practice which definitely need to be addressed.
Developing: I have some knowledge about this, and/or there is evidence in my practice that I do this some of the time or to some extent. I am in a position to build on this with further work in this area.
Secure: I know a lot about this, and/or I do it in my practice consistently and well.
Plan and Theory to Practice 35 mins
Discuss with mentor
Ask your mentee to talk you through their audit and to explain the reasoning behind each self-assessment. Where possible, prompt the mentee to support their assessment with reference to one or more sources of evidence (see examples listed in the introduction to this session). You might use questions/prompts such as:
- Can you provide examples from your practice which support your assessment in relation to this statement?
- What can you learn about this from the evidence you’ve brought with you to this session?
- What feedback have you received in relation to your knowledge / practice in this area so far?
- What would it take for you to assess yourself more positively against this criterion? What’s missing at the moment?
Use your expertise and experience to shape the mentee’s reflections and to draw their attention to aspects of their practice which they may be overlooking (either by judging themselves too harshly or too kindly). The purpose of this activity is to help the mentee identify areas for particular development in relation to Module 7 and also to recognise and celebrate areas of relative strength and confidence.
Action Planning
Agree with your mentee how you will use the outcomes from the audit to choose an area of focus for an exploratory practitioner inquiry to run throughout the remainder of this module. At the start of Module 6, you helped your mentee devise an exploratory question. You will repeat that exercise now to help frame another short practitioner inquiry.
To help with constructing an exploratory question, here are a few examples:
Focus: 2b Balancing exposition, repetition, practice and retrieval of critical knowledge and skills
Possible question: Currently, in a typical lesson, how much time do I devote to exposition and retrieval, and how much time do I allow for the pupils to practise independently?
Focus: 3e Being aware of common misconceptions and discussing with experienced colleagues how to help pupils master important concepts
Possible question: To what extent am I currently aware of common misconceptions in the unit on continental drift, and what are the best ways I can find out about these from colleagues and other sources?
Next Steps 10 mins
Agree with your mentee how you will use the outcomes from the audit to inform your use of the programme materials for the remainder of this module. Using the Summary Module Guide highlight, together, any areas to which you will give particular focus. Consider how your mentee might best engage with some of the optional further readings suggested in the Summary Module Guide. Discuss the value of returning to the audit as you work through the module, using it to chart your mentee’s progress.
Remind your mentee that their next session will be an ECT training session.
During their next self-directed study, your mentee will use the time to collect evidence about their current normal practice.