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Journal 12 (Nearly) A week at work!.Monday 27th - Thursday 30th April
Well in our 4th week out here we finally all got into work/school. The boys were the hardest to get in but in many ways got the most out once they were. We turned up on the Monday which was the boys school INSET day - spoke to some people, but the principal was away in meetings so could we come back in the morning. We duly did so with the boys fully prepared for school with packed lunches, pencil cases and litres of water. Had a productive meeting with the principal, but the boys could not go in yet as they were not ready - we were clearly a complete surprise for her, and despite assurances to the contrary NO contact had been made. She was very accommodating and said we had to come back with a list of dates we would like the boys to attend, and she would see what could be arranged. I delivered this, and she rang later, very helpful but could the boys start on Thursday, which would give her a chance to prepare. In return could I run a workshop on easy practical primary science! The boys stuff - which is so interesting will follow but for now....
Joe:
I started school on the Monday and was welcomed like an eminent expert in education - slightly embarrassing really. I am nervous of upsetting people - can you imagine how our staffroom would react to some “volunteer” turning up from overseas telling us all how to do our jobs and then swanning off again? Despite that people here seem genuinely pleased to see me and hope for help.
I quickly establish that while the science knowledge of the teachers is good, they have had no formal teaching training and lessons are very “lecture” based. This is not helped by having one science lab for the whole school - years 6 to 13 with at least 5 forms in each year!
They are certainly keen to have me here - in one lesson a lady had prepared a lesson using a slide on the internet (there is one desktop in the science lab, which she intended for the students to come up one at a time to see). Sadly the internet was not working and I offered to go and copy the slide, from a pc downstairs. When I returned I seemed to end up teaching a double lesson on the respiratory system with no warning, no preparation and no glance at the syllabus. Somehow word clearly got out that I was teaching and within minutes there were 4 other teachers observing, and then the principal walked in!
On the strength of that no lesson planning, not knowing the class or what should be being taught lesson, I have been asked to teach exemplar science lessons for a group of new teachers - part of their induction, and weekly workshops, as well as observing and mentoring a couple of other teachers. I have also twice more begun observing lessons only to be coerced into teaching them - perhaps a technique I should try when SLT or OFSTED observe me!
Things are very different: classrooms are open with only partial partitions between them; for most lessons the students stay in form rooms and the teachers go to them; there is very limited equipment both ICT and practical apparatus; students sit and listen and lessons are not at all active; students are very keen to do well, often reading up on the topic before the lesson, so they know as much as they can; students have to buy their own books (exercise and text books- amazing how much more care they take of them) despite what we would consider real poverty; students see education as their gateway to improvement; students all have pens of various colours, rulers pencils etc (and teachers were shocked at the idea that they might not) but no mobile phones (bags searched at the school entrance by prefects and any found would be confiscated until home time, none were found in my first 2 days); students are all in immaculate uniform, and polite and friendly; students have exceptional rote knowledge but are unsure how to apply it and lack confidence in expressing opinions; far greater emphasis on content and very little understanding of how they learn or why they are doing things; no toilet paper in the toilets -but no graffiti either; staff teach year groups - so I saw one lady teaching the same lesson for the 5th time in two days, low on planning but very dull!
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Chaz
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Joe
Joe you are an eminent expert in education! Now come on! You are too modest, but that is you and that is great! I love the line about asking OFSTED to take over the lesson - brilliant and made me laugh. Perhaps we could spring a trap next time they come...I'd like that! Joe you'll be a brilliant asset - of that I have no doubt. Bank Holiday here today - a bit rainy, but who cares? A few jobs around the house like cleaning gutters - yuk! Off to see a bluegrass band next week : "The Toy Hearts." Great name! Great band? We'll see! Take care to you, Joe, and your family, Chaz