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May 2003
Accelerated Learning newsletter, May 2003
In this month’s newsletter we have a review of the
recent Motivation conference in Manchester, word from Knottingley
High School and Sports College on their effective Key Stage
3 Strategy, Penny Clayton’s thoughts on motivation
and obstruction, and details of how a London primary school
is developing an inclusive environment, catering for individual
needs. We also bring you 20 ideas for transforming motivation,
teaching and learning, thoughts on Cadbury’s latest
promotion, and an item about Simon Weston’s inspirational
charity work.
Manchester Alite with Motivation
Delegates flowed from the hall, a buzz of anticipation
and already the sparking of ideas electrifying the air
as everyone channelled towards the four waiting sets of
case study presenters. The Best on Motivation and Learning,
Alite’s Manchester conference, had begun.
Alistair Smith, fresh from the success of his and Paul
Ginnis’s first Masterclass in Leeds two days earlier,
opened the day with his own brand of motivation and the
latest that brain research has to offer the profession.
One delegate, Vivienne Neale from Truro School, claimed
his inspirational beginning made her want to “dash
off to the classroom”. Many commented on this positive
start to a day which was to prove an inspirational showcase
of how professionals from all over the country motivate
the young people in their charge.
Diamond ranking, tapioca, models and singing were all
utilised in the presentations to expound what practitioners
were doing in their classrooms, schools and across their
LEAs. The emphasis was firmly on the practical. Gail Mason
showed how Multiple Intelligence theory was being applied
across Wren’s Nest Primary in Dudley, providing dozens
of examples along the way; Coppenhall High School put the
emphasis on inclusion for all in their Cheshire school
and showed how knowledge about the brain contributed to
their whole-school approach, whilst North Lincolnshire
LEA demonstrated how they helped teachers to think outside
the box to create the right conditions for learning and
sustain improvements in their schools. Rob Beel of Woodlands
Primary School claimed the case studies were “exactly
what we were hoping for.”
Between the slots allocated
to these and the ten other case study presenters were
three guest speakers spread throughout the day. Dame Jean
Else passed on advice about Motivation and Your School,
which had delegates nodding in agreement and approval
at what she had achieved at Whalley Range High School.
After lunch Tanni Grey-Thompson took time out from
her hectic schedule to provide everyone with a taste
of motivation from a top performer. As if to underline
her talk, less than 48 hours later she achieved her
ninth placing in the London Marathon. The day was
brought to a successful end by Mike Gibbons, Lead Director
of the Innovation Unit, who urged teachers to grasp
opportunities to innovate within their schools.
“I
enjoyed the keynote speakers, who inspired and reinforced…The
case studies were well presented and practical – they
were coming from ‘the real’.”
Alison Wilks, Headteacher, Ward Green, Barnsley "The chance to hear Dame Jean Else was a highlight
- love her down to earth determination and humour.
Mike Gibbons - inspired by his optimism and enthusiasm."
Les McAnaney, Bedewell Primary, South Tyneside
As teachers, lecturers, classroom assistants and advisers
poured from the hall for the final time the excitement
and enthusiasm were still palpable. Many seemed alight
with ideas and inspiration, some may have had fires rekindled,
but all had witnessed the burning enthusiasm of those who
had shared motivational strategies for their learners in
classrooms across the country. As one delegate enthused, “It’s
buzzing with energy, ideas and enthusiasm.”
To read more about The Best on Motivation and Learning,
including some comments from those attending the day, visit
the website at www.alite.co.uk.
Accelerated Learning, Thinking Skills and
the Key Stage 3 Strategy
Kaeti Strickland, Head of Geography and AST at Knottingley High School and
Sports College, reflects on an effective Key Stage 3 Strategy. She recently
presented her thoughts at Alite’s Best on Motivation and Learning conference
in Manchester.
By utilising what Accelerated Learning and Thinking Skills
have to offer, we can make the most of what the KS3 Strategy
requires of the profession. The guidance for Teaching and
Learning in the Foundation Subjects (TLF), my particular
area of interest, whilst not providing a rigid lesson structure,
expects teachers to implement starter activities to introduce
key ideas, use engaging learning tasks and employ a plenary
to consolidate, review and build upon learning outcomes.
Surely this is reminiscent of elements within the Accelerated
Learning Cycle? Crucially, teachers are encouraged to focus
on certain aspects of their methodology, reflect on practice
and to deliver effective, challenging teaching and learning
strategies. The KS3 Strategy, Accelerated Learning and
Thinking Skills are all permeated with references to challenge,
improved questioning, modelling and explaining, collaborative
talk and, perhaps most importantly, focus on the processes
of learning.
This focus on how we learn was particularly important
in my planning of a series of lessons for a Year 8 class
at Knottingley, as I trialled one aspect of Accelerated
Learning. Through raising their awareness of visual, auditory
and kinaesthetic (VAK) learning styles I hoped to help
them understand how they might learn most effectively.
If successful, I reasoned that this would facilitate more
independent learning in the future. I began by asking them
their thoughts on the ideal learning situation. As they
debated whether or not it was wise to have the CD player
on in the background they were continually reminded of
the importance of individual preference. Quite surprisingly,
many students thought beyond the physical environment and
mentioned their need for emotional contentment and reassurance
as to knowing the point to any activity they were undertaking.
Such thoughts were brainstormed, shared and then followed
up with a learning styles questionnaire. The results, and
what they meant, were discussed with the students. In order
to reinforce their understanding of learning styles an
activity was set which asked them to create a visual, auditory
or kinaesthetic strategy for a section on a forthcoming
topic. The results were original and imaginative. Two girls
performed a sentimental sketch as Doris and Edna nattering
over recently developed holiday snaps – I never realised
that the Mediterranean climate could be so entertaining!
Two boys raided the DT department in order to produce jigsaw
puzzles and the budding Eminems in the group rapped away
their understanding of the water cycle. Everyone was engaged
in the teaching and learning process and, implicit within
these pilot lessons, were the key principles demanded by
the KS3 Strategy.
As with my recent discovery of Accelerated Learning, I
have witnessed the potential of Thinking Skills lessons
to motivate. The possibilities for actively exploring ideas
and inventing original resources to engage are infinite.
Although it can be easy to slip into using Thinking Skills
techniques at a superficial level or in isolation, applying
them properly within a pedagogically sound framework can
reap outstanding rewards.
Many activities can be used across the curriculum. Maps
from Memory is one which asks students to work as a group
and devise tactics to help them reproduce an image or information
from an out-of-sight original source onto a blank piece
of paper. Being a Geography teacher I tend to focus on
maps, but I have seen this method used with soup packets,
electrical circuits and art masterpieces. To be effective,
students must be given time to assess their strategies
and evaluate their own learning. Debriefing (uncovering
the students’ understanding) of the Maps from Memory
activity provides extensive scope, ranging from sharing
group mechanics to discussing the plan of attack. When
doing this recently with a map of central Rome, students
discovered the importance of a river for orientation, the
need to provide a boundary for the bigger picture by recognising
main roads and railways, and the relevance of colour. Through
discussion they saw that it was important to have the main
structure and layout before you started adding in the detail.
Having discussed this with reference to the map, students
were made aware of how this was relevant to writing an
essay and how they could use their findings to guide them
through the streets of Rome. Not only must they pack their
clothes when they go on holiday, they must also pack their
Thinking Skills.
Accelerated Learning and Thinking Skills methodologies
already share many of the key principles of the KS3 Strategy.
Using their approaches in the classroom, within a sound
framework, can provide the motivational and trigger experiences
that help students gain a deeper understanding, leave the
classroom ‘buzzing’ and ensure that they can
tell mum or dad what they learnt at school that day. If
I had my way they’d tell them how they learnt it
as well!
Inspiration in adversity
Simon Weston’s is a familiar face. Born in the Welsh
village of Neslon in Mid-Glamorgan, Simon suffered terrible
injuries during the Falklands conflict in 1982. The burns
he sustained have required a series of operations, which
continue to this day. Despite these injuries, Simon set
out to transform his life, and has become an example of
great personal triumph and courage.
In 1988 Simon established his charity, ‘Weston Spirit’, with friends
Ben Harrison and Paul Oginsky. Simon was aware of the problems young people
faced around his home in South Wales, and was keen to do something to help.
Paul, Ben and Simon each put £300 into their idea to set up the first
Weston Spirit initiative. They jotted down their reasons for creating a charity
for young people on the back of a beer mat - 'personal development, confidence
and self-esteem'. These remain the central themes for Weston Spirit which,
from these humble beginnings, now has 8 centres around the UK.
Simon’s story is an inspiration, as he works through
his charity to transform the lives of young people whose
lifestyles reflect a lack of opportunity and poverty of
aspiration.
We are delighted to welcome Simon Weston as our Special
Guest Speaker at Alite 2003, Making it Happen.
Cadbury Get a Kicking – But Is It Fair Play?
The Food Commission, the Consumers’ Association and healthy eating campaigners
all got physical with Cadbury this week over the launch of their Get Active
scheme. Tim Lobstein, director of the Food Commission, claimed it was “ridiculous” to
promote a fitness campaign with chocolate.Cadbury, who are offering up to £9m
of free sports equipment to schools that collect the tokens from the chocolate
bars, have been accused of hypocrisy over the promotion. One widely quoted
figure suggests that for a child to earn his/her school a basketball, s/he
would have to play 90 hours of the game to burn off what has been consumed.
Cadbury has been quick to defend its position, pointing
out that it is not just children, but the wider community
that can collect the tokens for the school, claiming that
children only consume about 5% of its products.
The research into the effects of eating chocolate is wide
and varied. Last year, researchers from the National Heart
and Lung Institute announced that a chemical present in
chocolate, theobromine, was effective in preventing coughs.
The tests compared different groups given this chemical,
a placebo or codeine, the cough mixture ingredient commonly
used. Theobromine came out top. Other research has looked
at the polyphenols which occur naturally in chocolate and
have been found to prevent cardiovascular disease and possibly
reduce the risk of cancer. Chocolate has also been linked
to increased alertness and euphoric effects. The link many
make between eating chocolate and pleasure has also been
said to reduce stress and enhance immunity.
However, opponents of overindulgence in chocolate point
to the wealth of research into eating too many sugary and
fatty foods. Dr William Crook linked hyperactivity to diet
as far back as 1973. In carefully controlled tests looking
at the link between hyperactivity and emotional, behavioural
and learning problems he found that, of the children he
tested whose hyperactivity was definitely related to diet,
sugar came top of the list. Research tells us, however,
that the brain needs a certain amount of glucose energy
to develop and function properly. This can be impaired,
though, by a high fat diet, which stops the brain using
all the glucose it needs, according to research carried
out in Toronto by Winocur and Greenwood. In tests, young
rats that had been fed 40% of their calories from fat performed
markedly worse in mental learning tests than those rats
that had been fed a normal diet. Against virtually all
measures the high fat diet negatively affected performance.
Research continues, but perhaps the keyword for all learners,
particularly children, should be ‘moderation’ and
to eat a balanced diet.
Go On – Make It Happen!
Penny Clayton ponders motivation and obstruction.
I don’t think I can do this!
I’m not even sure why I agreed to!
I suppose I was secretly delighted at being asked to write
something for the quality newsletter of a well-respected
organisation. If I’m honest, I also quite like writing
and, after completing two years of contributing articles
to “Managing Schools Today”, admit to having
a few withdrawal symptoms. A piece about the exciting new
venture, “Making It Happen”, soon to be launched
by Alite could be fun.
Am I the right person to write this? If I were, surely
I would have done it by now. After all it must have been
several months ago that I was asked to do it and now with
only twenty four hours before the deadline, I don’t
even know where to begin. Why can’t I just get on
with it? Other people do.
Part of my trouble has been that I never used to think
that I was good enough. Looking back I can see how it happened.
My parents always wanted to be proud of their little girl
and as I grew, pleasing people became of paramount importance
in all aspects of my life. I found criticism very hard
to handle and would dwell on negative comments for days,
weeks, months - actually I’m still smarting over
a comment made by a college tutor more than thirty years
ago.
Am I a victim? Maybe there have been times when I would
honestly have to answer yes to that. The internal struggle
has been to rise above it and take back control of my life.
So why didn’t I simply say I won’t be writing
the piece? Probably because the whole project fits in with
my personal values and beliefs. When I decided to leave
headship after eighteen years, it was to create a job I
didn’t think existed and which would be congruent
with my values. I began to set some personal goals and
only accepted assignments which would help me achieve them.
To my relief and amazement it worked and caused me to reflect
on the power within us all to have the life we choose.
Working on the MiH project has brought me into contact
with some truly inspirational people who have coped with
or directed change in their lives too. Such fellow travellers
on the journey have included a once fit and energetic sports
teacher successfully defeating a rare and potentially incurable
brain tumour, a young Somali girl whose tale of her escape
from her war-torn country was a blend of betrayal, desolation,
trust and hope and several successful people who dramatically
changed careers or themselves because of their personal
passions and beliefs. So many of these wonderful contacts
could so easily have chosen to be victims but for them
this was not an option.
There is indeed plenty to reflect on when it comes to
taking charge and making things happen for yourself. It
should have been easy to get started on this article. Instead
I found myself visualising the finished piece, having that
stunning opening to capture the reader, thinking of a vehicle
to pull the whole article together and deciding to just
let my brain work it out for itself. In the meantime, rather
than start typing, I found myself sifting through paperwork
for the next week’s work, seizing on the family finances
to file away in an orderly fashion, tackling the porch
which needed a particularly intensive spring clean and
drifting in and out of the lounge where the incessant reports
of the war on Iraq held my attention in a vice like grip.
Finally my brain came up with the goods and I was able
to pour my thoughts onto a mind-map. If I believed in myself,
aimed high, prepared myself mentally, ceased all procrastination
I would be able to apply all I have learned and make it
happen.
I think I’ve done it!
Making It Happen provides help for those who want to overcome
self-imposed barriers and achieve their goals. It will
be launched at the Alite 2003 conference at the Café Royal,
London.
The West Grove Way: How one school tore up the rule
book
Elaine Wilmot is Headteacher of West Grove Primary, where
she and her staff are developing an inclusive environment,
catering for individual needs. West Grove opened in September
1998.
With the opportunity of opening a new school and creating
a new learning community, I was determined to ensure that
what we were going to build would be different. This is
my third headship and I was dissatisfied and disappointed
with national policy and the increase in prescription and
was determined to do something positive about it. I wanted
to be able to preserve childhood for my pupils rather than
stand by and see them put through the 'sausage-machine'
of formal education in this country.
We met, as staff and temporary governing body, before
the school opened to discuss possibilities. We looked at
the kind of world we would be preparing our pupils for,
i.e. the knowledge economy and a more flexible future where
there would be no such thing as a job for life. We discussed
the kind of pupils that we wanted our eleven year olds
to be in 2005 and beyond, and from the brainstormed lists
we had created, we devised a list of curriculum opportunities
that we felt needed to be included. Whilst the list contained
literacy and numeracy it included so much more – parents
and governors wanted our pupils to be rounded individuals:
- who would be confident about their own abilities,
- who would be good with people,
- who would be bi- or multi-lingual,
- who would be adaptable,
- who would be multi-skilled and
- who would be well adjusted.
They also wanted a curriculum that would be memorable!
So we decided that at West Grove we would not deliver
the Literacy and Numeracy strategies as given (we do deliver
the content but in our own way) and we would not deliver
the National Curriculum as discrete subjects.
Our intention is to devise a curriculum that will fit
individual children's needs so the children play a part
in curriculum planning. In order to draw some relevance
for our pupils we deliver our curriculum through broad
and balanced cross-curricular topics. For example, Year
2 pupils look at 'How People Used to Live'. Teachers plan
key learning objectives over the weeks of the topic on
an A3 planning sheet to show National Curriculum coverage
and then deliver it through a range of investigative activities.
In this way, children still develop their learning across
most subjects even though, in this case, the topic is History-based.
As part of their study we include at least one visit off
site to a place of historical interest, e.g. Museum of
Childhood in Bethnal Green or the Victorian School in Hertfordshire,
depending on the interests of the pupils.
The topics are set from Years 1 to 6, but each time the
topic is covered it is slightly different because we build
on the pupils' previous knowledge. When teachers begin
to plan their topic-based curriculum, the children in their
class are asked to brainstorm the answers to three questions:
- What do you already know about this topic?
- What would you like to know? (key questions)
- How do you think you will be able to find the answers?
The outcomes from these brainstorms are mind-mapped either
as a class activity or individually by pupils, depending
on their age, and they are referred to throughout the topic
as a review tool and at the end of the topic to enable
the children to evaluate their learning. The mind maps
can also be added to as the learning progresses if new
key questions occur or develop. Building from these brainstorms
allows the learning to be tailored to each individual’s
needs. Further ownership and relevance is provided when
children express a particular interest in a part of a topic.
They can pursue this aspect through their own research
and present on that interest.
Children are motivated to learn because they are given
the responsibility for planning and monitoring a portion
of their learning and they contribute to the teacher-led
part of the curriculum. Staff are motivated because they
are allowed creative freedom and they are encouraged to
take 'risks' that will further their own learning and professional
development.
Our children have a love for learning and can speak confidently
about their future learning needs and they can be self-critical
whilst maintaining high self-esteem – skills that
will stand them in good stead throughout the whole of their
lives. I firmly believe that schools need to stop following
government dictats blindly and should start looking at
what's best for their children (and staff) and take control
of their professional responsibilities again. After all,
isn't that what we all came into the job for in the first
place?
Elaine will present a detailed case study on the West
Grove Way at Alite 2003.
Muddled Metaphors of the Month
With thanks to Frank Burke and Alan Flinton. The following
are taken from English language exam papers.
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like
underpants in a tumble dryer.
Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after
a sneeze.
Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
Even in his last years, Grandad had a mind like
a steel trap, only one that had been left out so
long it had rusted shut.
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you
get from not eating for a while.
John and Mary had never met. They were like two
hummingbirds that had also never met
20/20 Vision: 20 ideas for transforming motivation, teaching
and learning ( Part IV )
The 20/20 Vision is where we offer some radical
and not so radical ideas to transform your school. Don’t
take them all too seriously!
-
Don’t let the urgent crowd out the important
-
Remove the word ‘marking’ from all school
documents and replace it with feedback; explain to
parents that feedback involves a variety of ways of
helping their child improve, of which marks on the
page is only one
-
Have an ‘ideas for learning improvement’ day;
involve everyone – pupils, parents, governors,
community representatives, administrative and support
staff, teaching staff. Start with the individual – ‘what
would help me learn better?’ Grow out - relationships,
functions, departments, school, community links
-
Buy high quality speakers for your electronic whiteboards
-
Cherry pick initiatives
-
Never send a member of staff to an external course
on their own. Two people de-brief on the journey home
-
Use a life coach
-
Introduce a formal coaching programme to your school,
but train colleagues in coaching skills first
-
Create temporary, cross phased ‘high performance
teams’ tasked to introduce a specific change
-
Ban colouring in
-
Have short weekly meetings of 15 minutes duration
led by staff on a rolling programme with themes such
as ‘my best lesson’, ‘how I mark
smarter’, ‘my favourite piece of software’.
Attendance voluntary, but all staff deliver.
-
Ask cross phase problem solving teams to work for
a 40 minute session on a real issue for the school
and generate as many solutions as possible. Exhibit
outcomes
-
Start lunchtime relaxation and yoga classes by year
group. Slightly delay start to lessons for participants.
-
Have a school day which is half an hour longer Monday
to Thursday, so Friday afternoons to can be freed for
professional development
-
Get business sponsorship for your area Headteacher
meetings
-
Use staff meetings for half-termly review: what’s
gone well, what could be improved
-
Wait for external initiatives to be trialled and
modified elsewhere before taking them on. Research
shows they are often modified after a very short time
-
Use Saturday and Summer schools as testing grounds
for new developments, new ways of teaching, encouraging
independent learning
-
Each time you ask your colleagues to introduce a
new procedure or initiative, remove one which has seen
its day: maintain a balance
-
Replace your ‘why?’ questions with ‘how?’ questions
For all 20/20 Vision ideas for transforming motivation,
teaching and learning see the scrolling list at www.alite.co.uk
Don’t forget…
For questions, comments or just a good old chat about accelerated learning
and your school, visit the discussion forum on the website.
It’s back! Alite 2003, London, Friday June 20th.
Our annual Conference is once again at the excellent Café Royal,
London. Our theme this year is Making it Happen. Amongst
our keynoters we include Simon Weston who heads his own
charity for young people, ‘Weston Spirit’,
Dame Pat Collarbone who is Director of Leadership Programmes
at the National College for School Leadership and Dame
Sheila Wallis who has been honoured for her work in transforming
schools. Alistair Smith will host.
Again we will have case studies from LEA’s, Primary and Secondary Schools.
Amongst the topics covered are collaborative transformation, the schools of
the future, Accelerated Learning with very young children, innovatory approaches
to supporting learning and how one school achieved a 40% improvement in GCSE
without becoming a ‘crammer’. More than a dozen Case Studies representing
the best who are ‘Making it Happen’. Watch out for our national
advertisements; find
out more from our website.
Performance Coaching
This one-day course is designed to train lead learners
to help their students or colleagues to improve their performance.
Drawing on a rich heritage of NLP, Sports Performance Psychology
and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy the programme provides
you with simple steps and techniques to improve your coachees’ motivation
and performance. The course is run by Will Thomas, qualified
Performance Coach and the former Head of Faculty of a large
comprehensive school. For more information, visit the website
at www.alite.co.uk
If you know someone else who would enjoy receiving the
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If you have any comments or questions about the newsletter,
of if you would like to contribute to it, please email melanie@alite.co.uk
To contact the Alite office, please email office@alite.co.uk.
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