Week 32 – Reflective practice – Key Change in my Professional Practice.
What?
Using Rolfe, et al (2001) model of reflection, I need
to reflect on two key aspects which have changed for the positive:
·
My
leadership of staff and students regarding change initiatives – it is okay to be me and work collaboratively to achieve
the goals (no need to be authoritative).
·
The use of
digital tools – specifically the flipped model to enable student agency and
deeper understanding
When considering “Our code, our standards” my growth
this year has impacted on all of the standards. However, the biggest impact for
my students falls under the umbrella of:
·
Professional
learning – the use of the inquiry model
·
Learning
focused culture
·
Design for
learning
·
Teaching –
to respond to learners in a knowledgeable way to progress their learning at an
appropriate depth and pace.
Now What?
Considering Osterman & Kottkamp’s (2015)
reflective practice, learning cycle for the development of my digital pedagogy
and leadership style:
Problem: At the end of term 1, I was 3 weeks behind the other
level 2 classes, students wanted to develop their self-management and deeper
learning, in a time poor environment as SLT state we need all external in
internal teaching completed before our September practice exams.
Observation
and analysis: I enjoyed the flipped tasks
prep for the first few weeks of MindLab and felt better prepared which enabled
me to achieve deeper learning in the fully packed four hour face to face
sessions. So I wondered if this could be used to fix my problem.
Abstract reconceptualization: Discovered Bergmann, J. and Sams A (2015), Flipped
learning series and began to trial the flipped model. Further reading was
required to understand how I could incorporate the concept of guided practice.
Active
experimentation: While trialing the flipped model I followed Kotter’s eight steps to accelerate change (2017).
This allowed me to develop my situational leadership
skills. As my class is a mix of year 11 and year 12 students (5th
form and 6th Form) I discussed Hersey & Blanchard’s situational
leadership model with the class. I did project the modified version on the
board that we had used in Week 6 of the leadership paper. I explained the four
quadrants to the students and stated that we were currently in S1 and that they
had indicated from their survey responses at the end of term 1 they wanted to
have the skills to working in S3 and S4. I outlined how we could get there and
what the expectations of them as students would be and of me the teacher.
What
next?
I intend to continue on my journey with the flipped model. In addition
during this research using the G+ community I have been able to make contact
with two other Physics teachers who are looking into incorporating this model
into their program design. We are hoping to all attend the Physics teachers’
conference in Christchurch in 2019 and to meet to share ideas and develop a
support network for each other. Furthermore, I have a new job for 2019 as
Teacher with Curriculum Responsibilities in Physics and Electronics so I would
like to develop this model into these courses.
References:
Bergmann, J. and Sams,
A. (2015). Flipped Learning – For Science instruction; ‘The flipped Learning
Series’. International Society for Technology in Education publication.
Freshwater, D., & Rolfe, G. (2001). Critical
reflexivity: a politically and ethically engaged research method for
nursing. NT Research, 6(1), 526-537.
Hersey, P. & Blanchard, K.H. (1988). Management of organizational behaviour (5th Ed.), pp. 169-201.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Kotter, J. (2017). 8 Steps to
accelerate change. Kotter International (2017). E-book accessed on 27/05/2018
from, https://www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-process-for-leading-change/
Osterman,
K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (2015). Reflective practice for educators:
professional development to improve student learning. (2nd ed.) New York:
Skyhorse Publishing.
Zealand E. C. N. (2017). Our Code Our Standards.
Retrieved from: https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteThank-you for posting this. I am a Science teacher, HoD who is also teaching mixed Level classes in Chemistry and Physics L2 & L3 . As a non Physicist I also struggle with many of the same problems that you have outlined this year. I have experimented with Problem Based learning and Blended Learning this year with my Year 11 class with a view to incorporating these strategies into my L2/L3 classes next year. (This year just occasionally) However reading your about your success I am encouraged to try your approach. While being "progressive" with my Year 11 students I have not repeated this with the senior mixed classes more than occasionally. Your approach seems well thought out, especially the use of Kotter's 8 steps and the use of situational leadership with your group. I would be keen to connect with you and others who are looking at progressive methods of teaching senior subjects including Physics. I thought of Flipped Classrooms as a "step too far" in Term 2 last year but am encouraged by what you have written here.
As a non-physics specialist Physics teacher I am also looking to teach L2 and L3 more and more through real world / problem based learning, instead of being workbook reliant. What is your approach to this? I would be keen to share and connect.
Regards,
Martyn Owen.
Hi Martyn. I am pleased to hear you too have had the opportunity to play and explore with this model. I really enjoyed it. I think it was successful because of how I sold it to the kids and they themselves had decided they wanted more ownership. Happy to keep in touch, there are another 2 physics teachers in this years intake looking into this. I will try and do a G+ post to see who is there at the moment. There is the Physics teachers Facebook page for support and Dave Thrasher at St. Cuthberts is amazing and very pro active in ASTA for Physics teacher support if you are not on his mailing list send me a message through G+ or here to let me know and I will give you my email. A couple of us were going to try and catch up at Physikos next year if we can get on conference.
DeleteHappy to help and let me know what you need.
Lisa
Hi Lisa, thank you for posting this blog! Senior students with external and internal pressures has been a tricky one for me, and using flipped classroom is something I have tried as well. I had less buy in with my senior students, focusing on using blended learning instead with Juniors in preparation for seniors. Seeing the steps you used with Kotter's 8 steps has been inspiring. It would be interesting to see how the use of flipped classroom would work with internal standards as well- having students identify and be aware of their learning steps through Kotter would also increase their self-regulation/management. Could this be transferred to junior students as well? Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteI played with this idea in 2015 with a junior class, some of these students were in this physics class. I currently have the position of TIC Junior Science at my current school and would loved to get this working in our junior school. Unfortunately I move to a new school next year. If you want to chat about ideas.... Happy to help.
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