OK - before you get grumpy about the lack of 'a post a day' that I promised sometime last week - I have an excuse. I...uh....went to a course, then forgot, then forgot again. Jeeez, those excuses are pretty shit huh? Well anyway - at least I'm honest.
I've been thinking this morning about whiteboards/blackboards and how to make them work for me. I often put notes on the whiteboard. But here is the thing - I don't plan to put notes on the whiteboard. I get a little carried away in class and then find myself trying to download my brain onto the whiteboard in front of 30 expecting, but not entirely trusting, faces.
Right - so whats going on there then. Well I don't plan to make those notes because I seem to have left teachers college with the strong impression that notes are so old school. That you should be planning more interactive activities in which the students feel invested in that learning - and that brain dump to white board transitioned to student's paper through their pen - is not the way to go about it.
However, over the past couple of lessons with a particular diverse bunch of year 11s, whose differentiated learning styles mean I plan about 13 different lessons to ensure that they are all on the same 'page' by the end of it, I have resorted to putting some notes up on the board for them and getting them to copy it down. The outcome? With this simple task of taking these notes down, has completely changed their practical work. It has given them something to hold onto. A footing to launch off from.
So - have I converted into a dry, notes only, copy this down type teacher? Now that I have the evidence that it works? No, not at all. But I am reassured that learning can happen in MANY different ways. And often something as simple as taking notes, not relied upon, but used sparingly and for a purpose, can be a great device for both teacher and learner to consolidate a lot of interactive, messy thinking and learning that had preceded this final set of notes.
Over and out - happy Tuesday.
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