A taxing taxonomy?

Not, perhaps the most original of titles...

However, something that has concerned a large portion of my waking thoughts has been linked to year 11 revision! As I mentioned in an earlier blogpost I think as teachers we may be more stressed about exams than some of the students. Something that then got me thinking was the implicit assumptions I am perhaps guilty of making. The things I take for granted. This led me to looking at Solo Taxonomy and the way I can apply it to my teaching and student learning.

That is not to dismiss Bloom's Taxonomy at all, and I think that the hierarchy of skills does successfully represent different levels of thinking. What I think is that often we can take for granted that while students may be able to meet some of the higher order thinking skills this does not mean they do not need support in linking some of the elements of the earlier thinking levels. This is one of the things I quite like about the Solo Taxonomy is that students are focusing on seeing and developing connections between elements. The 'levels' or 'steps' of the model, this is not to limit it to being a step-by-step unit.

• The first stage is seen as the pre-structural stage, where a student may not understand a task or be able to identify any relevant knowledge.
• The uni-lateral stage is where the student is focusing on one area of detail, they may feel that they can only identify one area of information.
• The next step sees students beginning to include more detail but they see the details as being distinct or separate, this is the multi-structural stage.
• The penultimate stage, the relational stage sees the student making connections between the identified detail or knowledge.
• The final stage, extended abstract sees the student conceptualising the content/detail/knowledge at a higher level. The student is now beginning to see where this connected (relational) model fits into wider topics. For example: a student being able to see how the Scientific Revolution impacted upon wider society, media/art, religion or politics.

I can see how this model can be applied to support student progress and development in that it encourages students to focus on connections and the impact of events/actions/people upon the wider world. One way of demonstrating is through the use of hexagonal models, the interlinked models that get produced show how events cause other events and the way in which the consequences and relationships spiral beyond the opening concept or piece of detail. If you are using Solo Taxonomy or hexagonal models and have thoughts or ideas please do share!

Getting women involved

Just a quick place holder. This evening saw an incredible discussion about 'How could WomenEd be promoted with women coming into the teaching profession?'

The reason why this is such an important question is that WomenEd is rapidly becoming an important movement. Last October saw the first unconference, with more events planned for this year. This is a growing movement, growing in number, growing in skill and hopefully growing in influence. This is a powerful collective of educators with a range of stories, experiences and backgrounds.

This alone, makes it something vital to share with new teachers. With frightening news reports suggesting that '53%' considering leaving the profession in the next two years. We read reports about low morale, stress and mental health concerns, the article also talks about workload and stress. Talking to teachers this is a growing fear and problem. WomenEd offers the ability to connect teachers, to support them not only in career progression but in their career. I blogged previously about delivering a session looking at managing your mental health. This is an area where making connections and links with a network like WomenEd will help, it provides support and lived experiences. New teachers can see that not only are they not alone, but that others have felt this way before.

One of the key factors that was raised time and time again during the discussion was the importance of publicity and Initial Teacher Training. Making those links with ITT providers to ensure that WomenEd material is shared and the message is given to students. This not only builds the network but again provides that support net. The challenge will be in building and maintaining that network, making the initial contact and then reinforcing it. One potential would be for ITT providers and schools to identify a lead teacher who would support female staff and make/maintain the links to WomenEd.

This led onto a discussion about how you would promote WomenEd to ensure that schools knew that it existed and what it was. Part of this was about staff identifying their aims and goals, and acknowledging that this might vary regionally. Did teachers want takeaway items like pens and mugs to use within school that promoted WomenEd as a concept, encouraging staff to research it. Working in the way that an ad campaign might. Or creating a shareable network of videos or articles, tangible items that could be shared within the profession and added to, to build the collective community story.

Anyway, that is all I have time for this evening. But, the proper write-up will follow shortly. In the meantime if you have suggestions about promoting WomenEd and how to share and build the network please do comment, and share!

Learning to teacher in the secondary school

I've been revisiting some reading material that I bought years ago when training to be a teacher at university: Learning to Teach in the Secondary School A companion to School Experience Edited by Susan Capel, Marilyn Leask and Tony Turner.

I've been dipping back into it to review my use of assessment, marking and feedback. It is amazing how refreshing it was to do this, to take the time to go back to something that opened my eyes in such a way the first time.

I'm currently reading the chapter about assessment and a few basic things struck me; the checklist for understanding (Holt:1964: 176) is brilliant. So clear and concise and yet it makes so much sense in terms of identifying for both student and teacher how to measure accurately if students understand something. I am considering creating a checklist for my wall for students to use as part of plenary and revision activities. To help them identify what they need to be able to do in order to say that they 'understand' a topic or study area.