Using Google in school

I'm probably behind the times. In terms of using google in school, I know that probably anyone reading this is streets ahead of me, but in terms of the "pencil" analogy,I like to think I'm a sharp, so am happy to steal ideas from you Leaders out there.

So, here is how I've found Google useful to me in teaching in 2010, and bear in mind that in 2009 all google was to me was a search engine (and maps and google earth, but that's all!).

1. Google Docs for coursework. I read the idea in #movemeon and ran with it. About half my Y10 GCSE Statistics class created a google account, and used that to write their stats coursework. As they worked they shared it with me, so I could go in, correct / annotate it as they went along. On first glance, those that used google docs have got better coursework than those that just worked on it on their own. Obviously I kept to exam board rules and guidelines, but I was able to have the sorts of conversations I'd have had in class, at any time.
I've shown it to other departments now and have discovered they are using it to good effect. I've also uploaded our department handbook to GoogleDocs, so that anyone in the team can edit it if they need to.

2. Google Docs for Parents Evening. We have a system whereby students collect subject consultation evening appointments on little scraps of paper stuck in their planner. This system works, after a fashion, but there was a flaw this year as one of my form was off sick, and parents still wanted appointments (reasonably enough).
So, I set up a spreadsheet, emailed teachers the link, and told them to make appointments for this family. This meant there were no clashes, as the teachers still set the times, and I could leave a copy of the times at the front desk for them.
I'm not sure this would work large scale yet, but for this particular case it was brilliant.

3. Google Forms for reply slips. As inspired by Tom Barretts (as always) excellent blog on how he used google forms to collect data. I'd never even realised google forms existed until then! We've run a Y10 maths information evening, and have sent out invitations to ALL year 10 parents. To get an idea of numbers there is a reply slip at the bottom, but I decided that I also wanted to get parents to be able to reply online (the weak link in the slip system is that it's students that have to return the slips!).
Setting up the form took about half an hour (and would be quicker next time), and then I created a cutomized bit.ly address to make it more attractive.
I actually put the address as a www (www.bit.ly/jbsmathsevening) as I thought parents would be more comfortable with a web address starting www. I'm indebted to 2 members of my twitter PLN who 'roadtested' the form for me, and gave layout advice, @tomhenzley and @jobadge. We had about 30 parents come, with almost half of the replies being electronically. For a first effort, I was very pleased.

Next steps - make SLT aware of how we can use these resources, and get other departments to use them. Not quite sure how yet!

Learning Goals at Post 16, ideas please

I like learning goals. For me they help keep both me and my students focussed on what it is we are doing – what we are doing, and what we are trying to achieve in my maths lessons. We've had a real drive on them a

t school in the last couple of years, and although excellent teachers continue to be excel

lent, I believe that to some extent they can help developing teachers become better. As I've said, I like them.

We've had a departmental push on them also – I've used my Monday Notes to get people to share what they've used. Here are a couple of examples that people have sent me of how they have used them in lessons (another joy of the IWB), taken from last November's notes.

As you can see, I do use them with the Sixth form. This is where I need a little help, please. I was asked by our Head in October “What's the difference between an 'A' grade student, and a 'C' grade student at A level.” He went on - “more particularly what's the difference between an A grade students

exam paper and a 'C' grade student's paper?”

I will admit here to having answered slightly flippantly. “The A grade student gets more marks, because they get more questions right.” This was only slightly flippant, as its also true. I did get a bit of a look, and the question was pushed a bit further. My response was to return to my original repsonse, but with less flippancy in my voice, and to clarify the situation...

“In A level Maths, the top students get most of

the marks. A 'C' grade student will get fewer marks, but not all 'C' grade students will get the same fewer marks. For example, in C2, an 'A' grade student will be able to do the above, and answer all the questions involving logs. One 'C' grade student might not get those marks, but a different one will, but not get the marks on the binomial expansion (for example).”

(With SLT consisting of Music and Humanities teachers there was a degree of glazing over at this point).

We had a post 16 Teaching and Learning Audit last week. Part of our departmental feedback was around Learning Goals.

• We should still have them at A level. Tick – I agree.

• They should still be differentiated. Tick – Will / Should / Might.

• They should be grade related (just like the KS3 / GCSE ones above are). Aaah.

There is my problem. Can anyone help with how to do this for A level maths. Does anybody grade relate learning goals for A level maths? What is the difference between a 'A' grade student / script and a 'C' or 'E' grade student / script.

Please help.

keepmehere or movemeon?

I love the #movemeon book. I can't use all the ideas - but as the last tweet says, one thing at a time.

I've also enjoyed the #keepmehere tweets, although I'm alarmed at the number of tweets that I've heard people in school say in all seriousness. In addition to this I was lurking around a lot of #edread tweets on World Book Day. Here's a #keepmehere I read...

#keepmehere reading your book in class while the children are working reinforces how to read well.
(From @mister_jim)

But then, a bit later I read this ...

When having silent reading, read a book as well. Set an example and they'll follow. #edread
(from @daveterron)

I'm not a literacy expert, but this was advice I was given when last a Y7 tutor and we had a regular silent reading slot. What really made me think is that it is being quoted as a strategy here in two completely contradictory ways!

It's not really about reading. That is the example that I saw here, but who's to say what's definitely right, or definitely wrong in teaching. Maybe that's the trouble with twitter - your average tweet doesn't need the research to back it up.

Who's to say that my #movemeon contributions are any good? They work for me, and that's all I'm saying. Similarly with most of the keepmehere.

Just an observation...

(and thankyou to @mister_jim and @daveterron for letting me quote them).

Outstanding Department; please help

I need help. We've got a training day on the 1st day back after half term, and it is going to be brilliant. Instead of a 1 size fits all day in school, it is a cross county federation day, with different schools offering different things. So, there are sessions for NQTs and sessions for less experienced teachers. My ks3 co-ordinators are going to sessions about KS3 across the curriculum and my KS4 co-ordinator is approaching threshold, so going on a session targetting that. I've opted for a day about taking a department from good to outstanding; as a middle leader it sounded like a good idea.

So far so good. Then towards the end of last week I was asked (with 2 other HoDs) to actually run some of the session! That's where I need help. Please give me hints on how to run an outstanding department, or at least how to tell people how to run an outstanding department.

I've got some ideas, naturally. I'm going to use my Monday Morning Maths Memo as a way to share best practice, and as a way to lead a large team. I'll also mention #newleaders(if I can re-find them) and #movemeon, but would like other practical things. Please comment, or Tweet me.

Dodgy Statistics - or am I being oversensitive.

I need a little help. I am a Statistician by nature, so sometimes get a little oversensitive when it comes to analysing stats - I get ... wound up? irritated? ... by dodgy stats.

Here's the latest, and you can tell me if I'm right, or if I need to shut up and get on with it.

Last years Y13 did an exit questionnaire, for ALIS. It asked them all about what teaching styles they experienced in each subject that they studied. For example ...
"Presentation of a topic by the teacher" or.../
" Practical Work (Using apparatus or Making things)."
... and so on. There were 22 catagories.

Students rate each one from 1 to 6, on the follwoing measure..
1 = never or almost never
2 = about once a term
3 = about once a month
4 = about once a fortnight
5 = about twice a week
6 = about once a lesson.

Scores for all students in each subject (sample size = 7 in my case, but that's another gripe) were then averaged (arithmetic mean for fellow stats types), and these published and compared with national figures.

Here's the problem(s).
1. My Preparing Essays scores was 1.29 (1+1/7). This means that one student thought we prepared essays about once a term. I haven't prepared an essay since my PGCE in 1996. This is a lack of awareness by the students that sheds doubt on all responses.

2. If 4 students respond "Never" and 3 respond "once a lesson" then the average is 22/7 = 3.14 which appears to be once a month despite the fact that NOT ONE STUDENT said once a month. Surely the mode (most common) response of "Never" is more appropriate?

Please help me out with this one?!

Why I Like End of Key Stage National Tests

Don't shoot me, but I like SATS (End of Key Stage National Tests - to give them their proper name!). Let me qualify slightly, I like them at KS2 and KS3, but am less convinced by KS1.
(for any non-UK readers, KS1 tests are at about aged 7, KS2 are aged 11 - the end of primary school, KS3 are aged 14, and GCSE exams are at 16, which is the end of KS4 and the end of compulsory education)

I know that's controversial at the moment, that unions (NUT & NAHT) are balloting on boycotting, and that they have support from Mums.net, so before you light the torches, and get the pitchforks out, let me set out my stall and then you can run me out of town!

Let me start by saying I HATE LEAGUE TABLES. I don't like them for primary schools, and I don't like them for secondary schools. As they stand they are grossly unfair - more so for primaries than secondaries - I think. This being because each Y6 in a small primary could be 10% of the data, and even in a big primary could be as high as 2%. For us last year, each student in Y11 was 0.55%. We achieved 49.4% scoring 5+ A*-C, which makes us officially Satisfactory.

Value Added (preferably contextualised) is much fairer. It looks at where children started, and how much progress they have made. From that point of view, with CVA of about 1008 last year, my school is Good. This however relies on the data being reliable and accurate, and for me that's where SATS at KS2 come in.

For secondary schools, our baseline data is KS2 scores. This is the measure used by DCSF, FFT, and all the other acronymic (real word?!) quangos by which our progress is measured. Whether it is 3 levels progress, 4 levels progress, or CVA the premise is the same. Without solid reliable baseline data, the rest is meaningless.
(I'm reminded here of a Dilbert cartoon about inaccurate data, but sadly I couldn't find it online).

I'm not saying that primary teachers would not give reliable Teacher Assessments. The vast majority would and do, but given they are so closely tied to league tables if you have a borderline 3/4 student, and you know that a TA of 4 would add 10% to your figures, there must at least be a temptation. This is not exclusive to primaries - I have the same concerns and misgivings about courses that at KS4 and post 16 are entirely teacher assessed.

The reason I like KS3 tests is that they are (in maths) good preparation for GCSE exams. Maths is entirely exam assessed at GCSE, and given we (like many schools) do a modular course, the first exam in is November of Y10. If a students first experience of an external exam assessment is the GCSE, then this could throw them. We have mock sats this week, and many students will get it wrong going into the exam hall. The vast majority of them will then get it right in May, but again not all. By November, and their modules, they will all be getting it right (or at least that's the plan). We could use mocks in the hall to help, but some students don't take those entirely seriously

I realise this reads a little incoherently, and it many of you will disagree with me. I just wanted to share my views, and put this side of the argument - all I hear on the news is why they are so awful!

Thoughts?

What do our student reports says about us?

An interesting thought - how often do we analyse what we write in reports?

Do we get stuck in ruts, with reports, and what does what we write say about us? I got the idea of putting my Y11 reports into Wordle.net from @coolcatteacher, from a retweet. I think I've found someone new to follow there (as often happens). I thought what the hell, I'll try it. One copy and past later, and here is the result. I have tried to scour the reports, and check there's nothing I shouldn't publish, and think I'm OK.

What I don't yet know is what it tells me. I'm tempted to Wordle some of my teams reports - see if they tell me anything about them? Please comment - what do you think my reports say about me as a teacher??