First post - getting started...
Please forgive the slightly tentative start on this - my first ever post on my first ever blog!In this first post I'd like to set out the reasons for starting this blog and some initial thoughts -...
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Finding a common language - feedback and marking
My first post explained my aspiration for this blog but didn't really give an indication of how this managing variability thing can actually help in a classroom. Therefore I want to give a more clear...
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Giving summative tests formative impact
Not quite so directly related to managing variability this one, but it is a useful approach and it certainly does help if the whole department is doing it!The problemSummative tests such as the...
View ArticleHelping pupils work more neatly - Why is maths done on squared paper?
Fairly short one this - bit of a work in progress actually, but showing good signs of positive effect...BackgroundStandard practice in our school, and in every maths department I've ever seen in a UK...
View ArticleParent power improving homework completion rates & quality
Having just read back though this it actually seems fairly obvious, but it's made a difference to us.The problemToo many students not completing their homework or coming up with some kind of feeble...
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Things we've done to help year 11
This post is nothing to do with managing variability other than these are actions that have been taken across the department during the past year or so, and as such are shared core practice within our...
View ArticleUsing measures to improve performance
An effect I've noticed managing teams both in industry and education...To get something to improve just find a way to measure it and make the results visible to the team that are responsible.I've found...
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Minding the Gap - Using SOLO to help structure questioning
We're having a real push in our school on the quality of questioning. This sparked various debates across the staff that start along the lines of "our subject is different because..." and frankly these...
View ArticleBetter assessments & better use of assessments
This has been sparked by a recent review & rescheduling of assessments in our schemes of work and also some excellent work on better assessments for maths kicked off recently by @mjfenton. More...
View ArticleWhat's the point in writing this blog? (and being on twitter?)
My first ever blog post was in April 2013, about 2 weeks after my first foray onto Twitter for professional/CPD purposes. When I started (mainly encouraged by the irrepresible enthusiasm of Nik for the...
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Using seating plans to capture student data
Very functional post this - simply a tool for making seating plans more effective and easier to make.BackgroundFor all sorts of reasons it's really useful to have student data visible on teacher copies...
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Lesson logs - Sharing objectives and prompting reflection for KS5
For me KS5 lessons always feel like they need a slightly different approach to sharing learning objectives compare to those lower down the school. Maybe it's just my perception but the students seem to...
View ArticleMarking & feedback - a journey over 18 months
February 2012 saw a internal school departmental review for the maths department. In that review the following observations were made:Marking, though regular, too often failed to give constructive...
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Some of the things we've been doing
As observed in earlier posts - we've been busy in the department over the last couple of years seeking improvements in all sorts of ways. In all of the posts so far I've mentioned several fairly...
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Possibly the first ever departmental CPD open day
Friday 5th July saw our first ever departmental CPD open day. This is certainly the first time it has ever been done in our school, and based on reactions via twitter, etc. when we were planning it...
View Article10 thoughts for a head of department
I've just finished my second year as head of department. I think they've been successful - we have scored school record GCSE results in both years, have raised the profile of the department...
View ArticleRadio silence
It's going to be a little while until I post anything more... I'm working on updates & additions to several early posts, plus plans and new ideas for the new academic year.However most importantly...
View ArticleSome pieces of paper are more important than others
I think I've started to write this post or something like it about 5 times, but I either scrap it or it becomes something else during writing. It's done it again to some extent, and the message I...
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Making resolutions for the new academic year
Was thinking earlier and this idea popped into my head... Thought it worth writing up - will blog again about how it goes once I've tried it...Making resolutionsIn recent weeks I've seen various people...
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A toolbox to help start your term
I've posted at various points over the last few months about using common formats, excel sheets or tools to help make some aspects of day to day teaching easier. It's not about making everyone's...
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