Feedback: Staff Development 17 Feb 2011

Today's staff developmement was the beginning, I hope, for our Inanda staff community really to share and collaborate on how to implement 'best practice' in our classrooms.

We are fortunate at our school because we have so much more than just the minimum required to deliver our lessons every day. We have to keep in mind that it is not always just 'more stuff' that is needed in our classrooms BUT rather a constant reflection on our practice to make sure we are not always delivering more of  'the same'. As one BUZZ group so aptly put it - our lessons need to be stimulating, interesting and fun.

We had a taste of some practices that Susan, Rachel and Val have implemented in their classrooms. Each one was very different but something that we could try out. Invite colleagues to your classes, join forces with people in your department and do some team teaching. Students love variation and anything differerent and exciting.

What have YOU done in your classroom that you've found to be successful?

Feedback: Staff Development 12 Jan 2011

Integrity has no need of rules.

Albert Camus 1913 -1960

 

The ideal situation is when we have a body of students who are self motivated enough to do what is expected of them without any checking up. How do we get to that point with our students?

The question we posed to staff: What areas are we most concerned about?

• Chapel
• Classroom
• Study
• Exra-murals
  

The task: In four different groups, decide on the parameters (what we expect of students) and some possible solutions on how we can get students to keep to these parameters.

CHAPEL

Parameters	Solutions
Go from breakfast straight to chapel	Shepherds – grade 12 monitors
Fall silent when you enter the chapel	Chapel monitors; self control
7.20  choruses begin	Formally organised
Reverence/ respect	Secular – class teachers + LO Teachers to discuss parameters and benefits. Special services to be held in dining room when possible.
Lead by example	Staff to arrive early/don’t talk.
Discipline issues	Teachers to use log books to be collected on way to chapel.
	Class teachers sit with their classes. Monitor who sits together.
	Practise silence and meditation elsewhere.

EXTRA-MURALS

Parameters	Solutions
Respect for self ·        Doing my best ·        Looking my best ·        Positive attitude ·        Organisation ·        Show initiative	Establish a starting point. Existing values, beliefs, does anything clash?
Respect for others ·        Punctuality ·        Helpfulness ·        Accepting differences ·        Leadership ·        Clique syndrome ·        Commitment	Plant the seeds, lead by example. Let them experience success by giving them things that they can do. Make it fun. ·        Use positive language. ·        Encourage creativity. ·        Learn through play. ·        Use things they enjoy.
Respect for property
Respect for God ·        Honesty ·        Integrity ·        Sportsmanship ·        Humility ·        Effort

STUDY

Parameters	Solutions
Know the purpose	Study policy (declaration and consequences).
Punctuality	External study supervisors.
Silence	Common place of studying.
Consideration	Importance of study to be communicated to learners by all teachers.
Clear objectives (monitors)	Leave them unsupervised. Monitors and supervisors to be given authority to discipline them.

CLASSROOM

Parameters	Solutions
Quick movement between classes, punctuality	Teachers be consistent in ensuring learners’ punctuality.
Respect: teachers, self, peers	Zero tolerance of any behaviour that humiliates other learners .
Remain attentive, participate	Plan lesson in such a way that they remain occupied throughout.
The ownership of their learning, be accountable	Hand in work on time, study for test, produce quality tests. Teachers must teach subject skills instead of just content.
Take pride in work that is handed in.	Logbook for good and bad comments.

The Conclusion: This is a working document that needs to be discussed and worked on. Always keep in mind that we are trying to get the students to behave in ways that don't require them to be monitored.

Stop, Drop & Read: An Update

It's Wednesday. The end of the fourth period arrives and the bell rings. There's chattering and scuffling and digging around inside bags.

And then a sense of peace and calm descends over our school as students (and staff) immerse themselves in another world for just a little while...

Welcome!

Dear Inanda Seminary staff members,

Welcome to the new blog we created especially for YOU! This is a place where we can share ideas and resources, learn new things, interact with one another (and with other educators "out there") and, you know, just generally have fun learning to use this form of technology :-)

If you have no idea what a blog is all about, click on the video below to find out a little more...