On Thursday evening we’re holding our first Fishbowl session. We have a group of 15 teachers coming along to discuss planning honestly, openly and using a technique I haven’t used for this before. My co-conspirator is Mr BrainPop UK - Eylan Ezekiel.
What is the Fishbowl?
- the fishbowl will be a group of three or four teachers planning a topic or unit of work.- during the discussion, anyone sitting on one of the central chairs can speak, but no-one else can.- if someone wants to speak, they have to sit on one of the central chairs, even if it’s just to ask a question.- one of the central chairs is always kept free for this purpose.
The fishbowl will have a very simple focus – a real term plan or topic and the objective will be to map out the delivery of the curriculum and the preparation of associated resources.
During the session I hope to experiment with certain givens such as available ICT hardware and software, school plans and alike. This will change the discussion and the nature of questions from the fish watchers!
Why we’re doing it
The main reason for setting up this session was to encourage greater use of technology within schools. My focus was initially on developing the awareness of the potential of appropriate technology to create engaging learning environments. I now feel that appropriate use of technology should be just one part of designing engaging learning environments where learning is thematically developed and learners are encouraged to be self motivated and directed.
One of the advantages of my job is that I can visit a great range of schools and classrooms. I see many different styles and have the opportunity to informally discuss approaches to designing curriculum and learning. I see a range of wonderful classrooms and inspirational teachers. I also see a range of teachers who are attempting to develop ‘creative’ curricula – but openly say that they are lacking in both ideas and confidence to pull away from the influence of national strategies and QCA schemes of work.
As I visit schools I have time to reflect on my own classroom practice. I know that when I return to the classroom my practice must change – to be less discrete, less controlling and become more thematic, encouraging greater self direction and motivation. Obviously my year as an ICT consultant has greatly broadened and deepened my knowledge of how technology can impact on learning. However I am not so confident that I will effectively incorporate these ideas into my future practice.
When I actually sit down to plan a unit of work, a term, a week or a lesson – how will I build the classroom I want? Do I use the existing national curriculum or revised curriculum? How do the strategies influence my planning? Should I be totally thematic with all subjects or discrete with the core subjects? How do I maintain rigour and know that all pupils are progressing if I am not teaching discretely to the whole class?
To me the actual specific process of planning is central to how we can create engaging and innovative curricula. If I have the chance to watch teachers plan and then discuss openly and candidly what they are doing and thinking my practice will change.
My experience of staff meetings and INSET days has been listening to ‘experts’ telling me about what I should be doing and how I can ‘shoe-horn’ more initiatives into an already over full curriculum (I guess I am the supposed ‘expert’ at the moment). Opportunities to work in partnership with other teachers to develop planning and practice have been scarce. Even scarcer has been the opportunity to be honest and open within a supportive teacher led environment.
So – lets welcome the Fishbowl!
Overall I want to develop my own confidence as a teacher, I want an opportunity to be honest, to discuss openly with others and form a network of contacts that could support me when I get back to teaching.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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