Education Investigation

It is drawing close to that time of year when you:

a) Look back on what you have done.

and

b) Look forward to next year :+)

Well I have been thinking . . . . . My school has given me the chance to go up to a Year 6 class (10 year olds) and I have some new ideas. BUT before I get ahead of myself (as I do when I get excited) I need to do some weighing up.

Here are some questions that help me evaluate my teaching and the activities I immerse my students in:

1. Did the students love the lesson?
2. Does it engage creative thinking?
3. What did it teach them……..REALLY?
4. Could I have done it a better way?
5. Was the effort/stress worth it in the outcome?
6. Could the ICT activity be done better on paper? (or vice versa)
7. Was I doubling up on anything?
8. Does anyone else do it differently?
9. What does research say about it?

What questions have been helpful for you?

However to deal effectively with any of these questions I need more than my 5 minute shower reflection time. I need rest (so that I can think creatively - mountain tops work well for me). It really comes down to time.

I noticed that Jeff Utecht has shared on his blog “The Thinking Stick”

“I would love if every teacher got 20% R&D time.”

If we were given time to do some Research and Development our efforts as educators would be more effective and we would feel more rewarded. This is also how we can help keep ourselves and our school on the cutting edge of education.

I know I was blessed to have 5 days this term looking into Inquiry Learning. I felt so rewarded and so much more confident as an educator.

Are there creative ideas out there as to how our schools could incorporate more R + D?

Picture Authors: 

“Footprints” - http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/beware-your-digital-footprint-is-your-resume.html

"Question Mark" - http://www.sbac.edu/~media/hurricane_preparedness.htm