Improve teaching and learning in your department by changing the focus.

It has certainly been a strange start to the year. Schools being closed for 6 months means we are all trying to catch up with colleagues, students and probably the work they have missed. improving teaching and learning in the virtual world is probably more what we focussed on in the summer term. 

Usually we start the year in a more data driven way. We look at exam results for GCSE and A-Level students and break down where they did well and where they didn’t. The exam boards give us a Question Level Analysis so we can see question by question the progress of our students. This is great if you want to know whether you have delivered part of the curriculum well or not. 

This year is not going to be like this, but I still think we can try a new way of starting this new academic year. In fact, this could possibly be the way we start every year from now on. What if we could improve teaching and learning by changing the focus.

Let me explain…

We are very data driven. This is one of the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession. They have felt teaching has moved into a numbers game. We assess the performance of teaching by giving it a number. One being outstanding and four being inadequate. Progress of our classes and students can be measured using a progress score. You want to be in the positive, meaning your students are working above average for their starting levels. 

So instead of talking numbers with your colleagues, how about a discussion about feelings.

Let’s take a step back. 2019-2020 ended with a global pandemic. Could your member of staff done anything about it?

Answer; No!

It was out of their control. It’s really important to know what is, and certainly what isn’t in your control.

Arriving in September, we would struggle to talk too much about the data because it would have been Centre Assessed Grades. These grading discussions would have happened in the Summer Term.

So what do you need to talk about?

How about this! Give your staff the opportunity to set the agenda for their year. A great way to start is by asking what do they want to achieve? Empower them to make their own decision. This will pay off for them, you and the people they serve. 

Here’s a process you could use

Is there something that they are passionate about? We come into teaching with a purpose. Can they align themselves even more to the purpose that they have. Where did the idea of this goal come from? Have they always felt that this is something they want to achieve? 

You are trying to drive positive change in your staff by empowering them. If teachers were in control of their own direction, you would see an improvement in the teaching and learning in their classrooms. 

Next, discuss how close they are to achieving this goal. Does the goal match up to where they currently are in their career? Experience of headship for an NQT might not be appropriate, however the development of some of the skills required to be a Headteacher can be useful. 

Knowing how far they have come and where they need to go can help you understand exactly what do they now need to be able to reach their goal. Your support or direction will give them the security and confidence to move on towards their goals. 

And finally, don’t leave them alone to do it. Catch up with them to see how they are getting along. What successes and failures have they had along the way? Do they need to pivot to achieve their goal? Do they need to set a small goal that they can achieve quicker helping them break down the journey towards their main goal? 

If your looking for more questions that can raise the quality of teaching and learning by asking great questions check out this post HERE. Another one would be this one on really simple strategies teachers can use in the classroom which can be found HERE. 

Want to know more about us? Visit coachingforleverage.com

I coach teachers not only in career performance, but their life as a whole. Managing feelings, dealing with pressure, unbiased support to improve performance, career change to name but a few. 

The simplest thing for you to do is email me at hi@coachingforleverage.com or call on +44 7884945423.