In this section, you will critically analyse how your subject-specific teaching practice is developing through your aplication of the research literature to your teaching. You should discuss how you are addressing misconceptions/ barriers to learning in your subject teaching through discussion of teaching and learning evidence. (approx. 3000 words).
As part of your PGDE, you will be writing an assignment that will help you demonstrate your developing knowledge and learning of what it means to be a great teacher of mathematics.
From the Module Assignment Guidance we are only looking at Part 2. Part 1 of my literature review can be found also in the documents provided
It is really important that when writing at Level 7, you have opportunities to critically reflect on what you have planned and actually tried out in your classroom.
It can often be easier to simply describe what happened, but what makes great writing at Level 7 is your ability to make links between what you have read from the literature with what has happened in the classroom, and how you can evidence any impact in terms of your pupils’ learning.
This part of the assignment gives you an opportunity as a teacher to also be a researcher, collecting a range of evidence from a range of sources. So, let’s now look at exactly what we mean by this:It is really important that when writing at Level 7, you have opportunities to critically reflect on what you have planned and actually tried out in your classroom.
It can often be easier to simply describe what happened, but what makes great writing at Level 7 is your ability to make links between what you have read from the literature with what has happened in the classroom, and how you can evidence any impact in terms of your pupils’ learning.
This part of the assignment gives you an opportunity as a teacher to also be a researcher, collecting a range of evidence from a range of sources. So, let’s now look at exactly what we mean by this:It is really important that when writing at Level 7, you have opportunities to critically reflect on what you have planned and actually tried out in your classroom.
It can often be easier to simply describe what happened, but what makes great writing at Level 7 is your ability to make links between what you have read from the literature with what has happened in the classroom, and how you can evidence any impact in terms of your pupils’ learning.
This part of the assignment gives you an opportunity as a teacher to also be a researcher, collecting a range of evidence from a range of sources. So, let’s now look at exactly what we mean by this:
What do we mean by Classroom Research
Classroom research provides a useful methodology for starting any type of research that helps you reflect on your own practice. Hewsen et al (1999) used research to help trainee teachers become reflective about what it means to teach for conceptual change. A useful outcome of this research showed that trainee teachers tended to focus on how pupils understood conceptions and understandings, which then supported their own teaching of conceptual changes in mathematics.
So, research can improve not only your understanding of how mathematics should be taught, but also the concepts that underpin the ideas making up the mathematics curriculum.
Research does not have to be a lengthy or laborious process; being a trainee teacher is busy enough! McGregor and Cartwright, (2011) identified the following simple stages (which have been summarised below) for carrying out any research within your classroom:
Focus on one key aspect of teaching – in this assignment you will continue to focus on your chosen topic area from Part 1.
Collect information about your pupils and any barriers or assets they bring to your classroom – remember this is about your pupils and how your subject can be used to enhance their life chances.
Make a change in your practice based on what you have read from the literature.
Collect evidence from your classroom – remember that qualitative evidence is just as valid in research.
Evaluate the impact of your teaching approach – consider how you know that your pupils have learned and made progress as opposed to simply completing the task/activity.
Change your practice moving forwards – teaching is also about you as a critically reflective learner.Classroom research provides a useful methodology for starting any type of research that helps you reflect on your own practice. Hewsen et al (1999) used research to help trainee teachers become reflective about what it means to teach for conceptual change. A useful outcome of this research showed that trainee teachers tended to focus on how pupils understood conceptions and understandings, which then supported their own teaching of conceptual changes in mathematics.
So, research can improve not only your understanding of how mathematics should be taught, but also the concepts that underpin the ideas making up the mathematics curriculum.
Research does not have to be a lengthy or laborious process; being a trainee teacher is busy enough! McGregor and Cartwright, (2011) identified the following simple stages (which have been summarised below) for carrying out any research within your classroom:
Focus on one key aspect of teaching – in this assignment you will continue to focus on your chosen topic area from Part 1.
Collect information about your pupils and any barriers or assets they bring to your classroom – remember this is about your pupils and how your subject can be used to enhance their life chances.
Make a change in your practice based on what you have read from the literature.
Collect evidence from your classroom – remember that qualitative evidence is just as valid in research.
Evaluate the impact of your teaching approach – consider how you know that your pupils have learned and made progress as opposed to simply completing the task/activity.
Change your practice moving forwards – teaching is also about you as a critically reflective learner.
What do we mean by evidence?
It is really important to understand that as a teacher there is so much evidence you can use to help you measure the impact of any of your teaching approaches in terms of your pupils’ learning.
We often assume that evidence must be quantifiable data that can be plotted onto a graph, but often the data available is based on what you observe, see and hear in your classroom – so if it helps, do have a notebook with you so that you can capture some of the evidence that will take place right in front of your eyes!
Evidence might include:
Pupil responses to your questions
Pupils’ work
Pupil feedback in formative assessment activities
Reflective journals – bring a notebook into your classroom so that you can quickly note any ‘eureka moments’ by either yourself or your pupils
Narratives – these can provide an insight into your teaching approaches through various lenses e.g., teaching assistants, subject mentor, SDL, PDL etc. These colleagues offer an additional pair of eyes through which you can gain perceptions of the dynamics of a classroom (Brookfield, 1995)
Planning and resources – you can use these to show your thinking behind how you planned a particular learning episode and what you were hoping your learning outcomes would be.
And don’t forget your IRIS kit. Even the most experienced of teachers has trouble seeing, processing, and remembering everything that happens in their classroom. Having the ability to record and review lessons gives you an incredibly rich evidence base to draw upon! t is really important to understand that as a teacher there is so much evidence you can use to help you measure the impact of any of your teaching approaches in terms of your pupils’ learning.
We often assume that evidence must be quantifiable data that can be plotted onto a graph, but often the data available is based on what you observe, see and hear in your classroom – so if it helps, do have a notebook with you so that you can capture some of the evidence that will take place right in front of your eyes!
Evidence might include:
Pupil responses to your questions
Pupils’ work
Pupil feedback in formative assessment activities
Reflective journals – bring a notebook into your classroom so that you can quickly note any ‘eureka moments’ by either yourself or your pupils
Narratives – these can provide an insight into your teaching approaches through various lenses e.g., teaching assistants, subject mentor, SDL, PDL etc. These colleagues offer an additional pair of eyes through which you can gain perceptions of the dynamics of a classroom (Brookfield, 1995)
Planning and resources – you can use these to show your thinking behind how you planned a particular learning episode and what you were hoping your learning outcomes would be.
And don’t forget your IRIS kit. Even the most experienced of teachers has trouble seeing, processing, and remembering everything that happens in their classroom. Having the ability to record and review lessons gives you an incredibly rich evidence base to draw upon! t is really important to understand that as a teacher there is so much evidence you can use to help you measure the impact of any of your teaching approaches in terms of your pupils’ learning.
We often assume that evidence must be quantifiable data that can be plotted onto a graph, but often the data available is based on what you observe, see and hear in your classroom – so if it helps, do have a notebook with you so that you can capture some of the evidence that will take place right in front of your eyes!
Evidence might include:
Pupil responses to your questions
Pupils’ work
Pupil feedback in formative assessment activities
Reflective journals – bring a notebook into your classroom so that you can quickly note any ‘eureka moments’ by either yourself or your pupils
Narratives – these can provide an insight into your teaching approaches through various lenses e.g., teaching assistants, subject mentor, SDL, PDL etc. These colleagues offer an additional pair of eyes through which you can gain perceptions of the dynamics of a classroom (Brookfield, 1995)
Planning and resources – you can use these to show your thinking behind how you planned a particular learning episode and what you were hoping your learning outcomes would be.
And don’t forget your IRIS kit. Even the most experienced of teachers has trouble seeing, processing, and remembering everything that happens in their classroom. Having the ability to record and review lessons gives you an incredibly rich evidence base to draw upon! t is really important to understand that as a teacher there is so much evidence you can use to help you measure the impact of any of your teaching approaches in terms of your pupils’ learning.
We often assume that evidence must be quantifiable data that can be plotted onto a graph, but often the data available is based on what you observe, see and hear in your classroom – so if it helps, do have a notebook with you so that you can capture some of the evidence that will take place right in front of your eyes!
Evidence might include:
Pupil responses to your questions
Pupils’ work
Pupil feedback in formative assessment activities
Reflective journals – bring a notebook into your classroom so that you can quickly note any ‘eureka moments’ by either yourself or your pupils
Narratives – these can provide an insight into your teaching approaches through various lenses e.g., teaching assistants, subject mentor, SDL, PDL etc. These colleagues offer an additional pair of eyes through which you can gain perceptions of the dynamics of a classroom (Brookfield, 1995)
Planning and resources – you can use these to show your thinking behind how you planned a particular learning episode and what you were hoping your learning outcomes would be.
And don’t forget your IRIS kit. Even the most experienced of teachers has trouble seeing, processing, and remembering everything that happens in their classroom. Having the ability to record and review lessons gives you an incredibly rich evidence base to draw upon!
