Non-I.C.T. related development
This page provides a few examples of the other types of development that I have experienced on the P.G.C.E. course, other than I.C.T.
The course doesn't provide training on the use of puppets in the classroom. However during one of the R.E. sessions the lecturer taking the session brought in a variety of different puppets. In small groups she acted out a scenario where she would use a puppet in the classroom. The scenario was that a particular pupil was not being invited to any of the parties that the other pupils in the class were having. During circle time they teacher would get the puppet out and pretend as though eh puppet was having the same problem as that left out pupil. Because all the pupils like puppet they all start to feel sorry for him.
Next the teacher would pass the puppet around to the pupils in turn and the pupils would tell the puppet how they felt about the situation. Once all pupils had had a turn the teacher would summarise what the class should do to make the puppet and the left out pupils feel better. In this situation the class decided to either invite everyone so no one gets left out or only invite a few people so one person isn't always singled out.
I will regularly use puppet during circle time sessions in during my next placement and when I become an NQT.
Next the teacher would pass the puppet around to the pupils in turn and the pupils would tell the puppet how they felt about the situation. Once all pupils had had a turn the teacher would summarise what the class should do to make the puppet and the left out pupils feel better. In this situation the class decided to either invite everyone so no one gets left out or only invite a few people so one person isn't always singled out.
I will regularly use puppet during circle time sessions in during my next placement and when I become an NQT.
Part of P.G.C.E. course involves engaging with theme weeks each term. The first theme week was based on healthy living. For one of the sessions we looked at healthy eating and discussed ways to make eating healthy more accessible to children. One of the ideas was to make monster salad faces.
As you can see the effect with the tomato is quite gruesome. I think it would really engage primary school children. With younger children it could also be used to aid their learning in symmetry and the learning of the parts of the face.
If blood and guts isn't your thing, you could always make animal faces or make information posters using vegetables. Be aware of the costs of using the vegetables. Also be aware of what is going to happen with the vegetables after they have been used, will they be eaten? Thrown away? etc.
Remember when using knives in the classroom, be sure to go over the safety issues with the class before any chopping takes place. Make the pupils repeat the instructions back to you, or get them to tell each other in pairs, to make sure they have fully understood. Also make sure pupils are aware of the hygiene issues regarding handling food, and make sure they wash their hands thoroughly. This sort of activity would be perfect for teaching hand washing.
As you can see the effect with the tomato is quite gruesome. I think it would really engage primary school children. With younger children it could also be used to aid their learning in symmetry and the learning of the parts of the face.
If blood and guts isn't your thing, you could always make animal faces or make information posters using vegetables. Be aware of the costs of using the vegetables. Also be aware of what is going to happen with the vegetables after they have been used, will they be eaten? Thrown away? etc.
Remember when using knives in the classroom, be sure to go over the safety issues with the class before any chopping takes place. Make the pupils repeat the instructions back to you, or get them to tell each other in pairs, to make sure they have fully understood. Also make sure pupils are aware of the hygiene issues regarding handling food, and make sure they wash their hands thoroughly. This sort of activity would be perfect for teaching hand washing.
This was also part of the university theme week. We looked at poems and different approaches to teaching poems in schools. In this example, each person in the group is given 2 or 3 strips of paper on which they write a line of a poem relating to the topic or title of the poem. Because it was a healthy living theme, my group decided to focus on the well-being of trainee teachers. The poem we wrote is as follows:
Keeping Health-ee on the P.G.C.E.
Planning forms, assessment files
My whole class drives me wild
Balance is the key - find time to be
Forms to fill, headache pills
Too much coffee makes me ill
Balance is the key - find time to be
Marking here, assessment there
Paperwork everywhere
Balance is the key - find time to be
Don't lose your cool
Stress should never rule
This type of activity is perfect for developing collaborative learning in the classroom as well as developing speaking and listening skills. Pupils should definitely be given the opportunity to perform their poems in front of the class, if not the whole school, to develop confidence and public speaking skills.
Keeping Health-ee on the P.G.C.E.
Planning forms, assessment files
My whole class drives me wild
Balance is the key - find time to be
Forms to fill, headache pills
Too much coffee makes me ill
Balance is the key - find time to be
Marking here, assessment there
Paperwork everywhere
Balance is the key - find time to be
Don't lose your cool
Stress should never rule
This type of activity is perfect for developing collaborative learning in the classroom as well as developing speaking and listening skills. Pupils should definitely be given the opportunity to perform their poems in front of the class, if not the whole school, to develop confidence and public speaking skills.
This picture was taken during an extraordinary humanities day at university. The task was to develop a 'wow' moment that would introduce a topic to the children, which would make them engaged in the topic and want to learn.
A group of 6 of us had a few hours to come up with a wow moment on the topic of Africa. Also we had to roughly plan a weeks worth of cross curricular lessons based on the topic of Africa.
In the time given to us we managed to construct an African Village, choreograph a tribal dance and act out a story of a boy who traveled to Africa to learn about the culture. Examples of our cross curricular lessons included: a newspaper report or poster on deforestation; designing tribal masks and working out the area of land needed for a African village to name a few ideas.
A group of 6 of us had a few hours to come up with a wow moment on the topic of Africa. Also we had to roughly plan a weeks worth of cross curricular lessons based on the topic of Africa.
In the time given to us we managed to construct an African Village, choreograph a tribal dance and act out a story of a boy who traveled to Africa to learn about the culture. Examples of our cross curricular lessons included: a newspaper report or poster on deforestation; designing tribal masks and working out the area of land needed for a African village to name a few ideas.
Each week, whilst we are training at the university, there are taught sessions on primary science. Usually there are demonstrations and ideas for practical activities that can be used in the classroom. The experiment in the picture was on the topic of changing states.
Ice was placed into an empty can and water was added. First of all it enables pupils to see the temperature change in the water, using thermometers, due to the addition of ice. Next you add salt to the mixture which causes the temperature to decrease further and further, until about -15 degrees Celsius (the pupils can also watch this on the thermometer). As you can see from the picture this causes the water vapour around the can to freeze. It is very fascinating to watch his happening and even as adult trainees we were all extremely amazed. This happens because the ice cubes melting and the salt dissolving takes energy in the form of heat, to occur. Therefore, due to this use of energy the water gets cooler.
The following website contains lots of practical science ideas and scientific investigation lessons that can be used in the classroom. Many of these we have carried out ourselves during the university based science sessions. I have developed a solid understanding of how these can be used effectively during scientific enquiry lessons.
http://www.science-sparks.com/
Ice was placed into an empty can and water was added. First of all it enables pupils to see the temperature change in the water, using thermometers, due to the addition of ice. Next you add salt to the mixture which causes the temperature to decrease further and further, until about -15 degrees Celsius (the pupils can also watch this on the thermometer). As you can see from the picture this causes the water vapour around the can to freeze. It is very fascinating to watch his happening and even as adult trainees we were all extremely amazed. This happens because the ice cubes melting and the salt dissolving takes energy in the form of heat, to occur. Therefore, due to this use of energy the water gets cooler.
The following website contains lots of practical science ideas and scientific investigation lessons that can be used in the classroom. Many of these we have carried out ourselves during the university based science sessions. I have developed a solid understanding of how these can be used effectively during scientific enquiry lessons.
http://www.science-sparks.com/
In one of the D&T sessions we were tasked to, in pairs, design and make a motorised vehicle in one hour. As you can see from the pictures we were quite successful. The project involved the use of saws, glue guns and various pieces of wood. First the frame was built by carefully measuring and cutting pieces of wood and then reinforced with cardboard. Next the wheels and axles were slotted into the frame, which had to be parallel to the frame or else it wouldn't travel in a straight line. A cotton reel was glued onto one of the axles and an elastic band wrapped round. This elastic band was attache to the motor, once the motor had been attached to the frame, which made the front axle spin, causing the vehicle to move forward. Lastly the body of the vehicle was constructed by carefully measuring the frame so it would be a perfect fit. We chose to make our vehicle look like a Volkswagen Camper Van.
Once we had finished building and testing all the vehicles, we evaluated our design and discussed what we would to modify and improve the project. We concluded that we would place the motor further back so there would be more pull on the elastic band, therefore making the axle and vehicle move more efficiently.
This project could be taught across a whole term. Firstly the pupils would have to research other vehicles and decide what they want theirs to look like. Next they would design their frames and wheels and construct. Before they put the motor in, there would be a lesson on circuits and discussion of how the circuit would make the vehicle move. Before they design and build the body of their vehicle, the pupils would test what they have already made, evaluate it and design improvements. Once the improvements have been made, the pupils would them design and construct the body and attach it to the frame. To finish the unit off there could be a presentation of all the vehicles e.g. a race.
Once we had finished building and testing all the vehicles, we evaluated our design and discussed what we would to modify and improve the project. We concluded that we would place the motor further back so there would be more pull on the elastic band, therefore making the axle and vehicle move more efficiently.
This project could be taught across a whole term. Firstly the pupils would have to research other vehicles and decide what they want theirs to look like. Next they would design their frames and wheels and construct. Before they put the motor in, there would be a lesson on circuits and discussion of how the circuit would make the vehicle move. Before they design and build the body of their vehicle, the pupils would test what they have already made, evaluate it and design improvements. Once the improvements have been made, the pupils would them design and construct the body and attach it to the frame. To finish the unit off there could be a presentation of all the vehicles e.g. a race.