BOOK REVIEW: WINTERING
THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
THE JOYFUL REMAKING OF EDUCATION
THINK PIECE: To engage or to not engage
THE JOY OF LEADERSHIP: LEADERS OF LEARNING
INTERVIEW: BRYAN MATHER
Issue 10
DEAR JACKIE
joyfe
STORIES OF JOY
welcome to Joyfe #10
Welcome to January 2021! Our January edition is packed full of positivity and joy that we hope will bring some early sunshine to these dark January mornings. This year we have so much to look forward to. Hopefully we will see a return to some degree of normality and those face-to-face interactions that help boost our endorphins will be plentiful. Until then though, we have found some little beacons of light to keep us all from falling into a bleak mid-winter. This month we are loving all things 'ikigai', the Japanese concept similar to the French, 'raison d'etre'. Our 'ikigai' is the reason we get up in the morning and plays an important role in our health, We're also embracing the idea of anti fragility; beyond resilience, the anti fragile gets better and sees set backs as an opportunity for growth. How can we be more anti fragile? Don't put all your eggs in one basket, take small risks, and get rid of the things that make your vulnerable. We’d like to remind you all that you can do this, we will break through the other side stronger, wiser and more resilient. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and give yourself some TLC. Your health and well-being is everything. We want to hear from you. What is bringing you joy this January? What are you most looking forward to in 2021? Tag us in your twitter posts #JoyFE and let’s start this year off with a bang! Stay Safe Hayley
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stories of joy
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wellbeing 9
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dear jackie
an interview with... Bryan Mathers MaMathers,Thinkery
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in this issue
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the joy of leadership leaders of learning
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book review
snippets of joy
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think piece:
future of education it takes a village
ARTICLES FEEDBACK HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT THINKING COUnCILS TURN YOUR MIC ON!
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Lou Mycroft I’ve been in FE for more than 20 years and before that I was a community worker so I have crossed paths with thousands of people. I choose the commissions I work on now for their social purpose. I get a special thrill from echoes down the years; when I’m reminded of collaborations half-forgotten by a communication that comes out of the blue. Recently I heard from James and when I read where social purpose had taken his career - frontline support to children experiencing mental health distress - I had a little something in my eye. Readers, it’s all worth it.
Compiled by Heather BoothMartin
STORIES OF JOY...
Lou Mycroft @loumycroft I’ve been in FE for more than 20 years and before that I was a community worker so I have crossed paths with thousands of people. I choose the commissions I work on now for their social purpose. I get a special thrill from echoes down the years; when I’m reminded of collaborations half-forgotten by a communication that comes out of the blue. Recently I heard from James and when I read where social purpose had taken his career - frontline support to children experiencing mental health distress - I had a little something in my eye. Readers, it’s all worth it.
Michaela Greaves That moment of joy when you see a learner who is in her last year of study with you get that spark in her eyes after attending an employer event that you worked so hard to plan over the Christmas break. That learner who has been dealt such a rotten card in life through no fault of her own! That learner whom you supported last year on the last day before Xmas holidays at 3.30pm to get through to social services and help start to change her life. That learner who you have sat with a tear in your eye (fighting them back) listening to her story on so many occasions you have run out of fingers! That learner who so many times did not arrive to her lessons and you contacted repeatedly to get her back in. That learner who could have so easily been NEET and had no education and future to look forward to. That learner who just this week you have linked with a top make up brand designer to have a conversation with due to an idea that an employer (Loy Mycroft) suggested and the spark created a Mexican wave of activities. That learner who has so many opportunities in life after studying with you for 3 years. PURE JOY!
by stefanie wilkinson @Stef_Wilkinson
Leaders of learning the joy of leadership
What a time to be leading teaching teams at the minute. In the depths of lockdown three, we find ourselves still asking the questions about what's working or not working in terms of online lessons, student experience and progress. Lots of worry and fear and overworking is commonplace as we all try to find the best way to ensure outcomes for our students. It's interesting to hear from people across the country, the variability in quality and approach to Teaching and Learning in the pandemic. We are ten months in and those that were hoping it was going to go away quickly, have been caught off guard and have been scrabbling to make things happen at the turn of New Year. Those that have accelerated have asked good questions, have treated this as a supported experiment, have taken a collaborative and celebratory approach, to have a sharp focus on the wins, every day, every week. The more that there has been a positive focus, it seems the more of a snowball effect within organisations there has been, with increased momentum, more talking about what's working, how everyone can help each other, a sense of curiosity rather than a sense of fear about not getting it right. There has never been a time more important for any manager or leader involved in curriculum, to lead with the core business of Teaching and Learning to be the focus. By this I really mean teaching practice, not the admin processes that sometimes get entangled in the phrase. We know enough these days about teaching practice and leadership of teaching teams that we can look to this information for impactful and effective ways to support teachers to be the best that they can be. I have always been a fan of evidence based approaches, because I am a scientist at heart. Here I share some of the key approaches that I believe contribute to being an effective ‘Leader of Learning’. Whether you're a leader of a team, or whether you are the leader of a classroom, I am hoping that you might find some of these useful. Starting with a vision and developing the culture I've always led a vision which a few years ago I termed ‘a culture of excellence’. This vision is one of exceptionally high standards for myself, for my students and for the team that I have been part of or led. It’s one of becoming and being our best selves, wanting the same for everyone around me, encouraging each other, collaborative working, always learning and working towards a better future. With the exceptionally high expectations is also relentless support. I will help you to get there, in any which way will be best for you, but I expect you to bring your whole self (both the great and the not so great) to the table, to constantly learn and evolve. A vision brings about the common goals, expectations and is even more powerful when it is created collaboratively, with your team, but the key is the leadership of the vision. The vision is an important part of creating a culture, the culture you want, collectively, as simply put, the culture is a result of the normalised behaviours, actions and language of a team. It is important to decide what these accepted and aspirational behaviours, actions and common language are that everyone understands how they play a role within them. It is also important to identify what behaviours, actions and language undermines that vision and will actively hinder the team making progress or feeling like a community. Trust and support are key parts of successful teams, which can be actively fostered through the way in which we lead. As part of Google’s five year study on highly productive teams, found that psychological safety was a standout feature of highly performing teams. The notion of psychological safety is one which was defined as team members feeling safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other (Brown, 2018). Isn't this needed now more than ever? In the middle of the potentially the most uncertain time that we have ever experienced? As managers and as leaders, of teaching teams, or classrooms, we need to nurture this. We need to find ways to foster safety and vulnerability, we also need to model it. Often simple leadership of the way in which we communicate as a team can begin to increase psychological safety. Making it explicit about how we engage and respond to each other, creating space where we share what's working and what's not working and encouraging a collaborative approach to support each other has to be led. It doesn't happen by an accident. Professional Development Findings show the most impactful professional learning for teachers, is where teachers have some autonomy in the ways in which they develop their practice. There can be shared key goals across a department (often linked to key strategic goals) however within the shared goals, teachers need to be provided with the opportunities to develop their practice, reflect, discuss and share their practice (TDT, 2015; O’Leary et al, 2019). I am currently urging anyone who leads a team to review and potentially repurpose the team meeting time. Often meetings are lots of information giving, which is not an effective use of time. There are many different ways in which we can give out information and especially useful are videos and audio files (rather than emails) so that people can hear the explanations and tone related to the information that is given out. No one wants to read more emails that are impersonal and lifeless. Dissemination of information needs to be human, not transactional. Once information is disseminated in a different way, this allows for team meetings to be focussed on teaching practice, on reflection and discussion and a real key focus on what's working and why. It is important to lead a message of curiosity. In my opinion, it's also important to align all quality processes in this way; to gather information with curiosity about what the student experience and quality of learning is like….. So that we can discuss it, as a team or as a college, to be inquisitive about how to improve it. NOT so that we can write reports to satisfy a third party. The best way of doing that, it is to implement quality improvement cycles at a local level. This may be within curriculum areas, or sub teams within a curriculum area; whatever will be best to provide a focused and positive approach to improving practice. Quality Improvement cycles, when focused on evidence based teaching and learning practices, will support the exploration of improvements in a focused and developmental way. In my experience, choosing 3 or 4 key teaching and learning practice priorities per term, brings a sharp focus to the team development. Focusing every meeting on progress, sharing and what it looks like when its really good, provides the space for teachers to reflect and consider how their practice is developing over time. It is important to establish how you will know that its better (with teaching and learning indicators such as student voice, learner work etc) and then to also be clear about how and when you will review practice over time. Evidence Based Teaching and Learning .................................................................... Where time is precious, it's important to spend time on things that are going to be impactful. Spend energy on things that are going to make a difference. We can look to evidence based practice to help inform the priorities we choose, rather than reinventing the wheel. For example, using the Education Endowment Foundation’s Teaching and Learning toolkit summarises the evidence and gives us a clear indication of Teaching and Learning approaches that have been shown to improve learning. For example, metacognition and self regulation is shown to be the most impactful teaching strategy on learning and therefore, student coaching models and self reflection could be the focus of a whole team for a whole term, as part of the exploration of improving teaching practice. Staff can have autonomy in which they go about this, reviewing and reflecting in team meetings about what's working or not. Collaborative learning and feedback make up the top 3 strategies to improve learning, alongside metacognition and self regulation. Capturing the key successes, encouraging people to try new things, collaboratively exploring teaching practice as a craft helps to foster innovation, the feeling of encouragement and collaboration. All of which contribute to high performing, motivated teaching teams. References Brown, B (2018) Dare to Lead. Daring Greatly and Rising Strong at Work. Penguin Random House. New York. Education Endowment Foundation: Teaching and Learning Toolkit - https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit/ O’Leary, M.; Smith, R.; Cui, V. and Dakk, F. (2019) The role of leadership in prioritising and improving the quality of teaching and learning in Further Education. FETL report. Teacher Development Trust (2015) Developing Great Teaching Lessons from the international reviews into effective professional development.
Coming soon…. Joyful Education offerings on innovative supportive cultures. For now come and join us in the IdeasRoom on Wednesdays at 8pm to see some of the principles of innovation in action.
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What is our thinking when we enter and leave some CPD sessions? For some, expectations are not met, they leave disappointed and wanting much more from the experience; to be engaged, to participate, have their voices heard. In some sessions you can guess how it is going to pan out from the initial ‘lead up’ - will this be another session of sitting and listening with little application to FE? We are currently facing another barrier for some sessions behind a screen. Underwhelming development sessions can have a continuous negative impact. The long-term effect can be educators who no longer seek feedback or meaningful change. Development sessions should not be places of demotivation, but create lightbulb moments and provide answers to teachers' troubles. We also have to acknowledge that some educators feel that certain sessions are beneath them, with that mindset of ‘I’ve already done this before, what can I gain?’ Change lies in a simple yet effective mantra: "practice what you preach.” If you wouldn’t deliver an hour-long lecture to your learners, because it isn't 'effective', then why would this suddenly become an effective method of delivering CPD sessions? Educators - both novice and experienced - need a creative, safe space to trial taking those risks. Staff must be provided not only with the space and encouragement to work together on what they feel they need support on, but the time to act in communities of practice. And of course, time to reflect! From our experiences, almost all of the best CPD we realised has been practical and led by example; meaningful training presents a vision of the classroom in practice. It’s difficult to fully understand a concept when you cannot see it in action, and difficult to learn when you are not given the space and time to be a student. CPD should mirror what is expected from that session How can we minimise the barrier of experienced staff disengaging CPD? Firstly, reaching out and asking staff what they would and wouldn’t find beneficial in order to create bespoke tailored CPD sessions which encourage collaboration, practice and revitalisation. It’s not about reteaching, it's about refreshing and developing on what one already knows, especially in this fast-paced digital world, it is needed now more than ever. Next missions, how can we encourage ourselves and teams of educators to take ownership of their own professional development? How can we further shift those preconceptions?
Think piece : To engage or to not engage - The big CPD question
By Hollie Barnes & Stacey Salt
wellbeing feature
During the last 6 months, I’ve been developing a better understanding of what wellbeing is. Elements of my roles as a personal tutor, previously as a coach and currently as a teaching and learning quality lead, have led me to consider how we at Chesterfield College can better encourage staff to think about wellbeing and how they can enable the students to develop their own strategies. Several years back, we produced different tutorial schemes for each level of study for the College. We believed that they had great ideas, great content, great input from a variety of stakeholders and even great Word formatting (as an ex-graphic designer it had to look good). What could go wrong? It had a range of wellbeing resource links, learning objectives and lists of colleagues they could access. But did the staff use it and what was the impact? The answers to those questions would take too long to repeat here, but suffice to say the staff were not always comfortable having conversations with their students around wellbeing themes. Having children currently in both primary and secondary school, I started thinking about why staff and students in those areas seem more comfortable and equipped when talking about wellbeing and other social purpose topics. What has changed by the time they get to College and why do we as staff not feel able or willing to do it? The planets aligned recently, or crashed together, when I was offered two opportunities. Firstly to join #APConnect and also to work as part of the quality improvement team, to focus on areas such as Safeguarding, British Values, Prevent, and EDI. We have tried to meet curriculum teams to look at the themes and resources before running Thinking Environments to get people doing their own thinking, but the start of January (we all know how January has gone) has helped to water this down. So what is working at the minute? Well from what I can see, collaboration and community is key. Mental Health was set as our 'Safeguarding theme' for January, but I was worried that it would be lost within a Safeguarding box. Absolutely no offence intended to our Safeguarding team, or the idea of monthly themes, it just felt too important, timely, ongoing, zeitgeisty, and too necessary to be left hidden. We've set up a separate mental health channel on Microsoft Teams, and although a good start, it's not enough. Our Teaching and Learning Quality Leads (myself and others in #APConnect) and our Learning Experience Achievement and Progression (LEAP) mentors are working hard with tutors to gather, review and disseminate the resources we have across the college to help improve our students’ wellbeing by developing their social purpose. None of this is perfect (certainly not bragging here) as I think we are still at the start of the start, and as John Lydon once said ‘I could be wrong, I could be right’. The good news is that we are going to have a go together.
By jamie partington
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by kayte haselgrove @edukayte
The Future of Education...
They say it takes a village… Back in December, I was asked to explore current issues in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Having been on maternity leave for a year, I didn’t instantly know what those actually were. So much can change in a year (she says, at the close of 2020). Since the physical staffroom has been taken away for the time being, I turned to my new staffroom. Using the powers of Twitter (and my modest 500+ followers), I invited any good willing teachers, teacher trainers, mentors, newly qualified and student teachers to share their thoughts on the current short and long term issues in ITE via a Socrative questionnaire. To my delight, within 24 hours I’d had 52 responses – 52 responses! Ten times the input I’d find in my actual staffroom. Over the next 48 hours, another 15 trickled in. Responses spanned from Primary, Secondary, Further and Higher Education colleagues, and the results were fascinating. So, Initial Teacher Education… what’s new? Unsurprisingly, the short-term issues all linked to COVID-19. Loss of placements, lack of confidence in the classroom as a result, logistical issues, the knock-on effects of emergency e-pedagogy, the impact on mental health of learners and trainee teachers alike. All of these we, as a workforce, are striving towards overcoming. However, the most insightful responses raised issues regarding the impact all of the above will have on the futures of our learners and trainee teachers. Refreshingly, the longer-term issues didn’t link to COVID. The theme of ‘realism’ emerged throughout the responses. One participant actually used the word explicitly: ‘realism’, as an issue in ITE. Others such as workload, accountability, funding pressures and paperwork were mentioned. But, how do we create realism for trainee teachers? They attend placements, reflect on their experiences, compare with colleagues – what aren’t they seeing? Perhaps, not only do they need to see what it’s ‘really’ going to be like, but trainee teachers need to know how to seek out methods of overcoming those issues. Knowing where to seek support. A pleasant surprise was the wave of positivity I felt as I read through my colleagues’ thoughts on the opportunities which have arisen during the pandemic, opportunities that may help with the issue of ‘realism’ in preparation for a career in teaching. As teachers, many of us (not all, I’d never generalise) are social creatures. We have an inclination towards the sharing of knowledge, of information – interacting with others who share the same passion for their subjects. Talking to people who want to know what we have to say (and often, don’t want to know, but we work hard at helping them to pick it up anyway). COVID-19 has taken a lot away from us, but it has also forced us to practise ways of communicating with others in a more personal way, but from a distance. We’ve learnt how to use Zoom and Teams for business and social interactions with friends and colleagues. We log in to Twitter and LinkedIn, from our sofas on an evening, in our pyjamas and supping on our favourite tipple, opening up doors to new professional relationships. Even friendships. COVID-19… an opportunity for the strongest and broadest online developmental connections, between teachers, to date? Isolation in 2020 has encouraged those of us who were previously less likely to turn to online communities or professional networks to reach out on social media. Due to those networks, we have more discussions about teaching and learning and greater participation in subject specialist conversations with colleagues from across the world of teaching than ever before. Perhaps an increase in engagement in online communities will lead to a more realistic view of the career trainee teachers are embarking on? A professional network created outside of their programmes which continues into their careers. A judgement free community, where colleagues don’t carry the politics of one another’s establishments, who can offer impartial advice and innovative solutions to problems. The overwhelming message, shared on a Sunday evening in December, was that there was barely a distinction between the sectors. Even though our contexts differ, our challenges are the same – an empowering realisation. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Maybe it takes a community of practitioners from a variety of backgrounds to adequately support a newly qualified teacher?
Over on Twitter these things have been making you smile, laugh and cry (with happiness)... Higgidy Seeds of Joy @higgidy By the time we go to print the winner of Higgidy’s seeds of joy competition will have already been announced, but how wonderful is this? Higgidy family kitchen have pledged to create veg gardens in our local communities and have hosted a competition to decide which 3 out of 10 finalists will be selected for their initiative, we think that it’s a fantastic idea and challenge all of you, our readers to plant at least 1 real seed this month. Grow your own seed of joy! Please tag us in your pics of your own award-winning creations.
Snippets of JOY
By Hayley seward
It’s the little things that count… Whilst many of us are preparing to return (or get used to) a new way of working, it is important to remember the little things that keep us smiling and feeling ‘the joy’ during each day. Daily ‘check ins’ with teams, random acts of kindness and thoughtful gestures are incredibly important when building and maintaining supportive and effective team working. The ‘JoyFE’ constellation has been amazing at this over the past 5 months; we have sent our own ‘snippets of joy’ to each other (see images). These small yet incredibly powerful postal gifts have shone bright lights during dark times. This highlights the importance of inclusion and building a unified working space where everyone feels recognised and appreciated. Taking this into your work space and life in general is highly rewarding and fills your ‘joy cups’ as Sandi and Chris Phoenix agree enhances adult wellbeing (Early Year Wellbeing Festival – Kathy Brodie., 2020). Why not give it a try, see how much joy you can bring to someone's life:)
Homeschooling? We’ve got you covered… Well, the BBC have. Got a 9-year-old pretending to cry whilst you’re in a meeting? A teenager trying to convince you that Fortnite Is on the curriculum? Stress no more, The BBC are providing some great resources and programming to help our children stay on track whilst we stay at work (even from our homes) Primary school programmes will be broadcast from 09:00 everyday n the CBBC channel, including live lessons, BBC Bitesize and much more. Secondary programmes will be broadcast on BBC two and they will cover the GCSE curriculum. The Bitesize resources are also available on demand. Thanks Beeb! @bbcbitesize
Free Yoga? Yes please! Down Dog yoga have extended their free subscription for educators until July 2021. I find there is no better way to relax after a hard day juggling homeschooling and working, than to get on the yoga mat and release the tension. Namaste everybody! @down_dog
BY luke jones @lukejonesed
feedback has never been more important
As we move through the academic year, I question how has everyone been doing? It’s hard to forget sometimes that we, as educators, are continuing teaching and just carrying on whilst others are on a pause and adapting to temporary new measures of living. We are not in normal times. I use the term ‘normal’ as this isn’t our day to day routine, but wonder if we'll ever fully go back to what teaching was before. As a teacher still in training, it’s so important to remember that this isn’t the teaching we visioned, but an adaptation of what could be the future of teaching, learning and assessment. Is it working? Are students learning at the pace they should be? Is there more we could be doing, or can we even go any quicker? ‘Putting the learners first’ With everyone putting in new strengths, teaching is very different at the minute - students self-isolating, bubbles collapsing and the mixture of teaching some students in the classroom whilst others are joining in virtually. New teaching methods and approaches are in place, and teachers continue to make sure that they are putting the learners first - as we proceed to do this, are we testing our ability to teach and utilizing our services by constantly working around the clock so our students are supported through these uneasy times? Teachers are going to extraordinary lengths to keep students engaged and motivated and they need to be reminded that they ‘are doing an incredible job’. It’s amazing to see how teachers that have never, or rarely, used technology before are having to adapt and apply these methods to their new routines of teaching. Industry ready Working in Further Education, and in a post-16 establishment, we are preparing the learners for the working environment. With many industries currently frozen in employment and job opportunities minimal, it is important to remind our learners that there will be a recruitment boom and that they are in the best position possible under the circumstances; reassuring them that when it comes to applying for work in the industry that they are supported and have the skills and qualifications for what is needed. These new digital skills that they are learning could very well be used in a different industry once they have completed their course, as many different sectors are also adapting to new measures of technology to survive. It is exciting to see learners still engaged who cannot wait to get out into the real world, where we are building the right set of skills to take with them once this pandemic is over and for their further education. New teachers and feedback As a new teacher, I am constantly searching for new and interactive ideas on how to teach, always endeavouring in delivering the best lessons possible - as any new teacher starting their career is. This year is my second year in my teacher training and I have taken on all feedback from the past year from all learners, mentors, peers and education professionals. Positive feedback always makes us feel great in ourselves; a sense that what we are doing is worthwhile and making a difference. You get this feeling, when someone tells you ‘that was ace, I can’t wait to use that in my lessons’, of joy and exhilaration that you’re winning. Likewise, it is almost the complete opposite when you don’t get the positive feedback you are so hopeful for, but are brought with ‘you need to be more supportive, and maybe you could include this in your teaching’. Constructive criticism is important for so many new teachers - I for one always take it personally, and it comes to me that I am not doing a great job. But we need to remind ourselves that we are, and that we can only go as quick as we can. Technology matters The importance of feedback now has never been more important. Students are adapting to these new learning methods and approaches and we, as teachers, need to know if they are working. With the ever growing development of technology, it is almost transparent that this will support the learning adaptations taking place due to the amount of learners who are already capable of using these devices and platforms. There are many approaches now in which we can receive feedback from learners, including the simple post it notes. Technology has allowed for the use of surveys, forms, video blogs and voice recordings - we as teachers can obtain feedback from different platforms to continue the learning process for our students without them even realising. I find myself being more and more creative in the different ways I use technology each week, researching different ways to include new digital platforms and working with my peers to trial out these new ideas - these are the best times for it. By gathering feedback from the participants (the students) we are able to incorporate whether these methods work and if they are motivating the learners to continue learning. I myself am finding teaching an exciting time to be in, working to the max of my ability to perform outstanding lessons for my students, by including methods that they are familiar with and competent with. However, we cannot forget there is still the struggle of students without the access and benefits of technology and are disengaging more than ever with learning live from the screen whilst watching their friends and fellow students in the classroom. Can we be doing more, or are we already burning ourselves out? Luke Jones, Teacher Apprentice in Further Education, 2020
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I first discovered the work of Bryan Mathers and Visual Thinkery through artwork designed for the Association for Learning Technology. It excited me and I wanted to know more. When did your love of design start? “This is a bit of an accidental journey really; design, illustration and what-not, because I’m original a software engineer. I ended up running companies, one of which I sold to City & Guilds back in 2010 and I found myself in a management role with them. I’ve always been an experimenter, it’s what I enjoyed about programming; I’ve always enjoyed the creative element of anything, right back to building LEGO. I suppose I try to communicate using pictures. In 2012 someone introduced me a simple called app called fiftythree I could use on an iPad and I put together these sort of principles of development and since then…nobody told me to stop. I found if you drew something it hung around a lot longer, words disappear. If you can create something that has meaning in them, they get shared and sort of hang around. The idea of producing an animation from some drawings; being able to wrap up a new idea about a new take on assessment into a two-minute video, I found had real power in a world dominated by words and conversation. “I moved from a management role with City & Guilds to consultant, representing them on the FELTAG panel and let’s just say I couldn’t get a word in edgeways. I was surrounded by industry ‘big people’. I couldn’t get any airtime so off the cuff I thought I’d try and capture some of what was being said visually. So, I did that and some of my illustrations ended up being in the FELTAG report One thing led to another and I started to branch out. It took me a long time to realise that my skill isn’t drawing, it’s listening; being able to tune in to what people are saying I suppose. And therefore, my method with all of the stuff that I create now is about open conversation. It’s about getting people together, trying to facilitate conversation and going back to look for clues that point to little visual metaphors. I really try and tune into the humour because that’s where the really rich stuff lies. So that’s why my stuff is like it is. For one, I have no training whatsoever; it’s just evolved and two, it’s really iPad orientated, I haven’t gone through the classical process of designing for print and doing things properly and all that stuff, it’s a very circuitous route. Over time I’ve got better, but the main thing is the listening and my stuff represents the people who were part of that conversation, as opposed to me trying to sell my clever articulation to them. “We went on to discuss the importance of understanding the why behind anything, and the importance of being curious; software quality assurance and a burst pipe (yes, there was a connection), mitigating risk in the widest context and avoiding magician-thinking. We also spent some time discussing the importance of listening and how Bryan considers this his super power!" What brings you most joy? “That is a good question. Since lockdown and also since my wife became a teacher, I’ve had a lot more input into our kids growing up which has been really good for me.There’s just an element of mucking around with the kids that I just love. It’s the thing that brings me joy and in particular if it involves creating stuff, playing with ideas and seeing them create ideas from something I’ve done. Yeah, I just love that.” Click here to find out more about Visual Thinkery and their 10-ideas design methodology. Image created by Visual Thinkery and reproduced with kind permission from the Association for Learning Technology.
@BryanMMathers @visualthinkery
an interview with... Bryan Mathers Bryan Mathers
by Tracey Lee
I bought Wintering because I liked the cover and the concept, because I’m always trying to be more hygge in the winter months and because living alone is starting to bite and I’m needing to dig deep. I found it hard to get into, maybe too lost in my own feelings of isolation to initially see past my envy of someone else’s life. And maybe because the slower pace of the book is very unlike my usual thrillers - which is the whole point of it. Wintering is, as the cover says, about the power of rest and retreat in difficult times and you can’t do that at 100mph. Once past the initial chapters I was hooked. Although the writing is lyrical there are also lots of practical suggestions for hunkering down and living differently. If I’m totally honest, I’ve been a little resentful that after nearly four years as a freelancer I still buy into the energy boom and boost of term-time working: collapsing in July and December, then dreading the return. Wintering has provided me with a new rhythm; without getting too woo-woo about it, I’m going to try and roll with the pagan calendar this year to try and break the termly pattern which has such a negative impact on my health*. I learned from Wintering too that hundreds of years ago, before the Industrial Revolution employed us all in metaphorical cages, people went to bed when it got dark and got up when it got light. I assumed they just slept a lot in winter (I like doing this too, but I get very behind with emails). Turns out that they would then get up in the night, grab a warm drink, read, have a pipe (now there’s a habit I’ve never tried!) or even visit a neighbour. I’d love to try this out too, though evening meetings are getting in the way a bit, because that’s when so many of us get together to do our interesting work. Wintering is a gorgeous book. It reminded me of the deep joy of getting immersed in a book that isn’t just about the plot. I read thrillers to block out feelings and emotions, I read Wintering to acknowledge and accept them. This book is a beautiful gift to give - especially for yourself. *I talked with a friend about this, worried about appropriation. She said, don’t be daft, you’re going back to the seasons and the moon. Something needs to change for me, so I’m going to give it my best shot.
BY lou mycroft
wintering by katherine may
Thinking Environment...Thinking Councils
Imagine if teacher training was focused on listening…? I said to my class tonight that this is my favouritest time of the week, of course their response was that isn’t a word! I know, but it felt like a fitting word for this, our Time to Think Council. I love the Time to Think council and the students are starting to love it too. They were queueing up tonight to present their ideas. Just the power of being able to think through an issue and gain the perspective of 13 peers, the majority of who feel the same or have experienced something similar, it’s really helping them. To find some resolution themselves and the discipline of the process is what makes it special. Learners feel supported and receive support with their issues. Most of the responses start with ‘in my experience’ or ‘yes, the same thing happened to me.’ Just for them to know that someone has had a similar experience and they are not on their own is so powerful in terms of finding their own way forward. This is the fifth Time to Think Council we have run in our class. We have had a different presenter each week with a different issue. One was carried out online. Both are successful, particularly in the classroom as learners are currently sitting behind single desks and cannot see all the learners or interact effectively. A large socially distanced circle is created each time. That interaction is valuable and being able to see listeners is critical. I physically see shoulders drop with relief when we go into this space. A safe space where learners can share their issues and be lifted back up. We are honing our listening skills as learners are starting to relax with the silent pauses and safe in the knowledge their train of thought will not be interrupted. As Kline (2020, p60) notes, “The listener is the force. The force. Without the listener we don’t have a thinking environment.” We have practiced this discipline and listening is becoming the ethos of this group, even when we are not in a Time to Think Council. There is such ease with each other. The learners are feeling the benefits, I asked for some of their comments: I haven't had anything to bring to the council yet but it is still beneficial as it makes me think about how I would deal with something/have dealt with something. It has made me feel more confident to speak in class and give my view. I feel appreciated. Time to Think Councils have helped me rethink problem solving in a class, by listening to the problems and solutions of other trainee teachers. The most helpful part is that the Council is realistic and you get real examples and situations which are current. This to me helps more than reading into theories and makes it more relatable and meaningful. I urge you to take time to think and listen next time you are with your peers. Kline, N (2020) The Promise That Changes Everything: I won’t interrupt you. Penguin Books.
BY kathryn pogson @k_pogson
Turn your mic on ! A new term has begun and I'm busily setting up today's first lesson, but it looks a little different. The classroom is empty and I'm sitting at my screen. Today is the first day of online teaching in the new term. Ping! Ping! Ping! Students join my class and I am met with a wall of bitmoji faces. "Turn your camera on please," I say and slowly but surely I start to see the faces of my new class. Ping! a message I don't have a camera on my computer writes a bitmoji of a student dressed as a pizza costume. "Join using your phone so I can see your face," is my response. Ping! I can't hear you displays another message "Leave and rejoin," I say "Hi Emily, hi Luke nice to see you, welcome." Ping! another student arrives to the lesson, late. "Welcome, I say. Trouble getting online?" RADIO SILENCE "Ok can everyone hear me?" Silence……. "Give me a thumbs up if you can see me and hear me." Slowly but surely number of thumbs are raised. "OK, we're waiting on two more people we will get started in the moment,” I say as I take the register." Ping! "Hi John, welcome. Could you turn on your camera pleas?. Still waiting on one more but let's get started." The lesson begins and students login to today's resource: ‘Psychological Theories of Personality’. A tough topic for students who have not been educated for nearly 6 months! I start by sharing my objectives for the lesson and a visual stimulus. I then ask students to share some ideas in the chat function. It all seems to be going well until I share a video!!! Ping! I can't hear any sound Ping! it's lagging; Ping! it's frozen OK Plan B. I think on my feet and share the link with the group in the chat function. "Click on the link to watch the video, turn your camera off and then turn your camera back on when you finish watching it.” Ping! ok Ping! Phew that seemed to work. Ping! Sarah has joined the chat "Hi Sarah, problems getting online? " SILENCE "I can't hear you, you're on mute….. nope still can't hear you, press the spacebar to chat…… still can't hear you, turn your mic on….. no still nothing leave and rejoin the class maybe that will fix it." Ping! Sarah has left the meeting "While we wait for Sarah to rejoin us can we think about what we have just watched and answer question one in your worksheet?" "John what theory supports the view that you were born with your personality?" SILENCE "John put your mic on." "No still nothing…. press space bar…. still nothing" Ping! in the chat I don't know what's happening it says my mic is on " Leave and rejoin" I say . This is going to be a long lesson I think. “John you're back! Hooray!” "Mic working?" "Yes" "Do you have an answer?" "I'm not sure" "Well have a go" "I don't really understand it" "OK John tell me something that you took from the clip" "I don't really know" Stick with it I thin.k After the technical glitches the lesson progresses well and we get through some tricky content. Students work independently and in breakout rooms from which they feed back to the rest of the class. I look at students' live documents and as they are typing and I leave them with live comments for them to develop their work.I'm on a roll! I call all students back to the main classroom where I begin to wrap up the lesson. The plenary recaps the main points of the lesson and I direct students to reading in preparation for our next lesson. Perplexed faces look back at me. I'm getting no response, no nods, no smiles no engagement….Nothing. Ping! Ping! Ping! The chat is flooded with messages Glenda turn your mic on! by Glenda Dowdell Thomas (Coleg Sir Gar) glenda.dowdell-thomas@colegsirgar.ac.uk
By Glenda Dowdell Thomas
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By Jackie Rossa
As part of our quality cycle, we start learning walks this week. I am worried about the impact of this on staff who are already struggling with teaching online. Although most have done really well in terms of getting to grips with the technology, they are still learning how to work in this new way. Attendance is falling in several areas, and many students are struggling to access lessons. Staff are saying that this is a step too far, and I am really conflicted. I also teach, and feel like I need more time to get confident with what I am doing before being judged, or judging others. I did raise this, but was told that senior management need to know what the quality of teaching is like, and what is behind the poor attendance. Please help Dear Jackie says:This is a problem many organisations are facing. There is a genuine need to know what is working well/less well so that the right sort of improvements can be made, however, the best way to do this is to fully involve teachers and students in finding workable solutions.Learning walks, provide a small snapshot of what is happening at a moment in time, and tell you little about the students’ overall experience/progress . Also, staff who are anxious and fearful are not going to do their best for their students, which is the opposite of what you want to achieve. To provide managers with the information that they need, whilst still supporting staff. A few places now carry out ‘learning helps’ where they pop in to lessons simply to ask the teacher how they are doing and if they need any help. This helps to build trust and teachers are more likely to be open about the issues they are facing if they feel they won’t be judged.I know this will not solve the bigger problem, but the one thing you can definitely do is to be open, honest, curious, caring, listening and empathetic when carrying out the learning walks. Dark Jackie says: Seriously, what are you complaining about? You really do have a cushy job watching other people work. All you need to do is make yourself a cuppa, grab some nice biscuits and show up online. If you turn your mike off and claim to have a problem with your camera, you can soon catch up on all those WhatsApp and Facebook messages. I am sure you have some generic phrases to use. I hear ‘inconsistent engagement’ insufficient challenge', and ‘missed opportunities’ are currently quite popular. Some observers I know have invested in rubber stamps for this very purpose.
Dear Jackie
Dear Jackie,
A Blaze Of Yellow A Poem to celebrate #JoyFE during Pandemic #Covid19 A blaze of yellow and brick red rows in Manchester streets Sunday sun Make do and mend time Going round the bend time Fight and flight time Constantly startled and unsoothed By the lockdown blues. Where do you know from? Asked from out of the on-line space Lightning questions and enlightened thinking comes. Collaborating, unravelling, re-weaving threads As listening no- interruption -time glows. Slow and steady screen time, linking our thinking Ideas room that springs from out of our surrounding gloom, Despite the weary working hours in the zoom Of this pandemic time. Together we interrupt, crack open efforts to diminish Our FE world that transforms. Pivots of change mutually directed, supported Co-learning, sharing, transported. A social collective practice of hope, Creative coalitions Bringing incredible ambition. Coming from all over and different worlds, Many ways streets, Feeling thinkers. A welcome, kind world created here. Conversations and dialogue making us rich With breakthroughs. Striving triumphs Of pandemic pedagogy Surviving distanced learning challenges With driving forces of FE joy: Blazing yellow. Elizabeth Draper
contributors
Isla Flood @islaflood Heather Booth-Martin @HeatherBMartin Jackie Rossa @JackieRossa_ Lou Mycroft @loumycroft Lindsey Wilson @Lindsey16250942 stefanie wilkinson @stef_wilkinson michaela greaves @greavesmichaela Hayley seward @hayleyseward3 hollie barnes @hblx93 jamie partington @jamiepartingto4 stacey salt @tutorstacey_ap tracey lee @adaptcomms ELIZABETH DRAPER @draperel KAYTE HASELGROVE @edukayte GLENDA DOWELL THOMAS @glendadowthom KATHRYN POGSON @K_POGSON LUKE JONES @LUKEJONESED Want more joy delivered to your Inbox? Click here to receive #JoyFE magazine direct.
Want to be part of the #JoyFE conversation? Join our #JoyFE Facebook group Listen to the live #JoyFE Broadcast via our Facebook group OR Join us on Zoom for the #IdeasRoom on Wednesday evenings at 8pm using the Thinking Environment to explore ideas and change the world! (DM Lou or Stef for the password). OR Why not write an article ? Submissions always welcome EMAIL: joyfulfe@gmail.com
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