Using the pedagogy resources
last updated:14 Jun 2010
How can the pedagogy resources support teachers and leaders in their professional lives?
The resources include a rationale for a focus on pedagogy and a conceptual framework offered as a tool that can be contested, debated and developed to support teachers in their development work.
Suggested uses of these resources, developed with and suggested by teachers, are:
An activity using the conceptual framework
A generic card activity based on the framework to help staff consider developments in practice and to look at whether 'we do what we say we do'. The activity as well as the supporting Commentary and framework can be downloaded using the links on the right of this page.
Curriculum planning
Use the concepts to evaluate the content, approach and effectiveness of new ideas and check that department/phase provision does what it sets out to do. They can help to focus on the 'how' and 'why' of what you do, not just the 'what'.
In whole school/department/phase discussions about what makes effective teaching and learning
Staff share ‘stories of successful lessons’ as a narrative approach to working out consistent and effective approaches. They can use the framework to reveal underlying assumptions and challenge thinking.
Induction sessions with newly qualified teachers, overseas trained teachers, those on the graduate teacher programme, and trainee teachers
Starting with 'classroom processes' on the framework, take it in turns to discuss how the concept question is being addressed in each teacher’s classroom; refer to the specific page in the Commentary to find background information and then consider ways forward to ensure the concepts become embedded in thinking about planning and evaluating practice.
School improvement work and self /school evaluation
If you organise your meeting times to incorporate research groups or cross curricular groups to discuss how to meet the objectives of the school improvement plan, you can use the column or row headings to focus and broaden thinking – and even organise the groups. The research information in the body of the Commentary can provide robust evidence and the questions can help you to evaluate your strategies.
Exploring values and vision
Starting with an activity to consider the aim of education in your school - perhaps using a range of pictures as metaphors - different groups can explore the framework, each starting with a different ‘enduring issue’ and seeing where the connections lie across the framework. The discussions can help teachers to share their knowledge and approaches to support coherent practice across the school.
Research and classroom enquiry projects
The Commentary provides a broad evidence base with many references that can be used by teachers undertaking their own research. The framework can be used to support teachers enquiries into teaching and learning.
Governors, pupils and parents
What about using it with governors, to aid their understanding of teacher expertise and the complexity of curriculum development? You could also adapt it to a pupil/parent audience to show them the type of questions the school has to consider in its formal/informal planning. The questions could even be used in discussion with prospective candidates for jobs in school.
