Embedding, not just launching

The importance of embedding has been a key theme in across two sessions recently down in Norfolk with Mile Cross Primary School, Norwich, and at Ashleigh Primary School, Wymondham.

Both were final days of ‘Plus One Learning Cycles’ CPD programme. The final day of the programme involves staff presenting to their peers. The structure of these reflective presentations focusses staff to talk about their teaching ‘plus ones’ they’ve been focussing their development on, the impact on the learning of their children, and what they’ve learnt from the process.

It’s always my favourite part of the programme. A little like a pedagogical ‘Christmas day’, when I get to see and hear the impact of the programme on the children in the classes. And very often we literally do. As along with photos of work in books (before and after), data, a range of resources teachers have been using, feedback from QA, teachers include video feedback from children about how the new approaches have changed their habits and impact on their learning.

And this is all part of the design process of the CPD programme. Designed backwards with the aim of embedding new teaching and learning norms. To achieve this, there are several key processes at work.

1. Deep dialogue

The importance of making time for deep dialogue to ensure that there is:

• Shared clarity about the rationale underpinning the changes to ensure 100% buy-in
• Depth of understanding about the process to enable transfer successfully from one context to another. Each lesson provides a different context, due to time of day, content of lesson, as well as the specific needs and motivation levels of learners.
• The chance for teachers to pinpoint the ‘plus one’ strategies that are high impact, but low effort, and therefore sustainable that they will implement. A twenty-hour solution to a busy person, is no solution at all.
• Sufficient time to firstly, co-construct implementation plans that maximise success in the busy world of day-to-day schools. Then to monitor the implementation to gain feedback on impact, and finally, evaluate the formative feedback from implementation to discuss ways to overcome any barriers that arise.

2. Iterative cycles of plan-test-reflect.

The implementation of ‘plus ones’ which often necessitate changing/adjusting well-developed thinking processes and habits can take time. And time is something that is in short supply in schools. One teacher ruefully reflected that, ‘improving my teaching is a little like trying to service a car whilst driving it in the fast lane of the M6!’.  Therefore, providing structured opportunities for ongoing testing in lessons day-to-day and formative evaluation of changes in team settings is crucial. It’s about keeping the main thing (the ‘plus one’), the main thing.  And from what we know about changing habits, is that it’s much easier when you are part of a collaborative of like minds on the same journey.

3. Being guided by Pole Star of impact

In the same way that ancient mariners relied on the Pole Star to aid navigation and orientation, having a laser focus on the goal of impacting on children’s learning provides teachers with the feedback to guide them on through their CPD.  Reflective discussion based solely upon self-perception or gut-feeling can lead to the risk of perception-reality gaps of teaching impact.  Drawing upon a range of sources, not only provides more robust evidence of impact, but it also can act as a compelling narrative to others considering whether to adopt the same ‘plus one’ action. The focus on impact aids navigation to the desired outcome via any adaptations that need to be made to maximise impact on learning.

4. The Power of Reflection

Providing teachers with the time to both, compile and present their ‘plus one’ portfolios of impact to their peers at the end of the programme is such a pivotal part of the process.  Indeed, providing a space for collaborative reflection in busy schools is so precious an activity as it: 

·       Is a celebration (that’s why we call it a celebration event) of the investment that teachers have made in further honing their craft, and of the impact they’ve achieved.

·       Provides a fertile environment to de-privatise classrooms. Thus, enabling teachers to learn from their peers’ ‘plus ones’ and identify strategies and approaches they themselves can adopt

·       Enables teachers to reflect on their personal growth, and how far their classes have progressed through the implementation of their ‘plus ones’ over two terms

·       Provokes wider whole school conversations about pedagogy, curriculum and assessment. In both schools, the programme this year has stimulated rich new conversations about future adaptations to curriculum to further deepen children’s learning. 

Indeed, at Ashleigh’s celebration event, we even had several of the governing body come along to listen to the presentations and were rightly blown away with the culture of learning amongst staff. Something that shone through across both schools. A culture of learning, demonstrated not just by ECTs but also the most experienced staff, which embodies an openness to striving to go ‘plus one’ in their teaching over time.

Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Wymondham Mile Cross Primary Stuart Allen