Plp process
- 1. Breaking Down Subject BoundariesJonathan Elliott
- 2. My PLP Why the Interdisciplinary focus? I was uneasy about the institutional structure that emphasised purely disciplinary learning for2 reasons The reliance on the ‘fixed’ subject boundaries The MYP framework …so I had to do something!
- 3. The way forward at BIS Having identified my theme, I next had to do what I perceived as the difficult challenge of getting others to share in these values and goals.Subject teachers and heads of faculty – leave the comfort zoneSchool senior managers: a new mind set (learning centered) - with implications on staffing, timetable and school infrastructureParents: "Educate me for my future, not your past“21st Century Teaching & Learning Initiativen.d., UWCSEA, <http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/page.cfm?p=2001>
- 11. Year 7 Cross subject mapFollowing the survey Heads of Faculty, with their teachers, worked together to create cross subject maps for Years 7, 8 and 9
- 13. Meeting of Year 7 to 9 teachersLooked at some theory and the rationale for interdisciplinary workPresented Results of the SurveyWorked through my ‘guide to interdisciplinary planning’ and the associated paperworkLooked for, and developed, interdisciplinary possibilities
- 14. What is our goal?To improve understanding
- 15. A checklist for successful interdisciplinary workIs the learning purposeful – does it enrich students understanding or respond to a need that can not be met through a single subject or discipline?
- 16. Is the learning grounded in the subject - are the expectations of the students framed in subject objectives for the unit?
- 17. Is the learning integrative – are the different subjects enabling the students to achieve a deeper understanding of the topic, an understanding that would have been impossible through single subject perspectivesWhat form should interdisciplinary work take?As long as the 3 items from the checklist are considered and the form completed, interdisciplinary work can be as big or as small as you wish.From… “borrowing” knowledge, skills or concepts from another subject to enrich student understanding of the subject you teachThrough… “weaving” an interdisciplinary thread throughout a unit you’re teachingTo…dedicating a sizeable unit of work to an interdisciplinary approach
- 18. The paperwork…The multifaceted question addresses aspects of study that can be productively explored through 2 or more subjects. It should give it purpose & direction; and we should aim to make it relevant, feasible and framed to encourage inquiry.e.g. “Why is it important to lower our carbon footprint, and what can we do about it?or“How do historical monuments influence building styles of today, and what might their influence be in the future?”
- 19. Activity 3: In your subject area group look through the units taught by other departments during Year 7, (and possibly in Years 8 & 9 t00). Identify one or two that may potentially allow some interdisciplinary opportunities and work with those other subjects to complete an interdisciplinary planner.Remember…Is the learning purposeful ?Is the learning grounded in the subject?Is the learning integrative?
- 20. Overheard…“Let’s try it”“How can they make puppets in DT without a play/product at the end?”“We can shift our units around, it’ll make more sense to everyone!”“Why don’t we work with PE on that?”“Can we have more meetings like this, its so much more useful than normal Wednesday afternoons!”
- 21. Collaborative planning – some resultsSome selected units taught so far (or coming soon)…How do stories transform? English Language A and Performing Arts Year 7How can we reduce our energy consumption at school?Science and Technology Year 7Do patterns have rules?Maths and Visual Art Year 8Do we all respire in the same way?Physical Education and Science Year 8How can we measure the human impact on the environment of, and what are the differing perspectives on, conservationScience and Humanities Year 9
- 22. Whilst this was going on…Information mornings with parentsPresentation to Primary Years teachersIntroduction to the programme for studentsMeetings with the Head of Secondary and SLT
- 23. Issues arising for discussion at senior management levelStaffing ; part of the difficulty in getting people together for productive collaborative planning time is the number of teachers involved – over 40 for example teach year 8 (4 classes). This is because many teachers have a strong desire to teach all sectors of the schoolthe MYP is seen as a section with many challengesHeads of faculty in the past had totally freedom on how to deploy their staffThe physical internal structure of the school designed around the faculty system The timetable and building in time for collaborative planning (see staff survey result)
- 24. Results of these issues (1)Staffing:Some teachers have expressed an interest in teaching in fewer years (a benefit for them) in more than one subject (for example one of our PE teachers will be delivering Year 7 science next year)Recruiting teachers who are able (and willing) to teach more than one subject (for example we have recruited an English teacher who also enjoys teaching Humanities)Recruiting teachers who express a genuine interest (and possibly experience) in interdisciplinary teaching (our new head of performing arts has already delivered units with the History and English departments)
- 25. Results of these issues (2)Physical School Organisation The school owner has agreed to invest a large sum of money in updating the main teaching building (now 15 years old) and has employed an architect who has just (last week) undertaken a preliminary visit to the school. One aspect of this will be the development of Year group(s) areas within the school where they will be based for some of their lessons
- 26. Results of these issues (3)Timetable and Collaborative planning opportunitiesThe school day has been shortened providing additional planning time between the end of school for students and staff leaving timeStaff will be expected to do only 1 ‘activity’ as opposed to the 2 currently demanded, thus freeing up an additional after school slot for amongst other things collaborative planning (on a regular basis)