Core Programme

The programme is designed around a model of professional development based on what we call professional learning teams; elsewhere, these may be called teacher learning communities, professional learning communities, or similar. Essentially, groups of about six to eight teachers who meet regularly — perhaps every four to six weeks — to focus exclusively on developing their practice with learning power, as they move through the programme together.

The two phases of online courses that make up most of the programme are structured in ‘units’, each of which relates to one such meeting cycle. There are about twenty units in all; all can be revisited as necessary. Hence the roughly monthly rhythm of team meetings implies an expected minimum time to work through the full programme of nearer three years than two.

Major Components of the programme

As illustrated in the diagram, Building Better Learners is structured in two phases, each built around one of the two online courses.

Phase 1 is built around the online course Playing the Learning Power Game (eight units).

This is complemented by online resources:

• Finding Learning Power sits alongside the course, for teachers to use throughout its duration.
• Leading the Learning Power Game supports the school leaders who will be responsible for the programme as it unfolds, including preparing to launch the whole programme in the school.

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As preparation for the course, and indeed the whole programme, there is a choice of three ways of launching it.

• In-school launch by TLO trainers, typically a full school-closure day.
• ‘Zoom-assisted’ launch: this includes a small number of live virtual consultancy and training sessions, for both leadership staff and general teaching staff. Sessions are typically scheduled to last 75–90 minutes.
• ‘Do It Yourself’: In school launch led by senior leaders using the comprehensive launch-related resources provided within Leading the Learning Power Game.

Building Better Learners: Phase 2

Phase 2 is built round the online course The Professional Learning Power Game (thirteen units).

• The Finding Learning Power resource continues to sit alongside the course, to be called on as teachers move through the units.
• The Reviewing Learning resource similarly sits alongside the course, again available for use from time to time when a team wishes to take stock of its progress.

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Supporting Resources

Both phases of the core programme can be optionally augmented by further live virtual consultancy sessions, typically scheduled to last 75–90 minutes, and with associated resources.

Other items that may be helpful include the online BLP Activity Banks; the downloadable Learning Habits at a Glance cards; books and classroom posters. Information about all these can be found in the Publications section of the website.

In particular, a standard but optional starter pack of printed publications — books, posters, etc. — is offered with Phase 1 of Building Better Learners.