1. The Standard Induction Pack – 8 modules to support teachers new to the school, plus this module to support senior leaders.
This bundle of resources is only available to schools who have already begun working on ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’ and who are seeking help with designing induction activities for teachers who subsequently join the school. It is designed as a self-study pack for teachers joining the school, and may well take a term to work through before such teachers access ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’ materials.
What and who is the pack for?
This pack is designed to serve 2 functions:
- As an introductory programme for teachers new to a school that is doing, or has already done, ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’;
- As a support for senior leaders responsible for the induction of such new teachers.
What does it contain?
For teachers:
- 1 online module introducing the key ideas about building better learners, the supple learning mind, and classroom culture;
- 3 online modules that focus on classroom culture;
- 4 online modules that give an overview of the 4 key learning behaviours – Questioning; Perseverance; Collaboration; and Revising.
For leaders responsible for induction (this module):
- advice on how and in what order the modules could / should be tackled;
- training materials to help you to introduce ‘The Supple Learning Mind’ and ‘Learning-friendly classroom cultures’ (should you wish to do so.)
2. For Information – The contents for teachers
There is an introductory module that offers an overview of learning power and learning-friendly classroom culture. Additionally there are modules that introduce teachers to 3 issues around classroom cultures and 4 modules that introduce the 4 key learning behaviours.
The overview module is:
- Pathways to ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’
Why this particular module?
This module offers an overview of the key ideas:
- background research on dispositional learning
- the two interlinking frameworks that underpin building better learners
- examples of how the two frameworks work in practice
- the four foundational learning behaviours to make a start on
- the essential aspects of classroom culture that can make a difference
Ensure that this is the first module that new teachers engage with as it sets the scene for the other 7 modules. However if senior leaders would rather introduce these ideas themselves, there are materials in section 4 (below) to support them in doing so.
The 3 online culture modules are:
- Building Active Participation
- Building Shared Responsibility
- Building Dialogue and Collaboration
Why these particular modules?
- think back to the model of classroom cultures that you saw in the early stages of your own engagement with ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’:
The key differences between ‘panel 1’ and ‘panel 2’ are that in panel 2 learners are: more actively engaged; take more responsibility; do more collaborative learning.
In other words, these 3 online modules help classrooms to become more learnER-friendly and so pave the way for learnING-friendly classroom cultures.
The 4 online overview modules are:
- Helping your learners to Question;
- Helping your learners to Persevere;
- Helping your learners to Collaborate;
- Helping your learners to Revise / Refine;
Why these 4 modules?
- these are four introductory modules to the 4 key learning behaviours that were explored in Playing the Learning Power Game;
- they are designed as a speedy way of introducing the 4 learning behaviours to teachers new to the ideas;
- but they do not contain the depth and range of ideas developed in Playing the Learning Power Game;
Hence – use these modules to gain a quick overview rather than deep understanding.
3. Issues to be considered by leaders
As a teacher, it is difficult to absorb the culture and practices of a school that you are new to. This is as true for experienced teachers moving to a new school as it is for a new entrant who is just starting out. This is particularly so if the ‘new school’ has an approach to learning that may be at odds with what you are familiar.
The purpose of these modules
- is to support teachers new to a school during their first term;
- it is not a substitute for ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’;
- indeed, we would recommend that once new teachers have experienced this short introductory programme, they should be enabled to explore the full ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’ programme.
Consider:
- how and when you might find time to support new colleagues to work through these materials;
- should these be twilight meetings?
- do you need an ‘induction day’ to kick start the process?
- how you will support new colleagues to form their own Professional Learning Community;
- whether each new colleague should be assigned an experienced mentor / coach to guide them through these materials.
4. Support materials for leaders
The 8 online modules form a self-study pack for teachers new to the school. However if senior leaders would prefer to take a more hands-on approach and launch the key ideas themselves, we have gathered some materials and powerpoints you may find useful. There is nothing here that you have not already met during your own engagement with ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’, but they are clustered here for convenience. If senior leaders choose to do the launch themselves, they will cover almost all of the content of the first module – Pathways to ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’.
Once the key ideas and overview are introduced . . .
Consider – would you prefer to begin with your new teachers looking at the 3 classroom culture modules, or at the 4 key learning behaviour modules? Either route has both advantages and disadvantages, and we would recommend doing one or the other.
But we would advise against starting out on all 7 modules at the same time!
Introducing classroom culture and the 3 culture modules
Downloads to the right:
- A powerpoint presentation about classroom cultures – download it and edit it to create your introductory session;
- Guidance notes to support your delivery;
- A resource book for teachers to accompany the ppt.
Introducing the Supple Learning Mind and the 4 learning behaviour modules
Downloads to the right:
- A powerpoint presentation about The Supple Learning Mind – download it and edit it to create your introductory session;
- Guidance notes to support your delivery;
- Resources necessary for the Chase in the Crypt activity;
- A resource book for teachers to accompany the ppt;
- In case you need them, detailed guidance notes about how you might talk about the 17 learning behaviours in the Supple Learning Mind.
5. Ongoing support for new teachers . . .
Consider 2 aspects:
- How you will support them during the first term using these materials;
- How you will support them thereafter.
During the first term . .
- Using the materials above you will have introduced them to the ideas around classroom culture and The Supple Learning Mind;
- But then what?
Ask yourself:
- how will I help to maintain momentum?
- how will I encourage them to explore and experiment with the teaching ideas?
- how will I enable them to share their triumphs (and disasters!) with each other?
- who will I encourage them to observe – those who are already using these ideas effectively?
- how will we celebrate what we have achieved during this first term?
Thereafter . .
- they have begun to explore learnER-friendly classroom cultures and the 4 key learning behaviours;
- they have made a solid start, but they should not continue working at this overview level indefinitely;
- they need access to the full ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’ materials to help them to further expand their teaching repertoire . . . .
- and to enable them to move from being ‘a new teacher’ to working with the same materials that their colleagues access.
To do:
- contact TLO and ask for them to be given access to ‘Playing the Learning Power Game’;
- TLO CONTACT DETAILS REQD HERE
- [note – deleting ex members of staff and inserting new ones is done at no cost to the school].
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