Building Foundations for Para-professionalism
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Transcript of Building Foundations for Para-professionalism
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Ann Birch
Jill Morgan
Building Foundations for Para-professionalism
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Introductions
Who are we?
Ann Birch
Jill Morgan
Who are you?
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
What are we talking about today?
Professional Development for Teaching Assistants
In Wales.The Foundation Degree in Learning
Support. SMU.
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
What will we look at? • The experience• The context • The programme• The students • The importance of reflection and
critical reflection • The lessons learnt• The way forward
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Experience – Fantastic!!!How can we best describe it?
A privilege!
A learning curve!
Enlightening!
Stimulating!
Emotional!
Humbling!
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Context
• Workforce remodelling - TA role currently
under scrutiny and changing – more expert
roles • Significant responsibility as members of
learning and teaching teams - 4 levels of
working • CPD – historic and current
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Workforce Remodelling Rationale: • Teacher workload – PPA time • Raising standards
Impact: • 4 levels of working • Focus on TAs supporting learning • TAs covering for teachers – implications? • Supervision and dynamics
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
CPDContinuing Professional Development • Few TAs have formal qualifications–many
have a wealth of experience and expertise• Induction programmes? LEA, school? • Vocational programmes (NVQ)• HE Programmes - Foundation Degrees
Teachers and TAs working together- the dynamics
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Dynamics!
1.12 The School of Education acknowledges the need for the programme to reflect the need to preserve the status of teachers and their lead role in promoting high standards of achievement. (Extract from Definitive Validation Document)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The ProgrammeWhat is a foundation degree?
The foundation degree, “provides a new model of vocational higher education based on close collaboration between employers and providers of higher education. It aims to widen and increase participation in higher education by delivering knowledge and skills needed for employment by the application of work-based and flexible modes of learning.” QAA. (2002)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Foundation Degree in Learning Support
• Aims – General and specific
• Levels – within the UK single framework
• Structure and timescale – The modules
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
AimsGeneral Aim
The programme aims to rigorously educate students, facilitating their professional and academic development. In so doing, it aims to prepare them to become active, contributors to, and effective, incisive members of, the professional, evolving school team within which they work. The purpose of the programme is not to detach theory from practice but to enable theory to inform practice.
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Subsequently, specific aims include:
1. The facilitation of the professional development of students with particular regard for:
Professional values and practiceKnowledge and understandingTeaching and learning activities
including planning and expectations; monitoring and assessment; teaching and learning activities as described in the Professional Standards for Higher Level teaching assistants (Welsh Assembly Government. 2003. p. 30) ( Appendix 2)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Aims (Cont’d)
ii) the consolidation of participants’ Key Skills: Communication;
Application of number;ICT
and development of participants’ Wider Key Skills:
Working with others; Improving own learning and performance; problem solving
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Aims (Cont’d)iii) Critical reflection on their classroom
experience
iv) the capitalisation of the learning opportunities …to optimise participants’ team working skills and philosophy by consolidating the practice of collaboration with colleagues in their schools
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Aims (Last but not least!)
v) to extend participants academically by encouraging the use of literature, research evidence and documents relating to professional practice and to promote their education at HE level
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Entry, HE Levels and Progression
• The programme operates at Levels 4 and 5
of the National Single Framework
• Entry qualifications – Level 3 but…
• Progression – Top up to a full Honours
Degree
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Timescale
Three years (part time)
Can take up to five years due to part time nature of the programme
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Modules
Year 1 • 1.1 Study Skills and Methods of Enquiry• 1.2 Managing Behaviour• 1.3 Managing Behaviour in the Classroom
(Work- Based)• 1.4 How Children Learn• 1.5 Investigating Children’s Learning Work-
Based• 1.6 The Learning Cycle
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Year 2 Modules Supporting Children’s Learning –
2.1 Language Acquisition and Literacy2.2 Language Acquisition and Literacy
Work-Based2.3 ICT2.4 ICT in the Classroom Work-Based2.5 Numeracy2.6 Science and Technology
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Year 3 Modules 3.1 Research in Action
3.2 Action Research (Work-Based)
3.3 Introduction to Psychology
3.4 Leading the Learning
3.5 Inclusion and Diversity in Schools
3.6 Investigating Inclusion and Diversity
in Schools (Work-Based)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Rationale for Structure The modules:• facilitate the acquisition of skills necessary for studying at higher education levels 4 and 5 early in the sequence (module 1.1)• acknowledge the importance of behaviour management strategies for teaching assistants in their changing role, as articulated by head teachers and other programme team members (module 1.2 and 1.3)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Structure (Cont’d) •deliver related modules consecutively, focussing initially on academic and theoretical issues that are researched in context within the subsequent work-based module. (e.g. module 1.4 How Children Learn followed immediately by 1.5. Investigating Children’s Learning - Work-based)
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Teaching Strategies
• Facilitation of learning experiences
• “Talk for Thought”
•Modelling strategies
•Thinking Skills
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Assessment Tasks • Word counts – (or equivalence!)
Variety is the spice of life!• Presentations• Portfolios• Information Wall• Case Study • Poster Presentation • Lesson observation • Practitioner Research
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Poster Presentation
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Information Wall Learning and Assessment: (4000 words
equivalent)Building upon the work of module 3.4, the first part of this double module will require
you to work within a community of learning. You will work as small teams on a group task
to produce a presentation, which will be shared and evaluated by the whole group.
The whole task will be completed within two college based days.
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Work in groups of four. Using handouts, library sources, internet sources and school documentation to inform your understanding, investigate the ‘inclusive classroom’.
Present a broad outline of your group’s understanding of the ‘inclusive classroom’ – related specifically to SEN and cultural diversity. Address the following important elements:
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Legislation and policy documents relevant to SEN and to equal opportunities and cultural diversityIssues to do with appropriate curriculum for pupils with varied backgrounds and needsThe physical environment of the classroomThe ‘culture’ of the classroomCurriculum access and differentiation - including for ‘gifted’ pupils.Approaches to teaching and learning Reference appropriately in your presentation and include a reference list.
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
During the task keep a reflective log: document the work you have done and your reflections upon what you have learned. This
will be taken in at the end of the task.
When all the presentations have been completed you will be expected to work with a partner, review the presentations and produce written evaluations of two, with reference to
the assessment criteria.
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Assessment criteriaStudents will demonstrate:•critical engagement with school policies and current literature and legislation in terms of both SEN and the diversity of cultures within schools•knowledge and critical understanding of the complexity, identification and assessment of special needs•critical knowledge and understanding of provision for children with special educational needs in a mainstream school •critical engagement with the concept and practice of curriculum access and differentiation•an ability to analyse information critically
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Driving Force - The Students!
The Profile
The Dynamics – networking
The Commitment
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Enhanced Knowledge and Skills
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Increased Levels of Collaboration
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Confidence!
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
How do we support our students?
• Module Tutors
• Year Tutors
• School partnerships – school mentors
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
What has come to underpin the programme?
REFLECTION
and
CRITICAL REFLECTION
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Reflection
What is reflection? Reflection in actionReflection on action
Models of reflection
Donald Schon
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Critical Reflection What is critical reflection?
Recognising and Challenging:• Basic Assumptions •Meaning Perspectives •Frames of Reference
•Our “Window on the World”
Jack Mezirow and Patricia Cranton
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
Opportunities for Reflection and Critical Reflection
• Teaching sessions
• Group Discussions and activities
• Assessment tasks
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Lessons Learnt • Module Structure – Work-based and college based• The mentoring role • TA / Teacher dynamics • Logistics – the school year, the school day.• Assessment • ICT
Birch and Morgan NRCP 2008
The Way Forward
Continue to evaluate and ….
Listen to the students!
A full time programme