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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 17 2008, 1:47 PM EDT (current) | DonnaTrebell | |
| Apr 17 2008, 1:43 PM EDT | DonnaTrebell | 1 photo added |
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| I teach in a large rural comprehensive school. I teach Geography at KS4 and KS5 along with some leisure and tourism. At KS3 we follow a two year thematic project based learning curriculum called TOTaL curriculum which currently includes English, maths, geography, History and ERS. Through this I teach some traditional styled geography lessons based on thinking skills and project learning, but I also teach joint lessons where the lesson is delivered to 60 pupils by 2 teachers of different subject backgrounds. The lessons are project based and usually run over the term. I am keen to take part in the project as I hope to be able to develop our thematic cross-curricular learning across KS3 including Science, technology and the vocational aspects. I would like to see some projects that fully allow the students to put what we learn into a relevant context. I think that the STEM project will provide me with the opportunity to do this. | I am a science teacher at Mulberry School for Girls in London. I am interested in inter-disciplinary collaborations and their potential for developing creativity and new ways of learning. I’m currently working on a science-geography project and a science – religious studies project for KS3. Over the last couple of years I have been working with Creative Partnerships, The Arts Catalyst and the Rolls-Royce Science Prize on inter-disciplinary themes. I come from an Australian farming background and have spent about half my life in the city and half in the country. I am interested in growing / biodiversity / sustainability in cities (another cross-curricular collaboration) but have to regularly escape to open space, especially North Wales and Scotland. |
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 Hello! My name is Roisin Dolan, I started teaching Design Technology at Birley Community College, Sheffield in September. So far I have taken part in a range of new and exciting activities within my subject and across the school, such as co- leading a team of students in preparation for the national CAD/CAM event in July, and the ‘SSAT Programme of Good Practice’. The SSAT programme involved collaborating with other specialist schools to develop various thinking and learning techniques, to enable the creation of a more student centred curriculum models, learning resources and lessons. I have also worked with the Fr. Agnel Engineering School in Mumbai, India. This involved developing projects and learning resource packs aimed at improving communication and creative thinking skills of 11-14 year old boys. Within school we are currently developing a new Y7 STEM curriculum with the aim of replacing our current Y7 Science and DT curriculum from 2008. I am enjoying putting together these resources and the opportunities and challenges this is providing. Particularly setting up our after school STEM workshop, this has been a great opportunity for work as a part of a cross curricular team, planning activities both within and outside school and then getting to see what students enjoy and really get engaged in. The chance to be involved in a project such as the Nuffield STEM development is amazing and I am very much looking forward to being apart of the PALS lab and helping to design innovative and creative STEM resources that really capture learners’ imagination. | My job title says that I am the coordinator of KS3 Maths and numeracy across the curriculum at Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre. I think that sounds far too fancy, though. What I really am is a teacher with a desire to equip students with the inspiration, tools and skills to pursue their talents and dreams. This is in large part why I chose to join the Homewood TOTaL curriculum team with its pioneering and daring approaches to learning, and also a reason why I am excited to be part of this PAL Lab. I am a big supporter of thinking outside the box, taking risks, and being willing to take the road less travelled. I myself left the traditional education system in England at the age of 14 to go to a ski academy in Norway to follow my passion for ski racing. I continued on to America for my uni degree and then spent a year volunteering in Ecuador and Borneo, which was awesome. I don’t think I turned out too bad as a result of not following the traditional route. I’m excited about the direction the new curriculum is going in and am looking forward to seeing what ideas we can come up with this week to support its realisation. |
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 I teach science at KS3 and 4 in a smallish school just outside of Brighton - which is lovely! We piloted and still teach 21st Century Science at KS4 and currently run a 3 year KS3. The whole school is looking at themed project based modules for KS3, much as we did when the school first opened 6 years ago but on a bigger scale, with much more cross curricular planning. We already have thinking skills working across each subject for each of our current modules and have seen benefits in our students from having this cross curricular approach. I really hope to help our school develop its themed modules across KS3 and believe that the STEM project is an excellent starting point. We are looking at the following module names: No place like home (community / enquiry), On your marks get set go (Culture / creativity), Money in my pocket (enterprise / information processing), Lets talk (communication / reasoning), Staying alive (our bodies and health / evaluating). It’s an exciting time. |  I am currently working as Assistant Curriculum Leader for Science at Birley Community College, Sheffield. I have worked at this school for 7 years and am fortunate to have been given many opportunities to work on developments within my own subject and across the school. For example I have written on-line resources for teaching vocational subjects, and written and run a development in school introducing problem solving project- based learning into the curriculum. This has also given me the opportunity to speak at SSAT events and NSCL headteacher events. Based on these developments I have just completed the SSAT course, “Developing Leaders of the Future” and gained accreditation from Warwick University, receiving a Postgraduate Certificate in Innovation in Education.I am currently involved in a cross curricular single issue group with the aim of introducing STEM into the curriculum at our school. I believe the publication of the new National Curriculum is allowing schools more flexibility and it is an exciting opportunity for teachers to add richness to the curriculum and capture student’s enthusiasm. I am really keen to be involved in the Nuffield STEM developments and look forward to raising the awareness of STEM in my school. I am really excited about the opportunity to visit the PALS lab, although a little worried about the need to bring wellies! |
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| I have been at Mulberry School for Girls since 2002. Currently I am assistant headteacher with responsibility for strategic development of ICT, however for 5 years I was head of the mathematics faculty. I have a keen interest in how ICT and technology can develop teaching and learning. Currently I am planning a virtual learning day for year 9 pupils to be run during the summer term. This will involve planning a series of faculty based workshops to develop the use of ICT, workshops will include use of animation, PDA’s and web based learning. At the more strategic level I am implementing learning platforms across the school and considering how to assess the impact on pupils and teachers from the current extensive ICT development plan. During my time as had of faculty I developed the use of graphical calculators and plotters, data logging and online testing. Over the past three years I have also been involved in developing use of assessment for learning techniques. This started with use of learning objectives and success criteria but was developed into use of questioning, pupil dialogue and self and peer assessment. I do believe pupils can become more independent and reflective learners through such an approach. Developing activities for lessons and planning how assessment for learning techniques can be used by pupils has had a strong influence on the improved results the school has achieved in mathematics. In my role as assistant head I line manage maths and ICT and mentor two “Teach First” BT’s. I have completed mentor training both as part of the London Challenge and London Providers’ mentor training framework, part 1. I make regular lesson observation and have completed observations with a trained OFSTED inspector. Former to working at Mulberry I have worked in inner city schools in Brighton and Bedford. I also spent two years working overseas in an International school in Brussels. |  After university I worked for two years in the hazardous waste disposal industry which was thrilling enough to prompt me to move to Japan and work as an Assistant English Teacher for three years. Unfortunately my Japanese language skills are fading fast, but I still can’t bring myself to wear shoes indoors! This experience led to a PGCE and to becoming a science teacher at Birley Community College. I’ve been at Birley for seven years now and am currently an AST teaching science and ICT. Over the past seven years I have been involved with various whole school initiatives looking at curriculum redesign and learning materials creation.As part of the SSAT “Developing leaders of the Future” course I co-led the redesign of the schools homework policy which abandoned traditional homework and introduced cross curricular projects. I was also part of a team creating materials for Birley’s programme of PLTS led alternative curriculum events which aim to develop independent learning through thematic one and two day projects. As part of the South Yorkshire e-Learning Project, I was involved in writing learning and assessment resources for DiDA and BTEC Manufacturing Engineering and more recently this has included creating materials for OCR National ICT and OCR National Science. As one of the people running the schools after hours STEM club I became involved in the school’s development of a new STEM curriculum for the 2008 Y7 students. I find this work particularly exciting and challenging as we have been given the chance to redesign the science and DT curriculum with the aim of putting student engagement and learning at the centre of a STEM based model. I’m looking forward to being involved in the Nuffield STEM project as I believe that it will bring relevant, exciting science and technology back to the KS3 curriculum. |
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 Having held a variety of Design and Technology related posts including Head of Department, I am now the Lead AST for the West Kent Learning Federation and Member of the Extended Leadership Team at Mascalls School in Kent. The Lead AST role involves leading a team of fifteen ASTs in their outreach activities across eighteen schools in West Kent in order to meet the development needs identified by the WKLF Headteachers. My work at Mascalls includes the following:
In 2004 I was responsible for the launch and follow up training for the key stage 3 Design and Technology Framework in Kent. I now sit on the Editorial Board for the Design and Technology Association focussing particularly on KS3 as well as sitting on the Secondary Examination and Advisory Group. I am also one of the South East Regional Advisers for the New Secondary Design and Technology Curriculum. In this capacity I have helped run briefing and follow up training sessions for teachers across the South East. In addition to this I am in the final stages of a doctorate in education which focuses’ on the study of classroom interaction during designerly activity. Through this work I have been able to identify the features of classroom interaction which support the development of designerly activity in fledgling designers. | |
