Working together

Leader’s agenda

1. 10′15:30
2. 5′
3. 10′15:45
4. 30′15:55
5. 15′16:25
6. 5′

1. 15:30

   1Introduction

   10 min15:30–15:40

   1. a.
      Hand out the TLC agenda.
   2. b.
      Ask the group to arrange themselves into pairs (one group of three may be necessary) to observe each other’s lessons during the year. Partners should sit next to each other in all TLC workshops.
   3. c.
      Share the learning intentions of this workshop. We are learning to:

      • share successes and failures, and support each other
      • establish effective ways of working collaboratively.
   4. d.
      Distribute handout 1.1.1 What is formative assessment all about? as a reminder of the five key strategies, and point out that there are many techniques we can use for each strategy.
   5. e.
      Tell the group that you will choose people at random (e.g. using name cards) throughout this workshop.
2. 15:40

   2Starter activity

   5 min15:40–15:45

   1. a.
      Ask everyone to think of something they are looking forward to this school year. Each teacher has a maximum of 30 seconds to tell the group what it is, and no one can ‘pass’. When it is not their turn, teachers should be actively listening.
   2. b.
      Use the stopwatch, and choose respondents at random (e.g. name cards).
   3. c.
      Everyone must be involved in this activity.
3. 15:45

   3Feedback

   10 min15:45–15:55

   1. a.
      Hand out ‘my personal action plan’. Explain that each teacher keeps their own plan, and that you will keep a copy of each one at the end of the workshop so that you have a record of what they said they would do between sessions.
   2. b.
      Ask teachers who have attempted a formative assessment technique to choose one that was successful and complete the first section of the planning sheet. If no one observed them using the technique, they leave that section empty (2 minutes).
   3. c.
      Give each person one minute to share with the group a formative assessment technique that they have used successfully, choosing respondents at random (e.g. name cards). Everyone who was at the school last year should be involved in this activity; new teachers may also want to feed back.
4. 15:55

   4Working collaboratively

   30 min15:55–16:25

   1. a.
      Explain that we are going to start by evaluating how we each work individually when we are in a group.
   2. b.
      Distribute handout 1.1.2 Norms of collaboration inventory. Give everyone time to read it through, then ask them to rate themselves on each bullet point (10 minutes).
   3. c.
      Move on to how we will work together as a TLC group. Distribute handout 1.1.3 Lessons from the geese and give everyone time to read it through and have a short discussion in threes (5 minutes).
   4. d.
      Distribute handout 1.1.4 Ground rules for TLC and ask the group to read it and discuss any other principles they wish to add (10 minutes). The group can delete principles they do not agree on and add others that they do agree on, and the principles can change as the year goes on. Mention that this process can also be used with students to help them support each other.
   5. e.
      Each participant should keep a copy of the agreement.
5. 16:25

   5Personal action planning

   15 min16:25–16:40

   1. a.
      Using ‘my personal action plan’, each teacher chooses one or two techniques they are going to use during the next month and what they will do less of (teachers will need pushing on this).
   2. b.
      Pair-share: each teacher spends two minutes sharing their plan with their partner, then they swap.
   3. c.
      Hand out the peer lesson observation sheet for the teacher and the observer to use. Each keeps a copy as evidence for performance management; there will be no centrally held copies.
   4. d.
      Explain the peer lesson observation sheet using an example like this: ‘The focus is the technique that I plan to use in the lesson, and I can ask my observer to collect up to three types of evidence. For example, if I am trying to use no hands up, I may want the observer to check how consistently I use it, how I deal with students who refuse to answer and whether the technique appears embedded.’
   5. e.
      Ask pairs to arrange when observations will take place (they can be for a whole lesson or just for 20 minutes at the start, middle or end of a lesson).
   6. f.
      Choose two or three teachers at random (e.g. name cards) to share with the group what their partner is planning.
   7. g.
      Keep a copy of each teacher’s personal action plan so that you can follow up at the next session.

   Your school’s technique menu: choose one or two

   • Strengths and weaknesses discussion
   • Model papers
   • Choose-swap-choose
   • WALT, WILF, TIB

   What each technique looks like in class
6. 16:40

   6Summary of learning

   5 min16:40–16:45

   1. a.
      Ask each person, chosen at random (e.g. name cards), to name something they learned at the workshop. Do not allow any answers to be repeated.