10 Ways to Revise 'Of Mice and Men'.

1. Make sure that you know the plot. Click below to watch a plot summary...

2. Make sure that you understand the historical context of the novel  -this will enhance your answer to any question that may be asked. Portchester School has a series of extremely useful revision clips...

3.Revise the characters. Click on this picture to find handy revision cards to print out...

4. Search for resources online. Here is a revision booklet which you can download. (Thank you www.icknield.beds.sch.uk)

5.Watch the film again and think of a topic to make notes on as you watch it -e.g. 'How does Steinbeck present the relationship between George and Lennie?'

6. Look at past papers and mark schemes. Practise answering the question in the time allowed. Click on the picture to go to the AQA webpage...

7.  Think about the structure of the novella. Mr Bruff explains this really well here...

8. Think about how to structure your answer to get the highest marks...

9. Purchase a revision guide. Follow the link in the picture to Amazon...

10. Watch the Thug Notes version for a different approach...

Any questions or tips of your own? Add comments below.

Ten Ways To Revise 'An Inspector Calls'...

1. Make sure that you know the plot... 

Re-read the whole play, or if you're a bit short of time watch this excellent summary of the plot on BBC Bite Size:

2. Make sure that you understand the context of the play; this is important to any question that may be asked...

Portchester School has an excellent YouTube clip to help you with this:

3. Understand the character of Mr Birling and Priestly's use of dramatic irony...

'Titanic...unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable' - Mr Birling

#Helpmemrdavies has a great lesson on YouTube which explains this really well and in an entertaining way:
Link To Video Clip - Birling's Toast 

4. Learn key quotes...

Write down key quotes for every character and theme - learn them to save time in the exam.

5. Revise the characters...

Click on the picture to watch a YouTube tutorial:

6.Revise the themes of the play...

Blast through them all in the blink of an eye- with these short pod-casts:

7. Look at past papers and mark schemes...

Practise answering the question in the time allowed. Click on the picture to go to the AQA web page...

8. Search for revision resources online...

A good example can be found at http://www.langley-sec.solihull.sch.uk/ - Click on the picture to find the resource:

9. Purchase a revision guide...

Follow the link in the picture to Amazon.

Watch the film again and make notes on how drama is created at various points in the plot...

Any questions or tips of your own? Add comments below...

Exam Preparation

This week, led by Michelle Turnbull (Teacher of Maths), we shared ideas about how to prepare students for exams in our subjects. Here are some of the activities that we use to improve exam skills:

• Ask students to write their own exam questions.

• 'Pass it On' - students start a response to a question and then pass it on after several minutes, the next students then add to this and so on, trying to pick up extra marks each time it is passed on.

• Maths explained how they turn shorter exam questions into a game of bingo.

• Ask students to set the learning objectives using the exam mark scheme.

• Let students complete their answers in groups and then use the visualiser to share their work with the class.

• Using a 3x3 grid, put a revision activity in each square and ask students to complete three in a row in any direction (vertically, horizontally or diagonally).

• Set up an 'Exam Race', students complete questions and bring them to the teacher to be marked, with the aim of gathering as many marks as possible. Alternatively you could task the more able students to act as teacher or expert, give them a mark scheme and allow them to award marks for other students' work.

Please share any other revision activities that you use with your classes below...

Effective Learner Behaviours

Nurturing Outstanding Attitudes to Learning

This week Amanda McHugh (Director of Learning SNF) led Swap Shop. During the session we discussed how we could encourage and nurture effective learner behaviours. Preparing students to take an independent approach, in order to take control of their learning, is hugely beneficial to a student. As educators, it is our responsibility to equip them with approaches that will help them to learn how to learn.

By learning how to learn, students will continue to learn effectively throughout their lives. 

Amanda explained the 5Rs of learning (These can be found below and in the Swap Shop folder in the shared area). During Swap Shop we talked about putting these posters on display in classrooms,using them to set learning outcomes and referring to them frequently during lessons. 

If you have any further suggestions about how to use the 5Rs, please share your ideas in the comments box below.

The Five 'Rs'

A responsible learner knows to:

stay calm

get on with it

plan ahead

make good choices

help others

The reflective learner:

asks “why?”

stays calm

listens to different options

learns from mistakes

uses memory techniques

A resilient learner: 

sticks at it

has a positive attitude

finds interest in what they are doing

sets targets

practises

A resourceful learner uses:

Imagination

learns in different ways

asks good questions

takes risks

 

The learner who reasons can:

take their time

gather all the evidence

say which is better and why

choose the best method

 

How to Leave Cover Work

This week Swap Shop was delivered by Jane Edwards (Cover Supervisor).  We were given the opportunity to consider what it was like to be a Cover Supervisor:

Cover Supervisors shared their experiences of the different types of lessons that they have been given to teach:

In groups, we looked at a variety of different lesson plans that had been set as cover work and discussed whether or not they were teachable. (Try not to get too distracted by the wide array of Christmas Jumpers- it was Christmas Jumper Day!) 

Jane then provided us with some things to consider when setting cover work:

Finally, the Cover Supervisors shared their experience of activities which always seem to go well when left as cover work:

Using a Visualiser to Support Learning

This week Swap Shop was led by Julie Hampson (Second in Humanities). Julie explained how she uses the visualiser in lessons to support students' learning. Here are some of the tips that she shared with us:

1.Visualisers can be used as a tool in most lessons to 'spotlight' good work and to model exemplar work. 

2.The visualiser can also be used to record videos, in order to play back on a loop whatever you may wish to model for the students. Chris Dunleavy showed us how he uses this function when teaching Art. The picture below shows how to select the camera and video options from the Ladybug menu...

3.The Lady bug can also be used alongside Active Inspire; you can annotate over whatever you are visualising by using this method.

4.Using the visualiser can be a great way to get students to engage with teacher and peer-marking, as shown below...

5. Students' work can be selected using the random name generator to be visualised, in order to provide instant feedback. This also encourages students to produce their best work as they are constantly mindful that their work may be visualised.

6. Finally, we discussed how it could be beneficial to visualise a pupil working in real time, during the lesson to encourage engagement and to share the learning process. Students could be selected to work under the visualiser at random points during lessons.

 

The PowerPoint presentation from this session can be found in the shared area, in the 'Swap Shop' folder.

Do you have any other suggestions for using a visualiser in lessons? Please share...

5 Useful Tips for Raising Boys' Achievement

This week Swap Shop was led by Lisa Pattinson (Teacher of Creative Arts). Here Lisa has provided several quick and easy ways to engage boys and raise their achievement:
1. Try getting students to set their own targets for themselves and each other...

2.Provide students with examples of your own work, to inspire them... 



3. Provide real examples of levelled work...

 4. Build positive relationships...

5. Don' forget to praise your pupils regularly with positive citations and college points.