Lessons learnt from form time

The biggest lesson I have learnt this week has been with my form. A new pastoral structure in the school has given me a Year 11 form, none of which I know or have taught before and with my part-time working means I share the tutor group with another tutor. Thankfully, as tutors, we had an opportunity to meet on the P.D day to agree on our shared expectations but it did not prepare me for that first day being faced with 25 Year 11's who probably hadn't been awake before 9am for 6 months let alone up, dressed and at school... So after me babbling excitedly at them, trying to learn their names or any personal information about them and being greeted with grunts and groans, I knew I needed a new approach the next day!

'Show-me' boards to the rescue! Again, I refer to Tom Sherrington & Oliver Cavigloli Teaching WalkThrus and their 5 steps to show-me boards.

1. Every student has a white-board and working pen

Easy - although the picture is not representative of the state of my boards or the black pens I have!

2. Ask the students a clear question with a goal

Easy - 'Write down your GCSE subjects'

3. Allow thinking time

Easy

4. Show me

Easy

5. Sample student responses

Perfect - I now have something - a way in to a conversation with teenagers.

And as their guard came down with easy, relatively non-personal questions, they begun to open up the conversation and it gave me that golden opportunity to find out their favourite football teams, or favourite food, their pets names and begin to build a relationship.

I am an avid user of show-me boards in my lessons and they are increasingly useful in the COVID classroom but I had never felt their power in the pastoral setting before. Perhaps this will get you to try something in a different setting, or just wipe down the set of whiteboards in the cupboard under the desk and use them.

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Lessons Learnt

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