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PD Day Lessons



After our two P.D. days back at school, I have two lessons to reflect on. 

My first lesson; our year group bubble system means that our students won’t be socially distancing from one another, but that staff are required to maintain 2m from the students. Whilst one teacher joked ‘Ah, I will finally be able to legitimately spend all lesson teaching by sitting at the front of the room’, another gasped ‘Oh, but circulating the room is what I do!’ I agree with the second teacher but I am also relieved that the students will be sat next to each other and will be able to use ‘think, pair, share’ as it is intended to be used (see my last post). More ideas on how to ‘teach from the front’ to follow in a future post... 

Whilst most staff seemed happy to return to school there was a feeling of uncertainty and apprehension in the air and that leads me to my second lesson; the need for us to maintain that ‘relentless positivity’ when the students arrive, despite our own feelings. 

This brings me to another great 'touchstone text' - Teaching WalkThrus by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli. 

Teaching WalkThrus: Five-step guides for instructional coaching: Amazon.co.uk: Tom Sherrington, Oliver Caviglioli, Oliver Caviglioli, Oliver Caviglioli: 9781912906765: Books

At this time of year, we must establish ‘Positive relationships: Blending warmth, kindness with assertiveness.’ 

In this particular WalkThru (as with all the WalkThrus) there are 5 guiding principles, but I will consider the COVID implications of each: 

1. Establish norms around clear roles and boundaries

Our behaviour policy and classroom expectations haven't changed, and it is important to reinforce this from the start. I won't be able to circulate the room as before so using seating plans to strategically place students is more important than ever. For example, I would love to put Tommy at the back of the room so his behaviour doesn't distract others but I also know he needs that one-to-one support so I will sit him at the end of the row at the back! Where will you sit your Tommy? 

2. Communicate kindness

We all know students have had different learning experiences in lockdown but now is not the time to dwell on this. Now is the time to use our 'lens of kindness' to find the positives and move forwards. 

3. Learn names and use them

This is always important to develop relationships but also for our classroom management. Without that ability to circulate the room and give those subtle hints like, a tap on the desk in front of a student to refocus them, the use of names will be essential to communicate with those hard to reach students. By that I mean the physically hard to reach students in the middle of the classroom! 

4. Combine assertiveness with warmth

As it reads.

5. Always the adult

Remember that like some staff, some students may also be feeling apprehensive about their return to school but once we are the adult in the classroom that is exactly what we should be. Put your concerns aside and model the behaviour you want your students to follow. 

Which reminds me: 











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