Other Changes - Project Afternoon's

We looked at how the whole school community could take the skills and knowledge that they were learning in the classroom and apply them.

We are removing the 'Core' lessons from S3 - S4 and making Wednesday and Friday Afternoon's Project Afternoon's.

Project proposals are being developed at the moment. All staff getting ideas together and looking at how practical they would be. We have split the year into 6 week blocks. A staff member can offer a single block of 6 weeks using either one afternoon, and offer a different project the other afternoon (12 hours) or both (24 hours), a double block etc.

My proposal is setup a media group that will produce a TV News programme for the school intranet and podcasts for the internet. I plan to run this all year but I am hoing that the group producing it will change over the year.

This is how we are approaching a Curriculum for Excellence. What do you think?

Technorati tags: Islay, education, Argyll, ACfE, school of ambition, education scotland

A Curriculum for Excellence - ACfE

Today I was at the ACfE roadshow.

I love the concept of ACfE.

From Blog Pics

 

The idea of stating what you want your whole education system to do in such a clear way is inspirational. Its almost a mission statement for Scottish Education.

but.......

This has some major problems challenges before it will work.

The biggest challenge was exemplified within the group I worked with this morning.

They were a full range from a Pre 5 worker to  2 secondary Head Teachers. The pre 5 and primary colleague's were extremely thoughtful, enthusiastic, and positive. They looked at all the interesting and exciting approaches and activities they could do.

The secondary reaction, myself included, was ' how do we measure it?' or ' what about my subject?'

The material we looked at was the only material which has fully gone through the quality assurance process. It was 'Science', but was it the subject science? Parts of it would be covered by Geography, PE, Technology, RME, any number of places.

Their are 2 major problems that I see. One is cultural the other is practical.

The cultural one is Departmental protectionism. Each specialist will look from their area and say I should be teaching 'that' part in this 'way'. Another specialist will say that they need to teach it with another emphasis. Therefore no declutering just lots justifying of subjects within the framework.

The practical one is the way that secondary teachers are finally judged. The Exam results.

The SQA need to be fully behind this. We were told today that were. Maybe they are. I don't know.I wish I did and I wish I knew what they are thinking

 

Technorati tags: a curriculum for excelence, ACfE, education scotland, SQA