Although, I think, possibly more suited towards secondary school teachers, there is lots of great advice for how to deliver outstanding lessons.
Over a series of posts I will share some of my learning from this book which is well worth a read.
Bentley-Davies writes that in recent years, lessons judged to be outstanding have focused less on the teacher's demonstration of their expert knowledge and more on the students and their learning and independence.
This is certainly the approach that I'm taking towards the way I teach, and also the way I observe lessons. When it comes to lesson observations, the focus is on the pupils and their learning, not the teacher at the front of the room.
The crucial questions to consider are:
- What helps the pupils learn?
- How are they encouraged to be independent?
- How much progress have they made in the lesson?
In excellent lessons the four areas below are carefully balanced.
Teacher Subject Knowledge
- Teacher knows their subject area
- they create engaging and memorable strategies for passing this on.
- They are able to anticipate, respond to and correct misconceptions.
Pupil Engagement
- Safe environment in which to learn and share ideas.
- Good management of classroom behaviour.
- Pupils are actively involved in the lesson and learn from each other.
Effective Climate for Learning
- Positive atmosphere - plenty of praise.
- Pupils feel able to respond and take a chance.
- Teacher fosters pupils' self-confidence.
Pupils Develop Independence in Their Learning
- Pupils know what 'good' work looks like and how to achieve it.
- They are aware of what their next learning steps are and how to tackle them.
- They are able to work independently and discuss their ideas.
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