October Updates
Oct 2017
Business Support Staff - We Need You!
Earlier on this year, we launched the 'Customer Service Excellence' standards with managers and they worked with teams on July and September Development Days to translate the standards to their own contexts.
We need you!
We are now entering the next phases of the project and we need you! If you're a Business Support member of staff who has a creative and reflective approach then we need your ideas, knowledge and expertise on the working group to continue moving this project forward.
You can express your interest in this opportunity here no later than Friday 10 November - https://goo.gl/forms/h0WPW85kByFjv7Nl2
2 Tickets for John Hattie Conference
Apply no later than Friday 27 October at 5pm.
John Hattie is one of the educator researchers who has influenced our Cornerstones model for learning at The Sheffield College.
He is at the Sheffield Institute of Education on Monday 6 November and we have 2 tickets up for grabs!
Click here to enter yourself or nominate a colleague.
We'll input the names into a random name generator and select the winners that way.
We'll ask the winner to share their learning via a blog/vlog.
Time: 9.15 AM to 3.45 PM
Venue: Sheffield Institute of Education, Charles Street Building, Sheffield S1 2ND
Join Professor John Hattie for a guide to gaining maximum impact through focusing on what works BEST, not simply what works.
What you will learn
- The main factors that influence student learning
- The processes that maximise the impact of all your decisions
- What collective efficacy is, and why it is integral to effective professional development
- The value of student voice in developing all >aspects of student-centred learning
What you will be able to do
- Make decisions based on what you know for certain leads to a growth in student achievement
- Ensure all pupils make at least one year’s progress for one year’s input
- Take clear steps to evaluate the impact of what everyone does in your school
Learning and Development Coaches - Develop your practice
Research indicates that teachers generally engage in staff development 'because they want to become better teachers' and crucially believe that 'their students will benefit' as a result. The best kinds of CPD can not only 'combat boredom' but they also present 'a pathway to increased competence and greater professional satisfaction.' (Guskey, T) Coaching is one form of CPD that has the potential to result in these two things.
Coaching is ultimately concerned with the process of change: for you, your practice and your students.
Making changes in our practice that will positively affect students' learning outcomes (whether that's qualification grades, attendance, or motivation) is certainly not easy to achieve though.
Change takes time
'Change is a gradual and difficult process for teachers'
Change results from seeing a positive impact on students
'Regular feedback on student learning progress will support the change being made.'
Change will never emerge from a short-term intervention, especially a one-off
'Few teachers can move from a staff development program directly into the classroom and begin implementing with success.' (Guskey, T)
We have a number of Learning and Development coaches in place to help teachers to secure success. We define success here in line with what makes CPD most effective; observable positive changes in students' behaviours and activities.
If you're looking to secure a long-term change to your students' learning experience and you feel as though you can commit to engaging with your own practice through reflection and observation then click below to book with Martin.
Additionally, if you've recently agreed on a secondary developmental observation for your practice and would like some support then click below to book with Kath. If neither Martin nor Kath are available at the times you need then Hannah will work with you.
https://sites.google.com/a/sheffcol.ac.uk/tscpd/learning-and-development-coaches
What's new on the website?
There is also now a page with all of the information related to the UCAS process for 2018 applications.