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Robert Ellis
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Personal Statement
I have worked in inner city schools through to small rural schools, from wide ability to single sex selective schools. I have taught: Maths, Science, ICT, Electronics, Technology and RE.
ICT Interests
I enjoy control technology and from time to time write odd bits of software for mathematics education.
Recent Projects
I have a Think.com community and work with others on the team as an e-mentor. I am running a numeracy project to investigate how on-line learning can be used to develop numeracy.
Case Histories
Teachers can see change as dangerous and often perceive it as a threat. If the change results in success then everything is OK. If it does not result in success then the world can fall on you. Managers in schools need to have the vision and conviction, supported by research, to know that they are going to be right.
The Leigh CTC has over 1300 students who cover the whole ability range and our intake each year is required to match the national ability profile. Over the last three years we have: changed to a six term year, abolished bells to signal the end of lessons, introduced a modular curriculum, changed how we report to and consult with parents, changed the structure of the school day and introduced a new curriculum for post 16 students.
Students have been empowered to take responsibility for their own learning. I am a lead learner in our school.
As an institution we are investors in people and recognise all staff as learners. We aim to develop a culture where all individuals and their learning needs are recognised and in time hope to have an individual education plan for all. We have regular inset to develop staff up to and including a taught MA programme.
Teaching can be a double edged sword. If you teach someone how to use a tool they often come to believe that is the only use the tool can be put too. You can crush their creativity and spontaneity. I have been deliberate when introducing Think.Com to students to only give them a minimum amount of instruction. They never fail to surprise me with what they use it for. It is important to expose people to the opportunity for learning.
We have also looked at our current accommodation and have recognized that our existing buildings did not provide a suitable architecture for learning. We have removed walls, inserted vision panels and made more flexible learning spaces.
An example of how this is used is in our mathematics teaching. Students have two 85 minute lessons of maths per week. One lesson each week is in a "traditional classroom" with a single teacher. The other lesson is in a larger learning space with up to sixty children. The students work in groups where each member of the group has a similar programme of study. This learning space is staffed by three teachers and will have access to on-line learning through lap top computers connected to a College wide network through radio technology. Students like the new style of learning and report that the level of classroom support is as good if not better than it was before we changed the system. Parents receive a progress report on their son or daughters progress every six weeks.
Teachers were often reluctant to accept change and some felt threatened by students being able to learn outside the classroom and outside their control. Some of the teachers who had the greatest doubts have become some of the fiercest supports of the change.
I’ve been a member of MirandaNet for several years which has been my space to explore thoughts like these and express them to colleagues. I’ve had opportunities to speak on platforms and sometimes I know I have inspired others to make changes. Now I’m learning to be a MirandaNet mentor, so I suppose I’m a lead learner in MirandaNet as well.
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