I found myself in, what I imagine, is a familiar scene for most year 11 teachers. That final lesson where after weeks, months, terms of preparation the fruits of your labours leave your classroom ready for an exam period which will decide their post-secondary school life.
This term in my new school is the first for several years that I have seen a year 11 cohort with old-school study leave just the way it had been when I was in year 11 (many years ago). In my previous position it was compulsory for students to attend all lessons in that subject until all of that subject's exams had finished. Here students are free to attend the lessons they feel they need the support in.
This was greeted with mixed interpretations from both the students and teachers in my team and I can't say either party was entirely to blame.
Did students know what they needed support in? Were students aware of the value of past papers and examiners reports? Would the benefit of small group sizes in these support lessons trickle down to all students in the year? Was asking students who live an hour away to come to school for SOME lessons too much? Did they know how to manage their time outside of lessons to maximise this 'free time' in the run up to exams?
But what about the teachers.... Had they, in their opinion, delivered everything possible therefore leaving these sessions null and void? Were there any past papers left to do? Was the "don't come and observe me P2 tomorrow as it is just a revision lesson" mentality around? Were their minds now on year 12, SOW planning for September, on a beach in Bali sipping a Mai Tai?
With these things in mind should the scheme of work reflect such questions? I found myself wondering how our scheme of work should reflect this 'downtime' in May/June and whether we really prepare our students for learning independently as we suddenly expect them to be walking, talking, cue card creators reducing two years worth of work onto a postage stamp by the day before the exam.
And for teachers, do they all have the skills to effectively deliver these types of ad hoc sessions? Do I model the expectations well enough with my own groups? Does something just have to give at this time of year?
Our last exam is on Thursday...now pass me that Mai Tai.
This term in my new school is the first for several years that I have seen a year 11 cohort with old-school study leave just the way it had been when I was in year 11 (many years ago). In my previous position it was compulsory for students to attend all lessons in that subject until all of that subject's exams had finished. Here students are free to attend the lessons they feel they need the support in.
This was greeted with mixed interpretations from both the students and teachers in my team and I can't say either party was entirely to blame.
Did students know what they needed support in? Were students aware of the value of past papers and examiners reports? Would the benefit of small group sizes in these support lessons trickle down to all students in the year? Was asking students who live an hour away to come to school for SOME lessons too much? Did they know how to manage their time outside of lessons to maximise this 'free time' in the run up to exams?
But what about the teachers.... Had they, in their opinion, delivered everything possible therefore leaving these sessions null and void? Were there any past papers left to do? Was the "don't come and observe me P2 tomorrow as it is just a revision lesson" mentality around? Were their minds now on year 12, SOW planning for September, on a beach in Bali sipping a Mai Tai?
With these things in mind should the scheme of work reflect such questions? I found myself wondering how our scheme of work should reflect this 'downtime' in May/June and whether we really prepare our students for learning independently as we suddenly expect them to be walking, talking, cue card creators reducing two years worth of work onto a postage stamp by the day before the exam.
And for teachers, do they all have the skills to effectively deliver these types of ad hoc sessions? Do I model the expectations well enough with my own groups? Does something just have to give at this time of year?
Our last exam is on Thursday...now pass me that Mai Tai.