Dear all

On my teacher-researcher web site, at http://palava.wikispaces.com/Policy,
I have written a page on research that may give us an insight on policy
announcements made by our coalition government. One of these is the effect
of school building and I quote below:

School buildings and learning Newcastle Research Centre for Learning
literature review "There is clear evidence that extremes of environmental
elements (for example, poor ventilation or excessive noise) have negative
effects on students and teachers and that improving these elements has
significant benefits. However, once school environments come up to minimum
standards, the evidence of effect is less clear-cut. Our evaluation
suggests that the nature of the improvements made in schools may have less
to do with the specific element chosen for change than with how the process
of change is managed. There appears to be a strong link between effective
engagement with staff, students and other users of school buildings and the
success of environmental change in having an impact on behaviour,
well-being or attainment. The ownership of innovation, in contrast to the
externally imposed solution, appears to tap directly into motivational
aspects which are key factors in maximising the impact of change. Changing
the environment is 'worth doing' if it is done as a design process."

So, the evidence is that there is a minimum standard to aim for, but above
that, further improvement in learning is uncertain. However, the research
does suggest that ownership of the design process can make a large
difference. Involving the teachers does help in improving effective
teaching, providing these teachers stay to work in the new environment, and
involving the learners may well generate more commitment to learning in the
environment they have helped to design, whether it be a new-build or a
refurbishment. The message seems to be, engage the teachers and learners
(and community) in all aspects, whether it is the learning space, or the
day to day lessons, and this improves commitment to attend, which is the
opposite of absenteeism! Focusing on absenteeism is the negative side of
focusing on commitment to attend.

Best wishes

John


On Sep 29 2010, Sarah Fletcher wrote:

> Hello John, Brian, Kamal and All, Thanks for this breath of fresh air!
> There is so much to celebrate that schoolteachers can (and often) do.
> Your examples remind me of the dedication and determination that I
> see. How do we assist beginning teachers to understand their role in
> addressing absenteeism? Another thought - are we in danger of assuming
> buildings dilapidation is the major 'driver'?That is not to say that I
> think we should not do everything we can to improve conditions.Might it
> be that peer pressure is more important as a determining factor in
> truancy cases? Back to your point, Kamal - where you said absenteeism and
> truency differ - how is that? The reason I ask is that few on this list
> have as yet had an opportunity to read your book.What did you find to be
> the major reasons for absenteeism that teachers should address? Warm
> regards, Sarah Sarah Fletcher
>
>
>
>Consultant Research Mentor
>
>
>
>http://www.TeacherResearch.net
>
>Convenor for BERA Mentoring and Coaching SIG
>
>Details at http://www.bera.ac.uk
>
>--- On Wed, 9/29/10, John Oversby <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>From: John Oversby <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Our e-seminar; absenteeism
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 8:55 AM
>
>Dear all,
>
> As with many colleagues, I am very much aware of the negative side of
> school-teaching. I do recommend, though, a very different tack on what we
> report, where we confirm the positive actions that reduce absenteeism and
> truancy. Similarly, we should differentiate those items where individual
> teachers, senior management teams, and society at large have made
> attending school more likely.
>
> 1. Successful and effective individual teachers have made their lessons
> more interesting by attending to setting learning goals that are at the
> same time challenging and achievable. By attending to what their learners
> have already learned, they avoid unhelpful repetition, and create
> different ways of teaching topics or areas that have been found difficult
> so far. They differentiate between those having difficulties and those
> who have already been successful in learning a topic by sensitively
> differentiating the learning activities. Successful teachers explain why
> the topic is significant, rather than simply what the curriculum
> dictates. Successful teachers choose methods that encourage their
> learners to self-monitor progress. Successful teachers build successful
> and respectful relationships with the learners that promote
> teacher-learner interaction where admitting difficulties is not
> threatening or unusual, and includes dialogue. Successful teachers seek a
> safe and positive atmosphere in their classroom. Successful teachers plan
> a range of whole-class, group or individual activities that relate
> directly to learning. Successful teachers recognise valuable achievement,
> and feedback this recognition to the learners. Successful teachers
> quickly recognise the difficulties their learners have from time to time,
> and have a repertoire of alternative ways of teaching. Successful
> teachers encourage their learners in self-assessment so that learning
> becomes self-directed. Successful teachers put learning first, not fun
> and enjoyment, and recognise that much successful learning is hard work
> but leads to personal satisfaction and increased self-esteem. Successful
> teachers are self-critical, but not unduly, and seek to understand both
> the teaching and learning process through personal professional
> development.
>
> 2. Successful school management arranges its systems to support learning
> in class, providing appropriate resources and comfortable classrooms and
> other spaces. Successful school management supports teachers by dealing
> with students with difficulties through positive contact with parents, by
> taking students out of class where necessary to teach positive behaviour
> strategies and to remediate previous poor learning in small groups.
> Successful school management recognises successful teaching, often
> facilitating sharing successful teaching methods through internal INSET
> sessions, and supporting promotion. Successful school management adopts a
> sensitive but systematic monitoring system for teaching and learning,
> supporting individual teachers where improvement is necessary, but taking
> appropriate action in a respectful way when improvement is unlikely. I am
> fortunate to work part-time in a school, Prospect School in Reading, as
> an Education Researcher on the school staff, where the senior management
> have adopted these principles as far as possible.
>
> 3. There is a role for successful political and community action to
> support schools. Successes such as funding school new-build and
> refurbishment, in joint community teaching in extended schools, and
> engaging families in developments in schools, are real examples of
> positive support from outside. As an example, when I was a full-time
> school-teacher, I invited parents and governors to observe me teach,
> without notice! Many took up this offer, some more than once, helping to
> generate a positive image of the lessons, and reducing absenteeism
> through greater community knowledge of what was going on.
>
> No doubt, I could give more examples, and I encourage others to do so,
> but those I have given may give rise to some discussion, even
> disagreement. In the meantime, thank you for the opportunity for me to
> formulate my thinking in this tangible way.
>
>Best wishes
>
>John
>
>
>
>On Sep 28 2010, Brian wakeman wrote:
>
>> I visit schools and observe in different subject classrooms:
>>
>> students are -told what to do, sometimes invited, but mainly directed.
>> -sit in uncomfortable chairs behind tables or desks -constrained in a
>> large group -have to move around the building at set times that can be
>> cold and windy.
>>
>> Is it any wonder that some teenagers opt-out in the lessons creating
>> entertainment, and others absentee themselves?
>>
>> I'm not been negative...... most students appear to conform or
>> adapt..... but the
>>
>> conditions for learning are not comfortable in many subjects.
>>
>> Of course many lessons I observe are fun, engaging, exciting, and
>> students show their pleasure in their learning. In PE they can get
>> bossed-about and are exposed to peer gaze, as well as stimulating and
>> enjoyable. In Drama they may be coerced into alarming 'acting'
>> situations, as well as creative opportunities. In Art  I find more
>> individual,. creative work and a quiet relaxed atmosphere. In Music
>> there can be a loud cacophony of sound assaulting the ears of the
>> learner, or sound proof practice rooms with friendly tuition..
>>
>> Perhaps school managers should take time to consider the everyday
>> experiences and feelings of students as learners when they address
>> absence issues?
>>
>> Brian E. Wakeman
>> Free-lance Educational Consultant
>>
>>
>
>>
>> -- John Oversby, PI, Changing with the Climate project Funded under the
>> Comenius Lifelong Learning Networks programme Managed by Rayner Mayer
>> and Pam Lewis, Construction Management, University of Reading
>>
>> Institute of Education
>> Reading
>> RG6 1HY
>> UK
>> Telephone +44 7888738595
>>
>
>-- From John Oversby
>
>Institute of Education
>
>Reading University
>
>Reading
>
>RG6 1HY
>
>Tel 0118 378 5906
>
>Mobile : 07888738595
>
> The next Reading Teacher Research Group PALAVA is on 6th November at
> Reading University. Details are on: www.palava.wikispaces.com
>
> I will also be using the email [log in to unmask] after my
> retirement at the end of September. My web site is
> www.johnoversby.wikispaces.com and will have details
>

--
From John Oversby

Institute of Education

Reading University

Reading

RG6 1HY

Tel 0118 378 5906

Mobile : 07888738595

The next Reading Teacher Research Group PALAVA is on 6th November at
Reading University. Details are on: www.palava.wikispaces.com

I will also be using the email [log in to unmask] after my retirement
at the end of September. My web site is www.johnoversby.wikispaces.com and
will have details