Think Differently

What if I told you that you could help your students to be more resilient, independent and self-confident with their learning. You probably would not believe it, but it is possible by teaching pupils to ‘think like a coder’.

Computational thinking underpins the Computing National Curriculum for England (2014). Using this way of thinking across the curriculum allows students to compartmentalise the way they work in order to problem solve. Key aspects of computational thinking include; using what they already know to reason logically, creating a set of steps (like an algorithm) that need to be followed in order to solve a problem, converting a task into a series of smaller ones (otherwise known as decomposition), spotting similarities between different problems or recognising patterns, removing unnecessary information by focusing only on relevant details (abstraction) and evaluation to check solutions are fit for purpose.

These skills can be used across the curriculum and, together with self and peer assessment, can fit into whatever strategies currently used in school to promote positive working practices for children. For some, none of this is new, but for others it might be time to think differently.

@MrsGrant_BATL Student Teacher - Sheffield
April 2019

First published in UKEd Magazine - Issue 54

Healing The Wounds

With the EU Referendum creating a divide Britain, many of us have been left wondering how we as educators can help heal the wounds. I was pondering this exact dilemma and came to a conclusion - Through the classroom.

This week, I have been on an English as an Additional Language placement as a student in a school with a high concentration of pupils that are Black minority ethnic and/or have English as an additional language. It was a school-rich in all languages, that celebrates six religious days as well as observing all nearly all social action justice days. The children were welcoming and accepting of everyone that didn’t look or sound quite like them.

I observed a P4C session and it gave me hope. Our children are the future and it is through them that we have the opportunity to sow the seeds to nurture a process of reconciliation to bridge the divide. If we teach the children to be more tolerant to each other, this may suffuse back to families and make a difference. Currently, it feels we have very few ways to change our current situation. However, as teachers, the answer may lay right in front of us.

@MrsGrant_BATL Student Teacher - Sheffield
November 2018

First published in UKEd Magazine - Issue 53