Adam Robbins Education

Over the last two years I have spent a lot less time blogging and a lot more time thinking about CPD.

I’ve noticed that often when CPD goes bad it misses many of the EEF’s mechanisms for effective CPD.

Over time I have developed a bit of a checklist for the things that I find helpful in planning my CPD sessions I run.

Below is my checklist along with a rationale and example of things that might be in the session if it was on introducing choral response.

At the bottom of the blog is a link to download a .pdf for your own copy.

Section	Rationale	Example: Introducing choral response
Start
Do Now:	This could be the recall of vital information pertinent to this session from previous work or the opportunity to reflect on an aspect of their current practice that you are looking to improve.	Questions on how students currently are introduced to keywords.
Why this?	Why are we investing time in this idea? Why is this the most important thing?	We have a need to increase the active participation in classes as students are passive.
Why now?	Why are we doing it now? How does it fit into the school’s improvement plan?	We have calm classrooms, and we want to increase the levels of active participation before we introduce structured talk
Setting the scene: Persistent problem	What problem that your teachers have does this session solve?	Do you find that students lack confidence using subject specific terminology when it is first introduced?
Explaining new content and techniques
Explain, evidence then define*	Explain the solution to the problem, citing evidence from relevant sources, before naming the technique and clearly defining it.	Having all students say the word allowed increases their fluency. This increases their confidence in using it in verbal and written answers. To avoid confusing students we need a common routine…. we are going to call this choral response
Example 1	Simple example of the technique in action to illustrate the major features of it.	Plants make their own food via photosynthesis, I say you say ‘photosynthesis’
Example 2	Second example shows how the technique is adjusted for different subject/content/audience	What is the word for when plants make their own glucose? Everyone on three 1,2, 3…
Non-example	Third example shows common misapplication of technique	I say you say: Photosynthesis is when plants make glucose from carbon dioxide and water
Discussion	Opportunities for staff to reflect on the features or impact of the technique.	E.g. Why is the non-example a misapplication?
Checking for understanding	Checks the key features of the technique have been fully understood by everyone at each stage	Quick quiz on features of choral response.
Practice
Deliberate practice	Any routine that is introduced will need practicing. Firstly, with you leading, then in trios.	Model a quick explanation of using choral response to teach an unfamiliar terminology like Collateralized Debt Obligation
Scenarios	Should check teachers can recognise and apply the techniques using fictitious teachers in a variety of situations.	Teachers using it correctly, teachers using it incorrectly for example for too long a term or without the correct cues. What would you do if the class didn’t all respond confidently?
Reflect and prepare
Discussion/ Commitment	How does this new technique fit into my subject/stage etc. Leaders publicly commit to how their team will begin using this technique.	Which lessons or parts of lessons does this fit into well? Where will you use it first?
Co-planning	Curriculum resources that might need adapting to encourage new techniques are best done collaboratively. Aim for teachers to leave the session ‘next lesson ready.’	Design a cue for your slides to ensure you remember to use choral response when you introduce the next key term.

* Influenced by Teaching Secondary Science: A Complete Guide by Adam Boxer