Handwriting vs Typing – Why the Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard
Are the days of the old pen and paper numbered? Where once we wrote letters to communicate with people in far-reaching places, we now turn to emails or social media. Where before we would have scribed handwritten notes, we’re now far more likely to type notes into a smartphone or tablet. It’s not unreasonable to suggest that handwriting is becoming a lost art. However, academics will tell you that taking handwritten notes is much more effective for studying than using a laptop or electronic device. When you write something down, you’re thinking about it as you write and you’re fully immersed in the content. By contrast, typing has become so second nature to us that we can tap blindly at a keyboard, with the words on screen in front of us not meaning a whole lot. Also, when it comes to revising notes closer to exams, handwritten material is far more likely to resonate, as you’ll recall writing it down physically, whereas electronic notes don’t possess the same evocative qualities. Then there’s the familiar problem with electronic devices of letting our attention wander. How many students begin a lecture by typing notes into their laptop or tablet before boredom sets in and they spend at least half the lecture squandering time on trivial websites? Those students who take handwritten notes are generally much more engaged in the lecture and can also scribe notes in a way that makes them easy to understand, rather than jotting them down verbatim. Note-taking is not just about writing things down in lecture, either. Afterwards, it is vital to go back over them, highlight the most pertinent points and make additional notes wherever necessary. This will help to further reinforce what you need to know. This infographic from Study Medicine Europe https://www.studymedicineeurope.com/medical-university-romania explains why handwriting still very much has its place in education, for all the wonderful technological advances that have been made.
Forest school outdoor learning
The Hideout House Company have created a new range of outdoor classrooms and shelters to complement the forest school revolution As the Forest Schools programme spreads to more and more UK schools and is becoming ever more popular within both rural and urban educational environments, the Hideout House Company is now offering a creative and comprehensive range of products which complement this theme. The principal theme or philosophy being to encourage and inspire individuals of any age range through an innovative and long term approach to outdoor learning in a woodland or outside environment. These products range from making dens from a living wall tipi where you can grow climbing planters up the side, building fire-pits, “pods” to be used for both teaching and shelter, eco outdoor classroom buildings with renewable energy and water harvesting systems, fire pit shelters with a hole in the roof to allow for smoke ventilation, pop-up tents (which can be personalised with on canvas printing) and dipping bug zone ponds. A new entry to the range is a nature watch hut or hide. The nature watch hut allows children to get up close and personal with nature and wildlife and to observe it at first hand without causing a major disturbance. By doing this, they then form an appreciation of nature and an understanding of what we need to do to protect it for now and future generations. The children can also use the RSPB activity pack and we also supply bird boxes and a feeding station to ensure that the children see plenty of activity. The nature watch hut gives children plenty of opportunity to learn about animals, conservation and growing things whilst also being a part of it in a tranquil environment. We appreciate that every Forest Schools setting is unique and that a school needs a design plan to meet the needs of the group and to fit the environment that they have to work in. For more information, please contact Simon Fearnehough on 01865 858982 or e-mail: simon@hideouthouse.com Web address: http://www.hideouthouse.com/school-playground-products/forest-schools-2/
Is your classroom technology safe from damage & theft?
Whilst classroom technology continues to transform the learning environment and empower students with the tools that they need to succeed, it also puts schools under additional pressure, due to the financial investment that is involved. As the use of devices increases in our classrooms, so does the risk of damage and theft, so what can schools do to ensure the technology they are investing thousands of pounds in is secure? James Symons, CEO, LocknCharge offers some advice. Technology comes at a price, and with many schools working with limited, and in some cases shrinking, budgets, it’s more important than ever that they are taking measures to prevent the risk of damage and theft. Of course, there are simple steps that can be taken, using high-quality cases and screen protectors on tablets, and keeping them locked away when they’re not in use, for example, but these things are no longer enough. Protecting devices from accidental damage Encourage students to take responsibility for classroom resources! It doesn’t harm children to know the value of the technology that they are using, as it helps them to understand why it’s so important that they take care of it. If they are taught that it’s a privilege to have tablets in their classroom, they’re more likely to treat them with respect. Creating a set of rules for students, which outlines clearly how the devices are intended to be used, works for lots of schools. Explain to them that by following the rules, they are helping to lower the risk of accidental damage and therefore saving the school money that can be used for new technology in the future. Of course, accidents can (and do) happen, but by putting a policy in place and reminding students that the technology they are handling is expensive, they couldbe prevented. It could be as simple as explaining to students that unlike traditional learning resources, such as textbooks, mobile devices can’t just be left in a pile in the corner at the end of each day. Explain that they need to be locked away securely and charged, or they won’t be ready to be used the following day; there’s no reason why students can’t be responsible for making sure that happens! Expecting children to keep a large number of devices charged and ready-for-use can of course be a tedious task, which is why many schools now install charging carts in their classrooms, for up to 40 tablets at one time. By selecting top loading ones with baskets, the collection and deployment of devices is simplified for the students and staff. Devices can be distributed in half of the time compared to cabinet style carts – saving 70 hours of instruction each year per 30 unit cart. Containing devices in a cart or charging station also protects the cables for the devices, which can easily go missing. Using a cart with a power management system removes the problem of there not being enough plug sockets to charge lots of devices at once and assures circuits aren’t overloaded. Delegating small positions of authority to students teaches them to accept responsibility; it also creates a team-work mentality and will teach them to appreciate the technology they are being given access to. Even better, handing over the responsibility to students means valuable teaching time isn’t impacted by the implementation of technology; it is supposed to be a positive addition to the classroom after all! Securing devices to prevent theft We know that kitting out classrooms with learning technology is beneficial where educational outcomes are concerned, and it’s great to see that schools are investing their budgets in the technology that is proven to enhance creativity and increase engagement. The bit that remains a challenge is getting schools to recognise the importance of protecting these products and devices so that they are safe from theft, which continues to be a problem in schools. So many schools now have classrooms filled with tablets and other ICT equipment, and it’s exactly that which, unfortunately, makes them more attractive to thieves. These schools that rely so heavily on technology could find themselves at a serious disadvantage if they were to be left without it. So, what can they do? As negative as it sounds, schools must prepare for the worst case scenario. A school that uses tablets every single day, for example, would be faced with a real problem if the tablets were suddenly stolen; budgets are tight and simply replacing them isn’t likely to be an option. Here are a few examples of recent school burglaries that prove the seriousness of the issue: * More than £5000 worth of iPad Minis have been stolen from a number of high schools in Edinburgh over the past two years. Laptops costing four-figure sums were also stolen from primary and secondary schools across the Scottish capital, putting additional pressure on schools that are already struggling with budgets. The figures were released by the city council under freedom of information legislation. Many of the schools that were victims of the break-ins and thefts have had to be reimbursed from the city council’s central budget, because they aren’t able to replace the equipment from their own individual funds. * A large quantity of tablets were also stolen from Witton Church Walk CE Aided Primary School in Northwich back in March. This burglary was the second in the space of a month at this particular school; the combined value of the technology stolen from both break-ins totaled around £10,000. * Back in May, at Grange Primary in Kettering, thieves broke into one of the classrooms and removed a cabinet containing ten iPads. All three of these cases confirm why piling devices into a standard cabinet and locking it is no longer safe enough. They demonstrate why no matter how strategic an investment or policy on the particular technologies or devices, there’s no use having them if they aren’t secure. It’s for this reason that so many schools are now investing in security solutions just as they are in the technology itself; but what
What to consider when choosing a urinal for your school
Guidance from the Department for Education and Skills states that private WC cubicles are preferable to urinals in a school setting – but spending restrictions can mean that this isn’t always possible. With a little planning and consideration, you can deliver a cost-effective solution without compromising the privacy of your pupils. Things to consider when choosing a urinal for your school Trough or bowl? There are predominantly two types of urinal to choose from: trough urinals and bowl urinals. Bowl urinals offer a greater level of privacy, but they are costlier to install as each needs its own plumbing. Trough urinals only need a single waste outlet, making them easier to install and maintain and therefore more cost-effective in the longer term – but the compromise is reduced privacy. Elbow room When it comes to trough urinals, the rule of thumb has always been to allow about 600mm of width per person. However, in accordance with the Toilets in Schools guidance, you should look to provide as much room per person as possible in order increase privacy and combat paruresis, or shy bladder syndrome. According to the Paruresis Trust, you should allow at least 800mm per user. There are no set-in-stone rules for how high to mount your urinals, but Cornwall Council advises a height of 430mm for infants, 500mm for juniors, and 560mm for secondary-aged pupils. If the washroom will be used by mixed age groups, a trough urinal should be mounted at the lowest appropriate height, while bowl urinals can be mounted at different heights to accommodate each age group. The Department for Education states that there should always be separate toilets for students and staff. For staff toilets, urinals should be mounted at the standard adult height of 660mm. Materials As far as materials are concerned, there are two common options: vitreous china or stainless steel. Each has its benefits, but our experience is that stainless steel urinals are easier to maintain and clean than china, as well as being less vulnerable to graffiti. To clean stainless steel all you need is warm soapy water, making it a cheaper and more eco-friendly option than china, which requires specially formulated cleaning agents. For more troublesome deposits such as limescale and paint, you can consult this handy guide from the BSSA. Accessories If you opt for bowl urinals, you can choose to install divider screens to further improve privacy. We’d also recommend fitting a flush controller to your urinal. Instead of flushing every urinal intermittently, flush controllers use infrared sensors to detect when a urinal has been used, so that flushing only occurs when necessary. An auto-flushing cistern used in conjunction with a Marnic Urinal Flush Controller can provide water savings of up to 90%, meaning the initial outlay can be recovered within months. Decisions, decisions It may seem like a lot to think about, but careful planning will enable you to choose a urinal that saves you money while accommodating the needs of your pupils. For the latest on this and many other educational issues, subscribe to our free newsletter and print magazine. Paul Thorn is the MD of Washware Essentials. He has developed cost-effective washroom solutions for schools, nurseries, and a wealth of other clients both public and commercial.
Visionary educator develops pastoral care evidence and improvement tool
Bag your school a complimentary 14-day trial of Pastoral Auditor during February! The brain child of a visionary deputy headteacher from Telford, Pastoral Auditor is the industry’s first secure online pastoral effectiveness tool for secondary schools & academies. Developed by safeguarding specialist SSS Learning, Pastoral Auditor enables educators to deliver detailed evidence of different year and gender groups’ knowledge and understanding in PSHE, Citizenship, Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development and Personal Development and Welfare to improve strategy planning. Using Pastoral Auditor, teachers can audit the consensus of pupil groups over time, building a secure, centralised ‘hub’ of evidence for Ofsted and demonstrations of ongoing strategies to support vulnerable young people. To celebrate its launch, SSS Learning is offering a complimentary 14-day trial of the tool. The Ofsted School Inspection Handbook (Handbook for inspecting schools in England under section 5 of the Education Act 2005, August 2016) clearly identifies key areas that inspectors look for including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and personal development, behaviour and welfare. “For pastoral care to promote positive relationships for learning, it is vital that educators listen to learner perspectives and communicate regularly. Once key areas of focus are profiled using Pastoral Auditor, pupils can ask pertinent questions promoting reflection or embedding prior learning. Boyle adds: “Pastoral support relies on a high level of attentiveness so we have created Pastoral Auditor to prompt appropriate discussions amongst teachers and tutors with their student groups. This new solution should feature in every headteacher’s toolkit!” Pastoral Auditor features surveys covering the breadth of pastoral issues, including Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education; Citizenship; Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development including British Values; Personal Development, Behaviour & Welfare and General Pupil Opinion. At key points in the audit, engaging animation clarifies areas relating to a series of questions. To claim your complimentary trial, please visit the web site at www.ssslearning.co.uk.
Schools are making the recruitment crisis worse
• 40% of teachers cited off-putting application processes prevent them applying for jobs • 50% of teachers reported applications taking far too long to complete • 34% would prefer to submit a CV Complicated application forms and arduous recruitment processes are deterring teachers from applying for jobs according to 3,000 teachers surveyed as part of new research published today. A radical overhaul to the teaching recruitment processes employed by most schools is needed if we are to stem the flow of teachers leaving the profession, reports Eteach, the UK’s leading education recruitment providers. They found that 40% of education professionals felt the most off-putting factor in applying for jobs was the time it takes and the laborious process they are forced through just to apply for each role. More than half of them drop out of the application process as a result. The latest findings follow a year of stark headlines highlighting the ongoing teacher shortage facing UK schools, with 37% of education institutes across England’s maintained schools already facing a teacher shortage. The new research also revealed that most teachers find applying for a role too onerous; even a simple expression of interest via lengthy application form often takes more than two hours. Forty percent of those surveyed cited lengthy application processes as the second biggest turn off facing them when looking for a new job, coming close behind location of the school. Eteach founder and CEO, Paul Howells, a former teacher himself, said: “Schools have not adapted their processes to account for the current shortages. In fact they may well be making the situation worse by asking a scarce resource to jump through unnecessary hoops in order to find their next role and to further their career. Our research also shows that schools are, in some instances, making it very difficult for already hardworking teachers to apply for new roles at a time when they should be making it easier. This may well make the teachers feel undervalued and it’s then that they choose to leave the profession altogether. Schools are unwittingly exacerbating their own recruitment crisis. “Imagine you are looking for a new Maths teacher for your school knowing that this type of professional is in scarce supply. You then proceed to make it difficult for them to a) find the application form online and b) submit the forms and documents efficiently. You then add the imposition of pre-application referencing, psychometric testing and audition style demonstration lessons. This makes the candidate experience far more stressful and difficult than it needs to be. “What about safeguarding I hear you say? This should in no way be compromised but should be incorporated into a structured and well thought-through application process with the candidates’ needs very much in mind. “It is essential we wake up to the life balance, professional and technical expectations oftoday’s teachers by making the process much more welcoming and more efficient. Byreviewing and overhauling antiquated processes, we can make the whole candidate experience a positive one, especially during this turbulent period.” The Education Landscape report is a combination of independent data and third party insights for school leaders and is free to access at Eteach.com. Other issues covered within the report include the impact of workload and working hours on our already “flat out” teachers.
Teaching teenagers with SPD
Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is most often spoken about in relation to toddlers and young children, but it’s a condition that affects teenagers as well. However, much of the treatment information and advice available on SPD is targeted at a younger age bracket, and isn’t always helpful when it comes to knowing how to help a teenager cope in an educational setting. Teenagers are more conscious of what their peers will think than a small child might be, and won’t necessarily respond in the same way to techniques designed to help them cope in the classroom. Understanding SPD as it affects each teen individually is the key to helping them succeed in secondary education. Overview of SPD SPD is not a fixed set of symptoms. It is a broad category used to describe several related disorders that affect a child’s sensory processing in different ways. Sensory modulation disorder makes children respond differently to sensory stimuli, as they will normally be over- or under-sensitive to a range of things. If a child struggles with processing sensory information from specific things, such as the speed of an object, they have sensory discrimination disorder. And sensory-based motor disorder is where the child’s processing problems are centred around organisation, motor-skills, and balance. General advice Even within those three sub-categories of SPD there are variations and individual symptoms. It should never be assumed that one child’s experience of SPD is the same as another’s. As such, one of the most important things that a teacher of a teenager with SPD can do is talk to their parents or guardians and any therapists that are involved in their treatment to understand the child’s SPD as best they can. Time spent understanding the behaviour of a teenager with SPD is never going to be wasted. It does no good to punish a pupil for behaviour that arises as a result of their SPD. Understanding why they behave the way they do, and doing what you can to help them in the future, is much more productive. If teachers work with family and therapists to help the child cope with their SPD, then there is no reason why that child can’t succeed in secondary education. In the rest of this article, we’ll look at some broad methods of helping a teenager to cope with specific aspects of SPD. I just want to stress that these are guidelines and suggestions, and should never be prioritised above advice from those close to the child. Coping with touch and motor issues Teenagers who struggle with over- or under-sensitivity to touch can experience a variety of problems in the classroom, from constantly fidgeting, to being unable to concentrate when sitting down for a long period, to being overly tactile with other pupils. These behaviours can lead to them not taking in anything that you’re saying to them, and to them distracting others around them. Of the three areas we’re looking at in this article, touch and motor issues probably require the most creativity to work with. There are some simple things that can be done for many teenagers, such as allowing them to have a fidget toy in class (something subtle that won’t prove too distracting for others), but other methods of helping them involve a little more work. Incorporating physical activities into lessons – anything from getting them up and moving around to more creative, craft activities – can be really helpful for keeping them engaged. In a secondary school environment these kinds of activities aren’t always easy, but it’s worth considering if any of them might work. Coping with sound issues Coping with sound issues should be fairly easy in most secondary school environments, but there are still situations, such as fire drills, that can be stressful for a child with SPD. In the case of a child being oversensitive to sound, the best thing that you can do is plan strategies that help them to deal with loud noises. As a baseline, make sure they have a good amount of warning before something planned happens that might be stressful. You can also give them ways to remove themselves from stressful situations, such as seating them near a door. These strategies can be planned with family and therapists in advance to make them as effective as possible. For teenagers who are under-sensitive, try encouraging them to look for visual signals to tell them what’s going on if they’re confused. You can also assign a friend of theirs or a responsible member of the class to stick with them when something’s happening to make sure they know what’s going on and are able to cope with it. Coping with sight issues Sight issues are probably the easiest to deal with in a way that isn’t disruptive to other things going on in the classroom. Issues like glare can be dealt with simply by seating the child in a shaded area of the classroom, and it may be the case that they need to wear sunglasses of some kind to make them more comfortable. As with auditory issues, giving the child advance warning of anything that might be stressful will always be helpful, and you as a teacher can be sensitive about the kinds of things you do with the class in order to minimise stress. With a bit of thought and flexibility on their teacher’s part, teenagers with SPD can have a great experience in school. This article was brought to you by Patrick Tonks, senior creative director at Great Bean Bags, who create bespoke bean bags for children with SPD for use in both the home and in the classroom.
Why children must play outside to encourage development
In a world where more than 65% of children aged between 9 and 11 own a smartphone, traditional outdoor pastimes are facing a dangerous rate of decline. Even those who don’t own a personal smartphone will most likely have access to a similar device, with over half of UK households having a tablet. For those involved in playground design, maintenance or construction, this trend is a problem and for the children it can affect their development as play outside is a great leaning tool. The figures above are daunting when you consider that an increase in smartphone and tablet usage is causing children to be less able to read emotions and be less empathetic than ever. How do we combat this? Alarmingly, three quarters of UK children now spend less time outdoors than prison inmates – 74% of children spend less than 60 minutes outside a day, whilst prison regulations dictate at least an hour outside per day. A fifth of children don’t play outside at all. This is a dramatic change from children a few generations ago, whose outdoor play habits were the highlight of each day. And it seems that those outdoor habits were a good idea, and is something we should encourage our children to partake in. Here are just a few of the benefits of outdoor playtime provided by playground specialists Infinite Playgrounds. Exercise: Children generally benefit from a high metabolic rate, but the growing rate of childhood obesity brought on by a country that readily sells sugary sweets, drinks and fatty foods should concern every parent. 9.1% of children aged 4-5 are obese and another 12.8% overweight. This figure, realistically, should be closer to 0%. Outdoor play encourages exercise, which burns calories and helps keep a child’s cardiovascular system healthy and their weight down. Vitamin D: Another healthy benefit of outdoor play is exposure to vitamin D. Even in a country with weather as poor as Britain, outdoor exposure can still result in exposure to the vital mineral without having to load them up on sugary orange juice. Vitamin D helps support bone health and blood pressure. It’s also a vitamin that is easier to get from the sun than it is from dietary options – so get your kids outside. Creates problem-solving, imaginative attitudes: Research from Burdette and Whitaker 2005 indicated that children who played outside had more active imaginations, lower stress levels and play more creatively. These benefits stand separate from the health benefits, meaning children will be both healthier and more imaginative if we encourage more outdoor play. Social skills: The decline in empathy illustrated at the start of this article is directly linked to the increase in electronic entertainment on offer. Put simply: children are less capable of reading emotions because their habits have changed. Outdoor play is critical in the development of social skills, thanks to cooperative play and the boost in self-confidence that comes with playing outside. These are just a few of the benefits that come from playing outdoors. As a society, we should be encouraging outdoor play to ensure children get at least 60 minutes per day outside. Encouraging children to make the most of play facilities and the benefits of outdoor socialising will help their development and prevent
Schools battling negative & offensive comments from parents online
In the run-up to Anti-Bullying Week, new data shows that at least 11,300[1] <#_ftn1> school leaders across the country have received negative or offensive comments on social media against themselves, their school or their staff. While cyberbullying among pupils remains a significant concern[2] <#_ftn2> , findings released today by The Key, the organisation that provides leadership and management support to schools, reveal that school leaders are facing their own set of issues on social media – often at the hands of pupils’ parents. Leaders in more than half (56%) of mainstream schools across England said they had encountered negative or offensive comments on social media from children’s parents over the past year, and almost two in 10 (15%) said they’d been the victim of cyberbullying during their career. Personal insults, grievances and potentially libellous remarks are among the types of comments[3] <#_ftn3> that school staff reportedly face from parents via social media sites, like Facebook. One primary headteacher told The Key: “Social media is a massive concern for schools to deal with. Negative and inaccurate comments that would never be said face-to-face are often posted by parents online, and most of the time the school is unaware of these.” Similarly, another school leader said: “Most of the posting occurs outside of school, making it difficult to police or control.” The Key’s survey of more than 1,000 school leaders found that issues were more prevalent at a primary level, with almost six in 10 (59%) saying they’ve had to deal with parents’ negative posts on social media, in comparison to almost half (46%) of secondary school leaders. Speaking about the findings, Fergal Roche, CEO of The Key, said: “Social media is becoming a more and more prominent and influential part of everyday life, and schools are having to adapt quickly to the many new challenges, and opportunities, it brings. “Inaccurate or offensive comments are not only upsetting for those individuals involved, but at a time when schools are increasingly having to market themselves to attract pupils and staff, such public and negative remarks can have a detrimental impact on their reputation.” Schools are using a variety of approaches to support and manage engagement with parents and their wider communities online. Some, for example, are incorporating parent/carer codes of conduct into school policies to set expectations around the use of social media.Others ask parents and carers to refrain from discussing the business of school or children attending school in any public forum, while many request that complaints are made via official school channels rather than social networking sites. Fergal Roche continues: “Schools take complaints seriously, and have formal processes to ensure that any issues are resolved quickly and with pupils’ interests at the fore. Nevertheless, it’s important that schools recognise the potential risks of social media. Building strong, two-way relationships with parents and carers, and having procedures that are clear and mutually beneficial, helps to ensure that everyone feels part of an inclusive community where concerns are aired constructively.” Dr Kathryn Weston, Director at Keystone Aspire and parental engagement expert, said: “The best research evidence tells us that if schools engage with parents in an effective and meaningful way, the benefits for children and their learning outcomes can be substantial. Good two-way communication between parents and schools is fundamental to developing positive relationships. Social media can play a significant role in nurturing this relationship.” One headteacher who has seen the rewards of using social media as a way to engage with parents, explained: “Social media has been an overwhelming force for good in our school. We use it to broadcast all the exciting activities that are going on in a moment-to-moment way – meaning parents are able to connect with school activities far more easily than in the past. “Parents think that it has contributed to a feel-good atmosphere throughout the school and report that they enjoy having something they can ask children about when they get home.” To view the online release follow: www.thekeysupport.com/parents_online_comments-release For more guidance on how schools can respond to negative comments online, please follow: http://key.sc/dealing_with_parents_online_comments For information on how to engage and communicate with parents effectively, please see: https://cpd.thekeysupport.com/parental-engagement