B1. Teaching style and learning environment

My teaching ethos stresses motivation, differentiation, and cooperation. I believe that effective learning requires active engagement on the part of the learner, and I see the job of the teacher as being to promote this engagement, building on students’ individual strengths and interests to motivate their learning and help them overcome any academic weaknesses and other obstacles. My classroom is a cooperative, inclusive environment. I thoroughly endorse Rafe Esquith’s comment: “Our goal is to help each student become as special as she can be as an individual – not to be more special than the kid sitting next to her” (Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, p.63) Thus, I encourage students to compete with their past selves, improving on their performance, rather than with their peers, and to gain satisfaction from helping their classmates improve and setting them a good example. Our class motto is ‘Think individually; learn together’ (see photo). As evidence of my ethos I would cite this peer observation report, this testimonial, this letter, and this letter).

B2. Learning activities, techniques and methods

I believe in differentiated teaching, tailored to the needs, interests, and abilities of each student, and I employ multiple different activities and techniques within a single session. My lessons move between different formats, including board work, student presentations, individual textbook work, one-to-one problem-busting sessions with me, work in pairs, group work, class discussion, quizzes, and project work, and there is a shift from teacher-led work to student-led work during each session. I like to use group work where possible and constructive class feedback on individual work. I always use scaffolding techniques (tasks, models, visual aids, etc.) when introducing new concepts (adjusted to the learner), and I use enquiry-based learning where possible. For example, when my 5th grade students studied Shylock’s monologue from The Merchant of Venice, I created a range of activities to help them explore the text. In one, students had to see the monologue from different perspectives, make the necessary adjustments, and then re-enact it. The helped them to discover different interpretations of the text and different responses to the issues it raises (see this video). For further examples of my teaching methods see my introduction to philosophy for adult learners, this handout for a primary school ethics session, and this testimonial. I see teaching as a holistic activity, and I am always ready to draw on my academic background and personal experience in order help students progress. For example, my studies in philosophy of language and psychology are useful in helping me deal with literacy issues and other language-related problems.

B3. Effective communication

Communication is the heart of teaching. I aim to communicate with my students in a clear and sensitive way, tailored to their individual needs. I also seek to convey, not only ideas and concepts, but also enthusiasm, curiosity, and excitement. Equally, I listen carefully to my students and am alert to their needs, perplexities, insights, and motivations. Effective communication is not only linguistic, and I pay careful attention to expression, gesture, and attitude too. I pause regularly during sessions to check that everyone is happy and I conclude sessions with a summary, feedback, and a look forward. Good communication is essential not only within the classroom, but also externally, with parents, colleagues, management, and policy makers, and again I always treat this as a two-way process, listening attentively as well as expressing myself clearly and carefully. (As evidence, see again the items cited in B1.)

B4. Collaboration with colleagues to support learners

Wherever I teach I meet regularly with colleagues both from inside the institution and from the local teaching community to share good practice and collaborate on projects to support students. In my current post I have recently collaborated with internal colleagues on numerous projects, including after-hours Greek classes for non-Greek speakers (to help with integration), an after-hours maths club, group work at the local museum, video projects on cultural themes, and a debating society (see again this summary). I am always happy to support others and to ask for support. I supported a colleague in her work on festivals and rituals and I often collaborate with the art teacher, most recently on artwork related to my water project. Externally, I continually seek opportunities for collaboration and mutual support. In 2011-12 I was the school coordinator for a Comenius application, working with colleagues from institutions in France, Spain, and Germany (see my proposal to the group). More recent activities include speaking to regional meeting on the teaching of environmental studies, and taking part in a pan-European training week for science teachers. Finally I take CPD very seriously. For more discussion see A4, C1, and my concurrent QTLS webfolio.

B5. Learning resources

Since I practice both scaffolded and differentiated learning, the creative use of resources is essential to my teaching. I see resources as levers or wedges that help move the student up a step (or help them move themselves), and I believe that virtually any topic can be taught at any level as long as the teacher uses the right resources. (As an example, see again this handout I prepared to introduce animal rights issues to 3rd graders). Thus, I routinely supplement the standard curriculum resources with additional ones that I have prepared myself or borrowed from colleagues. I usually prepare my own handouts for lessons, with tailored questions, examples, and thought experiments, designed to engage students with the topic and help them formulate their response to it. In addition I use books, audio-visual materials, ICT, selected online resources (see this), poster boards, interactive games, class blogs, instructive ‘makes’ and practical demonstrations – whatever I think may work. In literacy I choose reading to (gently) stretch my students, both linguistically and cognitively (see my book lists and this testimonial).