Single Session School Workshop 3

A workshop on Nurturing the Child’s Mind, Body and Soul was conducted for Single session school heads by the Educational Supervision and Quality Improvement Division (ESQID), Ministry of Education. The workshop was held at Velaanaage meeting room 213 on the 26th and 27th December 2010. A total of 34 participants, including the existing single session school heads, and SMT members from the schools who will be joining the family of Single Session Schools (SSS) participated in the workshop. Among the participants all 7 Province Units’ Heads were present.
The SSS workshop aims to advocate holistic development through effective single session schooling. Sessions were predominantly knowledge and activity based with lecture discussion, presentation together with group work and sharing experiences. Sessions focused on the following objectives.
•To maximize eight hours of schooling.
•To share best practices and challenges experienced in SSS.
•To advocate friendliness among all stakeholders through CFBS indicators.
•To identify the challenges in implementing the curriculum effectively in SSS.
The workshop had enriched the participants with knowledge and skills necessary for them to implement SSS in their schools. They had taken back best practices and success stories from the existing single session schools. The workshop had clarified the concerns that the participants had regarding their schools.

Are we managing time wisely?

Extended working hours in the new Single Session School program have been put into practice.
Some people hold the view that this is making no difference in our schools.

Share your view point as to the effect of extended working hours on:

• Teaching
• Learning
• Personal development of students
• Best use of school facilities
• Best use of teacher and staff personnel
• Life skill development

Single Session School Quality

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Workshop on Single Session Schooling 2010

A workshop on Single Session Schooling for the school heads was held from 3^rd January -5^th January 2010 at the Islamic Centre Hall. The objective of the workshop is to provide the school heads with knowledge and skills in establishing single session schooling. Apart from this to share the experiences of last year’s SSS.

A total of 93 schools participated in the workshop. 99 participants participated; 8 participants from Male’ and 91 from the islands. Among the participants all 7 Province Unit Heads were present. The participants represented school heads and leading teachers.

The sessions were predominantly knowledge based with lecture discussion and presentation. The second and third day was more oriented on reflection with group discussions and sharing of experiences.

Proposed Timings and Activities for Single Session Schools

7:15 - 7:30 Assembly / Activity (Registration)

ž Assemblies could include class presentations, guest speakers, distribution of awards/merit, announcements.

ž Could be held on alternate days; other days could be utilised for Qura'an recital and conducting reading programmes.

7:30 - 8:15 period 1

ž Lesson plans would be needed to accommodate 45 minute periods: to take into consideration the extra 10 minutes.

ž Advantage: more contact time (45mins x 8periods = 360mins teaching daily.) Also less necessity for double periods thus enabling easier time-tabling!

9:45 - 10:05 Break

ž An early 20min break as students may not have had breakfast.

ž Could be brought from home and eaten at the canteen or short eats/drinks could be made available for sale at the canteen.

12:20 - 13:00 Break (Prayers & Lunch)

ž (40mins)Lunch to be bought at school or brought from home prior.

ž In Larger schools or schools with limited canteen facility break could be staggered (alternative time for primary break.)

13:00 - 13:15 Activity (Registration)

ž Might not be required/ but this could serve as a means of double-checking!

13:15 14:00 period 7

ž Last two periods could be utilised as double periods: for lab., project, video/audio based activities and mock exams & assessment.

14:45 - 15:30 Staff/Student Activities

ž Allow time for changing to PE kit/movement to classess/labs. All uniform and other activities on rotary basis; priority given to subject clinics(remedials) & academic detention.

ž Subject clinics and academic detention take precedence over activities and societies.

ž Tuesday afternoons could be used for staff meetings and professional development.

ž All staff to be assigned society/club duties and clinic/detention supervision on term/rotary basis on all other days.

ž Weekends off.

Society/activities

ž Society/activities: schedule could be for each half term, students fill form to request signing up for activity (endorsed by parent).

ž Activity could be once or twice a week depending on intensity of practice required (eg; upcoming competitions).

Introduction To Issues About Timetabling Academic Subjects by: Fathimath Nahid Shakir

1. What the law requires

To provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all children which:

• Promotes their spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development

• Prepares the child to become a productive, disciplined person for the self, family, island and nation both as individuals and members of the Islamic Dhivehi community (Aims of Education, Maldives).

2. Timetabling for the curriculum

2.1 Schools will have to make decisions about

• the total time available for teaching

• the number of weeks in the school year

• the length of the school day

2.2 Constraints

• no. of available staff

• available space for teaching

• not enough resources

2.3 Teaching hours

Recommended teaching hours by EDC

•

2.4 School observations

88 periods of school observations carried out in 2007. Observations showed :

• more than 75 % - teachers talk time between 15 t0 20 mins.

• remaining time …

2.5 Lesson length

• Recommended by EDC (50 minutes)

• Gradual change would be useful.

• Lesson lengths may vary from subject to subject

• Lesson length could vary before break and after break. E.g.:

– 45-60 mins periods before break

– 30-35 mins periods after break

2.6 Why vary lesson length?

• Concentration level high before break

• Cooler in the morning

1. Subject time allocation

Good teaching and learning depend on sensible time allocations and effective use of time.

3.1 Longer lengths of periods

• Might produce more time than necessary

• Might be necessary for subjects like PE and field work

3.2 Shorter lengths of periods

Might produce too little time to carry out the lesson

26hrs per week (Key stage 1, 2,and 3)

Examples of teaching hours and lesson lengths

	Weekly teaching time	Range of lesson lengths
		Key Stage 1	Key Stage 2
Primary School	26 hours	60, 45, 30, 25
Middle School	26 hours	60, 45, 40, 35
Secondary School	26 hours		50

1. When should each subject be taught?

Now that the amount of taught time, and length of each school day has been decided, schools should decide what will be the best time to teach each subject.

How can the children’s motivation be sustained?

• A balance between activities which involve practical and physical work and those that are mainly paper and pencil work

• A balance between whole class, group and individual activities should be considered within the lesson and throughout the day.

2. Core subjects and other subjects

· Time could be allocated to core subjects more, before 1^st break

· At least one subject other than the core subjects taught every day before break

Timetabling core subjects

	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu
50/45	Math	Dhivehi	English	Math	Islam
50/45	Dhivehi		Islam	ES	ES
50/45		English
	B	R	E	A	K
45/30
45/30
	B	R	E	A	K
30
30

The challenge

To give enough time for core subjects and other subjects to ensure that the subjects have been covered to the expected standard and in sufficient depth.

1. Values taught through the curriculum

· Schools implement and teach values through curricular and core curricular activities.

· Establish student councils

· Involve children in decision making

· Let children review the schools rules and responsibilities

· Let children play a major role in establishing class rules and responsibilities

· All teachers focus on key values that will be taught.

· Time should be put aside when planning all lessons to focus on values

· There must be consistency across the schools when teaching values

· Staff should be role models and practice what is being taught

2. Tips for Success

· effective planning

· increasing taught time

· enriching the curriculum with first-hand experiences for pupils

· encouraging staff to make use of links across subjects

· involving all staff in discussions and decision-making to create a sense of teamwork

· organising extended periods of time for pupils to work in greater depth

· making pupils aware of what is expected of them and explaining learning objectives

· making effective use of teaching assistants and other talented adults

· providing out-of-school clubs

References

Leading Lights

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachers/issue23/primary/features/LeadingLights_Primary/

Designing and timetabling the primary curriculum

http://www.qca.org.uk/libraryAssets/media/3776_designing_and_timetabling_primary_web.pdf

Key stage 3 National strategy

Designing the Key stage 3 Curriculum

http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/designtech.nsf/viewAttachments/SERS-7FYBJG/$file/time-in-primary-d&t.pdf