Group Teaching Frank Seabright

A bit of background Live in Herefordshire Tower Captain at Bosbury Master of the Ledbury District of Hereford Diocesan Guild

Ledbury District

Attended ITTS Module 1 Course Mentor to 3 New Teachers A bit of background Attended ITTS Module 1 Course Mentor to 3 New Teachers The following year - nothing had happened Why

Tower Captains and others meeting Don’t forget all meeting should include food and drink Existing state of Ringing Tower No in Report Effective No. Learners in last 5 yrs Learners still in band Possible reduction in numbers in next 5yrs Tower a 16 8 7 2 Tower b - Tower c 15 6-10 1 Tower d 12 3 Tower e 9 4 Tower f 5 Tower g Tower h From our speculation Total 66 37 18 13 Average per tower 6 Average left per tower In 5 yrs 4

The answer to why Tower Captains too busy No one felt confident to teach Very few knew how to teach Too big a commitment for week after week teaching Everyone needed support No one was asking to learn

Our Solution Pool our resources Teach some teachers Common approach to teaching – handling and beyond Specific teaching sessions Periodic recruitment drives To be enthusiastic To extent our simulator base

Result 15 new ringers in 2yrs 10 New Teachers Module 2 3 Towers with simulators 2 with 6 x individual learning centres

Advantages for Teachers Creates an environment to promote the ethos of ITTS Support and encouragement from other teachers/mentors Additional teachers to check and advise A range of tied bells to teach on Can move from learner to learner to acquire different teaching skills A pool of teachers to ease pressure Creates cohesive group of teachers Brings greater cooperation between towers and ringers Can move from tower to tower for practices Learning difficulties can be used as a learning curve for all teachers

Advantages for New Ringers A learning environment Different teachers with different approaches Group of other people learning becomes supportive Mutual praise and encouragement, especially good for youngsters Encourages the social side of ringing

Other Issues Not everything goes perfectly Difficult learners don’t become a personal issue Someone has to organise the whole event All training needs to be planned Try and keep all training to the courses Do still loose new learners but it wont be because they are bored Choosing which towers What about disinterested towers and people Continuous teaching programme or batches Recruitment how and when Most important issue

Core Ethos of ITTS Small Steps Get it right Whole - Part - Whole

Help keep your learners Try it It works Much more fun for everyone Help keep your learners

Go for it