Action Research Welcome

A short recap of last time! We welcomed old and new members to the group and outlined what we had achieved so far and where we were heading in 2006/7 We thought about allocating Thinking Skills into particular year groups across the school We looked at which staff would work in the trio groupings

Trios and Groups 8 Ripon - Paula H, Nick H and Eva G The agreed focus for Year 8 is ‘Reasoning Skills’ 9 Winchester - Jan M, Gemma B and Soma L The agreed focus for Year 9 is ‘Enquiry Skills’ 9 Wells - Sylvia H, Nick Q and Alan W The agreed focus for Year 9 is ‘Enquiry Skills’ 11 - Paul K, Edna H and Helen S The agreed focus for Year 11 is ‘Evaluation Skills’

What is our plan today? Today, we are using this time as a planning meeting. Get into you Trio groups and look at the focus area for your year group. Turn to the thinking skills table on page 31 of your guidance booklets. Look at the areas of your thinking skills strand. Then look at the strategies along the top. Decide in your groups as to which strategy and strand you would like to follow - Take over 2 or 3 different strategies and try to focus on one which the group feels may be a weaker area in your curriculum delivery - Give yourselves a challenge! 15 minutes to look, discuss and decide - Thanks!

Feedback Please be ready to feedback the following information to the group: Your Year Group and Class The Thinking Skills your group has selected The Strategy strand your group has chosen Why you feel this strategy is of interest to your group The order of staff your group intend to teach in Any additional resources your groups feels they would like to have in anticipation of your trio lesson planning meeting

Where and when next? Look at your own timetables and decide when might be the best dates to deliver the 3 lessons. Ideally, you want to meet straight after to discuss and plan the next session. In reality, later in the day may be better - You must think about your other classes which this will affect. Make sure they are reasonably close together so that your groups can really feel the benefit of the trio input. You will obviously need to consider your curriculum content when doing this. Remember - We will try our best to accommodate your choices within the constraints of the timetables and absences on the days. Therefore, please try to be flexible. Planning if time

Planning the first step... If you need further time to plan, find a gap during the next 2-week cycle when you could all get together to continue to plan the first lesson outline. Note down any cover requirements for your group along with staff names. Possibilities may include: 8 Ripon - Monday week 1? 9 Winchester - Thursday week 1? 9 Wells - Thursday week 2? 11 - ? Please return completed sheets to me.

Thank you... for joining us in Action Research And finally, the Dorset Research Support Group will be meeting Wednesday 29th November from pm. It is the first of their ‘Research exchange’ sessions. Please see me for further details...