Foundations of Teaching and Learning Course 1: Introduction Week 3: How Good is My Classroom? Lecture 3.1: What is a good school?

Children Teachers or adults A curriculum Some form of assessment Rules of behaviour, sanctions Recognition, certification, graduation Preparation for the social and economic world What do schools have in common around the world?

What makes a good school?  Who knows?  How do they know?  What are their criteria?  How are they measured?

Who knows? Teachers Students Headteachers/principals Government ministers Parents

The physical environment The ethos & values of the school The quality of teaching The quality of learning The nature of leadership The relationship with parents What counts?

What makes a good teacher?  Who knows?  How do they know?  What are their criteria?  How are they measured?

A GOOD TEACHER is kind is generous listens to you encourages you has faith in you has time for you keeps confidences likes teaching children helps you like their subject takes time to explain things helps you when you are stuck tells you how you are doing allows you to have your say makes sure you understand helps people who are slow doesn’t give up on you cares for your opinion makes you feel clever treates people equally stands up for you tells the truth is forgiving

Teachers?

A good student?

Headteachers/Principals  How do they know?  Where do they get their insights from?  How much teaching do they observe?  What criteria do they use?  To what extent do they evaluate teachers?  And for what purpose?

Leadership is exercised not at the apex of the organisational pyramid but at the centre of the web of human relationships (Joe Murphy 1996) OR

SOCIAL CAPITAL

Parents? What is their source of information? What criteria do they use? What weight do their views carry? Do they ever see teaching at first hand? How much do they rely on their children’s stories?

Education ministers What is their source of intelligence? What criteria do they use? Do they ever see teaching at first hand? What impact does their view of teaching have? Who can influence their views?

Is your school a good school? How do you know? What is the source of evidence? Whose views count? How could it be better?

A GOOD TEACHER is kind is generous listens to you encourages you has faith in you has time for you keeps confidences likes teaching children helps you like their subject takes time to explain things helps you when you are stuck tells you how you are doing allows you to have your say makes sure you understand helps people who are slow doesn’t give up on you cares for your opinion makes you feel clever treates people equally stands up for you tells the truth is forgiving