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Media classroom

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Literacy PLTs

Literacy PLTs

Formative Assessment in the Media classroom

I have always been passionate about collaborative professional learning and an advocate for peer observation. Institutional practices frequently encourage their staff to collaborate, however too often we are departmentally or independently siloed, creating little opportunity to experience differing classroom culture. As educators our core purpose is to provide learning opportunities and experiences for our students, and I believe that classroom culture is central to this idea.

This year, I have taken part in a Professional Learning Team, underpinned by Dylan Wiliams’ work on formative assessment. As part of this process, we have taken part in peer observation for the purpose of identifying where learning occurs. The act of inviting a staff member into my classroom has been incredibly rewarding for two reasons. The first is that these observations have provided a springboard for professional discourse. The second, and arguably most important, has been the opportunity for me to share my continued engagement in learning with my students.

The subject of Media is essentially a study of semiotics and learning how to look, interpret and contextualise imagery through verbal and written expression. Classes begin with a visual stimulus, for example a photograph or film scene, that we use media language to decipher. All students are encouraged to contribute to class discussion through Socratic questioning and, what Wiliams refers to as, ‘pose, pause, pounce, bounce’ – allowing students to extend on each other’s ideas. Through peer observation, the teacher recorded student contribution and ‘think-time’. We used this as an opportunity to discuss how I was building a culture of creative thinking in my classroom and considerations I could make to enhance this further. This reflection was both valuable and insightful – encouraging me to think about how I structure my lessons and give time to deep thinking.

When being observed, I always make a point of explaining to my students why the teacher is joining us. As an educator, I believe in modelling my learning to others as a means to acknowledge that the learning process is ongoing. The teacher is not only invited to observe, but also contribute to the lesson – sharing their interpretation. In media we speak about the cultural lens and how this shapes audience reading of an image. It’s been beneficial and fascinating for my students to hear differing perspectives and begin to understand cultural context.

Classroom observation is an incredibly important part of building a collaborative learning culture for teachers and students. It’s a way for educators to gain new ideas and students to witness ongoing learning. I look forward to continuing being part of the professional learning at Braemar and contributing to building a rich and exciting culture of learning.

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