Geography Pathway Sessions - Weekly Overview September and October – and assignment brief 2017

This is an outline of the structure of the Geography Pathway sessions. There will be an opportunity for you to contribute some of your up to date subject knowledge and expertise to the sessions (this does not have to be related to the session title).

The session titles are fluid and flexible. Themes such as fieldwork and using ICT will run throughout the sessions. You should focus on the broad question posed for each week before the sessions, and again afterwards in order to assess your own learning. At the end of each session you should update your Subject Knowledge Profile (SKP) and Professional Development Profile (PDP) where appropriate.

On Wednesday afternoons in weeks 8-12 inclusive the time will be for Subject Knowledge Updates. The purposes of these sessions are to enable you to

  • develop your subject knowledge,
  • your understanding and knowledge of geography pedagogy
  • develop your knowledge and understating of the geography GCSE specifications and how

In pairs you will choose a topic from one of the GCSE Specifications and prepare an interactive teaching episode to team teach to the rest of the group. Details are given later in the programme.

Some reading is suggested for each week. Add relevant reading as you progress through the module.

Please add in any notes for yourself.

Week 7

12th and 13th September

Geography Matters / Induction and introductions: Outline of Module and Programme
What does geography mean to you?
Reading / Lee & Dorling, (2016), Geography’s place in the world.
Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 1,2,3,4
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapter 1
Notes / Bring an artefact to our first geography Pathway Session on Tuesday 12th September that allows you to talk about what geography means to you.
Entry level membership of GA
Geography Matters / What is the educational potential of geography?
Geography in the school curriculum; connecting with pupils’ own lives and experience of place.
Reading / Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 5,6,7,8
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapter 9
Brooks Studying PGCE Geography at M Level chapters 1, 2, 3
Oats (2010) Could do better: using international comparisons to define the National Curriculum in England. Cambridge Assessment
Notes / Entry level membership of GA
Ensure you know the relevant sections of the library and how to book a study room in the library

Week 8

19th and 20th September

Learning Geography / How do pupils learn geography?
Geography in the National Curriculum. Includes Young Peoples’ Geographies; ‘thinking geographically’; geographical imaginations; the geography classroom; place; using maps and atlases.
Reading / Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapters 1
Brooks Studying PGCE Geography at M Level chapters 1, 2, 3
Subject knowledge update / In pairs choose a topic from one of the GCSE Geography specifications and prepare a 40 minute interactive teaching episode that you will team teach to the rest of the group at GCSE level.
You could choose a topic that you feel confident with or one that you need to learn more about.
Give details of the Specification and the topic you have chosen. Justify your choices.
Identify appropriate learning objectives or intentions for the sessions and, if you can, success criteria i.e. how will you know that effective learning has taken place and pupils have made progress?
Plan and prepare interactive learning activities and justify your choices. Think about what you want to teach and how it could be taught effectively.
You will be able to reflect in your pair on the experience of teaching the episode and the effectiveness of your planning; the group will give you constructive and professional feedback on:
  • subject knowledge;
  • clarity of instructions and exposition;
  • effectiveness of learning.

Notes / Meet your Mentor on Friday 22nd September

Week 9

276h and 27th September

Teaching Geography / What makes an interesting and effective geography lesson and how do you go about planning one?
Includes the purpose and features of lesson planning; classroom management strategies for the geography classroom.
Discussion and preparation for the first two days in school. What are your hopes? What are your expectations?
Reading / Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapters 4, 5
Brooks Studying PGCE Geography at M Level chapter 5
Notes / Prepare for days in school.

Questions for the two days a week in your PT1 School.

  1. How does the department set learning intentions for lessons?
  2. How does the department create and develop schemes of work?
  3. How does the school develop behaviour for learning?
  4. How does the school track pupil progress? How does the department track pupil progress?
  5. How does the school monitor and manage attendance?
  6. How does the school identify and support pupils with SEND?
  7. How does the school provide pastoral care for pupils?
  8. How does the school communicate with and involve parents in the education of the pupils?
  9. How does the school approach Education for Sustainable Development?

Revisit as many of these questions as you can each week. Do not expect to reach answers in the first week; rather develop an understanding of the practices in the school over the weeks.

We will review and reflect on these questions in Pathway each week until you start PT1. You may add notes to your SKP and/or PDP as a result of these discussions.

At the end of PT1 we will have a discussion based on your critical reflections prompted by these questions. You may add notes to your SKP and/or PDP as a result of these discussions.

Use the model for critical thinking to support your reflection. You may find that you move through the stages in the model over the weeks. This will build and develop your capacity for critical reflection on practice.

Week 10

3th and 4th October

Engaging Geography / What makes a geography lesson engaging?
Includes questioning; different types of resources; behaviour for learning; assessment for learning.
Reading / Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 31,32,33,34
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapters 4,10
Notes

Week 11

10th and 11th October

Developing the Geography Curriculum / How does learning and teaching geography develop over a sequence of lessons?
Includes planning a sequence of geography lessons; progression and continuity; homework; thinking about the geography curriculum
Reading / Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 21, 38
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapters 2, 5
Notes

Week 12

17 and 18th October

Inclusive Geography / How can we help all pupils to learn geography?
Includes SEND; G&T; EAL; differentiation; teaching in a diverse society.
Reading / Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapter 2, 3, 5
Notes

Week 13

24th and 25th October

Resourcing Geography / What sort of resources support the learning of geography and how can they be used effectively?
Includes selecting, adapting and using different types of resources such as newspapers; text books; photographs; music; literature.
Reading / Secondary Geography Handbook chapters 13, 19
Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapter 6
Reflecting on teaching and learning geography / What have I learned so far and how can I put his into practice in PT1?
Includes preparation for PT1; timetable check; review of progress and targets for PT1; T&L1 Module evaluation.
Reading / Lambert D & Balderstone D (2010) Learning to Teach Geography in the Secondary School 2nd Edition chapter 11
Brooks Studying PGCE Geography at M Level chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
Notes

Assignment Brief - 100% Coursework

EPGS615 Teaching and Learning- Assessment Brief

ASSIGNMENTS

The assignment for this module is a 1500 word report. The assessment is based on the observation of an experienced teacher in your own subject area (ideally key stage 3, could be key stage 4, but not A level). You will be asked to carry out lesson observations on a range of different foci in the first few weeks. You need to choose an observation on the topic of AfL or questioning (you will be directed by your pathway tutor) for this assignment. You will make notes* on the Focused Lesson Observation Form and have the opportunity to discuss the lessons with the teachers, your Subject Mentor and your Subject Pathway Leader. You will need to speak to the teacher about the context of this lesson (see point 1). You will be expected to use your reading to develop your own lesson plan to cover the same learning objectives as the chosen lesson. You need to include this as an appendix and refer to it in your writing.

*Try to collect as much detail as possible during the lesson, including specific questions/assessments and pupil responses.

Please note the following:

  1. In your report you need to explain why the topic of the lesson is a part of the scheme of learning and wider curriculum. You will need to contextualise the learning, explaining how it fits in to the topic.
  1. You need to analyse the parts of this lesson and explain the educational concepts that underpin what you observe. In doing this you need to link your explanation to your reading and understanding of the teaching and learning concepts (wider and subject specific) from the module. You should include the focused observation form in your report as an appendix and make reference to it when analysing the lesson.
  1. You will need to create your own lesson plan to cover the objectives of the observed lesson. You can use what you have observed but you must consider literature. The plan should be on the standard programme lesson plan proforma. You should include the lesson plan in your report as appendix and make reference to it when explaining how you would teach the learning objectives.

Your report should be structured in a logical way with clear sections and appropriate headings. Your report should also have a contents page at the start and a list of references at the end. Your referencing should follow the Harvard system. References are included in the word count.

Submission requirements & Assignment checklist

Submission deadline: 9pm Monday 6th November 2017. We recommend that you submit your work before or at the start of the day and do not leave last minute adjustments etc., until the day of the deadline.

Please complete this checklist before submitting.

I have:
Carefully read the Assessment grid (following page).
Proof read my 1500 word report.
Included a contents page.
Suitably structured the report into clear sections with headings.
Used Harvard referencing
Included my lesson plan.
Included my completed observation form, as an appendix.
PGCE Secondary Programme /
EPGS615/SD/ST Induction Professional Issueselement
Assessment Sheet
Level 6
Date: / First Marker:
Level 6 Module Outcome: [Provisional until confirmed at Assessment Board] / PASS FAIL
High Level 6 / Low Level 6 / Fail
Application of sufficiently robust specialist subject knowledge to their own observations, planning and presented work in faculty sessions and serial school practice / Knowledge and understanding of key concepts within the topic is demonstrated.
This knowledge and understanding is used to analyse the lesson’s place within the scheme of learning/topic and wider curriculum. / Relates some knowledge and understanding of key concepts within the topic area.
There is some relating of this knowledge and understanding, to the lesson’s place within the scheme of learning/topic and wider curriculum. / Knowledge and understanding of key subject and pedagogical concepts display major gaps, inaccuracies and/or serious misconceptions.
There is little or no awareness demonstrated of why this lesson is placed where it is.
Application of sufficient educational conceptual knowledgeto the analysis of observed classroom practice, learners and teachers
Sufficiently wide use of educational knowledge of recognised good practice and ethics to demonstrate independent thinking, initiative and adaptation to ‘live’ classroom situations / Literature used is mostly relevant and sufficiently varied. The study identifies some different views from the literature and the resulting analysis.
There are a number of points made that are then related to well chosen aspects of the teaching and learning they have observed and also related to what they would do. / Literature used has some limitations regarding range, currency and/or appropriateness.
Some aspects of the observed lesson are related back to subject specific literature.
Some consideration is demonstrated for how subject specific literature has been used in the own planning. / Literature base seriously limited; insufficiently current and/or inappropriate.
There is very little, if any, linking of observation to subject specific literature.
There is very little, if any, consideration demonstrated for how subject specific literature is used in the own planning.
Independently structuring and communicating educational ideas, flexibly handling subject knowledge within individual and collaborative tasks / The work is structured and presented to communicate ideas. Written expression is generally clear and coherent throughout with some grammatical errors. References used are generally accurate and consistent. / Work follows a structure, but may at times become unclear or confused. Some grammatical errors may impair communication at times. References are attempted, but may contain errors and/or are used inconsistently. / Work weakly ordered and/or presented. Grammatical errors significantly impair communication. References are mostly inaccurate and/or inconsistent.
Overall Comment / AnEXCELLENTto GOOD piece of work. Some engaging features with some strong aspects. Some small issues may need addressing.
Does meet the L6 Assessed Learning Outcomes / A GOOD to SOUND piece of work. Some engaging features. Specific aspects require attention.
Does meet the L6 Assessed Learning Outcomes / An INADEQUATE piece of work. Significant aspects requiring attention.
Does NOT meet the L6 Assessed Learning Outcomes
Summary Comments
Feedforward Actions
Second Marker’s Comments
Signature: Date:

Please read the Assessment Grid, Summary Comments, Feedforward Actions and the in-text comments for further feedback on this assignment.

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