INSET: Carefully Crafted Lessons

Now we have 'done away' with groups we need to get even better at crafting lessons and task design to ensure stretch for high attainers and scaffolding for others. Teachers should be thinking precisely about every example we use and every question set for pupils. This ensures slow but steady progression, by varying just one component of the questions at a time. Pupil work time should be regularly punctuated by teacher-led discussion and examples, so frequently ‘reels the kite back in’ after letting children run with it in their own work. We used an example from Wroxham School in Potters Bar: https://vimeo.com/69709930

In the example lessons, students are given the input as a whole class 

Children then self-select the task they feel best suits their confidence with the content. 

If they feel the challenge they picked was too hard or too easy, they are free to go back and pick another one. 

Children were taught to challenge themselves but also not feel ashamed of picking the easier challenge if they want to. 

They can work through all 3 challenges during the lesson if they wish so can build confidence during a lesson.