Be prepared

Stardate 2009-01-24
New term again, id decided this term to shift the focus with the new learners away from the infamous butterfly project onto starting off with a traditional leaded light. I had become aware that many learners didn’t really get the opportunity to try this technique in their first term. In doing this it required the redesigning of the sow which presented me the change to incorporate things I learned about course planning along the way. But it seems it requires continual adaptation and refinement as I discovered the first session. The learners all completed the first cutting task part of the session and I encouraged them to experiment and just play at cutting to get a feel for the tool. Later we discussed beginning with a simple leaded panel. It was at this point I ran into a hurdle. Many of the pattern books are filled with tiffany sun catches but it seemed were somewhat limited in the beginner’s leaded light field. I showed the learners some simple demonstration projects but seemed unable to motivate the design process in the. Reflecting on the problem on the way home I decided to create a range of suitable simple designs for the evening class to choose from or adapt if they felt so inclined. Repeating the session that night with the new 6 designs I made that afternoon went much better and all the new learners at least began to cut out their chosen projects one even began to grind the glass. It’s difficult to gauge learner creativity; in the past new learners have had goals they enrolled on the course with the hope of achieving, be it re-leading a window or building a lamp. I need to be prepared for all eventualities.

Tick tick tick tick

Stardate20 Jan. 09
I’m preparing for the college inspection. I haven’t yet decided if I need to panic about it yet or not. I’m hoping hopefully not in vein that I have learned something from my teacher training course. I spent some time checking through a summarised list of aims objectives required to attain a grade one. Is it achievable, well reading the list I think I cover all the areas my main area of doubt is if my paperwork and my recording of data is up to scratch. I have a register my lesson plan has learning objectives and I think outcomes but I have yet to write the lesson plan for the second week session that the inspectors are likely to visit. The inspection has perhaps landed on the second week of the course not the first as I originally feared. This is good as it lets me base the session around a leading up demonstration, as it’s a interesting demonstration and one I have handouts already prepared for. I spent some time amending and updating these this morning to add things like a few questions to the end of the leading up hand out to check learner knowledge. Reading through the checklist there are thing like recording learner progress, this I do with my workshop session plans. The lessons are usually busy am hoping to include the differentiation element from the fact many learners are returning and we also should have some new learners to the course also. Individual learning needs, well I have noted my student with Down syndrome on my lesson plan whilst he is competent he needs leading through a project. There’s so much to cover I am placing some stock in the fact I haven’t yet failed and of the inspections I have undergone , I am also hoping my efforts in improving my paperwork and teaching style haven’t been in vain as a bad result here would I think totally de-motivate me. There’s so much to remember for this kind of inspection. My evening teacher training session is likely to be inspected which may prove useful to see the other side of the wall but I will let u know how that goes after tonight.....

Deep and crisp and Faking it

Stardate 8 January 2009
Back to school the last two weeks of term. It’s an odd month this month has me questioning and second-guessing myself. I have to complete the terms paperwork and prepare some kind of fake lesson for this inspection that happens the first week of the next course. I should do an introduction welcome to the Stained glass here are the toilets and this is the health and safety rules kind of lesson. But I’m presented with a problem Many of the learners have being doing the course longer than me and this first week will be more interested in progressing their work and pushing their ideas than doing learner introductions to what are more or less their friends. The evening course is much more suitable to be inspected as the demographic is newer and many of the learners are closer to the level 1 nature of the course. Differentiation is however everything so whilst I’m happy for learners to work through basic projects, I’m delighted if they want to push their own skills to the limit. Many of the learners work to and beyond level 5 and 6.I have told the returning learners that the new term I’d like to focus more on leaded lights and I’m delighted to see most of the learners have jumped at this opportunity and are busy developing projects of this nature. If I’m lucky I can time the “leading up” demonstration to coincide with the inspection so I can do my “Time served craftsman” bit the question is should I have a pipe and beard to add authenticity? But the truth is the inspectors won’t come to this session they will come to the morning session where the learners are all working a range of mediums in a range of levels and how do I present a model workshop lesson containing all the Tricks required to get a grade one. I can do the Crisp start with the Aims and objectives slide, re cover health and safety mention the fire drill. I know I’m suppose to provide answers to all the questions i ask here but I’m still deciding...


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