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1. Tell us who you are and what you are about!

Welcome conversation.

Hi, I am Kevin Mathieson a Freelance Art Consultant and I work with schools Local Authorities developing good practice in Art Education and have a particular interest in developing the use of ICT in supporting creativity in Art and Design. Over the past two years I have been fortunate to work on the MIdwheb program as a tutor and am leading on the the January 2010 Dissertation group. What happens in the classroom is important to me and this program  empowers individuals to develop their own subject expertise to investigate what is known as "best practice", to implement selected  strategies, to collect and analyse data on what really happens, thus developing new insights about practice.
 
Now your turn. Tell me . Write a brief paragraph

    * Who you are.
    * Where you currently work.
    * What your project might be focused upon.

(Please keep  contributions to a succinct paragraph on any topic. We will use the information  to plan the programme. You may use it to identify "study buddies" to work and share ideas and material with.)

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Introduction

Posted by Laura Vallone at Feb 02, 2010 03:37 PM
Hello Kevin,

I am Laura Vallone and I spend part of my life in Kenya where my husband lives and my children go to school. I head the learning support department in a British Curriculum IAPS school.

Although my background is in SpLD I would very much like to gain more knowledge of behavioural barriers and how the school can accommodate a wider range of learning and behavioural difficulties. I need to add that Kenya’s inclusive education policy has yet to be fine tuned and, as mentioned, although I work in a British IAPS school we do not have the facilities or qualified personnel to offer an inclusive education comparable to that in the UK State System.

I am really looking forward to this dissertation module and the challenges it will bring.

Introduction

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 10, 2010 11:09 AM
Hi Laura,

Welcome to the Dissertation Module. I am interested to know where your school is located as you say that you spend only part of your life in Kenya? For information this site is the main site for the January 2010 Dissertation group but you will also find lots of useful information for your area of study on:
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/ma-inclusive-education

Kevin
 

Welcome conversation

Posted by Ian Morris at Feb 07, 2010 03:45 PM
Hi, I'm Ian Morris. I'm the Headteacher (since September 08) of a school in Letchworth in Hertfordshire - a comprehensive of nearly 1,100 pupils. Prior to that I worked in schools in Barnet and Enfield (hi Paula!).

I would like to focus my work on the Diploma - with a view as to whether it would be an appropriate qualification to introduce at my school. Questions I think I would want to research are about the nature of the course, will it replace the more tradional vocational routes, what is its currency in the real world,what implementation issues are there, what is its success rate and what practice looks like 'on the ground'.

Ian

Welcome conversation

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 10, 2010 12:39 PM
Hi Ian,

Welcome to the Dissertation group. Your focus is interesting as there is a lot going on in the 14-19 sector. Between now and the end 2010 there are new qualifications being developed and placed on the new Qualifications and Credit Framework and existing BTECs and OCR nationals are being updated to conform to the new framework.
You might consider what is driving the changes in 'Vocational Education' and how this change can be managed in school.

Kevin

Hello Everyone

Posted by Jacqueline Andrews at Feb 10, 2010 04:20 PM
I'm Jackie Andrews, Additional Learning Support Curriculum Manager, Barnet FE College, I look after ALS on 4 sites (East of the Borough) at the moment, there will be 3 sites come April 2010 as our new Campus will be opening in the centre of Barnet. There is also a Head of ALS, my mentor, and my counterpart on the west of the Borough. My specialism is Dyslexia, I hold a PATOSS Practising Certificate to assess for the Disabled Student Allowance.

For this Dissertation module I would like to pick a Curriculum Area and work with staff and students in encouraging inclusivity in learning. So I'm thinking along the lines I would put together an ALS training package that would be transferable to other areas. This may be the way forwards for Additional Learning Support as with the Education cuts it is going to be almost impossible to support all learners who are eligible for Additional Learning Support.

Hello Everyone

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 15, 2010 02:23 PM
Hi Jackie,

Welcome to the conversation. These pages are the main pages for the 2010-2011 Dissertation. You will find a lot of information to assist you in defining your area of interest on:
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/ma-inclusive-education

Kevin

introduction

Posted by Isobel Barron at Feb 11, 2010 09:19 PM
Hi , I am Isobel head of an infant & nursery school for the last eight years. Having started with a school in a very vulnerable position, cause of concern for the LA and with a significant deficit budget we are now in a position of strength that we have maintained for several years, now being recognised as good by Ofsted. What a relief but still a constant challenge! Due to my changing circumstances I have just embarked on a co-headship with my deputy head for the year, consequently I have decided to focus my dissertation on this as a model of leadership(& the practical & organisation issues), particularly in view of the current climate- perhaps comparing it to the emerging executive headship role? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

introduction

Posted by Peter Gordon at Feb 12, 2010 02:13 PM
Hi Isobel. I'm looking forward to working with you again this year with the FIPC "learning set". There are some intersting studies on the NCSL website on different models of headship which would be worth looking at.

introduction

Posted by Isobel Barron at Feb 23, 2010 08:50 PM
thanks Peter for the tip, I have already collected some research material from the NCSL and it is a result of looking at this that I decided upon my focus- apart from my situation. It seems this is a relatively unexplored area so I am hoping to make contact with a (very few) other heads in this situation in order to compare/ contrast experience against any research material and my experience.Looking forward to working with the 'select crowd'!

Hello

Posted by Tomoko Matsushita at Feb 12, 2010 12:19 AM
Hi,

I am Tomoko Matsushita and currently work at the British School in Tokyo, this is my second year in Japan. This is my final year of my masters course with Midwheb, the previous 2 years my research was carried out in the school I was working at in Barnet. I am a PE teacher and this year have taken on the English as an Additional Language coordinator position. My research will be on EAL and how to best manage my department and TA across the school (which is small - 120 in the secondary school). This will be an exciting and challenging new position for me as I am currently trying to learn Japanesse whilst out here, so have some understanding of how the students feel in lessons!

I look forward to working online with you all. :-)

Hello

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 15, 2010 04:48 PM
Hi Tomoko,

Welcome to the Dissertation 2010.
Have a look at the British Council website where you should find lots of information to help you expand your initial thoughts.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/
The publication 'English Next' should also make interesting reading.
http://www.britishcouncil.o[…]ng-research-englishnext.htm

Kevin

Introduction

Posted by Nicola Masters at Feb 15, 2010 08:48 AM
Hi Kevin,
I'm Nicola Masters and I a teacher at Bounds Green Infant School in north london. I have currently been teaching for seven years, 2 years in year 1, 3 years in year 2 and this is currently my second year teaching in the nursery.I would like my research based project to be based around early oracy, but am not quite sure how to focus in on it and how I should go about it. Last year I did a leadership and management reasearch project also around oracy skills ( and managing change).
 in the nursery. Should this years project be something completely different? Kind regards,
Nicola Masters

Introduction

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 16, 2010 09:11 AM
Hi Nicola,

Welcome to the 2010 Dissertation group. Are there aspects of last years project that you wish to develop further? Is there a school need to do more research in this field? Ask what will be beneficial for yourself and the school. Have a look at 'Perspectives on oracy—towards a theory of practice'
http://www.informaworld.com/[…]/content~content=a780715079&db=all
See also Conversation 2
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/[…]/2.-what-topic-and-why
Kevin

introduction

Posted by HELLEN MITEMA at Feb 15, 2010 01:11 PM
Hi Kevin,
I am Hellen. I am a learning support teacher in an IAPS school in Kenya ( Hi Laura). I enjoyed doing the action enquiry and now looking forward to the Dissertation. i may focus on the role of adults ( specifically learning support teachers on effectively helping children with SEN within and out of the classroom (not so set yet). I have been studying with Middlesex uni for the past 4 years or more ( lost count!). lookinf forward to working with you all.
Hellen



introduction

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 15, 2010 05:55 PM
Hi Hellen,
Welcome to the Dissertation group 2010.
This is the main site for the Dissertation Jan 2010-Jan 2011. You can find more information to support your focus at:
http://midwhebonline.org.uk/ma-inclusive-education

Kevin

Introduction and possible focus

Posted by LEONARDO at Feb 15, 2010 07:11 PM
Hi Kevin, I'm Leonardo and I teach foreign languages at a secondary school in Essex called Oaks Park High School. I'm very interested in investigating whether ICT curriculum-related learning games are an effective method to use in the classroom for purposes of assessment for learning and of learning. My school-based project was also based on ICT but I was measuring the retention of knowledge of particular vocabulary. There are some very useful e-platforms that can be used for it, however, it involves designing the games from the start. I found that NASA uses such platforms to train future astronauts. It may be worth to give it a go and see the outcome.
Thanks

Introduction and possible focus

Posted by Kevin Mathieson at Feb 16, 2010 01:03 PM
Hi Leonardo,
Welcome to the 2010 Dissertation Group.
My advice at this stage would be to read around the subject and ask what will benefit you and the school.
Have a look at the materials on Futurelab
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/projects
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/[…]/Literature-Review204

Kevin

A late introduction. sorry

Posted by Natalie Fenwick at Feb 18, 2010 10:15 AM
Hello Kevin,

I am Natalie Fenwick, a Reception teacher at Capel Manor Primary School in Enfield, this is my second year of teaching and my first year of working in the foundation stage.

After working in year 3 last year where numeracy groups were streamed according to ability, I have decided to focus my project on the progress of children working in mixed ability groups or groups according to ability. I am interested in this subject as I feel last year some of my year 3 pupils were put into higher groups and missed huge chunks of their learning, which stopped them making as much progress as the pupils in the middle groups. I am looking forward to researching this area.

Natalie Fenwick

Change of focus

Posted by LEONARDO at Feb 18, 2010 11:08 AM
Hi Kevin, I have taken a look at the www.futurelabs.org website but many of the links appear to be inactive and Middlesex library holds a minuscule sample of literature on games as educational tools, so I will not risk it. Therefore I have decided to change the focus of my dissertation and concentrate on what I know best: Modern Languages.

I would like to investigate the attitudes to Target language in the secondary classroom at KS3. As I have mentioned before, I have seen some changes in attitudes specially amongst boys in year 7, who now come into high school with more enthusiam about languages than before. Boys in general have a reputation for not achieving well in the subject nationally. However, I think that with the introduction of languages at KS2 some of these views and perceptions may have changed amongst them.

Leonardo

Hello

Posted by Jessica Jacob at Feb 19, 2010 04:30 PM
HI Kevin,
I'm hoping to doing an Action Enquiry in Inclusive performing arts. As for now I haven't got a place to work, but hopefully should solidify a place soon. I hope.

Last year I was a volunteer at a special needs school. This year I hope to continue with them or move on to a charity organization I worked in teaching Drama for disabled adults. I learned a great deal doing that and hope to continue working in that field.

I do hope. I could have the opportunity to work with the Chicken Shed group.
Jess

Introduction

Posted by Katerina Dousova at Feb 20, 2010 02:26 PM
Hi Kevin,
I am Kate. This is my second attempt to join this conversation. I must have done something wrong before as my text is not above.
I am originally from the Czech Republic, but I have lived in the UK for the past 10 years. I am teaching Art in a girls' secondary in Enfield. I also work part time for the Tate Gallery. I am very interested in pupils' motivation in the classroom and the ways we can, as teachers, increase it.

Introduction

Posted by Mei Ching Bastians at Feb 26, 2010 07:26 AM
Greetings! Hello, how are you today? My name is Mei Ching (Mrs Bastians). This is the final part of my MA Ed. I did my first degree at Middlesex Uni between 1988-92.I've been a classroom full time teacher since 1992. Prior to 1988, I taught in Further Ed. and Adult Evening Ed. My life have a lot to do with Hong Kong, Haringey and Middlesex. I enjoy living and working in London-especially inner city schools. Strictly speaking, I haven't left school since I was 7 because I believe in life-long learning. I enjoy most indoor and outdoor games. The harder I work, the harder I play. I like winter sports. Since 2003, I learnt to ski and snowboarding. My husband is a good coach. We also go to theater and concerts regularly. We travel during holidays. We both love Art and photography.
Thank you for reading about me!

My current work and project focus

Posted by Mei Ching Bastians at Feb 27, 2010 07:51 PM
I am a teacher at Stamford Hill Primary School. Currently I work with Year 1 pupils full time with responsibility as the ICT and Geography co-ordinator. My project focus is to implement a new initiative of 'MLE- managed learning environment' within next few months. My role as the ICT co-ordinator is to form, lead,and coach my colleagues as well as working with my Head teacher, our newly formed SLT, and my LA MLE consultants at the early stages in establishing effective use of the MLE(a brand new virtual online school)that suits our school by September 2010.

Hi!

Posted by Rebecca Poole at Feb 28, 2010 03:43 PM
Hi - My name is Rebecca Poole and I work as a Deputy Head at Hendon School in Barnet. I am thinking about exploring models of system leadership, with specific reference to CPD. I am responsible for teaching and learning and, as a result of feedback from a recent staff development day, am looking to re-design our internal CPD (twice a week, every week) to really focus on assessment in lessons. So I am thinking about how to model system leadership internally to effect this, with a view to extending it beyond school.

Late Starter on the MA dissertation

Posted by Neville Allen at Feb 28, 2010 11:10 PM
Hi,
I am Neville Allen a Head of Department for MFL at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield with an interest in all things in the International Dimension. I am currently adjusting to my school becoming an Academy in September 2009 with many changes including new staff and new systems. I have been a middle leader for some 9+ years and am thinking of "relaunching" my career and moving into senior leadership. I have in the last few years been involved in a MFL National Strategy where I was introduced to coaching. My dissertation focus will therefore be in the area of mentoring and coaching and developing a school culture of learning.

Late introduction

Posted by Joanne White at Mar 11, 2010 08:22 PM
Hi Kevin,

My name is Joanne White and I am a class teacher at Durants school in Enfield, which is a school for children with special needs. Prior to this I worked as a Nursery Nurse in a primary school for children with autism.

For the dissertation I would like to look at methods of communication used by children with autism, focusing on Intensive Interaction, PECS and Makaton.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Jo
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