As a teacher, I have seized the opportunity to innovate inside the box. I have compiled this list to share with other educators and I plan to add to it over time. Please reference my name and link to my website if you are copying and pasting my work. Feel free to use any of these ideas, but ensure they are appropriate for your learning context and remember the skill is in the implementation.
If you have got any questions or feedback, please contact me by email at darrylwestley@hotmail.com
21/12/24
Committed
It is the first day of the winter break. I wanted to post something because it relates to the lesson plans mentioned previously. For many of those plans, I used some of my holidays to complete the work in preparation for the next term. This was important because I wanted to be prepared and I was focused on my goal of achieving QTS. After being exposed to multiple circumstances in the local area, I had mentally decided I would probably only stay in the UK for one year.
I did not have any contact with pupils last term so inevitably I have not received any Christmas cards this year. I have looked through some of the cards given in the past and these bring back fond memories. The handwriting inside is exceedingly valuable.
I will be consciously trying to avoid working overtime during the break. Thank you for your understanding.
20/12/24
Organised
When given the opportunity, I have actively been involved with the lesson planning process. Here are a few snippets from the plans at the first British school where I taught. When requested, I shared multiple lessons plans to leadership as part of my journey towards QTS. I actively replenished documents on the public displays because I understood the importance of pupil's work being viewed passively by the whole school community.
Ofsted inspected the school in January 2022.
19/12/24
Strategic
As part of behaviour management within the first British school where I worked, I can recall sending repeat offenders to detention as a consequence during lunch time. After multiple conversations with the pupils in that area and observing the behaviour that was tolerated there, I decided to monitor the detentions of my pupils within my own classroom. By taking this initiative, I was able to ensure the pupils behaved during that period and when necessary have conversations with them in an attempt to address the root cause of the problem. I was able to find solutions by employing various strategies. This required taking time out of my own lunch.
My classroom displays and decorations were visible for the whole school community. I hope my efforts are remembered and still resonate with the pupils.
13/12/24
Warm Christmas
A series of festive origami decorations were displayed outside the classroom on the lead up to Christmas in 2021. These remain in my collection.
07/12/24
🌏 Creative traveller
I had a stall at the Festive Publishing Fair, National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall, Norwich.
03/12/24
Disciplined
My Martial Arts training continues. Right of the red line is my progress in the UK since 2021.
02/12/24
Reflective
After the events of last academic year and the criminal cases involving children broadcast through the news, I have taken an extended period of time unpaid without teaching for reflection.
I have revisited my comprehensive notes and records from the first school where I worked in the UK. I am very concerned about a steady decline I have personally experienced plus the seemingly lack of upward mobility despite stepping up and actively contributing at multiple schools. It takes me back to one of my original motivations for leaving England in 2013. At that time, I was not working within the field of education but I did experience some similar issues related to workplace opportunities and growth.
The photograph shows the shelves near my desk as they were arranged before the start of the academic year in 2021. Most of those bright coloured items were sourced from the classroom cupboards, an area I thoroughly organised and cleaned upon arrival. The florescent pink vest provided by the school was worn during playground duties religiously and without protest.
I read this book: Odilon Redon by Michael Gibson.
23/11/24
🌏 Creative traveller
I decided to continue the momentum of working on my independent art after the public exhibition. For this project, I have completed 24 canvases of various sizes over a 12 week period. My creativity is influenced by personal knowledge and experience of diverse places of worship around the world.
21/10/24
Hope
I read this book: Art + Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto Fujimura.
One aspect of tuition I have paid a lot of attention to whilst teaching in British schools is the handling of Religious Education. This was a subject I was interested in during my own schooling but did not necessarily draw a lot of attention to the fact. I can recall lessons about Hinduism being captivating.
27/08/24 - 08/09/24
🌏 Creative traveller
Norwich Market POP-UP
Stall 132
An open studio and exhibition of my accumulated art work. I began working on a new Series that utilises collage and origami.
Alongside supply teaching, I have been able to maintain a sense of purpose and consistency by continuining my side project of documenting experiences within countries I have lived and visited. The creative work includes England where I was the outsider returning after a long period living as an expat.
Supply work over the last academic year proved to be volatile, inconsistent and unrewarding so having an alternative productive focus was essential for the benefit of my self-worth and mental health.
27/06/24
🌏 Creative traveller
A really long book on show at the Norfolk and Norwich Millenium Library.
The concertina book is a collection of images that were shared through Instagram Stories over a year (2023). This project shows a physical example of daily self-publishing online through social media apps. An unmeasured amount of time spent consciously communicating through the Internet.
Alongside the project, there is a display of zines. The zines about Chinese culture were the ones I created at Zine Club. Throughout the process, I recognised the opportunity to share my experience about China and on occasion practise speaking Chinese (Mandarin). The realisation of this activity was one of continuous cultural exchange. Some of the neighbouring zines were also created at zine club and others were sourced from the zine library. From my perspective, the overall theme is the documentation of culture. This notion is reinforced by including the zine: Document Your Culture by Emma Warren.
21/06/24
Reflective
A moment of appreciation.
This photograph is a homage to a previous digital footprint. Some of my online followers should be able to recall the moment.
Same sky, different location.
20/05/24
Tolerant
I have been keeping a detailed record of how to travel between the many institutions where I have taught. The longest commute to a school by far was a journey that took over two hours each way. That included a train journey and a walk between both stations. Unfortunately, on one occasion I narrowly missed the return train and the next one was cancelled. My journey back home was severely delayed.
On a positive note, I did read many books during those days with long commutes so it was never wasted time. This was one of the books: The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik.
15/05/24
Shaper
In 2019, I circulated information about the Belbin Team Roles through my WeChat Moments. I had references to the roles attached to my office desk that academic year as a daily reminder of my worth within the department. At that time, I was particularly interested in the contributions of individuals within a team, the fluidity of roles and the dynamics of workplace structure.
https://www.belbin.com/about/belbin-team-roles
I am revisiting this book: A Guide to Belbin Team Roles by Max Isaac and Kevin Carson.
03/05/24
Sewing
Some seeds planted in Spring 1.
23/04/24
Perseverance
I have achieved the orange belt for Japanese Jujitsu.
This personal accomplishment is important at this time as a response to the challenges I have faced as part of my role.
22/04/24
Messenger
Be without fear & Life lessons
Message 5: Covid-19 Special Issue
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/message-journal
15/04/24
Enthusiast
I embraced origami ten years ago. In my self-published books, I have referenced known origami designers of models that I have used as part of my art. The amount of time to create new designs and document them in the form of diagrams is commendable.
In educational environments, folding origami helps train hand-eye coordination, improves fine motor skills and boosts creative thinking. There is a sense of accomplishment when the folder completes the model whilst the process enhances patience and discipline.
12/04/24
Moderator
Over the past year, I have tried to avoid online communication in social media groups and in some situations distanced myself from them completely. I have appreciated direct communication and hand written notes when on school grounds.
In the past, I have experience being actively vocal in various social media groups within an educational setting. On occasion, I was the adminstrator for several groups and mediated when conflicts occured. After exposure to numerous anti-social behaviours, I attemped to solve the problem by creating a series of emojis aimed to change the mood. I found it to be tiresome work that is rarely acknowledged or appreciated.
06/04/24
🌏 Creative traveller
One year later, I am reflecting about being involved with the week long Norfolk Makers Festival in 2023.
I was grateful for the platform on the last day of the festival to share my creative work and teach origami. I was able to spotlight some of my processes and talk about the division of my work into series. There was a definite buzz during the afternoon as we folded a lot of paper. Before working with the public, I confirmed I had Public Liability Insurance and was able to provide all the materials for free. In turn, I had an opportunity to put my work out there to promote my Patreon and Etsy shop. Afterwards, I filled in a feedback form and spotlighted another artist's work.
After the event, I was not able to determine the lasting effect my work had on the community. I did sell one item from my Etsy shop so I could accept that as a form of feedback.
18/03/24
Artist
I have continued with daily and short term supply teaching this academic year. There have been periods of time without opportunities. These weekly gaps have allowed time for self-initiated research and adding to my portfolio as an artist. Pastimes focused on skill development add value to my worth as a teacher.
Today there was an important post by the Artists Union of England regarding artists working for free.
This statement is for those being offered low or non-existent fees: 'Refer them to the Artists Union of England's Rates of Pay guidelines. The minimum a visual artist should be paid is £24.66 an hour - and that's for a recent graduate or early career practitioner.'
https://www.artistsunionengland.org.uk/
17/03/24
Perform
An opportunity to hone my performance of Kung Fu techniques on stage with musical accompaniment.
I am grateful to have a platform at an event that brings a diverse group of creatives together with an emphasis on skills and not talent.
15/03/24
Conscious
I continue to travel to the schools where I teach on foot or by using public transport. This is a constant across my teaching career. There is a compelling carbon breakdown shown in the sustainability story section of my trainline app.
My most recent teaching experiences required a journey by bus and train. I was charged two pounds each way for the bus journey to one job. For the train journey to another job, I was charged eigtheen pounds, thirty pence for a return ticket. I used to pay two yuan each way for the bus journey where I was working in China. That cost converted to British currency is around 44 pence for a return ticket.
29/02/24
Researcher
My independent educational research continues.
Last year, I read more than thirteen books related to education. I have access to a wealth of published material, many of the titles have been sourced through the local library.
27/02/24
Thinker
Here is a T-shirt design I wore once for a PE lesson within a British school. One of my motivations for purchasing this attire was the connection to my previous role within a school in China. I was a House Captain for the Honourable Unicorns. The qilin is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology. I was attracted to the bright radiant colours because of the likeness to the rainbow signifying hope during the COVID-19 Lockdowns.
After a period of time listening to my pupils, I had discovered unicorns were suggested many times during the creative writing process. As part of strengthening our relationship, it felt appropriate to wear something that would support and reinforce my pupils' own interests for the mythical animal.
I recommend this book: Signs & Symbols: An Illustrated Guide to their Origins and Meanings. The unicorn appears in several forms in the Fabulous Beasts section.
20/02/24
Perform
My celebration for Spring Festival included performing Kung Fu techniques with musical accompaniment on stage for an audience.
I welcome the opportunity to champion Martial Arts through performance in the local community. The first time I ever observed a live Kung Fu performance was at Kung Fu Corner in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong.
02/02/24
Spring 1
This Term's documented evidence of learning.
01/02/24
Undeterred
I have reluctantly been using a mobile phone app as a work tool for the past year. I have consciously never used it whilst within school grounds. Recently, I received a seemingly random update to the Insight section, revealing two reviews from schools. One of the reviews is nearly a year old. Fortunately, through my lack of awareness, the ratings have not affected my self-worth or ability to do my job.
I am reminded about this book I read in 2021: Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn.
14/12/23
Kit
I am reminded about the importance of clothing choice within the school environment.
This is a uniform I wore whilst playing in the expat teacher's basketball team at a school in China. As a team, we often met after work to practise on the school's basketball courts. We played multiple competitive games against other teachers and pupils during that academic year.
Previously, I had actively played basketball at other schools with various local pupils and teachers. It was a positive way to unwind after teaching and an opportunity to connect with other members of the community. Admittedly, I did not anticipate the passion for basketball in China, but I was particularly grateful for an environment to practise and play the sport I have enjoyed since childhood.
03/12/23
Resilient
This was a long time coming... I passed the HSK Level 1 Chinese Proficiency Test.
08/11/23
Considerate
Unfortunately, over the last couple of years in the UK, I have faced questions from a point of ignorance and snide comments about my association with China. Where possible, I have defended my point of view, shared my perspective and educated about my position within academia.
A particular point has been regarding taxation. For all of the time I worked as a teacher in China, I taught within institutions so my earnings were always taxed. There was an instance where I was approached by several parents that wanted me to engage with extra tuition for their children. I accepted on a couple of conditions: I would only be doing it voluntarily without payment and it would take place on school grounds.
During that academic year, the families kindly invited me to several meals and gave me some cultural gifts. These were more valuable than any cash payment because through our interactions I learned more about China and its culture. These brush paintings of the four seasons were one of the gifts.
06/11/23
Value
After returning to the UK, I have been more conscious of the time I spend doing unpaid work in the field of education. This includes filling in forms, reading policy documents, responding to emails and engaging with my own professional development.
This framed Chinese paper cutting was given to me by a student for completing a comprehensive questionnaire from the perspective of a Foreigner legally residing in China. At that moment, I was sat waiting to be served in the Guangzhou Immigration Office.
05/10/23
Global citizen
Wherever you are...
Happy World Teachers' Day!
29/09/23
The Human Bridge
2013 - 2023
10 years of sharing between the East and West
08/09/23
Rare
I read a considerable amount of books about education last academic year and throughout the summer. This book especially struck a chord: Men in Early Years Settings: Building a Mixed Gender Workforce by David Wright and Simon Brownhill.
'As two men who have actively worked in various capacities in the Early Years sector in England over the last 14 plus years, we are conscious that we are, and continue to be, in the minority with less than 2 per cent of the workforce being male (DfE 2014), a statistic that has persisted for many decades, right up to the present day.'
25/07/23
Persistent
My independent educational research continues.
26/06/23
Communicative
As one door closes, another door opens.
This academic year, I am grateful for all of the face-to-face and telephone exchanges focused on the field of education.
23/06/23
Imaginative
A series of origami models shown to pupils to inspire them. These were made by an individual instructor and not Twinkl.
18/06/23
Thorough
My independent educational research continues.
09/06/23
LinkedOut
This is my response to recent notifications from individuals to connect on LinkedIn: I am not planning on extending my network on the platform. I have experimented with it for a short time and made the decision to stop Posting. I do not engage with it regularly. I do not communicate with my current connections or other members on the service.
Thank you for your understanding.
A higher resolution of the image 'My experience with LinkedIn since 2021' appears in the Featured section of my LinkedIn profile.
27/05/23
Cooperative
I have taught within sixteen different British schools so far this academic year. I am grateful to observe and experience a diverse range of learning environments.
I wonder where I will teach next term. I wonder: what are the things left to be discovered?
12/05/23
Consistent
My independent educational research continues.
04/05/23
Active
The only way is up.
I am continuing to take the initiative by conducting my own independent educational research, delving deeper into unfamilar curriculum and unexplored teaching strategies.
27/04/23
Captivating
An impromptu lesson about 2D shapes by demonstrating paper folding.
24/04/23
Patient
I have not taught since the 17th of March. Each potential working day I was ready early in the morning for the notification.
Today I have not received anything so the alternative is immersing myself with various resources for Professional Development. I value this period being exposed to the British national curriculum, it has been one of discovery and enlightenment.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-framework-for-key-stages-1-to-4/the-national-curriculum-in-england-framework-for-key-stages-1-to-4
28/03/23
Union
I have become a member of Artists' Union England.
https://www.artistsunionengland.org.uk/
I have not been paid for sharing this information.
17/03/23
Supportive
I have covered multiple lessons during strike action.
Supply teachers are helping keep the ships afloat.
03/23
Unique
I moved back to the UK in August 2021 on a mission to get QTS. This has not been a smooth journey.
I am now considering the possibility of working for a year unpaid to gain Qualified Teacher Status within a British school. I am not keen on this scenario at all because I will inevitably be sharing my wealth of unorthodox experience at the school for free to gain recognition as an educator.
I have already experienced this dynamic from my short term supply roles.
07/02/23
Flexible
Nine days of supply teaching within three schools. I have taught eleven classes across all Year groups (KS1 & KS2).
03/02/23
Supply
These recent gifts caught me off guard. I appreciate the support from the pupils.
20/01/23
Referencing
Know your rights.
https://www.gov.uk/work-reference
17/01/23
Safeguarding
Brushing up on child protection in schools.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
11/01/23
My experience with LinkedIn since 2021.
31/12/22
2022
The year of celebrating my Chinese identity whilst living in the UK.
12/22
Communication
I have forgotten the particular day this collection of objects was given to me. They were a positive response to something negative happening in the classroom. It is a big deal when pupils give these gifts during challenges and especially if they ask you about them on another day, as was the case.
12/22
Opportunity
All ideas are valid. I bought these stamps to positively reinforce the school's values. I could not determine the appropriate timing to use them so they went in my back pocket for another day.
29/07/22
Keepsakes
Now I am left with all of these messages from pupils. What was once a challenging transition is becoming much easier to bare.
28/07/21
Performance
I took part in a public Martial Arts demonstration. This was the 5th time I joined the Kuk Sool Won demos with other adults and children.
22/07/22
Teams
Handmade gifts from my Teacher Assistant and each group of pupils.
I hope the team work helps them moving forward.
22/07/22
Puffins
A continuation of the bird class mascots this academic year. These gifts from parents will definitely help me recall the pupils.
May they all keep soaring.
22/07/22
Takeaway
In a world where you can be anything... Be yourself!
Message seen in the local giftshop.
09/04/22
Peers
A marathon of folding at the British Origami Society Vcon.
24/02/22
Working Wall
A selection of sheets written and drawn during my live teaching. These were displayed on the classroom Working Wall for reference. The Action Wall was a permanent display and was used consistently for several weeks to spotlight positive actions within the classroom.
24/02/22
On board
Data gathered that was linked to the classroom behaviour chart.
Pupils were encouraged to record their own behaviour each day.
11/02/22
The rainbow after the rain
The only way is up.
11/02/22
Spring 1
This Term's documented evidence of learning.
04/02/22
Record
Organised evidence of learning.
17/12/21
School's out
A poster example for the Rights of Children.
17/12/21
Autumn 2
This Term's documented evidence of learning.
17/12/21
Paper folding
The pupils created an origami Santa.
17/12/21
Diabolo
A diabolo lesson during break.
14/12/21
Direction
I identified and colour coded the Learning Objectives for each English Unit to determine a clearer path forwards.
26/11/21
Teach through fashion
I wore my Kung Fu Wing Chun uniform to continue to champion Martial Arts. I highlighted the various forms are from different countries.
19/11/21
Community
A successful PSHE lesson that required cohesion and engagement from the whole class.
19/11/21
Teach through fashion
Reinforcing the meaning of discipline and respect by wearing my Kuk Sool Won uniform. This was a great opportunity to find out about the pupil's own interests including who is training a form of Martial Arts.
14/11/21
Mindfulness
Sound files of musical instruments were played as part of the transition after break to help calm the pupils and to expose them to a unique listening experience every week.
01/11/21
Stories
I bought these books that connect with the English curriculum so I can plan ahead.
31/10/21
Referee
As part of my playground duty on the field, I chose to referee the football matches. It was an effective way to minimise conflicts and reinforce the fair rules of the game. I was still able to see a clear view of the other pupil's activities whilst on the pitch.
22/10/21
Autumn 1
This Term's documented evidence of learning.
18/10/21
Snozzcumbers
This mug is a welcome addition to my desk.
05/10/21
Be the light
Happy World Teachers' Day!
01/10/21
Woodpeckers
Each class is represented by a bird mascot. I noticed that our class did not have a physical model in the reception area so I bought a couple of woodpecker figures (one for reception and one for our classroom).
27/09/21
Inspire
I shared my Chinese character writing with my pupils to encourage them to improve their handwriting. I showed them the bound book of 100 pages completed during Lockdown in Germany. Slow and steady wins the race.
10/09/21
Consideration
A sorry card was signed by all of the pupils and given to our neighbouring classes to apologise for any noise disturbance.
06/09/21
Calm
Rice and spaghetti inside a plastic bottle creates a soothing sound to calm the classroom. Imagine sitting on a beach listening to the lap of waves on the shore.
06/09/21
Our values
Redesign of Our Actions sheet for another context. These were given to pupils to acknowledge positive behaviour and to promote the school's values.
31/08/21
Helping Hands
A classroom system to reinforce the value of respect and to encourage the pupils to take responsibility.
31/08/21
The only way is up
Here we go again.
29/07/21
The pen is mightier
This year's documented evidence of learning.
18/07/21
What's your mantra?
My mantra has not changed. These are decorations above and near my desk in 2016.
12/07/21
Chinese language learning
I attempted a Chinese lesson today with tailored classroom management, Chinese instruction and character writing.
05/06/21
Haiku competition
I entered the school's Haiku Competition to inspire my students to submit their own creative writing.
05/06/21
Art contest
I entered the school's Art Contest to inspire my students to submit their own creative work. The theme was Unique, United. At this time the symbol of a rainbow had become a banner of hope to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
05/06/21
Unique, United
My student's collaborative work made it onto the front cover of the yearbook. This book has many precious memories inside.
12/05/21
PYP Exhibition
A successful journey to the PYP Exhibition.
This link was particularly helpful: https://www.pypteachingtools.com/step-by-step-through-the-ib-pyp-exhibition/
I recommend purchasing Susan Power's guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Journey-Through-the-IB-PYP-Exhibition-A-Complete-Resource-Distance-Learning-4165998
15/03 - 12/05/21
Approaches to Learning
Daily sign out for the Learning Partners. During the Exhibition Unit they had to write the Approaches to Learning used that day on a post-it note. At the end of the process they were added to their individual exhibition folders.
22/02/21
Winds of change
A gift from a family. What is this? A leaf purse... It's a bag for life! It's practical. I can use this to carry homework books.
It is encouraging to appreciate and use the gifts that are given by students.
03/03 - 30/03/21
Evidencing Learning
Self-funded PYP Evidencing Learning online workshop (CAT 2).
15/12/20
Teach, love, inspire
A personalised gift from a family. A handpainted piece of wood that carries a thoughtful message.
It signifies a celebration of this year's teaching experience.
03/12/20
Real teachers wear masks
I have been actively wearing a mask every day while teaching.
The dedication was awarded with this thoughtful, personalised gift from a parent.
11/20
Who we are
Another opportunity to make the model of the respiratory system and paper chains were effective for mapping connections in the human body. This Unit about body systems was a hit with the students.
16/10/20
Stay positive
This mask seems appropriate for teaching.
05/10/20
Be the light
Happy World Teachers' Day!
02/09/20
IB Learner Profile action wall
Redesign of Our Actions sheet. Learning Partner's actions related to the IB Learner Profile were recorded and placed on the Action Wall.
02/09/20
IB Learner Profile icons
Redesign of icons to promote the IB Learner Profile.
11/07/20
Home sweet home
A selection of gifts for the next tenant who moves into my apartment.
I left a similar array of items for the next guest when I left China.
03/07/20
Sharing is caring
After reflecting on my recent teaching experience I found this article useful that spotlights the importance of positive teacher-student relationships.
If you are interested read it here: https://www.eltcenters.com/eltc-blog/2016/7/13/the-impact-and-importance-of-positive-student-teacher-relationships
24/06/20
日本語
Studying Japanese with From Zero by George Trombley Jr. and Yukari Takenaka.
22/06/20
Sharing is caring
A recent post from the IB Community Blog about stress management during COVID-19.
If you are interested read it here: https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2020/06/04/stress-management-during-covid-19-with-dr-john-kelly/
21/06/20
Sharing is caring
A recent post from the IB Community Blog about building a foundation for social-emotional learning.
If you are interested read it here: https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2020/04/23/building-a-foundation-for-social-emotional-learning/
17/06/20
Sharing is caring
I'm going to use this platform to share educational articles that resonate.
First up is this recent post from the IB Community Blog about why we should address teacher wellbeing.
If you're interested read it here: https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2020/04/06/why-we-should-address-teacher-wellbeing/
06/20
Documenting history
A summary at the end of the Unit that was given to each individual student and submitted to their portfolio. The contents included photographs of the sudent's work, the results that corresponded with the assessment rubric and a teacher comment.
06/20
Smile
It's challenging teaching in a mask. This mask was an attempt to build an emotional connection with my students.
06/20
Presentation skills
As part of the summative assessment, the students had the opportunity to present their model(s) of the body system(s). Each of the students were encouraged to engage with a peer assessment during the process. The assessment was filmed so later the students could watch their own performance. I chose to be filmed modelling my own example at the end of the show to be shared with the community.
17/05/20
日本語
Back to school to practise writing Hiragana characters.
05/20
Breathe in, breathe out
A model of the respiratory system that simulates breathing. An opportunity to engage with making a step-by-step craft before creating a model independently as part of the assessment.
05/20
Anecdotal notes
Anecdotal notes recorded for each pupil from observations through Google Meet and within the classroom.
04/20
COVID-19
A sign of the times. Students designed posters to raise awareness of protecting themselves against Coronavirus with measures they could take to keep safe.
04/20
Learner Profile
An IB Learner Profile door display to promote the attributes.
04/20
Inquiry process
The student's work throughout the Inquiry was showcased on our classroom Inquiry cycle.
04/20
Inquiry plan
A plan for the Unit of Inquiry to ensure a logical progression whilst distance learning because of COVID-19.
04/20
Origami
Origami rabbits for all of my colleagues.
03/20
Helping Hands
A classroom system to encourage all of the members of the community to take responsibility. Each of the roles were discussed and students could choose a role voluntarily.
03/20
KWL
A KWL Chart was used for students to share their prior knowledge before the Inquiry process. They posted their questions throughout the process and what they had learned at the end.
03/20
Essential Agreement
Students shared positive and negative behaviours that could happen within the classroom. They drew or wrote on individual post-it notes. Their thoughts became the basis for our class Essential Agreement.
08/19 - 02/20
Unpaid sabbatical
An unpaid sabbatical for professional development and to consider my options moving forward. I did not receive handouts or parental guidance, instead I relied on reflective decision making to find my next path.
21/02/20
Origami Workshop
Workshop in a local scrap store with a small group of children and adults. We made various origami models and mounted some on a paper plate.
20/02/20
Designer/Maker Workshop
Workshop in a local scrap store with a small group of children. We designed and made rockets using a range of materials found within the store.
19/02/20
Puppet Making Workshop
Workshop in a local scrap store with a couple of children. We made puppets using a range of materials found within the store.
18/02/20
Making Board Games Workshop
Workshop in a local scrap store with a small group of adults and children. We made board games using a range of materials found within the store.
12/01/20
Craft workshop
Craft workshop in a local scrap store with a small group of family and friends. We made several origami models and painted a frame to mount them.
28/12/19
Homeschooling start-up
Homeschooling start-up for two preschool children. The living room was divided into several areas for a range of learning engagements: writing, listening, reading, studying, discovering, playing and creating. Direction and guidance provided for initial implementation with the students.
12/11 - 15/11/19
Concept driven learners
Self-funded PYP Concept driven learners workshop (CAT 2) at The University of Warwick, UK.
19/10 - 21/10/19
The Role of the Coordinator
Self-funded PYP The Role of the Coordinator workshop (CAT 3) at Tanglin Trust School, Singapore.
11/08/19
The pen is mightier than the sword
299 individual sheets of handwritten notes and hand drawn pictures recorded over a two year period.
These actions encouraged my focus, honed my listening skills, aided communication, fueled collaboration, prompted memory and serve as a physical example of active participation at work.
The Chinese character 乖 guāi is open to interpretation.
24/07/19
Sewing seeds
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
A public exhibition in my local community of some of my creations made from recyclables.
24/07/19
Documenting personal history
I connected a series of images as evidence of my contribution to the school over a three year period. I published the documented history through a work WeChat group. The first year I worked at the school, I lived on campus within a dormitory.
06/07/19
The end of a journey but the beginning of another
I started my PGCEi in August 2017 aand I anticipated it would take me one year. After circumstances outside of my control and many life changes... I decided to put my study on hold to prioritise. Finally this year after a lot of hurdles I've been able to complete the course.
I've been working indepedentely as most of the Cohort had already completed it. This has been a valuable learning experience alongside my teaching practice.
'It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including negative ones as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.' - Ram Dass
22/06/19
Valuable gifts
A collection of sketches and sculptures made by lots of different students.
22/06/19
The end of an era
A collection of awards and yearbooks from the duration of my teaching career in China.
23/05/19
How many squares?
Students work related to the three Rs were displayed near the bathrooms to raise awareness of excessive toilet paper waste. As this corridor was used regularly many students got to see the work.
22/04/2019
The Giving Tree
Handmade costume for Book Character Day based on the story written and illusrated by Shel Silverstein.
06/04 - 07/04/19
The Role of Language
PYP The Role of Language in school workshop (CAT 3) at The Affiliated Foreign Language School of SCNU, Guangzhou, China.
04/04/19
Recycle
A Grade level recycling initiative. An opportunity for the students to revise different materials and to actively sort them.
03/03/19
Simple machines
The students were learning about forces and motion as part of the Unit of Inquiry. These moving models were useful for demonstrations.
03/19
Learner Profile
Students wrote behaviours that relate to the IB Learner Profile in the rubric. Learner Profile stickers were given in the communal area for a specific observed behaviour.
03/19
Hall monitors
Two students from each class voluntarily wore yellow vests to monitor the communal area during their break.
06/03/2019
Letterform
Peer assessment for English writing. Criteria determined by collaborating at Grade level.
06/01/19
Add oil
Stay focused! Stay driven!
A personal mantra posted publicly on my social media platforms. At this time I was spending a lot of my evenings studying for my Post Graduate Certificate of Education (International).
16/12/18
Showcase
A public exhibition at the end of the Who We Are Unit.
09/12/18
Scope & Sequence
An evening spent attempting to map the Learning Objectives with the Units of Inquiry.
29/11/18
Play together
A shared play area with clear behaviour expectations.
05/11/18
Study hard
A Budding Pop figure that added character to my desk. It was a popular icon that would be recognisable to my students. The student model is appropriate for the context, fly not included.
31/10/18
Ownership
The students were encouraged to create their own labels to organise the classroom equipment.
17/10/18
Language assessment
A language rubric to assess the use of English and Chinese alongside the Unit of Inquiry assessment.
17/09/18
Stickers and Achievements sheet
Billingual (English/Chinese) stickers for each of the IB Learner Profile and ATLs. Students were given a sticker when they displayed an action related to the Learner Profile or ATLs. It was the student's responsibility to place the sticker on their Achievement sheet and the teacher would write notes with the reason it was awarded afterwards
17/09/18
Actions rubric
A rubric of observed behaviours within the classroom that I could relate to the IB Learner Profile and Approaches To Learning (ATLs).
2018 - 2019
Puppet making
An interest class where we made a range of puppets out of different materials. Puppets were an effective way to encourage the students to communicate and to engage with roleplay.
2018 - 2019
Thinking skills
An interest class with every lesson focused on creative, logical or critial thinking skills. I had some previous experience teaching this valuable skill.
09/18
The only way is up
A mantra I've used again and again for students to see at the beginning of the academic year.
2018
Seesaw
I was one of the first teachers at the school to embrace Seesaw. Ensuring all of the students had an account was only possible with the support from parents.
2017 - 2018
Unit of Inquiry Assessment rubrics
Assessments rubrics for each of the Units of Inquiry. There were a total of six rubrics, one for each Unit.
06/06/2018
Essential Agreement rubric
A reflective exercise. A rubric of observed actions related to our classroom Essential Agreement.
30/04/18
Creativity
Our collective artwork from the IB Play-based learning workshop. I went to town with the orange marker trying to capture as many of the key moments as possible. One of the participants won this piece of art. I wonder where it is now.
28/04 - 30/04/18
Play-based Learning
Self-funded PYP Play-based Learning Workshop (CAT 2) at Bradbury School, Hong Kong, China.
20/04/18
IB Learner Profile badges
Billingual (English/Chinese) badges for each of the IB Learner Profile worn to raise awareness. Students were given a badge to wear when they displayed an action related to the Learner Profile. They had to record their action on the Our Actions sheet and place it on the Action Wall. The badge needed to be returned at the end of the week.
10/04/18
Organise ourselves
An article about transdisciplinary learning across our Unit of Inquiry. I consciously spotlighted multiple subjects to raise awareness about inquiry-based learning pedagogy. The article was distributed to the whole school community and I shared it through my WeChat Moments.
25/03/18
Star form
An adaption of a system I had used in another school for recording behaviour related to the behaviour chart. To encourage reflection students coloured the star each day and had the option to write or draw a comment in the box below.
13/03/18
Recycle
A classroom recycling initiative. An opportunity for the students to revise different materials and to actively sort them.
07/03/18
Learner Profile cards
A proposal for Learner Profile cards to be awarded to students for their actions throughout the day.
09/01/18
Documenting Personal History
An article documenting the process of our class trip to the museum. The article was distributed to the whole school community and I shared it through my WeChat Moments.
03/01/18
Holiday homework workbook
A series of inquiry activities for students to complete during Spring Festival.
13/12/17
Inquiry process
A compilation of student's work showing the stages of the Inquiry process.
11/12/17
Helping Hands
Helping Hands classroom system to encourage students to help. Each of the roles were discussed and decided with the students. They were able to volunteer for a job each week except for the Class Leader and Line Leaders who had a permanent position to build up a routine.
12/17
Seasonal calendars
Daily opening of advent calendars to raise awareness of this tradition and reinforce the date each day.
12/17
Inquiry corner
Books sourced from the library that related to the Units of Inquiry. Curiosity was encouraged by leaving books on tables and putting them in our classroom bookshelf for students to discover.
30/11/17
Inquiry Unit
An article about our Unit of Inquiry written to raise awareness about inquiry-based learning. It was translated by my co-teacher. The article was distributed to the whole school community and I shared it through my WeChat Moments.
28/11/17
Homework shelf
Clearly labelled shelves for homework. To encourage self-management students placed their homework here every morning.
16/11/17
Seating plan
Seating plan diagram shared during a Homeroom Meeting. Identify groups of students that are harmonious and those who need intervention. Rotations enable students to experience different positions within the classroom.
14/11/17
Teacher Assessment
A rubric to assess Foreign Homeroom Teachers. Assessed categories based on initial observations: Management, Participation, Rapport, Sensitivity, Personal, Strengths observed and Suggestions for improvement.
02/11/17
Sharing is caring
A time for sharing as a team during a Homeroom Meeting. We exchanged views about communication with parents, positive things about our co-teacher and our ideal classroom. These perspectives were displayed in our staff room.
11/17
Intervention
Homeroom teacher intervention plan to encourage communication and support.
26/10/17
Assessment Report
Independently created Assessment Report for the class at the end of the Unit of Inquiry. The document included a Summary, Details of the Assessment Task, Assessment Rubric and Guidance for Assessment. I created another document tailored for parents that was circulated to them at the end of each Unit.
25/10/17
Moments
'Children are always disturbing our adult order, our adult rationaility. It's good to be on the borderline of chaos and rationality, to always reconsider existing principles; not to try and destroy them but to test them.' - Bernard Allien
These photographs and the quote were posted on WeChat Moments using my personal mobile phone. My phone had been a worktool for a while and I was continuing to use my platform to broadcast my practise in the classroom.
18/10/17
Water register
Each day students needed to fill their water bottles and place them in the communal box provided. After completing the task they took the water drop with their name on it and placed it on the water bottle poster. This was to encourage self-management and provide a visual indication of the students who had collected fresh water.
10/17
Assembly
Proposal for homeroom teachers to lead the assembly with their own presentation. Each week focused on an IB Learner Profile or Attitude with the teachers given creative freedom. Our class modelled the first assembly for the IB Learner Profile : Balanced.
2017 - 2018
Time to think
Data gathered that was linked to the classroom behaviour chart and anedotal notes for each instance.
10/17
BMP
I created a Behaviour Management Program for the Primary school department. I took influence from the Program created for the Middle school and acknowledged that it was important to have cohesive behaviour management running across both departments. Inside the policy were details of my tried and tested system from previous teaching experience.
21/09/17
Assimilate
'A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.' - Simon Sinek
This quote was posted on WeChat Moments using my personal mobile phone. My phone had been a worktool for a while and I was continuing to use my platform to broadcast as a response to the changing dynamic at work.
16/09 - 18/09/17
Making the PYP Happen
PYP Making the PYP Happen Workshop (CAT 1) at NIST International School, Bangkok, Thailand. I have waited a long time for this chance of Professional Development.
12/09/2017
Organise
My collection of games and puzzles I shared with the students. This area required constant organisation and it was the responsibility of the students to take care of the activities.
15/09/2017
Sharp
I shared some mechanical sharpeners with the students. If students needed to sharpen their pencil they could go here. Other students chose to put their mechanical sharpener here for sharing.
05/06/17
makedo robot
A robot made using cardboard to promote the makedo product and reinforce body parts vocabulary.
05/17
International Day
As part of International Month the students in another class were learning about England. We recreated famous landmarks from London and they were positioned with various street signs around the classroom. The students were in various roles as parents were given a guided tour including the chance to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The final stop was Afternoon Tea.
05/17
International Month
As part of International Month the students voted to learn about Japan. We created a simple craft flag as one of the learning experiences.
07/04/17
Water filter experiment
As part of the Inquiry students identified cleaning water as a way of protecting the environment. We conducted an experiment to filter water and the students chose the pollutant.
22/03/17
Magnetic words and images
Printed words and images were mounted on card to be interacted with on the mobile white board. This was an opportunity to reinforce vocabulary.
03/17
Primary and secondary
Adding food colouring to water in clear bottles was an effective way to reinforce colours. The students predicted the secondary colours before mixing two primary colours together.
20/03/17
Stars
A series of Star cards worn by students to spotlight and celebrate their willingness to take on extra responsibility.
20/03/17
Class shop
The Class shop was linked to our classroom behaviour chart. Students would earn money at the end of the week for their positive behaviour. All of the items for sale in the shop were equipment the students could use within school.
13/02/17
Essential Agreement
Students shared positive and negative behaviours that could happen within the classroom. They drew or wrote on individual post-it notes.
13/03/17
Community
A collection of games used for positive interactions when meeting students for the first time.
27/12/16
Warm Christmas
An article about our festive event that included photographs taken by parents. It was distributed to the whole school community and I shared it through my WeChat Moments.
23/12/16
Warm Christmas
A festive event that bought our community of parents, teachers and students together.
2016 - 2017
Science experiments
We conducted a series of Science experiments to support the Science curriculum. I had to source many of the resources but it was worth it for an enriched learning experience.
08/12/16
Wordbank
Students were encouraged to add vocabulary under each letter. This board served as a reference for spelling and new vocabulary could be added over time.
16/12/16
Class shop
The Class shop was linked to our classroom behaviour chart. Students would earn money at the end of the week for their positive behaviour. The notes had different printed values on them: cooperative, respectful and principled.
10/11/16
Fruit cards
Halli Galli was an exciting way to reinforce fruit and numbers vocabulary.
07/11/16
Lost and Found
A Lost and Found box for books that were left in the photocopy. Busy teachers make mistakes.
11/16
Wish upon a star
An activity during a parent's meeting. Students and parents were expected to share their hopes and dreams with each other on cardboard stars. This was to encourage the children to think about their aspirations and they had the opportunity to share those with their parents.
27/10/16
Spider webs
Students were learning about how spiders spin their webs in science. This craft was to reinforce the process of spinning a web and used as a Halloween decoration.
14/10/16
Plastic spoon ant
Students were learning about insects in science. This craft was to reinforce the number of body parts and legs of an ant. Instructions can be found at https://www.daniellesplace.com
2016 - 2017
Boardgame Club
An opportunity for colleagues to meet and play boardgames together. This was a relaxing way to unwind during our lunch breaks.
2016 - 2017
Origami
An interest class where we made a range of origami models. Origami helped students develop their hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and mental concentration.
17/09/16
Helping Hands
Helping Hands was a classroom system to encourage students to help. Each of the roles was unique and explained to the students. They were able to volunteer for a role each week except for the Line Leaders who had permanent positons to build up a routine.
2016 - 2017
Keep it up
Data gathered that was linked to the classroom behaviour chart.
14/10/16
Behaviour Chart
The design of this Chart was inspired by an example on Pinterest. It incorporated elements of the IB Learner Profile and Attitudes. The chart was used as part of a behaviour system to encourage positive behaviour in the classroom.
01/07/16
Reuse
A box of wall displays ready for recycling. The students reused the materials by creating robots for the wall.
27/05/16
International Day
The students recreated famous landmarks from London. They were positioned around the room and became a tour led and presented by the students. Along the way parents enjoyed a performance from the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park, visiting the Queen in Buckingham Palace and finally Afternoon Tea.
09/05/16
Scrapstore
The beginnings of a scrapstore. A recycling initiative to generate resources for craft projects. The bags for storing items were sourced from a local market.
21/04/16
Daily schedule
This schedule was for the students to track the lessons each day. To encourage their self-management they were able to change the strips of paper.
18/04/16
My lunch
Students wrote about their lunch using the grammar: I've got. They drew the food items on the paper plate and the result became a topic for discussion.
18/04/16
Origami bookmarks
These were made as part of the Origami Interest class. Making these creative bookmarks was fun for the students and hopefully encouraged their reading. The Angry Bird and Monster designs were inspired by the work at www.redtedart.com.
13/04/16
Origami boats
These were made as part of the Origami Interest class. I agree with the statement from this excellent resource www.redtedart.com that origami helps develop hand-eye coodination, fine motor skills and mental concentration. This simple boat model could be used as part of a sink/float experiment.
05/04/16
Scrapbox
Recyclables were placed in an area of the classroom as an opportunity for free creation. Students made containers to hold and examine insects they found in the playground.
31/03/16
Animal cards
Packs of animal cards that were used as teaching aids. Students described and identified different animals. They could be grouped by particular characteristics for example big/small, beautiful/ugly, dangerous/safe.
29/03/16
Vocabulary
Posters displaying English vocabulary learned during lessons. Students were exposed to the words each day and could be used as a conversation starter.
03/16
Outside the book
A series of learning experiences that were reimagined as group activities.
03/16
Learner Profile
A door decoration to encourage students to think about the Learner Profile. Each week an animal was added to the landscape with a new attribute spotlighted.
24/03/16
Hourglasses
A series of different coloured hourglasses with specific times. These were useful for timing activities and giving students an expectation of time. They were durable enough for students to handle them for self-management particularly during homework tasks.
22/03/16
Tangrams
Tangram puzzles bought locally. How many times do teachers reach into their own pockets to purchase resources? These puzzles supported the curriculum by encouraging communication about shapes and colours.
08/03/16
Alphabet puzzle
A puzzle that combined animals and letters of the alphabet. I purchased this and shared it with my students. It was effective for reinforcing vocabulary and encouraging the students to take care of someone else's belongings.
04/01/16
Narrative
The student's sequenced pictures as part of the Inquiry about story telling.
22/02/16
Happy Lantern Festival
The students made origami lanterns to celebrate Lantern Festival.
24/12/15
Seasonal Greetings
An origami Christmas tree surprise for each of my colleagues.
10/12/15
Dear Santa
Students wrote a letter to Father Christmas as part of the Inquiry about Festivals.
12/15
Interactives
Lamited resources for students to interact with. They could build a human skeleton, create a face, select emotions or roleplay using a range of fashion items. These were a great way to reinforce language and promote an immersive English environment.
18/11/15
Make a monster
Make a monster kits. Organised bags were an effective way to distribute resources to create step-by-step crafts. The students worked in teams to create a monster and practice body parts vocabulary.
12/11/15
How old are you?
A wall chart for students to record their age. It was useful to make comparisons and encourage communication about their birthdays.
12/11/15
Commands
English classroom commands visible in the classroom. Helpful as a reference whilst teaching and to reinforce clear expectations.
30/10/15
Halloween
Creepy Crawly Maze was an activity for the students to engage with during the Halloween event within the department. Students had to balance on the web and try to avoid the spiders.
29/11/15
Spooky
The students made Halloween themed origami on the lead up to Halloween.
08/10/15
Gallery
A classroom art gallery for the student's independent art. The work was rotated regularly. A great way to champion and encourage creativity.
12/10/15
Class jobs
A chart of several jobs that students can help with in the classroom. Each student was assigned at least one responsibility. Their names were rotated to ensure each student had the opportunity to do each job.
2015 - 2016
Lost and found
A classroom Lost and Found box. A useful way for promoting shared responsibility and not to take items that don't belong to us.
2015 - 2016
Ready to learn
Data gathered that was linked to the classroom behaviour chart. This data supported communications with parents each week.
09/10/15
Class shop
The behaviour system for the department incorporated a behaviour chart. The Class shop was developed and linked to the chart. Students would earn money at the end of the week for their positive behaviour. The students who earned money had to take care of it and manage how they spent it.
23/09/15
Alphabet tree
A wall mounted tree in the classroom that evolved over time. After each lesson the students learned a letter of the alphabet it was added to the tree.
2013 - 2015
Powerpoint lesson plans
A collection of lesson plans created to encourage the student's English language learning. I aimed to engage as many students as possible by using eye-catching images and interactive elements.
10/09/14
The fruits of my labour
Thank you for your acknowledgement.
2014
Observe
This was an ink sketch I illustrated with multiple students watching during break.
2014
Animal masks
Craft masks were used as part of a roleplay for students to practice vocabulary. The use of masks encouraged students to act and hopefully was more engaging for the students watching. There are some printable animal masks at www.artycraftykids.com.
2014
Binoculars
Craft binoculars that were effective for roleplay and practising the response to 'What's that?' A viewfinder with changing images was useful for focusing on a particular context.
2014
Editor
I recommended and introduced the basics for an Image Manipulation Program.
https://www.gimp.org/
2013
Numbered circles
Cardboard circles with numbers written on them were placed on desks in the classroom to signify the grouping of certain students. These were an effective way of conducting team activities in multiple classes.
2013 - 2015
Origami rewards
The process of finding my feet as a new TEFL teacher in Guangzhou, China.
Origami birds were given to the winning team at the end of the week. These were something that students valued and was an attempt to discourage the desire that students had for candy incentives.
2007
Creativity
An attempt to add value as a voluntary teacher in Bubugo, Uganda.
I taught how to make paper mache masks with materials sourced locally, painted various educational murals and wrote the lyrics to a song performed for the school. I was eager to make a positive impact but I felt my contribution was insignificant.
This experience had a profound effect long afterwards and was one of my motivations to pursue International teaching.
