TLC Blog

The voice of a new teacher – guest blog.

by Nina Jackson on July 31, 2017

Dafydd Williams @Dafydd3a4 is a newly qualified teacher whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the National Digital Learning Event in Swansea in June 2017.

The Curriculum in Wales is going through an exciting transformation with the ‘Successful Futures’ document written by Professor Graham Donaldson. There have been a number of recommendations from Professor Donaldson and the creation of the new curriculum is now firmly in the hands of teachers and educators in Wales to craft something truly amazing. A Curriculum that will meet the needs of our 21st Century learners and one that will be fit for purpose.

One of the strands is the Digital Competence Framework.  This is where the link between myself and Dafydd Williams came along. It was at the NDLE Conference that I had the privilege of meeting Dafydd, albeit briefly, but we have continued a professional dialogue on Twitter since then, predominantly through the medium of Welsh. This was an exciting opportunity for me to connect with one of our future Welsh teachers and I embarked on a journey where we could learn from each other.

As Welsh is my first language, I now have the opportunity to have copious professional discussions with Dafydd in Welsh. Thanks to him and others such including Richard Carbis @addysgrjc7 , Barrington John Mock @BarrngtonJMock, Mr G Wall @MrGWallCymraeg, and of course John Kendall @RiscaCCS_Head and many more who have given me renewed energy and a passion to both speak and write in Welsh. I had lost that energy and passion when my grandfather passed away two years ago. A big thank you to you all for giving me back my ‘fizz’.

I am always looking to develop my PLN and how best to do this but to look at our future teachers. Teachers who are passionate and willing to try new ideas. Teacher like Dafydd who can share their ideas and a platform to do that. So, here we are. The first guest blog written in Welsh, followed by the English translation so that those of you on an international platform can have a glimpse in the learning journey of a new teacher. It is my absolute pleasure to share Dafydd’s journey with you and hope that other new teachers (you don’t have to speak Welsh) would like the opportunity to be a guest on my blog.

Diolch o galon i ti Dafydd am ysgrifennu. Thank you so much for writing this Dafydd.

Os ydych yn addysgwr newydd ac eisiau’r siawns i fod ar fy mlog, danfonwch neges i mi trwy twitter, neu danfon nodyn fan hyn

If you are a new teacher and want the chance to blog on here, get in touch. Send me a message through twitter or an email here. 

Here are some of Dafydd’s ideas that he hopes to implement in September.

Awgrymiadau i addysgwyr newydd, gan addysgwr newydd.

 “A chofiwch, peidiwch â defnyddio cwpan athro arall, na pharcio yn ei lle nhw yn y maes parcio!”

 Proses hir ydy gorffen ysgol uwchradd, mynychu’r brifysgol, graddio ac yna dechrau’r daith TAR (Tystysgrif Addysg i Raddedigion). Er hynny, mae’n broses wobrwyol iawn, yn debyg iawn i addysgu’r genhedlaeth nesaf. Cefais ambell i gyfnod ar fy nghwrs TAR ble roeddwn yn teimlo balchder am beth oeddwn i’n wneud, ond, fel unrhyw fyfyriwr arall, teimlais hefyd fy mod wedi cael digon, colli amynedd, a chwestiynu os oeddwn eisiau parhau.

Ym mis Mehefin, 2017, llwyddais i dderbyn Statws Athro Cymwysedig drwy brifysgol Bangor. Roedd y teimlad boddhaus yn well na unrhyw deimlad negyddol.

Dros y flwyddyn o fod yn fyfyriwr, dwi wedi dysgu llwyth, fel pawb arall dwi’n siŵr.

Mi ofynnodd Nina @musicmind i mi rannu ychydig o’r hyn dwi wedi dysgu dros fy amser fel athro dan hyfforddiant, yn barod at fis Medi pan ddechreuaf fel athro llawn amser.

1) Fframwaith Cymhwysedd Digidol

‘’Mae technoleg yn gwybod pan ti’n flin hefo fo.’’

Pan ddechreuais fy nghwrs TAR, roedden fel myfyrwyr wedi derbyn dipyn o wybodaeth ynglŷn â chwricwlwm yr Athro Graham Donaldson gan ei fod newydd gael ei gyhoeddi. Roedd y Fframwaith Cymhwysedd Digidol yn weddol gymylog ym meddwl tipyn ohonom. Dwi wrth fy modd hefo technoleg, ac wedi tyfu fyny yn yr oes ddigidol. Felly, roeddwn yn hyderus i ddefnyddio’r FfCD.

Mae 4 llinyn, ac mae dipyn o wybodaeth i’w ddeall.

Felly yn ystod fy nghwrs TAR, ac yn barod i fy mlwyddyn ANG, rydw i wedi ymchwilio / cynllunio dipyn ar sut i gyflwyno sgiliau’r fframwaith i’r disgyblion. Dyma ychydig o syniadau sut fyddai i yn mynd ati i gyflwyno’r 4 llinyn.

Dinasyddiaeth

Sefydliad dielw annibynnol yw Common Sense Media, sy’n darparu gwybodaeth i helpu plant dderbyn gwell dealltwriaeth ynglŷn â’r byd cyfryngau a thechnoleg. Ar wefan CSM, maen nhw yn darparu gwersi i hybu hunaniaeth bositif i blant. Mae’r wefan yn cynnwys gwersi/taflenni gwaith ar sut i osod cyfrinair cryf ym mlwyddyn 3, sut i ddelio gyda bwlio ar-lein ym mlwyddyn 4 a mwy! Dwi bron a dweud fod yna wers i bron pob sgil yn y llinyn dinasyddiaeth. Mae’n werth edrych ar y wefan. Ond hefyd, mae pob dim, hyd a welai, am ddim!! Cwbl sydd angen gwneud ydy cofrestru.

Rhyngweithio a chydweithio

Yn nhymor yr hydref, mi fyddaf yn gwneud defnydd mawr o OneNote. Rhaglen am ddim yw OneNote ar Office 365. Mae OneNote ar gael drwy Hwb, ac mae pob disgybl yn medru mynd arno. Mae OneNote yn gadael i chi greu gwersi a’u cyflwyno i’r plant. Does dim diwedd i faint o bethau mae’r disgyblion yn medru gwneud ar OneNote. Maen bosib iddyn nhw lwytho eu gwaith, ac yna cydweithio gyda disgyblion eraill o fewn y dosbarth, neu mewn ysgol arall ar y ddogfen! Ymlaen wedyn i asesu gwaith eraill a rhoi adborth i’w gilydd. Cyfleoedd dysgu mawr. Ac i blesio Mr G Donaldson!

Cynhyrchu

Mae’r llinyn cynhyrchu yn un dwys, ac mae’n gofyn i ddisgyblion gynllunio, creu, gwerthuso a gwella. Am ychydig, roeddwn yn pendroni sut i gyflwyno’r llinyn yma i blant. Ym mis Mehefin, mi es i i gynhadledd Dysgu Ddigidol yn Abertawe. Yno, cwrddais â Into Film. Elusen addysg yw Into Film sy’n cynnig amrywiaeth o adnoddau am ddim i ysgolion yn seiliedig ar ffilmiau. Mae’r gweithgareddau sydd yn rhan o raglen Into Film yn ateb nifer o ofynion y llinyn yma, a llinynnau eraill o’r FfCD. Os oes gennych chi iPad yn yr ysgol, mae hynny’n ddechrau gwych! Mae Into Film hefyd yn datblygu sgiliau llythrennedd a rhifedd y disgyblion. Dwi’n cynghori yn fawr i unrhyw un sydd yn ansicr am y FfCD, i gymryd golwg. Mae gan Into Film hefyd gatalog mawr o ffilmiau sydd ar gael i ysgolion i ddechrau Clwb Ffilm. Yn nhymor yr Hydref, byddaf yn gweithio yn agos gyda Into Film.

 Data a meddwl cyfrifiadurol

Llinyn digon diddorol. Does dim llawer i ddeud am y llinyn yma, ond bod angen i chi googlo STEM (Science, Technology, Engeneering and Mathematics) a gwersi codio. Buan iawn byddwch yn ateb gofynion y llinyn yma! Mae’r llinyn yn gofyn i ddisgyblion feddwl yn gyfrifiadurol. Ac yn debygol, y llinyn yma fydd yn paratoi ein disgyblion i lwyth o swyddi yn y dyfodol. Swyddi sydd heb gael eu creu eto!

 2) Adborth i ddisgyblion

‘’Peidiwch ag anghofio marcio llyfrau’r plant pob nos’’.

Dros yr haf, ddarllenais lyfr newydd gan wahanol athronyddion o’r enw Best of the Best: Feedback. O fewn y llyfr, roedd yr athronwyr yma yn trafod y ffurfiau gwahanol o roi adborth effeithiol i ddisgyblion. Ym mhennod Shirley Clark, mae hi’n cwestiynu effeithiolrwydd rhoi adborth wedi ei ysgrifennu i ddisgyblion boed hynny o fewn eu llyfrau nhw neu ar daflen asesu. Mae hi’n cwestiynu os ydy disgyblion yn darllen yr adborth yma, ac yn datblygu ohono. Un syniad sydd yn cael ei gynghori gan Paul Dix ydy (syniad dwi wedi paratoi i wneud ym mis Medi), pan mae disgyblion gyda tharged e.e. Atalnodi, eu bod nhw’n gwisgo band arddwrn plaen, gyda’r targed wedi ei ysgrifennu arno. Mi fydd hyn yn atgoffa’r plentyn o’r targed. Os ydynt wedi cwblhau’r targed, mae’r band yn newid i fand clod. Dwi wrth fy modd gyda’r syniad. Ddim dweud wrthym ni stopio marcio llyfrau mae Clark, ond awgrymu sut fedrwn roi adborth ychwanegol.

A dyna ddiwedd ar hynny. Diolch aruthrol i Nina Jackson am y cyfle. Braint ydy cael rhannu ambell syniad sydd gen i. Ymlaen rŵan i fwynhau gweddill y gwyliau Haf. Ddim gormod yn amlwg, mae gen i flwyddyn ANG i baratoi ar ei gyfer. Edrychaf ymlaen at y flwyddyn, ac i ddysgu llwyth o bethau newydd. Diolch i chi am ddarllen. Dw i’n gobeithio bod hwn wedi bod yn rywfaint o gymorth.

Mae croeso i chi ddilyn fy mlwyddyn ANG ar Trydar. @Dafydd3a4

Suggestions for new teachers, by a new teacher.

 “And remember, do not use another teacher’s cup, or park in their space in the car park!”

It’s a lengthy process finishing high school, attending university, graduating and then taking your PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education). Nevertheless, it is a very rewarding process, very similar to educating the next generation. I had some time on my PGCE where I felt proud about what I was doing, but, like any other student, I felt also that I had had enough, became impatient, and questioned at some point if I wanted to continue.

In June, 2017, I received QTS through Bangor university. The rewarding feeling was so much better than any negative feeling. Over the year of being a student, I’ve learned loads, like everyone else I’m sure. Nina (@musicmind) asked me share some of what I’ve learned over my time as a student teacher, ready for September when I will begin as a full-time teacher.

1)Digital Competence Framework

” Technology knows when you’re sorry and tired with it. ”

When I started my PGCE Course, as students we had received a lot of information about Professor Graham Donaldson new curriculum as it had just been published. The Digital Competence Framework was fairly cloudy in the minds of many of us. I love technology, and have grown up in the digital age. So, I was confident with the prospect of using and applying the DCF (Digital Competence Framework.) There are 4 strands, and there is quite a large amount of information to understand and unravel. So during my PGCE, and ready for my NQT year, I’ve investigated and planned quite a lot on hot to present the skills and also how to submit a framework for pupils. Here are a few ideas how I would go about introducing the 4 DCF strands.

Citizenship

Common Sense Media is an independent non-profit organisation, which provides information to help children receive a better understanding about the world of media and technology. CSM website, they provide lessons to promote a positive identity for children. The website includes lessons / worksheets on how to set a strong password in Year 3, how to deal with online bullying in year 4 and so much more! I would say that there are lessons to almost every strand in the area of citizenship. It is worth looking at the website. But also, everything, I saw, is free!! All you have to do is register.

Interaction and collaborating

In the autumn term, I will make extensive use of OneNote. OneNote is a free program for Office 365. OneNote is available through the HWB, and all pupils are able to use it. OneNote allows you to create and deliver lessons to the children. There’s no end to the amount of things the pupils are able to make on OneNote. They can upload their work, and then collaborate with other pupils in the classroom, or in another school on the same document! They can then proceeded to assess the work of others and give each other feedback. Great learning opportunities. I do believe Mr G Donaldson would be pleased with this!

Producing

The production strand is intensive and requires pupils to plan, create, evaluate and improve. For a while, I was wondering how to present this strand to children. In June, I went to a Digital Learning conference in Swansea. There, I met “Into Film”. “Into Film” education charity is offering a variety of free resources to schools based on movies. The activities are part of a program “Into Film” which meets many requirements of this strand, and other strands of the DCF. If you have an iPad at school, that’s a great start! “Into Film” can also develop the literacy and numeracy skills of pupils. I highly advise anyone who is unsure about the DCF, to take a look. “Into Film” also has a large catalogue of films available to schools to begin Film Club. In the Autumn, I will work closely with “Into Film”.

Data and computational thinking:

A very interesting strand. There’s not much to say about the strand here, but you need to google STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and lessons in coding. Soon you will meet the requirements of the strand here! The strand require pupils to develop computational thinking. And it is likely, that this strand here will prepare our students for the many of future jobs. Posts that do not exist yet!

2) Feedback for pupils

” Do not forget to mark the children’s books every night. ”

Over the summer, I read a new book by different educators called “Best of the Best: Feedback.” Within the book, the educators discusses the different forms of providing effective feedback to pupils. In Shirley Clark’s chapter, she questioned the effectiveness of written feedback for pupils, whether this be in their books or an assessment sheet. She questions whether or pupils read the feedback here, and develops her philosophy on it.

One idea by Paul Dix within the book (an idea I will have prepared to put in place in September), when pupils have a target e.g. Punctuation, they wear a plain wristband with the target written on it. This will remind the child of the target. If they have reached the target, the band is changed to a super praise band. I love this idea. Clark does not tell us to stop marking books but suggests how we can provide additional feedback.

And that’s the end of it.

Thanks to Nina Jackson for the tremendous opportunity to write as a guest blogger. It’s a privilege to share some of the thoughts I have.

I am now looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer holidays. I obviously now have a year to prepare and craft my work as an NQT. I am looking forward to the year, and to learn lots of new things. Thank you for reading. I hope this has been of some assistance.

Please follow my NQT year on Twitter. @Dafydd3a4

Thank you to Dafydd for being the first new teacher guest blogger and hope that many more of you will join the journey in celebrating your ideas.

In the true sense of celebration and everyone coming together let’s do this together.

 

Take care of yourself and each other.

Super smiles

Nina (aka Ninja) @musicmind

Teach Learn Create.

www.teachlearncreate.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nina JacksonThe voice of a new teacher – guest blog.

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