4 February 2010
It's always nice to see student work lining the college corridors. We are currently interviewing for new students for 2010-11 so it gives our potential students an opportunity to see the type of work involved on the course. Student work also promotes the college's stimulating environment and colourful informative neat work also sets the standard for students. I think this can help raise motivation and set the students' expectations.
Within my diploma classroom we have a large display board which student work is displayed. The best pieces of work are selected to be displayed which encourages the students to work hard on their project, be it a poster, leaflet, booklet or report. Here's what my students like about their display board:
- a good way of revising topics that we've studied
- brightens up the room
- demonstrates the creativity in the class
- demonstrates how hard we work
- makes others who read it interested in the course
I also believe it promotes a sense of ownership and encourages respect for the classroom.
My colleague Diane who also teaches on the Advanced Diploma has gone one step further in putting student work to good use. She and her students visited the London Colney Children's Centre to present a puzzle they had made. Students had been studying reflective practice and in order to apply the theory they were asked to complete an activity where, at its conclusion, they could use the theory to evaluate how well they had done. They decided to create an activity for young children; a giant jigsaw puzzle where children would have to answer questions about various zoo animals to find the next piece of the puzzle.
The students presented the finished puzzle to Julie Lannon, manager of the Children's Centre, who was extremely impressed with what she saw. She commented, 'This is excellent! I would never have come up with this idea! The children will learn a lot from this'. Have you got any creative ways of promoting student work? Any handy hints for displaying work? Would be great to hear your stories…..
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Hi Nia
Just managed to catch up with your blog, where did January and February go?
Great creative ideas, I am due to attend a couple of Line of learning network meetings and will signpost practitioners to your blog, keep them coming.
thanks lots Jayne
Hi Nia
What you say about display is really important. Some classrooms are dispiriting places because the walls are bare and there's no visible pride or enjoyment in what students are learning. When I looked at the photo of the display in your Diploma classroom, what I noticed was the way in which students are drawn into the display with the 'Welcome' sign and the speech bubbles. Good educational display is interactive. Your students said they liked using the display for revision purposes. Having signs asking questions so that students have to look closely at the display to find the answers is a good way of promoting further learning. Display is a greatly underrated classroom skill!
Best wishes
Anthony
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Hi Nia,
Like Jayne I too am directing people to your blog especially as I am linked to the SHD Diploma as part of my support although I think everything you have mentioned relates to all taught subjects and activities in schools and colleges.
I was very taken with the use of VLE (and the snow) and so have become a ardent reader...
Keep it up it is great!