VIEWS & OPINION Teaching and learning as pupils


come back to school In this month’s column, regular contributor GRAHAM COOPER, Product Strategy Director, Juniper Education, suggests some steps to help children ease back into school life so they’re ready to learn.


This month sees further relaxing of the Covid-19 restrictions, and the start of a phased return to school for some pupils. However, it’s not ‘back to school’ as we know it. Primary schools have resumed onsite teaching for many of their pupils, but it could still be some time before they are joined by classmates whose families prefer to keep them at home. There’s no one size fits all route for schools


through this difficult journey. But senior leaders know their schools better than anyone and the decisions they make in the coming days and weeks will be the right ones for their pupils, parents and staff. My colleague Kathryn Day who is a former primary school deputy head has some advice on shaping teaching and learning while schools are still in a state of flux.


• Put wellbeing first Many children have been out of the traditional routine of school for some time. They may be anxious about catching the virus, worried about the learning they have missed, or grieving for loved ones. Consider deploying a member of staff to be responsible solely for pastoral care. They can work alongside your Designated Safeguarding Lead and Special Educational Needs Coordinator to help children settle back to school life. Staff wellbeing is paramount too. Explore different options for supporting staff as they adapt to changes at school during the phased return. This might involve providing CPD opportunities as staff take on new roles and responsibilities.


• Adopt a blended learning approach Although pupils are back in the classroom, schools are continuing to adjust their spaces to meet the latest social distancing guidelines, and pupils who are used to being together may now be spread out across the school. At the same time, teachers are supporting the learning of children who remain at home. To bring these learning groups together, schools could consider an online-offline classroom structure. Using this approach, teaching staff create projects for pupils to work on together when they are physically apart so they still feel like they are collaborating as a whole class. For example, the pupils in the classroom could create a story for their classmates to act out at home, and video the results for the rest of the class to see.


• Keep parents in touch Some parents are apprehensive about their child being back in school and this may mean parents are asking more questions than usual, or seeking additional reassurance. To equip your staff to support parents at this time, you need to plan a communications strategy. Many parents have been actively involved in their child’s learning at home, and they will want to know what they can do to continue to support their child’s education. Consider ways to sustain this engagement with guidance, ideas and activities for families to reinforce your onsite teaching. It’s inspiring to see how creative schools have been in their response to the coronavirus pandemic. And as they enter the next phase of their journey back to onsite teaching, schools will continue to do the best for each and every child. For resources your school can use for pupils in the classroom and at home, please visit https://junipereducation.org/coronavirus-covid-19- resources-for-teachers/


June 2020


Should you teach coding to your students?


Comment by BROOK WALKER, Marketing Co-ordinator at Exa Networks


With the advancement of technology showing no signs of slowing down, it is no exaggeration to say that coding will inevitably play a huge role in the future. While many people see coding as a highly technical skill, it is in fact another form of literacy. As education is moving from the traditional array of literacies of reading, writing and arithmetic, Coding & Computational Literacy is hotly debated as a new education staple.


Not to be confused with Digital Literacy which covers using digital devices to achieve a variety of goals, Coding & Computational Literacy goes deeper into how computers can help resolve problems, living in the 21st-century, children are growing up in a digital era and coding is a skill that can be used every day.


Introducing coding from an early age


Early exposure is the best solution – being introduced to coding at an early age makes it easier to comprehend the more technical aspects of computer science presented to pupils as they progress through the Key Stages. Achievement at a young age helps boost confidence, which in turn can help tackle the gender gap which is present both in Higher Education and STEM related careers. It's never too late to benefit from learning to code, or learning another language, but those who start at a young age do have a distinct advantage.


Problem solving and creativity


An early introduction to coding not only benefits further learning but also improves problem solving skills. Children encounter new situations at an astonishing rate, and have to make decisions based on experiences of similar situations and trial and error.


Whilst coding, pupils often face problems which can be resolved a number of ways, some more efficient than others. The learning of a rational approach to problem solving, combined with a broader experience of problems helps develop concentration on tasks that require troubleshooting. This learnt skill can be transferred to everyday tasks and other subjects, and the experimentation can also encourage creativity.


Programming resources Here are some useful resources for the teaching of coding:


• EduBlocks - A drag and drop based programming tool that was created to help students transition from block-based to text-based programming.


• Kodu - A highly customisable game creation utility, featuring support for micro:bit and some great learning options.


• Scratch - A block-based programming language, extremely popular with young learners - also check out Scratch Jr, a more simplified version.


• CodeAcademy - Career-focused tutorials and introductions to various types of coding, including HTML, JS, Python and a lot more.


exa.foundation runs engaging events to champion and enthuse computing teachers. Since the UK lockdown they have been delivering events online which have proved just as popular. These include inspirational virtual tours around cities; demonstrating landmarks important to computing history, or simply informal gatherings involving puzzles and discussions around ideas on how to teach computing more effectively.


exa.foundation welcomes all ideas and suggestions for events that would be beneficial to you. You can see their upcoming events or get in touch with your thoughts via the exa.foundation website.


www.education-today.co.uk 21


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