Trainees are required to complete an evaluation of each activity they teach before they plan for the next day. The focus of evaluation should relate to the teaching and learning that took place during the lesson/ activity. After each lesson/activity, trainees should complete the evaluation boxes at the bottom of the planning format. The comments must be analytical in nature.
Always ask:
- What have the children learnt?
- How did they learn this?
- What are the children’s next steps?
- What part did I play to impact upon their learning?
Here are some points to consider when evaluating your lessons:
1: Teaching
- How effective was your initial stimulus for the lesson/activity?
- How well did the learning objectives match the activities?
- Was there sufficient challenge?
- What teaching strategies did you use?
- Were there sufficiently differentiated experiences set up to permit every pupil to achieve the objectives?
- Did you work with a focus group/individual?
- How well did the children understand their tasks?
- Did the pace of your lesson/activity allow enough time for children to grasp an understanding of the content?
- Was sufficient time allowed to consolidate learning and to practiseskills?
Note the evidence for your statements. How do you know the answers to these questions?
2: Classroom/behaviour for learning:
- How did you ensure a safe and productive learning environment?
- Which strategies did you use to promote behaviour for learning?
- Were they successful?
- Did you select appropriate resources to assist the pupils’ learning?
- Was there sufficient adaption of resources to extend the able and assist those with difficulties?
- Were resources appropriately organised to allow ease of access without disruption to the working ethos?
- Did you use IT to support pupils’ learning?
3: Supporting evaluation into practice
More experienced trainees should be feeding previous lesson evaluations into their current/future planning. This may take the form of annotated notes/adaptations to lesson plans. The trainee should be able to exemplify this aspect of their professional development in their file.
4: Evaluation of professional values and practice
- Are you a proactive and collaborative team member?
- Do you share your problems and seek advice and support from others?
- Do you set realistic targets, sort out your priorities and avoid work overload?
- Have you paid attention to gender, race, faith, disabilities and developmental differences in assessing and meeting others’ needs?
- Have you been punctual in arrival at school and class?
- Are you a good model for positive learning?
- Have you observed your CBM’s dealings with parents/carers? What have you learned?
5: An opportunity for reflection at the end of school experience
- How have I developed since my last placement?
- What recent changes/innovations have taken place in school practice since last time in school?
- What do I need to do in order to fully prepare myself for my next placement or NQT year?
- Complete the School Experience evaluation about your experience and the support you received. This information is completed by all school partners and can be viewed transparently.