I am a teacher of .….. – what has maths got to do with me?
A look into the role of non-maths teachers in developing students mathematical identities and perceptions
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by Durrington Research School
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As the nights draw in and the weather gets gloomier, it can definitely feel that the “honeymoon period” at the start of the academic year is drawing to close. Implementing new approaches in schools is nearly always challenging, however the “honeymoon period” can often mask these challenges – student behavior may be less challenging and staff are well rested and enthusiastic to adapt. Unfortunately, as we all know the honeymoon period is always short lived, and as other demands intensify and the nitty-gritty of day-to-day teaching re-establishes itself it can be easy for new approaches to wane and fade away. So, while launching a new approach may have gone well, effective leadership must also ensure it continues to be delivered effectively. But what can leaders do to support and maintain change? Below are just a few of my own personal take aways from the deliver and sustain aspects of the updated Implementation Guidance report from the EEF.
1. Support staff during initial attempts
The implementation of any new approach can be a bit sticky. The beginning phases of any new approach can be stressful and filled with uncertainty. Therefore, as leaders we must support staff well-being throughout the implementation process. This can be achieved by:
- Sharing the responsibility for implementation and engaging people in decisions.
- Providing extra time
- Focusing on realistic goals
- Removing administrative tasks
- Engaging staff in discussions about their well-being.
2. Provide timely prompts and reminders:
Timely reminders and prompts can help staff feel connected to the new approach, while also promoting greater reach and fidelity. These prompts can be done through staff meetings, end of week emails or staff bulletins. Leaders should focus on the core components of the approach and possibly provide advice about some of the more challenging aspects of the approach.
3. Reinforce initial professional development with follow on support
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? We’ve sat through an INSET day session launching a new initiative with all the bells and whistles included, only to never re-visit the idea or receive any further support. The problem is initial training alone is unlikely to lead to change, follow up support is needed to allow teachers to apply their own experiences and context to the training to improve implementation in their own classrooms. It is important to also consider that a one-size fits all approach to follow-up support may not be appropriate – with some staff potentially needing a greater level of support than others, or support with differing aspects of the approach.
4. Keep acknowledging and supporting good implementation practices
As other demands increase on our staff, so do our own demands as leaders. It can be easy to allow these to demands to reduce our focus on whatever approach we are wanting to implement. Leaders need to keep looking for the successes and sharing these to ensure staff feel the approach is still valued. On top of this share the responsibility of implementation so that when demands do inevitably stack up, the load can be shared.
5. Monitor and Improve
Let’s be honest monitoring can be perceived as a bit of a “dirty” word by staff. It can often be seen by staff as something done “to” them rather than something they benefit from. Staff need to be “united” as to why monitoring is important, and leaders have a significant role to play in this when launching and delivering a new approach. As leaders we need to ensure conversations around monitoring are framed positively and not seen simply as an accountability measure.
When staff feel part of the decision making around what data will be used for monitoring, see this being enacted by leaders and adjustments made in response to the data gathered, buy-in is likely to be higher. As such it is important that leaders use the monitoring process to identify barriers to implementation and act to solve these by provide enabling supports (whether this by identifying and deploying champions of the initiative or providing targeted follow-on supports) that allow staff to experience success with the new approach. This, in turn, will further develop staff buy-in.
Implementing any new approach within the complex dynamics of a school is always challenging, while the honeymoon phase of a new year may include numerous green shoots of implementation, leaders cannot afford to be complacent if they want the change to stick once this phase inevitably ends.
By Ben Crockett
Deputy Director of Durrington Research School and Assistant Headteacher.
A look into the role of non-maths teachers in developing students mathematical identities and perceptions
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