Feedback from providers
What might be the impact of our training on your own staff?
- Click on the provider-drop down list to browse feedback by the providers.
- Click on ‘Filter by session’ and then select a title from the drop-down list.
Please select a provider:
Luminate Education Group
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Informative assessment, trick questions. Valuable session with practical ideas.
- A voyage of discovery!
- Assessment should not be about the teacher. Informative assessment.
- Really enjoyable session, thank you.
- Like winning on ‘Play your cards right!’
- The game was great, the formation of quick ideas into planning lessons was inspirational!
Thornhill Academy
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Focus on use of attitudes in learning objectives.
- A smack in the face.
- Focus on a use of skill and attitude within the learning outcomes.
- Very thought provoking.
Calderdale College
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Sic itur ad astra (This one goes to the stars)
- A lightening bolt to engage learners.
- Emotional learning. Thinking outside the box. Maximising outcomes for students through engagements.
- Planning for learning experiences, not lesson planning!
- Exploring an unfamiliar route in a familiar land.
- Inspirational, box full of chocolates.
- Grabbing a bull by its horn.
- Induction is about social bonding. I thought it was about fire exits and canteen location.
- Capturing learners’ attention in the first instance to keep them interested.
- Bonkers ideas as starting point to overcome “I can’t”.
- Feeling inspired for January, thank you!
- I’ve had a seedling tray of ideas for a long time. After today, I think more staff will accept my seedlings and will allow them to grow.
- I am also fascinated by taking ‘negatives’ and ‘problems’ and using these as starting points. I feel pleased that my ideas are shared, it’s not just me with these feelings on education.
- As a new lecturer, this has set me up better than I have expected.
- Think bonkers and big. Be adventurous.
- Tell/Test – changing the way we deliver learning sessions.
- I think your suggestion to include these experience moments at key low points is something, intend to implement.
- Integrations M & E with the GCSE outcomes in mind. Really good.
- To remember about students not only having cognitive change but also attitudinal change from entering and leaving the classroom.
- Carpet metaphor I will question in my own practice – the 5 why’s – great method.
- More creative hands-on learning – ‘dislocation’.
- A new outfit to wear for the first day of term.
- Plan for the dull moments!
- This is the second time for me and I’ve still come away with something new.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Enlightening.
- Like moving from A-B with a blindfold that has been removed so we can see the whole journey.
- The “…” Discussion hit home – create an environmental where the learner can lead the discussion.
- A reminder to look wider and focus on barrier removal.
- I have learnt new ways of completing the reviews ensuring learners are taking the lead in the discussions and more autonomous.
- The session allowed you to reflect on your own progress and how to support the team to have more meaningful reviews.
- Good insight and allowed you to think further into own practices.
- I’m a believer.
- Look at lesson outcomes differently. “Stuff” Vs “making difference” is my takeaway.
- Planning and preparation.
- Try to ensure all pre-review work is complete and prepare fully with a focused outlook to help ensure outcomes.
- Very informative, thank you.
- Don’t judge a book by its cover.
- Great session.
- Learning is a journey.
- Found the session very useful and positive, Thank you.
- Learning is a puzzle, each piece a new skill or knowledge.
- Encourage learners to speak more and take ownership of summarising objectives.
- Assessors to record a sample of reviews and carry out self reflection using some of the learning from today.
- Enjoyed.
- Lifelong learning for all.
- Really interesting.
- Being given a balloon and getting lifted up.
- Enthused.
- I am looking at reviewing the 14-16 process and will use the students to inform me and develop this further.
- Thank you, very informative.
- Student-led tutorials.
- Adjusting approach.
- Use different methods as discussed.
- “Crossed the carpet”.
- Try to inform change systematically.
Greenbank College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- As clear as a breath of fresh air.
- Really enjoyed the sessions, made all of us think and discuss more about the cards in particular.
- To constantly think about formative assessment when lesson planning.
- The resources used are useful to me. The lesson about chemical bonding gave me an idea for a logic lesson.
- I will change the way I write my SOW and lesson plans to include specific outcomes and remove the actual outcome from my SOW.
- I enjoyed the session and will take away provocative questions, write outcomes to promote learner independence, meerkat strategy, the colour code to help write learning outcomes.
- Enjoyed the session and will try and implement some of the ideas from the session.
- Never too old to learn!
- Implementing different strategies. I would take away the different types of assessments (50 Shades).
- Use the website more. I fully enjoyed the whole afternoon. Fantastic.
- I’ll be using quite a few of the teaching and assessment strategies.
- Thank you, very thought-provoking session.
- More thought and detail in my thinking.
- I enjoyed this training day, thank you.
- A better understanding/appreciation of tutor’s challenges in preparing lessons that supports the learner progress and independence.
- Excellent “Grade=Outstanding”.
- How different strategies can overlap. How I can support students to understand how their targets are formulated.
- Informative.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- I was like a pig in muck! Happy.
- Try to promote learner independence as much as possible. Get learners to identify ways to improve (for formative feedback and assessment.)
- Mindbending. “You’ve unlocked many of the ideas and strategies that I have been forming in my head. I can give them shape now”.
- Tony is a fountain of knowledge. I’ve enjoyed learning new things.
- Lots of great information. I’ll take away January being the time for extra excitement for the learners.
- Really enjoyed learning new methods, I like being challenged to think differently about things.
- Developed a better understanding of barriers to learning.
- A good session that we could engage in and discuss ideas.
- Appropriate Vs consistent. Celebrating independence of support, promoting independence by removing scaffolding in a timely and appropriate way.
- Look at what will happen when the barriers / scaffolding are removed and plan ahead.
- Interesting. Changed my perception of teaching.
- Sweet and sour. It’s made me reassess the purpose of my planning.
- I will re-evaluate my practice to include lots of today’s themes. I feel really motivated.
- This session was a ‘bomb’ (loads of information / learning).
- Always pushing forwards, promoting independence and encouraging students to their full potential.
- Always be enthusiastic, have a consistent approach, full encouragement, up-to-date training.
- Mind blowing. For me, the course content was something I had not come across before.
- To think outside the box and remove scaffolding.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Relate learning outcomes to ‘barriers to learning’. To think of my outcomes re: verb, outcome, label – as a way to be very specific and defined. To be able to not share the outcomes with students at the beginning of the session.
- I will now write learning outcomes for learners’ expert independent learning skills. I will use words such as ‘confidently’ in front of verbs such as demonstrate to remind myself to think about strategies to ensure they are confident and not nervously doing tasks.
- I will focus and spend more time to complete outcomes. I will use the colour codes.
- Watching my plants grow from start to finish.
- Night to day. A full cycle of the moon.
- Very interesting, very relatable and able to use practically.
- From Sloth to Meerkat.
- I’ll know to include “skills” that we needed, whereas would’ve neglected that before.
- Thank you, very informative course. “How to make wiki pages” and “Gumption” please.
- Fourth step on the ladder of learning.
- It did make me think hard about how I create innovative IT lessons which keep the learners engaged while completing matrix assessments.
- It has been an interesting session so far.
- As bright as a star in the sky.
- It gave me food for thought. I will use your shared knowledge and strategies in the future.
- I will use quite a few of the assessment strategies. The website is brilliant and I will make good use of it. Thank you.
- I don’t write learning outcomes, but I now have a better understanding of how tutors can piece them together.
- Not overthink writing outcomes. To think about how LSW being used.
- Very effective teacher, I have learnt a lot.
- The carpet has had a clean.
- Review with support staff how they enable students. Focus on improving communication between tutors and support staff.
- Excellent “Grade – outstanding”.
- To watch my learners flourish to their potential.
- I found it very interesting and relooking how I will implement this into my outcomes.
- Really enjoyed and very interesting morning, making me rethink. Fully enjoyed. Thank you.
- Upgraded; ready to teach differently in some ways.
- The session will help develop and improve the lessons that I teach.
- Every section of the session was well prepared.
City College Norwich
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Revealing!
- Forget the audience. Write to find the root cause. Ask the “so why is that” and be curious. Own the issues.
- Enlightened, focused.
- SAR not PR. Ensure clarity of what we are trying to say – avoid ambiguity and trying to shoehorn too many things in one statement.
- I feel more prepared to assist with writing a SAR.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Panning for gold in SARs/QIPs.
- Really good session and I’m reminded of the start when you said about being excited about self-assessment, I can see why! This is a great way of writing SARs and QIPs which will help develop affective targets.
- Has made QIPs fun and useable.
- Like finding a boring brown box but finding a wonderful surprise inside.
- Instead of discussing the data, I will now be more enquiring and ask questions to get to the bottom of issues and devise/create logical and realistic steps to improve.
- Dig down to the root causes and simplify development plan to ensure actions are achievable in shorter time frame. Really like the idea that quality must be owned by everyone and development plans being a project – actions completed to be celebrated.
- Excellent, thought-provoking session – very enjoyable. I now want to get stuck in!
- Insightful, exciting. Can’t wait to get started on a new way of thinking.
- Inspiring. Lots to change in our current approach to empower staff to reflect and be involved to feel they can be honest in answers to get to root cause and not worry about accountability.
- I will look weekly to practice with colleagues to become confident in using the vocab.
- Fault, cause, rectification (automotive when diagnosing). Noisy engine ie the symptom, the issue is no oil. Target the issue not symptom.
- Drill into the fault not symptom, ground up.
- Thank you for a great session.
- Found the QIP template very useful.
- Look for the root cause.
- Informative session.
- Insightful and thought-provoking
- Really enjoyed it – thank you Tony.
- Focusing on cause rather than symptom and team ownership/responsibility to learners.
- Way I look at data, how to get to root cause, take control of the controllables (ownership), consider department culture (language, processes etc)
- We all need to be on the same journey, “Join the Bus!”
- Involve the team more. Ask valid questions and listen. Consider symptoms, “Note taking”.
- Failing to start, recognising the symptom, with a crisp start.
- Keeping it student focussed.
- You keep it real – Thanks.
- ‘Sunday at the village vanguard!’ – work changing influences.
- Use a different set of questions to ensure DP reflects critically, cause and effect and enable solutions employed to be impactful.
- Food for thought – very useful.
- Find root causes. Transform the way I can approach the root causes with excitement about influencing learning. Stopping the approach of moving away from a problem to getting closer to a solution.
- We all need to be on the same bus.
- Practice the terminology root cause. Involve the team – 5 whys, consider symptoms.
Blackpool & the Fylde College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- I absolutely loved listening to you. It felt that I had found a voice of reason and it made a profession I love feasible again after I had built it up into the big bad monster that it was (in my head of course). Thank you! You’re another Ken Robinson!
- The stabilisers were wobbly and as the bike gained speed, they flew off and I freewheeled without falling off and grazing my knees.
- Stuff and difference! Massively changed the way I view the various aspects of my practice and consequently those I will train.
Code Institute
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- My learning journey was akin to navigating a winding river. The training provided a steady current of information, guiding me through new concepts and perspectives. Each bend in the river brought forth thought-provoking insights, and the landscape of knowledge unfolded before me, revealing interesting vistas of understanding.
- It was a change of paradigm, I view the whole process with different eyes now.
- There are many different ways to incorporate learning into a lesson that are not just repeating/reading what is on the slides.
- It was like grabbing the golden ribbons in the crystal maze at the end.
- Having key interactions with learners given a memorable name and definition was really useful. I look forward to integrating some of these into how we do things.
- I feel that I have a new perspective on how to approach assessment.
- Merging ideas to create something new with minimal effort, combing two existing ideas.
- During the final game trying to “argue” how they may be used and be beneficial in my own role was an interesting exercise that did make me think how more assessment methods could be used to benefit the learners.
- Some great info in there and the games will be a useful tool to adapt for my own needs.
- Thank you Tony for a wonderfully engaging day.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- For me the key takeway was to never consider a learning outcome in terms of “the student should understand”. This is unlikely to lead to subjective accounts of how the outcome was fulfilled. All learning outcomes must be mapped to objective measures.
- I found the advice regarding the wording and colour-coding of Learning Outcomes insightful and practical.
- Retuning a piano.
- I like the colour coding and will use it again. I will also look at how this can be used for touch points with learners that can matter and how it can steer them.
- A Roadmap for Exploration. A GPS for Self-Directed Learning.
- I feel that I have a new perspective on how to approach teaching and writing learning outcomes that better target the desired behavioural changes.
- My learning journey was like embarking on an adventure in an unfamiliar land, where the path to understanding was paved with games. Initially, the rules seemed obscure, like deciphering a cryptic map. Yet, as we delved deeper, the fog lifted, revealing the hidden treasures of knowledge. While we could have indulged in a more competitive spirit, the journey itself was enriching, and the destination of learning was reached regardless.
- I feel like a nurtured plant, watered and soaking up the sun in a well-lit window.
- Thanks for all the useful guidance during the morning session on Thursday. Looking forward to implementing some of the great tips learned.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A good training event is like a well tendered garden: each participant is a seed, full of potential, and Tony was the gardener who provide the right balance of knowledge, guidance, and encouragement. Over time, with patience and care, the seeds grow, flourish, and bloom into a vibrant array of skills and confidence, transforming the garden into a thriving, colorful landscape of talent and growth. I love the simplicity of ‘However’. Thank you Tony.
- Thank you so much Tony, I could do this event 100 times and the penny would drop on something else each time.
- Mastering self-assessment writing is like polishing a mirror. At first, your reflection might be clouded by uncertainties and blind spots, but with each thoughtful stroke, the image becomes clearer, revealing not just your achievements but also the areas where you need to grow. The more you work at it, the more accurately you see yourself, allowing you to reflect on your progress and set a course for improvement. All was perfect, Tony is the best trainer!
Very informative session – lots of big picture ideas but lots of practical knowledge too My main takeaway is that self assessment writing needs to be honest. The relative, and the masking etc. are all ways to fluff up the writing but it makes it less and less useful.
I think that a few words could be said about the culture of an organisation and how this plays into writing good self assessments. It seems to me that it is partly your responsibility to ignore the ‘person on your shoulder’ and partly the responsibility of that person who is sitting on your shoulder to reassure you that ‘fluff’ is not needed, and that honest self assessment is what is expected. There needs to be a sort of denuclearization of the fluff writing that is committed to by everyone.
“Sharpening the blade”…… As a blade becomes sharper and more effective with proper honing, a well-structured training session hones your skills, making you more precise, efficient, and ready for challenges. - From the session, I learnt how to evaluate my own work more objectively, identifying patterns in performance and areas where I consistently struggle during self-assessment writing. I also learnt that beyond writing, self-assessment encourages broader personal and professional growth by fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.
Craven College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Out of this world! Galactic.
- I have a range of strategies that I can implement in sessions. We can save time by doing less!
- Travelling up a rocky path to get to the top of the hill to see a wonderfully, breath-taking view!
- Really helpful and insightful and provocative!
- Inspiring – motivational.
- New ways to do formative assessment. Getting students excited and curious about the subject.
- Students know more than you think – let them show you.
- Absolutely fantastic – thank you.
- Mind provoking and insightful.
- Lots of great suggestions that could be adapted to my art & design lessons.
- Enjoyed the delivery – interactive – was great to actually take part in discussions and share good practice with staff from other depts.
- Clarity and vindication.
- A leap in a long journey.
- I’m going to think more on how I can structure my lessons to make independent learners.
- Inspiring.
- I will take back some of the ideas from the cards.
- Enlightening.
- Use some of the strategies and encourage curiosity in the subject which will also encourage debate.
- Excellent session.
- A flat drink being recarbonated.
Furness College
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- As a quality nominee in attendance it was great to put myself in the observer/teacher role & how, as a college, we can make changes.
- Light-bulb moment.
- The idea of the learner leaving as a different person from session.
- We need to review and amend the recording of observation processes as we currently focus on the ‘stuff’ not the ‘differences’ made.
- Interesting, enjoyable, thoughtful.
- A better understanding of the observation process and how it could be used. How staff could be made to feel more comfortable about the process.
- How to start that conversation. Observer to do less talking.
- How to question & structure the conversation. Techniques to follow – looking from both perspectives. Allow teacher to talk more.
- Better choice of questions to allow teachers own feedback.
- New way of discussing a lesson observation.
- A positive change for the better.
- Best practice guide.
- Enjoyable session. Made me reflect on current practice.
- Some reflection on learning teams & training on evaluative language & less ‘feedback’. Momentum of learning graph.
Northern Trains Ltd
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- I don’t currently do progress reviews but the development of quality standards that focus on the best outcome and can be used to reflect on performance are really useful and inspiring for my other programmes.
- Great discussion around agreeing what good progress reviews look like.
- Refreshed my knowledge and understanding how reviews can be conducted.
- Discuss with my colleagues how we can improve our progress reviews. I will personally think about my questioning techniques in my reviews.
- Inspirational.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I started a pancake and now I’m a pancake with new exciting ideas.
- The target setting document from this morning’s session, again is very inspiring, how we can reflect and use targets to motivate.
- Great refresh on communication skills from coaching session.
- Treat reviews as a more organic consideration.
- Will start to embed aspirations more within reviews.
- The sun kept shining all day. I enjoyed the day and felt engaged and interested throughout.
- Excellent. Enjoyed the session.
- Looking at how to set targets objectively and key words to use in reviews.
- Thank you for the inspiration, Tony.
Inspire College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I get it – Bloody brilliant conclusion.
- It’s an ‘all you can eat’ buffet of assessment ideas.
- It was like walking into a craft shop, such as Hobby Craft, and quite unexpectedly finding a whole range of new possibilities for creating in craft I’ve practiced for years.
- Tutors are gardeners, encouraging growth and blooming.
- Differentiated learning! Thank you!
- The whole enchilada.
- My brain is fizzing with new ideas!
- Language is important, variety! Not serial summative assessments. I will be trying some of these and looking at current SOW to find opportunities to include some of the 50 Shades. I will have more confidence in OTLAs when assessing tutors AFL.
- Thanks, amazing trainer, insightful lessons and brilliant resources.
- Using games/competitions as a basis for learning.
- Some really good assessment strategies that I can adapt. A study (research lesson) for next week – fab!
- I will change lessons going forward to enable learners to be more engaged and develop skills.
- Great! I will definitely be changing my learning outcomes to reflect the ‘next steps’.
- New ideas for assessment as I previously focused too heavily on questioning.
- Satisfying, refreshing and nutritious drink.
- Education is a marathon, not a sprint.
- New strategies. Stimulating and thought-provoking session.
- “The horse has already bolted” – SOW. Good ideas!
- Informative and thought-provoking. Thank you.
- Using different ways of assessment to see how the learners are progressing.
- Really informative, interesting and enjoyable and will be able to use strategies in teaching. Really, very useful. Great presenter – dynamic and interesting.
- Really great training. I have learned a lot and will use a lot of these strategies moving forward.
- The range of assessment methods, which may work with community learning with older people.
- Getting learners to assess themselves more.
- Hot (and steamy!)
- Don’t be afraid to try new strategies.
- Assessment strategies to use and take back to the team.
- Lots of assessment strategies.
- Fantastic course, lots to use in the future and adapt to/for my LLDD learners. Thank you.
- Enlightening. Getting my teams to do more self and per assessment and be more independent in their learning.
- Excellent training session. Plenty of good ideas to take away and apply.
- Bloom’s taxonomy.
- Lightbulb moment! For some techniques. Not all – some can be adapted to fit group profile and session.
- Mobile phone documentaries for customer service (hospitality) and body language / verbal / non-verbal communication. Tutor work phones to be used.
- Some of the assessment techniques talked about today, I have already used / or a similar version. The best techniques aren’t always planned but occur naturally.
- Thinking about continuous assessments and how I would adapt for certain learners and courses. Liked exemplar and silent minute. Thanks for today!
- Thank you – you have great knowledge. Interesting.
- Moved further along a long road.
- Trick questions – use this in evaluating events so everyone who’s involved is more critical of their work.
- Excellent delivery from Tony Davis. Very engaging and interesting ideas. His enthusiasm for learning shone through.
- Inspiring.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Extremely important and engaging.
- Great target setting will allow for the person to bloom into a beautiful flower.
- Like opening a small door from a dark room into a space flooded with a rainbow.
- The session was inspirational. I will be using the resources to further understand how to use this in my context.
- Amazing training session, Thank you. I feel energised and inspired.
- A hummingbird escaping from a closed down shoe shop.
- I will focus more on aspirations and using learners’ aspirations to get them motivated and recognise value. Introduce curiosity. Thought it was really interesting.
- ‘Smiley’ (you smiled and I smiled as I learned/listened).
- I will now work together with the learners to create targets which will excite & engage them which willin turn make them more ‘achievable’.
- It was very engaging, interactive and enjoyable as well as useful to us all.
- Intriguing. Ensure to tailor questions accordingly to the learners’ needs.
- Inspiring. Ditch the SMART as it’s too restrictive. Less restrictive target settings.
- Focus on motivating and inspiring learners. Take more input from learners encouraging them to create their own.
- Highly motivational. To approach target setting differently, including the learner by setting the targets together.
- I really enjoyed the session and very well delivered.
- Aspirational management with learners. Empower them to set own targets.
- Very helpful and informative. Food for thought.
- Explore new resources to ensure engagement from all 3 Broad Experience Groups.
- A breath of fresh air.
- Think about how to make targets more exciting. Incorporate skill builder into activity plan to promote more ownership.
- Really informative and enjoyable.
- Relatable context and rapport with learners to understand aspirations.
- I’m happy that making the learning journey inclusive is what we do well. Change some terminology and continue to improve inclusion.
- Fantastic – thank you for taking time to speak to me – (toe to toe) – and differentiated terminology for us (me).
- As clear as a bell! As fresh as a daisy!
- I love the idea of the curiosity that we should engender in our learners and how to take/project manage their own destiny’s.
Steris
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I read previous feedback from other providers – Sunshine through rain clouds. A light switched on. Cannot say more than that.
- I think as part of our quality review look at how we set targets, do we currently set targets? Probably not. After today though there are so many ideas in which we can get our learners engaged and for them to take control of their own aspirations.
- Unexpected. I was expecting to learn about how to set SMART targets well and the benefits of this, however it was totally the opposite about SMART. It was a very good session. Lots of opportunity for interaction and good use of various technology methods.
- I enjoyed the course and it made me think more about the impact of learners commitment to achieving targets that they have no ownership of setting.
- Learning is like cracking a code. Move a way from smart targets and use project management for learners.
- Understood clearly what needs to be changed to help learners, just have now to amend paperwork used to document this. This will now be rolled out in our standardised meetings.
- Found today encouraging, I’ve always found it a struggle to set SMART Targets, this new approach, with practice, will benefit myself and my learners.
- Thank you Tony, there was some many moments in which I thought of ways in which we can review and develop our current processes to ensure our learners are fully engaged in the process of targets.
Purple Beard
Ofsted Ready
- Clearly lit up a gloomy rainy day!
- The mechanism of actually going about it was brilliant.
- Creative and thoughtful about the approach to improving our provision.
- Project based makes it more achievable to make improvements.
- Thank you so much for enabling a collective approach to improving a provision.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- It was like stumbling upon a hidden oasis in the midst of a scorching desert, where refreshing waters and lush greenery greet you unexpectedly.
- It was unlike anything I have come to expect with working in education – refreshing and real.
- The webinar was a lighthouse in a sea of confusion, casting its brilliant beams of knowledge to illuminate the path of enlightenment for all those fortunate enough to attend.
- I walked in as blank canvas, I left 4 hours later with so many key takeaways from the session resonating in my mind. So many of this I can and will be using in my parenting techniques for my two children. Thank you ever-so much Tony!
- Sky is the limit, a lot to explore and apply.
- A wonderfully insightful session.
- I left the session with a renewed focus on the importance of the review process and the ‘difference’ these should make for the learner journey.
- It was a great help in understanding how to direct the energy of my team and in strengthening my stance against box checking.
- Aggressively adopt the “”Three-dot technique”. I have come to realize that it is an efficient way to accomplish goals and gain thorough insights as it gives the participants/learners a voice that is much needed.
- Focus less on the stuff and more on the difference the stuff can make. Reconsider language, ‘our learners do this’ and ‘the difference this makes is’.
Derby Adult Learning
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Enriching.
- Greater knowledge of key learning theories and examples of teaching and learning strategies that are relevant to them.
- Thank you for a very useful and informative session. Access to your website with additional resources is very useful.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- This session challenged existing thinking and helped reshape a new and more effective way of thinking that is more inclusive and makes a difference.
- Introduce a more ‘project management’ method of target setting, to help learners develop key study skills and focus/drive motivation.
- Many thanks for another excellent and insightful session. You are motivational and able to help provide ‘meerkat moments’ to us as ‘learners’ in your sessions in an active and engaging way. You provide an environment in which I feel comfortable to contribute and receive constructive feedback to contributions, to help challenge pre-conceived ideas and pedagogy for the better.
MTC Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- It can be easy to use different strategies.
- Great learning event for me.
- Great, really got the team on board today. Thank you!
- Focus on their self-driven learning. Not running around room ‘fighting fires’.
- Would be good to ‘force’ yourself to use 1 new method every week/unit/term?
- Exciting. More exciting was to check and involve learners in their assessment.
- Wonderful. Extremely useful for my training. Wish I could have more time for this – next CPD
- It was a melting pot of fantastic ideas.
- New assessment strategies to make the learners actually learn and be self-critical and evaluative.
- A new perspective: making the learners independent which is the actual meaning of learning and gaining knowledge.
- Climbing to the ‘top-deck’ of the assessment ship.
- I will definitely build in more informative assessment activities as a basis for my lessons rather than shoe-horning in.
- Really enjoyed this session – a good reminder to step back and keep it simple.
- Building for a more varied world.
- An informative session that will help all in the room to add detail, variety and interest to lessons.
- A seed that grows into a beautiful flower.
- Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get – Forest Gump.
- I will definitely be using the list of 50 shades of assessment strategies and decide which will work best and suit the modules to be taught.
- Enjoyed the game-style learning as this helped to maintain engagement and enthuse participants.
- Good length session, well delivered, great resources. Thank you.
Stretford Grammar School
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Absolutely fantastic. I actually feel quite energised.
- Approach to progress reviews will be different.
- Great event – worthwhile on every level.
Suffolk New College
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- My next progress review can’t come quick enough.
- Progress is a winding road with plenty of things to look at through the window.
- Deliver group progress review sessions to build on learners’ communication skills, reflective skills and team building. To also ensure I am ‘passing the talking stick’ more often.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the session and took a lot from it.
- Thank you for such an inspiring afternoon, I think I took 6 pages of notes with some fantastic one liners..
- ‘Pleasurable, transformational experiences are highlights in our lives’.
- ‘The person who speaks the most, often feels the conversation has gone well’.
- ‘The standards we walk by are the same standards we accept’.
- Thank you again, I hope to book onto another session with you soon.
Serco
Ofsted Ready
- Really useful session, thank you. Gave me inspiration as to how better to engage the wider team in understanding and managing the self assessment process in preparation for OFSTED.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- I recognise the value of the evaluative conversation approach to observational feedback and how this can benefit the quality observational process that we use at Serco both with our internal delivery staff and with our external delivery partners.
The RED System
- Putting tutors at the heart of observations.
- New role, and new to observations. This was a great session to support my learning and understanding.
- The key takeaways for me are the overview and methodology of the RED system and moving more towards a model with the quality observations with our partner providers that includes evaluative feedback.
TTE Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Giving the learner responsibility to evaluate their own performance.
- Inspiring.
- To challenge the self fear of “typically boring subjects”.
- Good to reflect on what we do, how we do it and how we can develop tools to improve the teaching and learning experience. Ensure individuals see the relevance.
- Very interesting and informative
- Experiences rather than just facts. Incorporate this into lessons.
Ofsted Ready
- Consider the word ‘experience’, make it memorable.
- To steal others’ good ideas.
- Make the learning experience a pleasure (as was today’s session).
- Realisation of what we do, how we do it and how to achieve the best in every aspect.
- Enabling tool to evaluate and develop to meet change.
- To look at research projects and encourage team to develop themes they have selected then share the practice.
- Inspirational
- Challenging – “Think outside the box”.
- Be ready to change, be more adventurous, be less stereotypical.
Shipley College
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Honestly, I thought at the beginning “how can we discuss LOs for 3.5 hours” – I have to say it went in a flash – and my brain hurt. I really had to think and work hard.
- A charcuterie board of delicious delights.
- I liked the meerkat metaphor for curiosity. I liken myself to a squirrel now with bright eyes and ears pricked as I try to fill my cheeks with all the ideas.
- I will definitely be putting into practice next week the idea of teachers designing a manifesto for the expert learning traits and how we write learning outcomes and plan learning experiences to develop those attitudes and skills. If we focus on the ‘stuff’, we cannot expect to develop the dispositions.
- I will be applying the learning when teaching trainee teachers about planning the learning experience. Also when I am running any professional learning sessions for staff. I appreciated the use of colour coding in outcomes for label/verb/skill and outcome (what’s on the table).
- The walk across the carpet.
- When writing understand, replace with ‘hear what I have to say’ [to see why it shouldn’t be used]. The meerkat moment.
- Pedagogy paradise.
- Loved the colour coding of the learning outcomes especially with respect to the effective domain – will definitely be rechecking all mine and perhaps saving a LO to the end of the lesson to see if it has been met.
- I loved the concept of a visceral immersion in a learning experience! Lots of food for thought here.
- It will help to focus to write LOs on and focusing on attitudes and developing independence.
- Very informative session – thank you.
- I am going to focus more on developing independence skills.
- I will consider the outcome more and incorporate the attitudes more.
- Thank you – really engaging.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Social constructivism is the key to unlocking learning.
- Pandora’s box. Lifting the lid on learning theories.
- Loved how the different tools are numbered and put under the different theories.
- I really appreciated learning about the emotional learning states and how teaching and learning strategies can be used to produce the positive or overcome challenges.
- A game-base approach to learning about learning theory.
- Really enjoyed it and will definitely use the tool with the 2nd year PGCE students.
- It was a really useful and thought-provoking session.
Complete Skills Solutions
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- 50 shades of assessment will give me a new approach in quality to support learners gain the best experience we can give them – and make a difference.
- Thanks for the re-awakening!
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Like a rollercoaster ride with no end! (This is good by the way!)
- Use language differently when talking about problems – replace symptoms with ‘issues’ – focus on curing issues and make our QIP actions now the best bits in the future.
Aspire Education Academy
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- A healthy nutritious meal that provides fuel for thought.
- New formative assessments that I will be able to implement in my delivery to help benefit the learner.
- Delivered perfectly from an extremely knowledgeable source.
- Assessment method table – using this during training weeks with tutors.
- It was engaging, thought-provoking and extremely informative.
- I will use the document containing the different assessment methods to help support me in my planning.
- This was really engaging and provided lots of thought-provoking ideas. It highlighted how I am able to take different assessment methods and create a lesson plan with such ease when you have been given the resources and tools to succeed.
- I really loved how engaging, informative and interactive Tony’s lesson was.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Gaining knowledge regarding new teaching skills. Also, I enjoyed learning about emotional learning journey. I feel that Tony provided an excellent class and a lot of brilliant knowledge.
Vocational Solutions
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Invigorating.
- Some new assessment strategies and ways to get my tutors to work together to develop curriculum.
Weymouth College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Finally prizing the lid off a box of “useful things” and finding the usefulness of the beads & jewels inside, moving the box to the kitchen table to use more often.
- Taking the blinkers off a cynical horse.
- Waking up and finding a box of chocolates.
- Breath of fresh air. Nice to have some face-to-face training from an outside source.
- Excellent fun, informative and useful.
- “It’s not about me (teacher), it’s about you (learner)!”
- I am looking forward to adapting some of my future lessons that I have taught the same way for years.
- The assessment strategies – using multiple assessment strategies – and how easy to plan them.
- A better understanding of what the purpose of assessment is and further tools.
- That lessons should be more focused on learners’ understanding through work they complete rather than teacher-led.
- To not be scared to be more versatile in my assessment strategies.
- Research lessons. Try new things more often and intentionally.
- Enlightening, thought-provoking.
- Really want to integrate into lessons.
- This was absolutely inspiring – by far the best, if not the only staff development session – Ever.
- Reminded me that I am doing a good job and my methods and ideas are good!!
- A rollercoaster of fun! Loved it!
- Bird in a cage, door opened…
- Excellent session, great subject expertise and a real eye opening session. Fab!
- Thinking about the ‘difference’ and not the ‘stuff’. New assessment strategies.
- I have taken away new learning assessments that I will use within my teaching.
- Write a learner experience not lesson plan.
- Would say it is a meal well worth waiting for as I enjoyed it a lot.
- I am starting my teaching journey so felt like a sponge absorbing all information.
- The concept of formalising ‘RESEARCH LESSONS’ to experiment with new ideas.
- Move away from teach (tell) and check. How do you want them to be different at the end of the lesson?
- It was like a box of chocolates … I didn’t know what was coming next!
Retrofit Academy
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Great session and lots of takeaways which I hope to implement. “Why is that then” will be used as a staple within our SAR’s in the future.
- Really enjoyed the session and I will be booking on again and as we spoke will be adding my colleagues to future sessions.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Challenging but rewarding in the end!
- We can do a lot more to make our presentations and courses engaging for the learners, catering for different abilities and learning styles.
- Interesting and engaging.
- Useful tools. Great that they are all free.
- Thanks for a very entertaining and enlightening session.
- Thanks for your enthusiastic delivery
Learning and Enterprise College Bexley
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Be more mindful of the masking words and finding the root cause.
- The blended delivery was working well for me as it was difficult to travel on this occasion. Tony skilfully switched between participants and I felt included.
Homefield College
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Hit the nail on the head.
- Format of development plan to enable improved information – less restrictive and reward of completion so document doesn’t get larger. Ensuring that you are getting to the root cause rather than just trying to deal with the symptom.
- The training was delivered with clear enthusiasm, which further improved the learning experience. Good combination of input, practice and reflection.
HETA
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- This identified that progress reviews will be a cultural change and not a procedural change.
- A great session. Very informative
- Get the learner engaged more
- Let the learner lead in a review
- Well presented and interesting. An excellently delivered subject.
- Plan progress reviews beforehand and try to let the apprentice to talk more.
- Inspiring…not a metaphor I know
- Thank you / lots of information to take into consideration.
- Interesting and inciteful.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Progression in the law of the mind. Aspirations become a staff of power to mount dreams on.
- The sun came through the clouds
- Enjoyable subject which was not expected.
- I would focus on aspirational target setting.
- Enjoyed the session. Clearly some of it new to me in the way of concepts but it gave me some fresh ways of looking at my in-work coaching role for learners.
- Excellent.
- Review each lesson to improve target setting.
- Eye-opening.
- I really need to think how I can use target setting to inspire learners.
- The use of blended learning. I will use the method to plant seeds in learners’ heads to research.
- Enjoyed the course, 4 hours went quickly.
- Encourage more learner curiosity during reviews, ultimately using this to stretch more experienced learners to excel, building skills of others. Encourage more self-critical learner behaviours.
- Create curiosity codes to link to Blendspace.
- I like the idea of setting aspirational targets instead of a SMART target tick list.
- I am looking forward to reflecting on the session and deciding how I can use this method going forward.
- Excited to set stronger targets. Set less targets but more relevant to help them progress to a different level.
- Motivated to address my target setting strategy. How do my targets project to learners? Excite? Motivate?
- Encourage the learners to self-motivate by use of questions and emphasising their ideas.
Groundwork
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- T’was brilliant.
- Thanks for exercising my brain!
- I would definitely use the assessment strategy log to helping learners achieve more.
- Very enjoyable session, particularly the game playing.
- A fantastic day of learning and development.
- Butterfly opening my wings for the first time.
- Definitely the use of the 50 shades cards to use for planning future sessions.
- Amazing
- Thank you. I enjoyed your calm delivery. The sessions were informative and helpful.
- I realised what I thought was formative assessment was more repeated summative.
- The ideas from the cards are great and will be super useful!
- Interesting activity resources. Would like to come back to them for inspiration and lesson planning.
- It’s like eating an elephant – 1 mouthful at a time.
Walking up a big hill. I’m getting a better view, but tired by the end. - Review and revise all sessions to embed assessment. Thank you so much.
- A snail crawling out of their shell.
- That there can be many assessments that apply to a learner’s journey that are similar or compliment another.
- Building a wall. The more you do it – the better you get on time with tools.
- Good session – informative and simplified assessments on session planning.
- New assessment methods, card game was really helpful, enjoyed participating in the card games.
- Wiki tasks were great but also daunting for someone who doesn’t write lesson plans.
- Discovered new assessment tools, will introduce more / different ones to my delivery.
- Like building a house with all furniture and fixings.
- Eye opening – formative assessments
- Knowing the difference between assessments.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Changed my way of writing plans. Going to start from the result and work back.
- I haven’t actually written LOs but I will reflect now on what the current outcomes of my teaching are and how I’d want them to be different.
- I see the value of planning for attitude change rather than just skill outcomes.
- Eye opening.
- A gazelle in a herd listening to a talk by a buffalo at the local watering hole.
- As insightful as an interesting bee
- Thought provoking – Eureka moment.
- It felt like I had a half-built wall that just toppled and I constructed it sturdier from scratch. The methods I used until now will be greatly improved by what I learned.
- Surprisingly interesting and very inciteful.
- Use it as a way to get the outcome out properly.
- Most certainly approach / write learning outcomes differently.
- It made me think about the order of the process and how to link activities more directly.
- A blossoming flower in a meadow
- Energised and curious.
- I felt engaged and learnt a lot, started thinking a lot more about the specific support some lessons need and better ways to conduct activities and make people comfortable. Thank you!
- Like building a wave.
- Writing short, sharp outcomes and quality of word rather than quantity.
- Very good delivery and subject knowledge
- Eye opening.
- It helped me reflect on attitude outcomes and think about how to embed attitudinal change.
Groundwork
Bristol City Council Community Learning
Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Hungry like the wolf (to try out new assessment strategies).
- The presenter took us down into his academic dungeon and whipped us into shape.
- Dropping one of those effervescence tablets into a glass of water.
- I’m so excited to start the new academic year and use some of the ideas from today. It will have a big impact on my teaching.
- My shoes were dancing without me.
- We are going to implement some of these new assessment tools and ways of creating learning outcomes which are attitude focused.
- I’m going to use the discovery demonstration strategy in my practical lesson.
- Quality Street. Pick & Mix. Lovely!
- Great pack of ideas that will improve confidence and quality. Thank you.
- To make space to give value to students’ curiosity – making it their journey. They are their own best resource.
- Choosing when to share the learning outcomes was a particularly good point as was the idea of going from one end of the carpet to the other.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- ‘Feeding the ducks’ – scattering handfuls of goodies in front of greedy, chatty ducklings.
- It was like an express train reminding me of many things I’d forgotten – and adding new ideas.
- Hadn’t thought of ‘attitude’ before. Will try to incorporate this and try new teaching techniques (even if they don’t work well at first!)
- Consider ways in which to combine Brain, Body & Attitude & not to confuse learning outcomes with performance criteria.
- Flying through clouds toward bright new horizons.
- Changing the ‘chug along’ motor for a gleaming sleek Daimler.
- Really useful but pleasantly challenging.
- Consider how I can encourage learners to think for themselves / interact with each other before automatically asking me for answers.
- Tasty as the chocolate cake.
- Write and prepare my lesson plan with achievable outcomes and focusing on how to teach.
- Thank you – your enthusiasm for this subject is contagious!
- All excellent. I’ve had an excellent morning. Thoroughly enjoyed the session.
- Curiosity did not kill the cat – pleased and excited that curiosity featured highly.
- Attitudinal LOs linked to skills. Refresher on checking LOs and being clear, creative and relevant.
- Thanks – enthusiastic delivery energised for star of the year.
- Colour coding label verb outcome, attitude, curiosity. Use their understanding too – verb-skill “curiosity”.
- A flower opening its petals to a sunshine of sense (learner experience rather than bureaucracy.)
- I don’t/didn’t write LOs but will try doing it in future.
- Shopping trip putting new items into basket.
- A very fizzy bottle of pop.
Ofsted Ready
- A sat nav. for self reflection on our strengths and weakness as a centre! “Turning a weakness into a strength.”
- Bringing transformation to the attention of an Ofsted inspector.
Thinking ‘wildly’ outside the box for inspiration. - “Tackle” Ofsted in a positive way – not wait for things to happen, but have things in place – e.g. reflections on how to improve things (not at the end of a course or unit but at the time when issues materialise).
- Food for thought. The use of wiki was really good and it was great to see what others had written.
- Taking the horse by its reins. That we can take control of the OFSTED process by actively working together to improve our service.
- It was interesting to step into the inspector’s shoes for once, rather than being on the back foot.
- It’s OK to put your head above the parapet in preparation for an OFSTED inspection… This is the issues I had – this is what I did about it – this is how/why it it better – this is the research I did to make the improvements.
- Challenged. Inspired. Keep the momentum going and organise the action research projects and the feedback.
- Coming out of the shadows. An interesting first part of the session in which the trainer shared his experiences and insight into Ofsted inspections and what they really are looking for. Useful for me as I have not experienced one.
- How I might be able to influence the inspection / observation.
- An exchange of ideas about approaches to teaching British values.
- Turn my weakness into a strength. Feeling inspired to turn my weaknesses around and enhance the learning experience
- I liked working from an aspirational statement as a starting point.
- It was intense and challenging at times, but also highly informative and made me think and reflect!
- It felt like a bit of an uphill struggle through a jungle at the start but in the second half the terrain got easier and by the end I had emerged to a bright clearing where I could see much further! To see areas that need improvement as opportunities.
- A better understanding of what Ofsted inspectors want to see and how to direct the conversation with them so they get a clear picture of our quality improvement actions.
- It was good to explore different research themes and consider what an outstanding Ofsted report might be phrased. Think about what Ofsted look for in “Outstanding” and how can I move from where I am now towards that.
- Having the EIF document summarised and colour coded was really useful.
- Encouraged that I can work with my team to improve the learning culture for our students, especially in terms of attitude to attendance .
- The whole experience was enjoyable and informative. A better understanding of what an OFSTED inspector would be looking for.
- Made me think about how I can control an inspection and not be overwhelmed. There is always help if you ask.
Adult Education Wolverhampton
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- A wild and stormy sea of ideas!
- A melting pot of strategies to try.
- A brain reset.
- Assessing learners and making them feel comfortable about it.
- The games were great.
- A lot of good ideas. Great opportunity to share ideas with colleagues. Better understanding of what formative assessments consist of.
- I remembered how important playtime is in the school day.
- I’m taking away new strategies I’ve learned. How they can be modified to suit the level of learners.
- I enjoyed the events. It was well designed and I learned a lot of new things I will use in the future.
- Re-thinking and re-writing differentiation statements in my schemes of work.
- Relating assessment to aspirations.
- Using the fifty shades of assessment prompts to support the planning of activities.
- Love the fifty shades cards to improve assessment strategies.
- Developing learning strategies for more engaging sessions.
- Use more varied formative assessment. Will adapt and change content to be more focused on learners doing process.
- Assessment methods are fun.
- Incorporating strategies that meet the needs of all learners through a combination of strategies/assessment methods.
- Blue skies ahead.
- A great and needed reminder that what I do in the classroom and my approach to teaching and assessment is valid. Also refreshed and gave me creative ideas.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- A breath of fresh air (despite the heat!)
- An Oasis.
- I’d like to look again at the whole IA process and impact on the learner.
- Differentiating support. Loved it, thank you.
- Not a metaphor but just “wow”. Thank you.
- The definition of differentiation and the support needed to achieve outstanding learning outcomes.
- Looking at learning outcomes and differentiation differently.
- A rollercoaster ride of old and new concepts! It was appreciated however!
- Understanding the need to scaffold and then removing scaffolding as regards the role of support staff.
- Flash of light.
- A great session that really made you think and consider first impressions by the learner.
- Eye opener. Fast and furious.
- How emotional state of being is or can be of paramount importance when setting a tone for a certain language course (skills course, may I say) especially when it comes to initial assessment at the beginning…
- Thank you very much for sharing and teaching us how to be better at differentiating our lessons and helps us to meet out learners’ needs.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Eye opening.
- Give our students the wings to fly themselves.
- I will stop leading the discussion and ask open questions – the pause – wait for a response. Will also check at website.
- Refreshing and inspirational.
- I have new ways and resources available to me how to help me get the most out of my learners.
- Cat that’s got the cream.
- Use the … to encourage student contributions. Get the student to summarise the talk. Develop expert independent learning skills.
- This session has encouraged me to use prompts instead of leading questions to create independence in my learners and encourage self-reflection.
- I’ll never look at sandcastles in the same way again!
- Identify early opportunities to intentionally develop expert learner skills. Thank you for coming.
- Food for thought. The idea of providing a scenario, giving the student the opportunity to talk most.
- Time travel…
- Look forward to the next training session.
- Great session – thank you.
- Insightful.
- Use prompts instead of direct questioning.
- Prompt and wait.
- Need to create more time to do what we already do (at the start/end of class etc…) in a more structured manner. Allow students to speak more.
- Collecting seashells along the beach of learning!!!
- I will use different technologies in tutorials with learners – allowing them to speak with given prompt…
- It was actually rather good! Interesting and informative. I found today’s CPD useful.
- Food for thought. Hard to find time to do them properly so will think about planning this into curriculum.
- Teacher to provide an evidence-based focus on development of student reflection.
- Reflective. Think about 1-1 sessions, including placement reviews. To feed into target reviews and personal goals. Using prompts within Q&A.
- Learning/knowledge is a vast ocean.
- I will use key aspects and develop them in my progress reviews (and consider questions and learner response prompts).
- Was useful – enjoyed collaborating with colleagues. Preferred 1-1 session. Good opportunities to share opinions/good practices.
- Have conversations with my line manager, colleagues and quality team about how AEW can work collaboratively to allow a more creative approach to conducting reviews, to suit individual needs of students and achieve objectives to ‘make a difference’.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I need to change the way I have been setting targets.
- Inspirational.
- Feel my knowledge have been expanded.
- A well trodden journey with new horizons discovered.
- Positive, Enlightened.
- Building blocks to change.
- Thought provoking
- I would like to set motivational targets .
- Creating aspirational and motivational targets.
- I am relieved that we won’t be focussed on SMART targets as they have felt more like an accountability tool than a motivational tool to many of us in teaching and therefore an imposition on learners.
- Use more aspirational targets in ILPs and use professional judgement to measure targets as well as the sight measurable.
- We are going to meet as a team to discuss how we are going to approach target setting for our students.
- I would like to set targets differently, so that they motivate learners and so that learners take ownership of their learning progress.
- Review our current templates, and approach to target setting.
- Review the way we set targets to develop learners’ skills in setting their own targets.
- Be aware of students’ aspirations and how students can use it in their lives so it’s motivational.
- Empathy log, good idea for offering confidence.
- Aspirational, be confident in knowing that this is valid and not just the skills/knowledge.
- Not to focus strictly on SMART targets but also consider aspirations of leaners and student feedback.
- Consider how to rephrase skills levels to experience levels.
- The team really liked the concept of changing the word skills to experience
and planning experiences rather than lesson. - Review organisational processes to ensure the focus for target setting moves away from SMART.
- Set differing activities/support in class to enable all students to reach the same learning outcomes.
- Set aspirational targets that motivate students and are meaningful to them in their journey.
- Planning learning experiences not lesson planning.
North West Training Council
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Inspiring.
- Emphasis on the independent learning to develop learners’ skills.
- It is the difference that is important not the stuff.
- An assault-course/rollercoaster.
- Knowledge of the range of assessment methods and try to embed more into my role as an assessor.
- Excellent.
- I will improve the way I deliver my lessons.
- Assessment strategy log including use of Top Trump cards.
- Taking elements of the course that identified areas not considered.
- Interesting, informative and engaging.
- Embed with staff.
Ofsted Ready
- Challenging thought provoking.
- Red Bull (energising).
- Focus on what I want to teach, not what Ofsted want me to teach.
- Very enjoyable, useful and inspiring.
- Remembering to ask why.
- Inspiring.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- It made me feel enlightened.
- Think it’s great! Thanks Tony.
- A good day, with good timing.
- Review course in relation to working day.
- Entertaining presentation and knowledge gained.
- Steak and Chips (Tasty)
- Approach my progress reviews with less of an emphasis on a tick box exercise and more focus on handing the review to the teacher.
- Excellent.
Debut Training Academy
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Excited to have had this learning today.
- I don’t use my however correctly. I always say what we are going to do and not just leave that for the QIP. I wish it was longer.
OxfordSaudia Flight Academy
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Going from ‘standing’ on my head to standing on my feet.
- Shift the focus to finding the issues, instead of focusing on the symptoms.
- I’ll need to go through the process with a colleague to ensure I’m focusing on issues, not symptoms.
- A great session with great ideas. Thank you Tony. I am new to this position, so it’s all part of the learning process for me. Using an effective development plan will massively improve the assessment of “symptoms” and “issues”, which I will communicate with other departments.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Can’t be more impressed! Changing a long, dull, time-consuming, & painful process into a learning journey broken down into several steps & stages with simple yet effective tools & resources.
- A great sense of relief! A clear, honest, inclusive, and impactful approach. Linking all elements of this approach to our entire quality process. I have a clear understand and vision of how to contextualise it to our model. Keep up the great work and thank you!
The Evaluative Conversation: Transformational Lesson Observation
- Opens up new horizons and unlocking doors to new worlds.
- The Red LISD – Learning issues and solutions database is an excellent idea. Hopefully this will be implemented over time. Obviously, we need the data first which is applicable to our system.
- An absolute eye opener! A judgement-free evaluative environment is what my team needs, and I’m thankful for an approach like this that can give them just that.
- I went to heaven. As a manager in education, I’ve always desired non-graded observations that use a coaching approach to elicit self-reflection and evaluation. Finally, it is here!
- I think our faculty needed an external trainer with research-based expertise to effectively communicate the needed change.
- Thought provoking and eye opener. Focus more on the difference the lesson and its delivery make on the learners.
- Impressive ‘- Teacher evaluation process – The real-life teaching scene – Lesson evaluation tool’
- Education is the bridge between the present and the future. The active interaction in the class without talking. I will definitely be trying this in my class. The fear needs to be addressed so that everything goes smoothly afterwards.
- Discovery. Encouraging and allowing learners to flourish and giving them the space to do just that.
- Enlightening! Informative. Relevant and engaging.
- The RED session is extremely beneficial and all the resources that can be used.
- Plato’s Cave. We need this system in our company.
- Dynamic. Less feedback encourages growth and exploration.
- Fantastic. New ideas.
- I think it was very informative and one of the best seminars I have attended.
- It was nothing short of perfect!
- The lights came on and presented sights.
The RED System
- From reading an abstract to reading the full research article.
- The process is long, but it’s the right way. I LOVED the quick but effective information about transactional communication with the parent, adult and child. This will DEFINITELY help me in both my professional AND personal life.
- Can’t wait for it to happen!
- Takeaways in terms of the philosophy behind the RED system (such as creating and sharing collaborative tools to share insights, discussions, etc… Takeaways from the trainer qualities: being insightful, being witty, keep all engaged in different ways (verbal & non-verbal communication), etc…
- Insightful.
- The stars are dancing! Building trust. Culture shift. Quality. Reflection.
TPM
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Absolutely illuminating.
- Just a complete pleasurable experience. All 4 sessions – what L&S sector should be about.
- Amazing. Attitudinal learning outcomes. Engaging and fun-filled day.
- Inspirational session. The 50 Shades of Assessment was a great activity and the group work. I am going to use many strategies learned today.
- Challenging. A number of strategies I feel could be adapted and form part of the assessment visit and the review itself.
- Engaging. The attitudes to learning a variety of assessment methods, not just formative. Thank you ?.
- Inspired. Loved ‘Trick Questions’ & ‘Meerkat’. Enjoyed the day.
- Inspiring. Different assessment strategies such as Meerkat
- Moments and Silent Minute. Really enjoyed the card game.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- This session has definitely made me think about the wording of my outcomes and can’t wait to amend my existing lesson plans.
- I am now more aware of the language I can use to motivate learners and how sessions can be improved.
- It has made me think about the wording I use on sessions plans and do feel they need to be changed which I will actually look at doing.
- This session has opened my eyes to how I write actions for individual learners and how I can promote independent learners. Thoroughly enjoyable, thought provoking.
- Inspiring. Look at developing attitudes within the outcomes.
- Inspirational. Support teaching and training staff to complete research lesson.
- Inspirational – breath of fresh air. Include objective for attitude development. Excellent.
Ofsted Ready
- Inspirational. Enjoyed interactive activities – will use these going forward.
- Enjoyed evaluating provision and how to set up the working groups.
- Thoroughly enjoyed the session. Thank you.
- Brilliant. Feel more enthusiastic, will be looking at ways I can better support the learners.
- Really have totally enjoyed both sessions.
- Thought provoking. The use of aspirational language. How to make the learning environment memorable. Gamification into teaching.
- Mind opening session.
- It made me realise the gaps I need to fill in and improve the approach.
- Thought provoking. Look into the ‘project’ – could it be integrated?
- Enjoyable and thought provoking.
- Interesting and inspirational.
- Making the delivery of the childcare level 2, 3 & 5 more memorable and learner-led.
- Journey of a million miles starts with a single step.
- How to create memorable events to help learners retain knowledge/skills.
- Committing to research themes and researching these areas so we can come together as a team and make a difference.
- Really enjoyable day – hope to take some good practice away to prepare for our inspection.
- Michelangelo quote. Tony’s Dreamweaver teacher. Blendspace. Connectivism: add a little, take a lot.
- Awesome stuff, thank you.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Like climbing a mountain, reaching the top you get a great sense of achievement.
- Need to meet with other leads to discuss changes that will better reflect learner aspirations, progress, development etc.. Thank you for a great session.
- Inspiring.
- Definitely looking at wording on reviews and layout of reviews.
- An enjoyable experience. How to encourage learners to take ownership of the progress.
- I enjoyed the use of the interactive resources.
- An exciting session, very interactive.
- It was good to compare our work/ideas with other providers’ ideas.
- Thought changing. Encourage more input from the learners.
- Inspiration and motivation leads to success!
- Barrier identification has got me thinking. I’d like to see this included in reviews.
- Sunshine through the EIF clouds.
- I want to ensure the review questions are open and not data – or otherwise focused – beyond the learner’s experience.
- Excellently thought provoking – Excited for the difference it will make.
- Learning is a spark that lights the flame.
- Particularly like the barrier identification. Really inspiring session, thank you.
Central Bedfordshire College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Started on pots and pans and moved to drums!!
- Popping candy for the brain. Use of assessment strategies in the whole process of learning.
- Like being taught by someone who knows more than me.
- Ok to sit through Tony’s lessons in future. Bloody good job, Sir!
- I feel inspired to adapt my teaching to be more aspirational. Thoroughly enjoyable.
- A mole being given lens wipes to clean glasses!
- Loads of wonderful strategies and resources. Very informative and interactive session.
- Expert learning traits and using them in a systematic way.
- I’m definitely going to use all the strategies and activities with new learners. I’m itching to implement as many as possible next academic year. Keep up the good work. You has us engaged from beginning to the end.
- Excellent session showing the real meaning and purpose of assessment.
- Very valuable lessons learnt.
- Discovering a new way on the map to assessment.
- I liked the cards – providing bitesize ideas to inspire lesson activities for assessment.
- Inspirational, motivating.
- Different approach to theory lessons for motor vehicle students.
- By using a number of the strategies to plan, execute and reflect each half term. Focus on January.
- Learning is like a search for hidden treasure.
- Learning is like collecting seashells. There are lots of unique things to learn and we collect them as we go through life.
- I feel this is a good resource to use and not overly time consuming. A good tool for those that struggle with lesson planning.
- Exciting. TAL will replace TLA
- Interesting and motivating, it’s nice to blow the cobwebs out.
- Adding FA in each task, adding interesting activities – learners’ experience. Thank you. Interesting session.
- Equipped with tools. The learning objective will be different. More training like this please. It increased my future strategies of planning, delivering and evaluating the lessons.
Lots more assessment methods and ideas. Motivating and energising. Innovative. New enthusiasm. - A deluge of ideas. (I need time to process all the ideas discovered today). To think about the learning outcomes differently when planning lessons.
- A fantastic presenter and loved the ideas.
- Waking up to new ideas. Trying and testing new ideas with technology such as WIKI. The resources on the website are very useful and accessible.
- Informative – an eye opener to teaching. I can use the skills I have learnt today in my position of a TA2, where I will be covering many different lessons.
- A million dollars (Metaphorically speaking) Thank you.
- Informative in a fun way. Different types of formative assessments. I enjoyed this session and will apply strategies learnt to my learners.
- A rollercoaster of creative types of assessments. This is the icing on the cake. To use the different ways in which assessment can be done. For example, DEFINITELY using “mobile documentary” during a lesson.
- I’m definitely going to use all the strategies and activities with new learners. I’m itching to implement as many as possible next academic year. Keep up the good work. You has us engaged from beginning to the end.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- A journey that became more and more enlightening as we went along.
- Like Alice falling into the rabbit hole.
- Eye opening. Shook up my ideas for creating engaging and stimulating induction activities.
- I think today went really well and I got insight into things that I did not consider before.
- It was amazing day for me!
- Mind Opening.
- A blossoming flower.
- Inspired to change practices or at least reflect on current practices to make sure my teaching does what it says on the tin!
- Alice in Wonderland.
- Opened our mind with new ideas and looking at things.
- Inspired to try new techniques with my members of staff and encouraging them to take risks. Brilliant.
- Mad, thoughtful and though provoking.
- Induction has a much wider effect on the year than most have given it credit for.
- Being permitted to be creative.
- What I took away from today is that we need to keep the learners motivated and how to use the thin scheme of work to plan when this motivation is necessary.
- Better understanding of my role.
- My takeaway is that students need to feel happy and respected in order to have the ability to feel motivated and learn.
- Allowing staff to take ownership of their induction. To implement more creative elements into the induction period to improve motivation and thus attendance, results, etc.
- The importance of getting it right from the start.
- Learnt how to work professionally with other staff and students.
- It was fascinating to see the way that the technology could be used to create an interactive online learning experience.
- Really enjoyable staff development. Tony was knowledgeable and engaging.
- Thank you for a very interesting and engaging day. I have learnt a lot and I am now motivated to motivate my new learners in the new academic year!
- Thank you very much for a wonderful day.
- I enjoyed the overall experience and learnt how to use wiki and the Jamboard for the fist time. I though this was great way for all the teams to interact and I loved the ‘anonymous animal names’ taking pressure off myself as an individual, not knowing anyone, and not wanted to make a mistake in front of my new peers/ work colleagues.
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Totally blew my mind! In a good way.
- A passion to learn is a deep seeded fire in all of us. A teacher can become the extinguisher or igniter of those flames. This course is petrol.
- Music to your ears!!
- For my own classes, being exposed to new technologies for teaching was inspiring, I liked the card sort and the break out rooms.
- A refreshing session. I’m a few weeks into this role so it’s been good timing for me to recap on good practice and learn new things.
- ‘Light bulb moment’. I can see where I can improve.
- I felt inspired by teaching and learning and will discuss the use of different initial assessments.
I feel encouraged and empowered to improve the initial assessment process for learners to increase the importance placed on this by both staff and learners. This will help to improve the support put in place from the start of the learner’s programme. - I found the course inspiring to hear Tony discuss his passion for learning and development for learners. The course was interesting and engaging.
- A whirlwind reminder of the importance of, and the tools and methods to use, to max the learning experience of my apprentices, and to max the outcome of their apprenticeship.
- Inspirational easy fixes to helping learners.
- Thoughtful Inspired.
- I feel it was very good and informative presentation, of which I personally enjoyed, it has left me with a lot to think about how I go about my assessing, and it has also given me tools to improve myself ass an assessor.
- This will become my bread and butter.
- Uplifted.
- I thought the Scaffolding metaphor summed up the session as it reminded me that a good trainer will support the learner to become an independent learner and that when you take away the scaffolding, the structure should remain intact.
- Like stepping off the aeroplane abroad and the heat hitting you, I have been reminded about the importance the initial assessment for the learner.
- Uplifted and excited.
- Scaffolding takes time to build! I felt that this was a good analogy to understand how learners grow.
- Very informative and enjoyable. Was good to see the Initial Assessment methods and the range of different options.
- Exhilarated, Enthused, Inspired. It was great to view our role from the viewpoint of the Inspector.
- I’m relatively new to assessing, today’s course has given me some excellent tools and ideas to improve my delivery and ultimately support the learner whatever their level. Really like the scaffolding technique which was clearly explained.
- Very informative session brought me back the spark of remembering the importance of the learner’s journey rather than just completing tasks.
- I feel positive after today’s session as it has made me think about different ways to support individual learners throughout their QCF.
- I felt like a fish out of water to begin with as I had never attended a zoom meeting before. However, once I settled, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- I love listening to Tony- he is a fountain of knowledge and the sessions are so informative. Thank you for all of the hard work you have put into this. It has been invaluable to me in my role, especially being new and not from an assessor background.
- No words- best session to date. Defiantly do my reviews separate with the learner and the employer to draw more out of the learner.
- It’s like a morning shower wakes you up, I feel refreshed and ready to perfect my progress reviews!
- It’s my mission to improve the way in which I approach the review process.
- I’ll need to make more use of open-ended statements and questioning, to enable the feedback to come from the learner and less from myself.
- Frustrated – with myself. I do everything that I should do with my learners the majority of the time, but I do not record all of it, as it is time-consuming, and therefore I do not use the reviews on smart assessor correctly. From now on, I will make a conscious effort to include more of our discussion on the forms to evidence this.
- Inspired and positive. Will allocate more time to my reviews to ensure I’m spending enough time with student.
- Empowering session from Tony to enable me to think about the different ways of reviewing progress with individuals from different backgrounds.
- Think about the questioning techniques and the use of different words to allow learners to lead during a progress review.
- Really enjoyable, making me think about my practice. What I do well and what improvements I could make.
- Give my learners more confidence to identify their strengths and weaknesses and come up with their own strategies to become independent learners.
- Steering a ship from the back! To focus on barriers to achieve goals, to use goals as motivation, to genuinely enquire about welfare and progress.
Ask questions by giving a statement … - Very good session today, thanks Tony. I think I already cover most of that content in my reviews but not every time and not as effectively as I could, so definitely room for improvement.
- I have a better understanding of what is required in a quality review meeting. I will aspire to leave an outstanding impact on the learner.
- It opened my eyes to seeing just how important a review form is to the learner’s progression, not just something we have to complete for Welsh Government funding.
- Brilliant sessions and a big thank you for making them so enjoyable!
- Enthusiastic and motivated to prepare and conduct excellent reviews.
- Enlightened – This course has helped me to recognize the importance of differentiation and how this can impact on learner engagement and motivation.
- This session has planted lots of seeds for success.
- Excellent sessions that have inspired me to constantly improve my own aspirations and expectations as an Assessor – thank you!
- Always motivated by Tony to do so much better.
- Tony brings fresh and interesting ideas to the table and always make me question my methods and my own reasons for doing this job.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- To day was like filling in the gaps of a puzzle. I have all the edge pieces put together but today helped me complete the middle.
- These CPD sessions are excellent in that they provide a chance for me to sit back and learn!
- Another great course by Tony, engaging and easily understood.
- I’ll be a target setting guru in no time!
Excellent Session as always, perfect to getting us all to think of how important the targets are to each learners aspirations, real eye opener and good to reintroduce learner led targets, thank you. - Go back to the drawing board. Go back to basics, my metaphor really means go back to the beginning of my own learning journey of becoming an assessor and use the skills I learned and have maybe been forgotten as we get too tied up in meeting contractual obligations rather than listening to our learners.
- Inspiring session and very thought provoking. Try and involve my learners more in target setting.
- Insightful and thought provoking session. Explore ‘Connectivism’ Learning Theory – this was a new theory on me today! To consider using easy, medium and high command verbs when setting action that will keep learners motivated and engaged throughout their learning.
- Empowered to target realistically and relevently. Reflect, consider, target, ensure the bullseye is at least aimed at, with the occasional hit being the bonus!
- Walking through a maze I will use the information gained to ensure my target setting with the learner has more emphasis on the learner setting their own targets.
- Teaching and learning is like seeing a flower come into bloom. I will look at carrying out a more robust initial assessment, when signing up new learners.
- Delving a little deeper in relation to their experience and learning styles, so that I am aware from the outset how to adapt the activities/tasks for them to be able to achieve their goals.
- I am going to look at ‘Late assignments the solution’.
- Back to Basics! I remember always encouraging learners to write their own targets, in their own words, and somewhere along the way, stopped doing this and reverted to bulleted lists in an effort to meet audit compliance and SMART rules. I need to find a way of ensuring audit compliance is met whilst ensuring learners are left with a plan that is motivating, meaningful, and self-directed.
- We have already started working on pre-learning materials as a result of the last session but this needs to continue. Encourage much more learner involvement in target setting so that they can take ownership of the target and identify what is achievable and relevant at this point of the training. Also, as mentioned above, I used to add extension targets to action plans for learners that we eager to progress. i/e focus on the ambitious element.
- Encouraged/inspired to create a motivational learner journey. Encourage learners to set their own targets – use resources so that the learner does not leave work until the last minute. Make it fun so that the learner is motivated to achieve.
- A journey of 1000 miles starts with one step! Use the initial assessments results more.
- Inspired Look at pre learning
Enlightened. Consider the aspirations of the learner when carrying out a review. - I feel like the passion for helping others learn has been re-awoken in me. I always set targets with the learner not for the learner but will definitely put more of today’s learning into the target setting process.
Tools for online engagement & blended learning
- Today has given me enough to fuel my curiosity to explore more and develop and embed in my delivery of knowledge moving forward. I will also be using several in my personal life. Thank you Tony.
- Blendspace, Polls, Snip Tools – my new lessons will look different moving forward.
- I absolutely loved Blendspace and I will be using it with my learners. As well as incorporating other online tools.
- A real feast in terms of food for thought. Enjoyable and motivating in spite of me being really techno-nervous.
- Learning is empowerment. Made me feel motivated and eager to try some of the technology demonstrated today, with my learners.
- Hugely beneficial, really opened my eyes to the new tools that can be used to benefit all staff and learners within the partnership in creating tools for online engagement.
- Tony has such a gift in making you feel inspired and motivated to try out his suggestions. Can’t think of a metaphor today but in the words of Winnie the Pooh “But what if I fall?” “Yes but what if you fly?”
- I loved how its given me a new view on teaching the same sorts of subjects but now it can be done in different ways making it feel less repetitive.
- New ideas I hadn’t thought about before, and new technologies I didn’t know about.
- Good to see things from an Ofsted perspective of what makes an outstanding session, one which is truly innovative and engages learners. Looking forward to the next session…
- A very interesting and enjoyable session which have broadened my knowledge of different tools that can be introduced to my teaching sessions. These will be particularly beneficial for Essential Skills qualifications in Application of Number and Digital Literacy.
- Great pace, direction and content. I have attended many sessions over my training career of 22 years and have found these to be the most engaging and interesting since my original training to become an assessor / Trainer in late 2000. Thank you!
Inspiring – has given me the confidence to explore different techniques. - Absolutely outstanding, really challenged preconceived ideas on learning and evidence gathering
very informative, easy tool to use, feeling more confident to explore tool for blended learning.
Good session sharing tools for online learning. - I found this session to be very informative and thought provoking.
- Great to see new technologies and stimulated by the ideas.
- Learning about Prezi and Card Sort tools and how possibly to use them in work environments.
- Prezi video is a really good tool that can be used at any time by learners. It is well worth making one as a trial and gaining feedback from the learners.
- Although I don’t teach I believe I can include some of the new technology I have been shown today.
- Loved the Wiki and the QR codes for learners to have a better understanding.
- The only limitations are created by yourself.
- I will use a number of today’s tools in the future development of course and learning materials.
- The course provided me with the knowledge and confidence to explore a range of technology which will enable me to implement into my assessment with my learners.
- I particularly was interested in the card activity, this was especially because we deliver a lot of information on legislation and this is good to learn about the principles.
- Thinking of how the learner feels, how to improve learning for all learners. I have already booked a day in with my colleagues to look at Blendspace and wiki and make use of it.
- I have enjoyed both the sessions I have attended and found that I am starting to think about how I can engage my learners with Pre Learning and target setting and reviews to ensure they look forward to the sessions, especially as I carry out more of them face to face now which both myself and my apprentices prefer.
- The training session has helped my confidence and has inspired me to use on-line tools not only with my learners but for team standardisation meetings. The whiteboard is excellent to capture all suggestions/feedback.
- I am looking forward to learning to create my own interactive lessons.
- Thoroughly enjoyed and think everyone who attended got loads out of this session. The feedback in the breakout rooms was great and the session really enthused a lot of staff to go away and create and use the new resources.
- Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, I have been stuck in a world of Powerpoint for too long.
JGA Group
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Like an “onion” peeling back the layers of complexity.
- I am designing a traineeship course, will use the method today to design the learning sequences.
- Continue with the interactive, it was great to be a part of a collective thinking process, which was visual on the learning outcome builder.
Hereford College of Arts
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I feel like I started on a camel and left on a fully functional cruise ship.
- New ideas bloom.
- A caveman discovering oil and beginning to imagine a Tesla.
- Fantastic games. Learners taking ownership of learning.
- Streams of ideas flowed for new lessons.
- Thinking about what I want the next step to be. The strategies are really useful and I will be using them in my lessons.
- Supermarket sweep!
- The importance and relevance of students becoming independent through functionable and relevant assessment throughout their learning journey.
- Loved it. Such a breath of fresh air to be taught actively and treated as experts in our fields. Thanks Tony.
- Buzzing with potential.
- That assessment (formative) can be a part of making all lessons more varied and exciting for students. Students don’t seem to be aware of their learning but these strategies will help.
- Reignition of a flame that has gone out.
- Blackpool illuminations – so many lightbulb moments!
- Great presentation and excellent activities.
- A really useful, engaging session.
- Re-evaluate my assessment strategies!
- Really enjoyably stimulating and provocative! Well-paced. Thank you!
- Your website…I will get on the subscription. Really great content. My partner starts teacher training and I will pass this on to her.
- Filling up the Jag with premium petrol.
- Fun, interactive, Knowledgeable!
- Helpful at the start of term to reflect on better lesson planning / strategies.
- Great session, thanks!
- No metaphor just enjoyed it! Thank you!
- Use ideas on cards to inform decisions round lessons and add into SOW.
- Inspirational. Excited to try new strategies.
- To put control into the hands of my learners, help them really detach the college experience from their school experience.
- Lots of great ideas – some I’ve come across before but with useful tweaks to make them more formative as assessments. Good to be reminded of some I’d forgotten and revisit those I already use.
- Thank you! A great start to a new academic year.
- Thrown back into the deep-end – but at least with some armbands (1st day back after Summer).
- I will change my wording of ‘outcomes’ to better include the skill and specific development.
- Thank you for this session. One, it really helped get back into the flow after summer and two, the ’50 shades’ cards give an excellent starting point to manipulate into different sessions. I can take these and run with them.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- We have been hit with a tidal wave of new ideas.
- Asking yourself ‘Why is that then?’, trying to get to the root of an issue.
- Inspirational.
- Creating zone experience (unforgettable) using formula for happiness. Designing outstanding learning experiences.
- A bit like the first week of college. Amazing, lots of things to take in, useful.
- Ask why (students struggle to apply maths). Lots of thought about “symptom” and how to apply.
- Overall great, enthralling and capturing.
- Mind blowing! – but in a really good way!
- I need 2 TARDIS! But I’ll go away and try to find a doable alternative. Thank you! Really enjoyed today.
- Looking at a map and realising there is more than one way to get to my destination. (direct/indirect/passive experiential)
- Think always about how the students might feel and approach solutions from their perspective.
- I am not a fan of rules – as in creative thinking. We wish to solve problems not be bound by them. You have given me some new tools to envision how I will deliver some of my sessions – Thank you!
- I have been a teacher for 20 years and an observer, I genuinely cannot think how to improve the day.
- I really enjoyed learning a new way of approaching these problems.
- Filled my backpack!
- Primarily to consider how to re-energise the return in the Spring Term.
- A Robert Motherwell painting – all nuance and hidden structure disguised as gesture.
- Induction learning outcomes!
- Exciting exploration of ideas I didn’t know I had.
- Refocusing some planning strategies.
- Big experiences, one memorable and making a lasting difference.
- Uplifting.
- Remember to think about the learner’s experiences.
- Teaching can be less formal and more fun.
- Feeling inspired. Looking at preparing a lesson to inspire and motivate learners for the beginning of January (their lowest point).
- I am committed to try to come up with a thought-provoking lesson to inspire my learners in January.
- Make an impact with teaching equals memories for students, motivated students. Thank you.
- Motivational. Zone (happiness theory)
- Fun!
- Motivational for having extraordinary lessons. Great thank you.
- Door opening.
- Supercharged evaluation skills.
The RED System: Transforming lesson observation
- It’s like when Derren Brown hypnotised a concert pianist.
- A signpost to Everest! We’ve got a huge climb ahead. There will be challenges along the way but we’re going in the right direction and have taken the first steps.
- Great understanding of how observations will work.
- Was insightful.
- Changing the terminology from learning observations/walks etc. Empowered to take control of our standards.
- Thank you so much – great thought-provoking day. I wish all my team had been able to attend – I will definitely be sharing with them.
- Just the tip of the iceberg.
- Note taken for lesson reflections.
- Really interesting and engaging session.
- Walking the carpet.
- A lot! Taking risks, how to observe effectively. The learners’ journey / the impact is most important.
- Reflection is the most important quality in the process.
- Promising, exciting, anxious!
- I have found this session extremely informative and will take forward a list of things including questioning resources and how this is a much more appropriate way to develop teaching practice.
- A wealth of learning.
- How to give ownership to the tutor to feedback about their lesson. How to use the feedback form correctly eg split into activity and impact of learning.
- Enjoyable workshop/session as it made me more aware of how to approach the conversation following lesson observation. Let them talk!
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- A smorgasbord of healthy teaching and learning resources.
- Inspiring.
- Particularly interested in how we can utilise Blendspace to link our studios and workshops and demystify some of the processes.
- A very positive and energising training session that gave me the drive to apply my learning and make one change at a time. Delivered with intelligence, empathy and inclusiveness.
- Although I no longer have a teaching role I will definitely implement some of today’s tools into my staff development/feedback.
- A huge amount was covered in a relatively short space of time. Personally I would value a full day within the college environment that would enable a little more focus on these applications within the studio environment.
- A follow-up session next academic year would be great.
- A really thought provoking morning, thank you.
- This was such a great session. Really refreshing to have such high level training that was generous, practical and learner focused.
Aberystwyth University
The Quality Standard
- Challenging, but very rewarding when you see the results. I feel now confident that I can start the journey.
- It has worked very well today. Many thanks for all the work behind. You have created a very collaborative project. Thanks.
Morley College
Ofsted Ready
- Really interesting and motivational!
- Using the research activity with my colleagues and looking at the emotional learning journey as part of the SoW review and implementation.
- I also get a bit obsessed by Ofsted’s requirements and need to try and relax a bit on that!
Bath College
Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Opening my eyes when I didn’t know they were shut.
- I feel more confident about being more creative with my lessons and am excited to support my students to develop expert learning traits, not just learning outcomes based on assessment criteria. Leaving feeling very inspired!
- It was like entering an art gallery and finding yourself staring at 50 masterpieces, each worth the time to study it.
- It was excellent. It has changed me as a teacher.
- I think there needs to be a freedom for lecturers to discover exciting teaching using robust, unique formative assessment. Absolutely fantastic ?
- An army of ideas that can transform my teaching and the learner experience.
- A path of discovery to a better me and independent strong learners.
I will now think about what I am wanting to achieve from my lessons – how I want my learners to grow. - Demystifying.
- Brilliant. Everyone really enjoyed it.
- When carrying out observations, it will aid me by providing useful tools I can share with colleagues to support their TAL.
- Love the cards.
- Blinded by the light. Going back to basics.
- Freed from the prison of specifications and assessment criteria!
Ofsted Ready
- A refreshing afternoon.
- Confidence is being authentic in an approach to quality. Not obsessing on unstable factors.
- Fantastic opportunity to sit down, discuss and think deeply. Thank you.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- From a tiger cub to a hunting tiger.
- From limited knowledge, this training has given me the skills and confidence to do an SAR & QIP.
- Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.
- Not to write the SAR for third parties. Strip it all back to the root cause.
- The best views come after the hardest climb.
- Ensure the SAR is for the team/strand, not for SMT. Search for the ‘whys’ and ensure the ‘howevers’.
- Great ideas that I’m keen to explore.
- Will try to get to the root cause issue.
- Using a champion for key improvements. Using the SAR as a live document.
- Mind blown!!. Will need to review everything.
- Was a journey from having no ideas to something.
- Found it really helpful!
- ‘However’. ‘The No words’. ‘Why, why, why’. Don’t be concerned about third parties. Thank you, Tony. Really enjoyable.
- Learning is like building a house.
- Ask ‘why’, and not be afraid to put things that are not working.
- Learnt a lot about SAR & TLA today. Thanks.
- The session was as good as gold!
- Will now have more of a focus on evaluative statements, judgements and documenting the issues and symptoms that would lead, if resolved, to the successive judgement categorisation. E.g. Adequate to good, etc.. Also, the QIP and the allocation of targets to demonstrate impact.
- Very enjoyable and informative day. Thank you.
- Roller coaster, ie. got it… lost it… got it… lost… Got new format. Excellent.
- Seek root cause. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Out dept would normally not produce an SAR, but need to complete a British Council SEF. However, approach of issues/symptoms and fixing root causes are very applicable as we are currently growing vertiginously and there is a danger of losing control. This structure will help with that.
- Consider the issues compared to symptoms. Don’t write SAR on what you are going to do.
- Overall excellent and thought provoking training. Really enjoyable and engaging.
- Enlightening. Simpler but more detailed and focused process. Include the whole team to enable them to see the value, and accurately record their thoughts.
- Approach SAR more positively, encourage team to see in a new light (ownership not for 3rd party audience). SMART isn’t always smart.
Macclesfield College
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Connectivism to tutorial is illuminating like the full moon on a clear night.
- I will be using different research strategies as part of Tutorial to invigorate and engage through gamification rather than test.
- Would love to look at some examples of gamification in these areas to produce for core subjects.
- Thank you for your time – incredibly inspiring!
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- It’s a great way to get teachers to reflect and subsequently ‘get there’ by themselves; encourage them to take risks without the fear of being judged.
- Consider the approaches currently used and how we can modify them; attempt to create a culture of collaboration.
Varndean College
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Lots of bright little ideas like a sparkler.
- Share with my students that I am doing a research lesson and be more open about seeking feedback from them.
Cogent Skills
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Very informative, enjoyed the session and was engaged throughout.
- Use of technology, such as the card sort, which can be used as an assessor tool.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- I am a technological space tourist. I have travelled through numerous technologies that were unknown to me at the start of session. Very worthwhile.
- It is not just the technology that will be different, it will reasoning behind them that will be more prominent. Pre-learning for instance, will play a bigger role and with that the technology that you have taught.
D H Associates
Tools for online & blended learning
- I can get distracted when listening, but I felt today’s session kept me engaged at all times.
- It’s a meal worth waiting for.
- The Lightbulb Moment, was able to see how these tools can be used for 1:1 learning.
- Very interesting and enjoyable.
- Learning is like housework, it’s never finished! There are always more questions to ask or ways to improve. Learning is constant.
- Will help with pre learning, interactive learning within the session and post learning to ensure continual progression and readiness for EPA.
- I have used whiteboards when completing teaching before but I have never used it in the ways shown today.
- Lots of choices of online technology, which help to give a variety of learning and keep learners engaged.
- I thought most of the learning tools and resources were targeted at group learning, so it was interesting to see how they could be adapted for 1:1.
- Hopefully try out new technology to help learners be more engaged with the delivery.
- I took away quite a lot today. Different ways of delivering teaching and learning in more fun and active ways instead of just completing a workbook.
- Yes, for sure! I will definitely try and use some of the new platforms to help increase engagement and interaction.
- I have improved my knowledge and it has got me thinking about different ways to adapt my teaching.
- Very informative and user friendly.
- I will definitely be downloading the how to guides to remind me how to complete certain tasks.
- I feel it was presented well and liked the tone of the session, even though it was mostly all new. I saw all the benefits of the topics discussed.
- I really enjoyed this training session and learnt so much.
- I like to make my sessions as interactive as I can and these tools will definitely help me to do this. Thank you!
- The teaching today was really good. Learnt some new techniques on how to engage the learners and new tools to add to teaching. I would like to use the quizzes, polls and the card game.
College of West Anglia
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- Inspired.
- Allocating champions, rather than making someone responsible has the power to change the game in terms of ownership and staff buy in.
- The group work was really useful as well as the one to one support you offered.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Illuminating
- Self assessment is a wonderful process but when in the throws, I find I am often too close to spot where I trip up. Your session today clearly offered insight and tools that I can use to improve. I will also approach SAR with a refreshed perspective and mindset.
- It was enjoyable, collaborative and interesting. I also appreciated your one to one time in the breakout room in the Wiki 2 activity so for me this was a lovely addition of support.
- Like shaking up my brain like a snow globe. Looking forward to how this settles.
- A ray of light!
- A rollercoaster of new challenges and thinking.
- Swimming to the surface!
- Great session. One of the best CPDs done at CWA.
- Enlightening. It’s been a real game changer for me. The way I write evaluative text will change from this point.
- Reflect and review more deeply to identify root causes.
- I haven’t done one before but I will definitely refer to the learning today when writing my first one next year.
- Not combine identification of issue with recommendation, use more ‘however’, self-reflect on masking, relative etc.
- We need to move away from ‘completing the form’ to ‘making a difference’. Key takeaways and easy wins (eg judgement words).
- Hit the nail on the head.
- I’ll be involving the team more into self-assessment.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- A lightbulb moment.
- Yes certainly! I think the potential to increase staff confidence with Self-assessment, whilst eliminating fear of the process will be powerful.
- I know feedback with suggestions is always helpful, but I think the sessions have been great as they are. There have been a variety of tasks throughout the series of the sessions and I’ve had the opportunity to meet/network with some lovely, like minded people. I’ve really enjoyed every session.
- Brilliant session delivered in an informal and comfortable way. I felt free to contribute and explore the concept. Many thanks.
University College Isle of Man
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Coming out of the woods into a glade..
- Very clear description of decomposing the statements and rebuilding them as the underpinning issue.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It opened doors to a whole new learning experience for me.
- From the interactive way the session was structured, to the delivery, case studies and most importantly the topic, I am walking away with new questions, notes and actions.
- I will be looking into implementing the learning outcome in my own teaching as well as working with lecturers and colleagues at the college. Thank you for a highly interactive session.
NPTC Group of Colleges
Inspiring Induction Practices
- A journey on which the fog was lifting with every mile travelled, unveiling exciting new ideas that were there all along.
- I need to be far more creative during induction!
- Encouraged me to think outside of the box.
- There is light at the end of the tunnel.
- I need to remember to add excitement and explore new activities and ideas to initially engage learners.
- I think it made me realise just how important the induction process really is to students and how it can make a very real difference to the college experience.
- Think bigger!
- I would like to introduce a pre college party/teambuilding session outside of the classroom so students have the chance to get to know others from their tutor groups/subject areas, not 100% sure how yet, but building on our ideas from today.
- The session has given a greater insight of how the induction experience can be more motivating.
- Be more evaluative of the induction process and its main aim, work with colleagues to create a more inspiring experience.
Learning Motivation
- A leap of faith, followed by a solid landing! It was excellent. Probably the most inspirational INSET session I’ve experienced in years (the last one I valued this highly was about 20 years ago!!).
- Standing back and seeing the whole cathedral.
- AWESOME!
- Out of the box.
- Feels like a metamorphosis!
- It got the creative thoughts racing!
- “Life’s a climb. But the view is great.” —Hannah Montana: the Movie ….. This session has helped with the climb 🙂 thank you.
- Illuminating
- It was like being on a journey!
- Learning to ice-skate – tentative and nervous at first with a fear of falling, but gradually building confidence to increase speed, let go and glide smoothly and freely. Learning to ride a bike – start with stabilisers, but gradually the person behind you lets go and you didn’t even realise you were doing it on your own.
- Great ideas and inspiring.
- Learning is a rollercoaster: it’s full of highs and lows!
- A journey of revelation into what makes up our college year.
- This has been a fantastic morning and it has definitely motivated me as a teacher to address the motivation issues. I have plenty to think about and am inspired to do a lot more.
- Ensure learners feel more in control of their learning.
- I am certainly thinking about the course less rigidly than before, more emphasis on learner motivation over just the content.
- Most definitely! Need to make the start of the course more creative and introduce team challenges.
- I am definitely going to use some of the ideas we have looked at today.
- I will take a bit more time to stop and think about where and how I address a lack of motivation in students and try creating a few key exercises that students can look forward to.
- It has helped me to understand the times when I need to add more excitement into my course so that the learners don’t lose interest.
- Recognise periods of low motivation in the timetable and fill them with unmissable events.
- Thinking about the difference between issues and symptoms was also helpful.
- Gave me some great ideas of thinking ‘big’ and how to make it ‘fit’ into the reality of college life.
- It made me focus on the root cause rather than the symptoms of lack of motivation; we should re-evaluate the motivational issues and work back to the root causes.
- By planning an unmissable experience, such as a trip, in January when motivation is low.
- I hope you will come back to NPTC Group of Colleges so that I have an opportunity to attend more sessions.
- A great example of good online teaching practice. I liked the way you put us at ease by describing how to use Zoom – this removed some barriers to learning (even though you may have felt you were stating the obvious). I think technology can put students off, if they are not used to it, but as tutors, we forget because we use it every day. It was a valuable experience for me to be a student in an online lesson and helped me to empathise with them.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- A deep dive into the field of progress reviews, splashing out my previous thoughts and feelings, allowing brand new ideas to flow forth!
- Stage one: slow sheep, Stage two: curious cat, Stage three: enthusiastic border collie.
- I will be using the GROW model to carry out future reviews and make sure that they are more learner lead.
- Attitude: invested in the process. Action: plan to elicit difference and not focus on process.
- I have really enjoyed all of the sessions I have attended, and will be recommending them to my colleagues.
- Hesitant to enjoyment to confidence to inspired!
- EXCELLENT course which kept us engaged fully!!!
- Incredibly informative and interesting training with the right balance of activities and engagement with speaker – the best CPD event I have attended!!
- I believe a lot was achieved in a very small amount of time. Tony was great at keeping everyone engaged and it was quiet obvious that he knows his topic and can help facilitate the development of the standard.
- “Wild and Wonderful” in a positive way, of how to engage with a student’s mind – to help them emotionally accept learning, but also accept themselves and their own learning journey progress.
- Enlightened, motivated and refocused.
- Very inspiring and helpful session, I have always felt that there was a gap in the way that attention was being paid to the teaching process rather than on the learners’ “walk across the carpet”.
- A deep dive into the field of progress reviews, splashing out my previous thoughts and feelings, allowing brand new ideas to flow forth!
- Thank you so much for the time and energy given during this session, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole concept, breaking down the idea that progress reviews are stagnant and outdated. By focusing on this new design, using new skills and developing the learner, this will most certainly improve my practice.
- Learning today was like cracking a code.
- “Wild and Wonderful” in a positive way, of how to engage with a student’s mind – to help them emotionally accept learning, but also accept themselves and their own learning journey progress.
- Greater understanding that allowing or coaching greater independence is more important than some stuff.
- Enlightened, motivated and refocused.
- Very inspiring and helpful session, I have always felt that there was a gap in the way that attention was being paid to the teaching process rather than on the learners’ “walk across the carpet”.
- Learning today was like cracking a code.
Quality Standard – Progress Reviews
- Not only have I taken away new information to put in the Progress reviews, the pedagogy tools that were used were fantastic.
- It has made me rethink the learners’ entire experience of coming to college and unshackled me of the operational difficulties.
- Positive mindsets allow aspirational progress.
- Thought provoking and inspiring.
- Searching for that nugget of gold that will make a difference.
- Informative, interesting, enlightening.
- Inspired Understood Motivated
- I found myself interested and and included throughout…
- It’s opened my mind to so much more of what goes on behind the scenes of teaching.
- Thought-provoking and useful time to engage with peers and share ideas for a vital piece of college material.
- Today’s session is a stage for change!
- I have a clearer understanding of how to organise progress reviews.
- Excited to be a part of this journey for NPTC students and staff.
- Empowering and refreshing. Lovely to see the commitment level from all areas of the college working collaboratively to drive this forward.
- Aspirational quality standards will positively affect students and their performance and in turn positively impact the staff.
- That we need to promote the learner voice and allow for person centred approaches.
- We need to work together to plan a strategy for helping our students be the best they can be.
- Question and further develop current practices.
- Using different language when writing progress reviews, for example, stop writing we’re giving the students the skills to, and instead write students are.
- Structured approach to quality planning.
- The importance of using the quality standard taxonomy to achieve meaningful and usable standards of review.
- This was a very proactive session.
- Taken me out of my comfort zone and learning new ways of thinking. Feeling very inspired- thank you.
- That I work with an amazing group of people who are all committed to making a difference in young peoples lives. That we can have a real impact by making changes to our approach to progress reviews.
- Collaboration and a whole college approach is key
- I have a clearer understanding of how to organise progress reviews.
- How can we use this to streamline and improve student communication. Wanting to get it right.
- Focussing on difference not how we will do it
- We need a more joined-up approach.
Be aspirational – focus on impact and difference not ‘stuff’.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Looking in a mirror and realising how ridiculous you look.
- I have always felt that Target setting has baffled me and therefore been unable to support my learners in a way they’ve needed. I now feel I can grasp the target setting and pass it on to the learners for them to develop the skills.
- As a result of this session, I appreciate so much more the art of target setting. I always knew it took time and expertise, but I’ll change my approach to make sure those aspirations are made clear up front.
- I look forward to experimenting using project Management instead of SMART target setting with both myself and my learners in September.
- “Throw SMART target setting out with the bath water!”
- The journey had a few bumps in the path, but led me to an open glade with light filtering through the trees.
- Aspirational oil paintings!
- Reminded me to check I’m on course to safely arrive at my destination.
- Eye opening.
- I will be leading my learners to complete their targets with guidance as oppose to doing it for them and then them not being invested in their set targets. I am also not going to be so hung up on SMART targets.
- Need to work on the aspirational side and encourage learners to set their own targets. I need to work on aspirations, mastery and ambitious elements.
Attitude: I trust them to do it. Action: Allow students to think about, develop and monitor their own targets. - I am going to do more work with the students to train them to set targets for themselves and put processes in place to review these.
- I want to explore more motivational targets so that my students are excited by target setting, rather than dreading it as they do now.
- Help learners to know how to set their own targets. Focus on aspirational goals rather than skills and knowledge. I realised that I am like the computer teacher who taught you web design. Differentiation is difficult, but necessary to engage learners at opposite ends of the spectrum. These are skills I need to develop.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- Enlightened and challenged.
- I like the idea of the practitioner having control and responsibility of their own development. There is no need for negative feedback when you can empower someone to be their best. Focus on reflection and evaluation with links to common solutions.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- A melting pot of useful tools.
- My brain is a bed of blossoming seeds.
- ‘The past doesn’t equal the future’
- Picking daisies.
- Discovering new technology is like getting a parcel that you can’t remember ordering.
- Enlightening. I would like to have follow-up sessions on 1 topic per session.
- I think it has given me so many new ways to prep and engage with my learners. I think Blendspace will create a great pre learning for my learners.
- Inspired me to consider new tools.
- Even though I am an avid user of online learning technology, this session gave me insight into techniques I could use to develop my teaching further.
- Although I use some of the tools we looked at, some are slightly varied due to us using Teams, however there were several new ones that I will definitely explore and look forward to using with my students and sharing with colleagues.
Yew Chung Education Foundation (China)
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Like cracking a code.
- It has made me more aware of why students find target setting so difficult and how I can further help teachers to support the target setting/achievement process. It has also given me some ideas on how to approach target setting for our teachers, particularly those unqualified.
The RED System
- The session allowed me to put a number of our practices under the microscope, separate the composition of the cells and consider what aspects of manipulation would yield the greatest short term and long term impact.
- It was a welcome opportunity for me to refocus on the ultimate purpose of lesson observation and how well we communicate that to our community.
City College Peterborough
Inspiring Induction Practices
- By creating a Gold Quality Standard which provides learners with an outstanding experience which sets the scene for the rest of their journey with the College. Consider how to ensure evaluations are based on the ‘differences’ and not ‘the stuff’. Providing our ‘formula for happiness’.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Create an unmissable experience. Plan super-exciting lessons in low times of learning calendar. Be creative! Brilliant!
- Mindset of lesson plans being considered as ‘designing learning experiences’.
- To evaluate my teaching in a more motivational way to benefit my students.
- A completely different view about how to create a scheme of work.
- Thought provoking.
- I really enjoyed the experience.
- Provoking.
- Keeping sessions accessible for all – and creating the opportunities for positive experiences and outcomes.
- Thank you for a good afternoon, motivating and thoughtful – room for self-reflection and going forward.
- Thinking outside the box.
- Excited!
- Think creatively – how can I make exciting changes to keep everyone excited too?
- A really good day – thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Interesting.
- Dislocation, Meerkat moment. I enjoyed the session.
- Embed learning motivation into training sessions and managing tutors.
- I liked recognising the least motivational times of academic year/course.
- Make it more fun and exciting.
- Wikis on google docs. Leave them wanting more. The (Eastender’s theme tune) moment.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Metamorphosis of a chrysalis to a butterfly. Transformative!
- Scrapping what Ofsted are looking for and it being a tick-box exercise for them, and creating a standard that is learner specific. Looking at the Organisation’s aspiration for achieving ‘outstanding’ by collating emotional and academic evidence. Changing terminology to actually mean something to the learner and demonstrating ‘rich pedagogy’.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Previously missing the target but now hitting bulls eye.
- Writing targets which the learner understands and being appropriate to the individual; being able to coach learners with their aspirations; completing initial diagnostics over a period of weeks rather than at the very beginning which might result in poor data.
- The main thing I will take away is when you mentioned about not stealing provenance by leading learners to do what the tutor wants them to do just because they’re passionate about their own subject.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- It was like dancing in the rain rather than wading through mud.
- Identifying the ‘symptoms’ before getting down to the ‘issue’ Go down the rabbit hole and keep digging.
Halesowen College
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I am a rocket on the way to the moon.
- I found the feedback section particularly useful as this aided my own development.
City College Plymouth
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Achieving creativity.
- Thinking about who should be present during a review. Rather than go by a checklist, develop a high quality example for staff.
Barnet and Southgate College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Felt I was opening up a new box of chocolates and discovering new ‘flavours’ of assessment techniques and teaching strategies.
- “Love your resources especially the edtech tools used during the session. Can you please share your guide on how to use prezi video in online sessions? Loved how this was used in your session.
- It was an onion – slowly revealing its layers and usefulness in flavouring my dishes!
- The learning strategies and utilising them to enable students to regularly evaluate their own progress and learning. It’s key to everything we do.
- Finding the hidden treasures.
- I have discovered new and also forgotten techniques, strategies that I could implement in my classes to empower learners, reinforce critical thinking. I think that critical thinking is the key
- Really enjoyed the session, great interactive session.
- A range of ways to develop the students’ independent learning.
- What I learnt today was inspiring and sparked some very interesting ideas of how I would like to use some of the strategies I have highlighted for further exploration.
- When I attend trainings I always feel apprehensive as I prefer sessions like this that I can take away ‘goody bag’ let’s say full of ideas. I feel that this session ticked all the boxes! Thanks a lot!
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Motivated and inspired.
- Thinking of something the learners can look forward to. It was a very interesting and inspiring session.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Today was like walking along a sandy beach and finding interesting shells to take home and finish covering my gift box for my personal tutors and students.
- It’s provided me with a springboard to set standards for our progress reviews, instead of looking at just the process. I tend to focus too much on the process. Also I felt the way you designed and delivered your session was very developmental and I will take you techniques on board.
Geason
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- My journey opened up new horizons.
- Creating a quality standard that would encourage independent learning management.
- Tony gave space for and encouraged contributions throughout the session. He valued opinions and views made by the group.
Yeovil College
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Thought-provoking. Creative.
- Structure of the learner journey. Using low level data. Getting to the root-cause of issues as well as causes of outstanding areas. Design of development plans.
Lincoln College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Fantastic session. Superbly facilitated Tony. Thank you.
Hull College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- A great session – kept me gripped throughout.
- These 50 cards are honestly fantastic.
- This was an excellent session that really made the staff think about assessment and how to put the focus on improving students rather than increasing their own workload.
- I’m walking on air.
- I felt like a hermit crab, on a shiny shell-laden beach.
- I definitely will use cards 5, 2 and 25 for my learning when assessing their End Point Assessments for the apprentices to practice, receive peer feedback and to evaluate their own learning.
- Inspirational. Lots of new assessment strategies – it made me think about a lot of my lessons differently.
- That formative assessment and teaching and learning come hand in hand.
- Currently taking my Cert Ed and new within my teaching role. It was really good to see examples of different strategies I can use within my sessions and how it will help learners.
- Inspired by seemingly simple but potentially very impactful assessment strategies. Liked Differentiated Support, Trick Questions, Paired Exemplar Marking, Collaborative Research, Supercharged Evaluation Skills, Hunt the Issues, Steal from your Neighbour (so simple – everyone should do it!).
- I feel I’ve been equipped with some new strategies, which aren’t a million miles away from my existing one’s, but great advice on how to fine tune them.
- As a new teacher and PGCE student this is really informative. I needed this sort of input to inform my work.
- Formative assessment is powerful and you should design your lessons around it.
- Breath of fresh air. How different you suggest things, our quality team always focused on Q&A, both indirect & direct.
- My classroom is my stage. Felt very apprehensive about the session to start with but really enjoyed learning about assessment strategies. Thank you. Will definitely use.
- Learnt numerous new and different assessment strategies. Inspirational, great tool kit for teachers very good, quick and easy teaching methods to engage our students.
- Assessments as Practices. Creating lessons with formative assessment at the heart of it, this has helped to plan engaging sessions that will help the students develop multiple skills.
- To believe I can and will produce creative learner-led formative assessment in my sessions.
- New creative assessment strategies and how to apply them in my sessions so the students are engaged, actively learning without realising it. To make learning fun again.
- Like opening a treasure chest of hidden treasure. Beautifully delivered to get staff thinking outside the box and challenge themselves to embed new ideas..
- Informative and quick way to construct sessions. The ability to identify strategies quickly and efficiently.
- You’ve given me strategies to really boost my exam practise lessons. I can find it hard when you get to exam practise to use as much varied assessment, but the fifty shades cards has given me lots of food for thought… particularly peer wise.
- A reminder that you need the xmas present before you wrap it up! The focus on Learning Independence and self reflection – ensure that all tutors remember that students do not start with us with the skills, we are here to teach and develop these.
- Reeling in a great white shark from the stern of a leaky boat – in stormy seas… it’s good to hear confirmation that what I suspected might be true – that assessment is an ongoing and integral part of teaching – it doesn’t have to be reams of written feedback.
- Increasing emphasis on student self-assessment in lessons. More reflection, more independence, more learning.
- Make formative assessment a cornerstone of teaching and learning experience.
- Overwhelmed. Enticed. A better understanding of different types of assessment strategies to allow me to not always do the same thing over again.
Behaviour Management
- Highly educative
- It will help me in my classroom management especially the attention war, over-contributor.
- Dealing with over-contributors – set them a challenge, allow them to answer a more difficult question.
- It was very interactive with lots of team/group discussion and popcorning of ideas.
- Inspirational. Restores belief in outstanding teaching.
- You’ve been fab, would love to learn more from you.
- Forming, storming, norming, performing. Ideas from today can be implemented in class.
- I will change my approach to sessions – for example: 1. Deal with over-contributors 2.
- Transactional management.
- I have learned simple techniques to understand and improve learner behaviour and productivity.
- The interactive tools like Jamboard and handouts were amazing.
- Transactional Analysis, Transitional Change, Active Listening – all fantastic!
- Brilliant (Always!)
- Looking at curriculum plan for adding excitement for challenging times. Continue to reflect on own practice.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Thank you Tony for a fantastic session, given me a lot of food for thought going forward 🙂
- Ideas are raining like cats and dogs.
- As an organisation we must be led by how we want our learners to be different as a result of induction, rather than compliance of checklist activities that have limited or negative impact.
- I have conquered the mountain! I feel confident that I can produce a Quality Standard and Scheme of Work for our adult learners.
- “I have found your CPD sessions extremely useful and have enjoyed everyone I have attended. Thank you!”
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Feel very inspired to keep challenging myself.
- Change my SoW to remove X (low points) and replace with smile (high points)
- I was in danger of falling into a bit of a rut having reflected many a night on how to resolve the issue. Now feeling very positive. Every class is now a positive as I know I can improve the experience for both myself and the learners.
- Rethink planning based more on experiences.
- Feeling quite inspired and open for some critical reflection. Looking into Ikagai: A reason for Being.
- Loved practical examples of cross-collaborations between depts in a college.
- Thin SoW and planning in emotional highs for the future.
- “Teaching is not teaching”. Dare to go wild with planning. Stop boring lessons.
- A really great and insightful lecture. Where did the 3 hours go?
- Unexpected surprise. I can make Law a more physically involved subject.
- A lightening bolt.
- Considering student’s feelings against what we need to deliver/cover.
- I want to anchor my topics around something big – I just need to work out how!
- Thanks – it went very fast.
- Issues or symptoms game opened my mind and gave an insight into teaching motivation.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- It’s frightening how much improvement I could see in my teaching.
- A fantastic fully immersive session, definitely plenty to think about! Left feeling like the door to the ‘box’ had been opened.
- Empowering. The session really focussed on the skills that we plan our learners to develop during sessions which should make the impact (difference made to learners) of the session easier to identify.
- I am a PGCE student, and so far had only been considering the learning outcomes as a checklist for my lesson plan, but was unaware of the effect they could have. As a student myself, I used to roll my eyes at ‘learning outcomes’ since they seemed so overdone and pretend by all my teachers. As a result of my new found respect for them, I’ll now actively work to shape my lesson around the learning outcomes, to help the students progress.
- Energised
- Life is like a box of chocolates
- It’s good to think out the box.
- Learning is like building a house.
- Follow the yellow brick road.
- As thrilling as an escape through a ventilation shaft. Very exciting.
- Insightful, thought provoking.
- From a big mac to a steak.
- New, interesting, eye opening.
- Meercat. Inspired.
- I enjoyed the session and it has confirmed a few beliefs!
- Very good and reinforced some teaching strategies that I will use.
- Walked across the carpet
- Think differently how I approach each sessions.
- Don’t use the phrase “to understand”
- I’ll definitely think about my learning objectives and try and get student’s curiosity burning.
- Change the rooming arrangements.
- Made me think about the purpose of learning outcomes in greater detail.
- Consider colours and what LO really are
I will use the learning outcome builder when planning my lessons. Plan objectives before I create the lesson. Use Blooms more within my planning and lessons. - More confident in developing an effective learning outcome.
- Use learning outcomes that involve more body and attitude as opposed to just brain when teaching maths and English.
- Made me reflect on what I was doing and look at things with fresh eyes and a new perspective.
- Use ‘skill’ in my mind rather than thinking of the verbs.
- My learning outcomes have been transformed from arpeggios to cadenzas! I’m definitely using the learning outcome builder strategy – very helpful.
- Learning is like housework. It is never done! I will revisit my learning outcomes to make them reflect how I want them to ‘feel’.
- Really good course, it was something I didn’t know I needed.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Lightening in a bottle.
- (Saying) ‘Less experienced’ rather than ‘less able’ will focus on preparedness to reduce fear and anxiety.
- Sunshine. Differentiating approach not expectations – reinforcing this to staff.
- Focus on emotional state of learning – addressing that before the lesson.
- That the learning journey is the most important. If they are happy, they will achieve.
- I liked the idea of Blendspace, scaffolding – differentiation and taxonomy teams.
- Switching on a light!
- To implement theories in own practice – explore ‘fifty shades of teaching’ in more detail focusing on the less-experienced learner.
- Caterpillar to butterfly.
- (Produce) ‘Learning experiences’ not ‘lesson plans’. Blendspace.
- Great to see Tony again. Very knowledgeable – look forward to the next time.
- Meerkat moments
- More student-centred learning, Blendspace was interesting/really useful resources/text transformations.
- Really interesting / engaging session.
- Good activities. Use of space outside rooms to build vocabulary.
- Liked some of the ideas – scaffolding for differentiation / word distillery – will definitely use in class. Blendspace is good!
- Pointing my ship in the right direction.
- Blending learning theories and considering smaller teaching and learning strategies.
- Another great session Tony!
- Seeing the world from the trees.
- A number of interesting activities that prompt re-thinking about practice. Thank you!
- As happy as Larry.
- Blending and adapting strategies for learner autonomy.
- After this training, I might use different teaching strategies with my students and experiment more as well. I’m going to pay attention to the emotional learning states to help the student with their challenges.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Exciting and informative
- Like a breath of fresh air – seeing clearly behind all the jargon, rhetoric and fancy words to impress SLT or Ofsted. It needs to be real!
- It’s easy when you know how!
- Practice makes perfect!
- I particularly liked the colour coding and the statement to ask myself ‘What have you just learnt from what have you just written?’
- [SAR] Needs to be more focused, less wordy and less bureaucratic. I feel ours was previously written with the 3rd party in mind.
- Will be fully aware of masking in self-assessment writing from now on and be able to recognise weak statements without judgements for improvement.
- Really enjoyed this session thank you. It was useful, informative, fun and hands on.
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- Like arriving at the top of a mountain to finally get the most fantastic view – a clear view, no background noise.
- Looking for clarity to identify the root cause rather than focussing on symptoms.
- The skilled use of zoom as a presentation tool with Prezi overlay, shortcut buttons, using wikis etc is a whole training course in itself. Fantastic delivery.
- Today was a reflective experience.
Recruitment: increasing the impact
- Inspiring.
- To imagine the ideal and then work out how it’s do-able.
- Thought provoking.
- Aspirational recruitment process.
- Very good morning of CPD.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- Aim high, create experiences, be exciting!
- “Bloody marvellous!”
- Awakening.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- The cogs have started to turn!
- Thank you I intend to use ‘project management’ instead of SMART and will start to input this into my Schemes of Work.
- Like a doomed explorer lost in the desert, we didn’t realise how far off course we were.
- Target setting is more of an in-lesson ongoing skill than a one-off/infrequent SMART target tutorial.
- It will help me to reflect on how I support students create targets.
- Eye-opening.
- Use the template for developing targets and developing Blendspace.
- Tony, as ever, helps you see possibilities that are innovative and will answer old problems.
- Will make me think more about setting targets together with students – involving them more fully.
Greenhead College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Many thanks Tony. Lots to reflect upon.
- Thought the emphasis on the ‘extended’ induction was great as all too often, we get through the initial enrolment and move on without sufficient reflection from a learner viewpoint.
Lifelong Learning & Skills
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Somersaults. The thrill and excitement of doing something a bit different that brings rewards.
I very much like to turn things on their head and get out of old thinking! - We don’t really have an induction other than the first session with individual teachers. I work in adult community education so it is very different from a college environment. However, it is something we are wanting to put in place and look at how it might work in our setting.
Windsor Forest Colleges Group
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Clearing of the fog.
- I don’t have the power/seniority to change things directly myself, but I will be doing whatever I can to encourage the creativity and different type of thinking explored here. This has crystallised a lot of my own existing thinking and given me a better vocabulary and framework to persuade others to think about change.
- There was so much to talk about and think about. It’s not really an improvement….. but I would definitely attend a part 2, exploring these ideas in more depth, particularly in relation to how quality standards might be applied differently to different cohorts, modes of study, ages, levels and abilities.
Kingston Maurward College
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- Sharpening the saw!
- Really useful to reflect on the current plan and how to avoid common issues that don’t facilitate rapid improvement e.g. symptoms not issues, end point data etc.
- Our new QIP process will use similar format to one shared with each ‘issue’ becoming a project for a project manager (champion) to take on … before putting it in a celebration (impact) file.
- Loved to see some of the advanced Zoom techniques being used. I am googling how to have a transparent presentation next to me on screen! I am keen to work with the team on self-assessment process more and may well engage some or all in future sessions. Thanks Tony.
St Helens Chamber
Learning motivation: designing outstanding learning experiences
- Excellent session that has given me food for thought to refresh my session plans.
- When Covid restrictions allow, would love to do this session in a traditional classroom environment.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Learning is the spark that starts the flame.
- I will be using Blendspace (QR Codes) and inputting pre-learning sessions. I will also be using breakout rooms during my online sessions.
- Tony provides resources and how-to guides which are the most likely areas of support I would need which is great.
- Excellent session, allowed me to interact and gain inspiration from other providers. Thank you very much, will definitely be recommending.
WEA
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- The session challenged me beyond my comfort zone but in a way that was good for me, enabling me to consider a much wider range of teaching and learning options than what I had become used to. Tony skilfully ensured that everyone was involved without making them feel put on the spot. I now want to try out more engaging methods to support learning such as the use of wikis and also learn how to be more creative when presenting information in the style demonstrated today. I am not scared of technology but do feel as if it has overtaken me recently and I need to catch up!
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I would liken my learning journey today to a hike. There were sections that felt comfortable and easily achievable, there were sections that were more challenging and required a more concerted effort, but that just meant the sense of accomplishment at the end was all the sweeter and I’m better prepared for the next hike.
- I feel that my understanding on how to analyse information is now more richer than before this training.
- I found today very interesting, informative and the first step towards changing my mindset from viewing it as a bureaucratic process to really understanding how we can improve the experience for learners.
- Great use of resources, thought provoking conversations and well-judged activities, thank you.
- Focus on the impacts to learners. Ignore the 3rd party influence. We must get all staff – tutors, course organisers etc to feed into the SAR/QIP for it to be effective.
- I feel like a light has been switched back on in a dark room.
- The importance of the difference we make for learners versus the ‘stuff’ we do.
- Focus on the impact on the learner, not Ofsted grading or what managers would like to hear.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- It was like walking through a secret garden with so many wonderful ideas and anecdotes through the day. Thank you!
- I feel that practice will help me reflect on what I have learnt today for this training.
- The ability to really check how are we improving the learner experience – we normally focus on quick solutions at surface level but the actions needed to deeper understand what is required to drive improvement by focussing on the root cause is fascinating. Too often we review the effect, rather than the cause when suggesting improvements.
- To keep drilling down and asking why. To make sure what we are addressing is an issue and not a symptom of that issue. To not syphon off issues that are beyond our control, because if we can find a way to own it, we can solve it. To stop working so reactively, and take time to slow down and reflect.
- A practical realistic approach to completing the SAR and QIP.
- Thank you Tony for a great training event. I haven’t had such a great training experience for a very long time. Thank you.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- I was originally daunted by the thought of a 3.5 hour session but the time passed more enjoyably and easily than other much shorter training sessions that I have attended, as the sessions were interesting and engaging. They were well put together, skilfully delivered and very useful. Thank you.
- It opened my mind to the options available and just how much more creative online learning can be. I feel as I have been provided with some tools to venture out and explore further. I also need to look at my current practice as a curriculum manager and determine what steps I need to take to start incorporating some of these new ideas and promoting them with staff.
- I need to build on the knowledge I have gained in this session by spending time with the different technology options we covered. In particular Prezi and wikis are completely new for me and I would love to be proficient with these.
Innovative Alliance
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- The journey maybe long and winding with bumps in the road, but once you realise the bumps were there to slow you down to take in the view then the journey becomes worthwhile.
- On reflection my thought process on learning outcomes is very similar to that taught today. The challenge for me is taking my belief and getting the team to buy in to the same approach. I am not sure I could teach this to others, yet, but can really see the benefits and the pedagogical experience grow so much for our learners once change is achieved.
- You have made me want to know more about the tech resources available to use to teach. The more information and guides you have on this the better.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Chomping at the bit now to put new learning into practice. Very inspirational session!
- Like a swan above the water and a motorboat underneath…
- It has given me a pleather of ideas to take away and improve our online offer in our organisation.
- I feel you have given me a wealth of knowledge and resources now to go away and engage with and train my team to improve the learner experience.
Sysco
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- It was magical! It made me think about more ways of incorporating interactive, engaging and learner-led assessments into sessions to help embed learning and assess progress of learners. Oh absolutely, yes: I will be using loads of the assessment techniques in my own teaching and have started re-writing lesson plans already. Loved every minute of it.
- A fantastic insight into all aspects of assessment at this level of teaching. A whole new perspective on assessment strategies and how to implement during teaching.
- I found the session was engaging, with good level of challenge and deeper thinking.
- Eye opening.
- Revealing.
- I would change the methods of assessment – particularly using the various assessment strategies learnt and discussed today.
- It helped me to look at assessment methods and strategies differently from a learner’s point of view.
- I now understand the various techniques of formative assessment and look to use them in my future teaching.
- Absolutely, some of the strategies I already use but as a stand alone, I will definitely be combining them for a greater impact in future lessons.
- Zoom is always difficult but I thought Tony did a fantastic job organising the break out rooms, allowing us to integrate with other members of the group.
- The building of a dual staircase within a house (how assessment can fulfil learning and teaching and is not just a part in the TLA cycle).
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- It helped massively! I will include a wider variety of assessment into my lesson plans.
- Fantastic session as always from Tony, Highly informative and very useful in my teaching journey.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Learning is a roller coaster.
- Energised and thoughtful.
- It was like a first step over the bridge to progress.
- The key takeaway was how important initial learner assessments are and the idea that we should consider how students feel during the process.
- Teachers are the sculpters of young minds!
- Support [scaffolding] is successful if it can be taken away.
- Success is a blossoming tree and what I gained from today will help me with my delivery in the future. My takeaways from today were flipped/pre-learning for contextualisation to meet the needs of all learners.
- Learning is a marathon. I have accrued a better understanding of removing barriers and the merits of support and scaffolding. I particularly liked the strategy of periodically removing the scaffolding to test for autonomy and independence, thereby proving learners distance travelled.
- Thought provoking. An improved understanding of pedagogy.
- A greater knowledge of how to support learners.
- It was an enjoyable experience which flipped some of the understanding and assumptions that I had as a tutor in general.
- It was like looking at the same artwork from a different part of the room.
- Looking at removing barriers and scaffolding, looking at assessments in a different manner.
- Planning of differentiation using the results of a through initial assessment process.
- Ensuring the information and results of IA are shared with all tutors/coaches etc and not just those responsible for core aim qualifications.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- The session was excellent, Tony is very knowledgeable and really made us think about improving our use of technology and planning for teaching sessions further.
- Powerful.
- I got more from this session than expected, Expert learning traits activity awoke my mind so will do this with students.
- A fantastic path winding through all aspects of learning outcomes, including many creative ways to provoke and demand best practice within myself.
- The world is your oyster. e.g. be creative and diverse with your LO’s. Including attitudinal changes within them.
- It was a familiar train journey in a different season.
- I have been out of teacher training for 5 years and this has definitely opened my eyes to become better at learning outcomes and my lessons will 100% be helped from this.
- It helped to improve my application around the topic, and I will look to add more clarity and direction to my learning outcomes.
- Most definitely, I shall never use ‘understand’ again in lesson planning!
- It made me realise that often I am creating learning objectives that are best for me interns of producing the evidence I need for assessment or making it easier for me to show progress rather than what it is actually creating for the learner in terms of their knowledge, enjoyment or attitude.
- It has made me rethink how to measure learning outcomes and how you can ensure student engagement and understanding.
- It helped me understand what an LO’s should look like, what should be included and how to construct them.
- Will be looking to implement more of the ‘verbs’ into my learning outcomes.
- I really enjoyed the attitudinal learning outcomes section and will consider this when writing future learning outcomes. As a psychology man I am interested in cognition and the progression that is more difficult to see and measure. The use of technology was good throughout and variety of methods and resources used ensured we were kept on our toes as learners.
- I am looking forward to further training.
- Facilitator was very knowledgeable, great resources shared.
- I really enjoyed the session. I thought the activities were great and thought the timing of the training was right.
- The Brain, Body, Attitude/Traits I found resonated strongly and I am going to be more creative about how to include the body element in my practice and even from a personal perspective I know that activities that immerse me are the most valuable and remembered..
- I really liked the ideological discussion about how we ‘teach’ under current policy and how we need to re-frame this to create a whole learner with multiple skills and ability to apply, adapt and grow both now and in the future as things change.
- Learning is like making new friends.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Rewarding.
- Brilliant insight into a variety of learning theories and the emotional learning journey. Always incredibly informative.
- I felt the session helped me to link learning theories to outcomes for learners with the categories used.
- Yes absolutely! I will now put more emphasis on the learners emotional states when lesson planning.
- Today’s session was like going on an expedition, there are lots of things to do but I feel like today’s session will help us as a team to take the bull by the horns and revamp our delivery styles.
- My boat is well and truly rocked.
- Thanks again Tony, you really are inspirational.
- I was already very familiar with learning theories but I think today’s session helped me look at our curriculum models with a fresh pair of eyes and consider how we can make these connection with these with our learners.
- The exercises in the breakouts were really helpful to understand different learning theories and how they could be applied in practice. I am planning to use learning strategies 25, 27 and 34 in my future design and delivery.
- I found all information beneficial with me being new to teaching.
- As I am new to teaching I found something I can build on to be the best I can be ?
- Today’s session has helped me to embed emotional learning into my planning and delivery.
- I am going to make more use of connectivism methods to see if it helps me to save time.
- Thankyou Tony for giving me this experience.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Really beneficial session, I am new to the education world so it was really useful.
- Readying revolutionary, rigorous, robust reviews are recommended and a revelation.
- Change my approach to progress meetings.
- Provided me with a clear focus on how to enhance our current review process focussing on the impact on the individual.
- Create action plans and identify barriers that a learner has or could stop someone from learning.
- Really great session, engaging really enjoyed the observation section this gave me a chance to practice my listening skills.
- Thanks Tony for another enjoyable and worthwhile session.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Like a breath of fresh air!
- Tony provided clear guidance and pushed the limits of understanding too. The session really made me think differently! I’ve been thinking about masking since the session and including the “however” where something is not quite outstanding and how we can use both these methods better.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Learning is like building a house (one step at a time when setting targets).
- Excellent session and very comfortable environment set by Tony.
- More emphasis on learners setting targets.
- Supporting students to discuss, define and formulate their own targets (mini project managers). Direct and meaningful involvement should lead to greater ownership and hopefully progress.
- Reinforcing the importance of motivating students and giving them realistic steps to achieve their goals.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Very engaging session with lots of resources/information and valuable IAG provided by Tony regarding tools for online engagement. Definitely will make me reflect and review this going forward.
- Fountain of knowledge and new information. Looking forward to trying Prezi video on zoom.
MK College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- The sun coming out from behind a cloud. Confirming the place of assessment in teaching.
- It provided me with lots of alternatives to question and answer. It also demonstrated how I can use assessment for learning.
- I think the afternoon was very comprehensive and having the PDF to take away will enable me to continue to develop my assessment.
- Thank you so much, it was great to see this in action and I am looking forward to trying out the assessments in my session on Thursday this week!
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- A eureka moment.
- If I am honest, I have always had a downer on Behaviourism, but today I have noticed that it has many benefits and all theories have a place. It is the thing we hope to change, the level of learners and what they need to learn that can influence our choice and we shouldn’t just stick with one theory. Having knowledge of the underpinning theory alongside the emotional learning states can help us to select the best approach. Locating the position our learners are at and where they need to be is a great tool and provides an excellent starting point to develop effective teaching and learning.
- Having the material beforehand was really useful because we could do some pre-learning / reading. Clear instructions were given for the game.
- I think the supporting material is fabulous and effectively supports the delivery. And fantastic takeaway ideas.
- I think it is great and your technology is amazing!
Learning Curve Group
Learning motivation: designing outstanding learning experiences
- I enjoyed the course, I took more from the course than the content being delivered. I particularly enjoyed your on-line delivery set up and found it engaging.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It made me realise how easy it is to fall into the habit of being too descriptive and the reasons that this happens.
B-Skill Limited
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- This is the first training session in a very long time that I have come away feeling excited and motivated. It has reminded me why I do this job and given me the inspiration to make a real difference within the classroom. Thank you.
- Light at the end of the tunnel. Practical tools and techniques which can be quickly and easily implemented into current sessions to solve some of the ongoing common issues which are experienced on short, lower-level employability programmes.
- I had a good understanding of formative and summative assessment practices. However, I now have lots of new techniques which can be passed onto Tutors to ensure formative assessment is taking place throughout the short programmes.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the session and have come away excited and motivated to support staff in moving forward.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- It was fantastic to see them being used throughout the session as well as having the opportunity to have a go. Throughout the session I have taken ideas and jotted these down about how these could be implemented within the sessions. I really liked the fact that tools were listed in order of difficultly from easiest to most complex. Some staff have a reluctance to changes towards technology based teaching and I am going to introduce these tools from easiest to hardest to make their experience more positive and help them develop confidence that they can incorporate technology into their sessions.
- Fantastic engaging session and this has enabled me to reflect on my own service and how this can be developed, thank you.
North West Community Services
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Learning is scaffolding by great teachers!
- It provoked me to reflect a lot on my current practices and how I can strengthen the formative assessments that I already practice. Lots of new and engaging ideas!
- A really engaging course and Tony was extremely knowledgeable and encouraging throughout. I have recommended this course to a colleague who I know would hugely benefit. Really enjoyed the breakout rooms (although I didn’t think I would!)
Southport College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I was a candle fluttering in the dark, now I am a mountain.
- I will use lots of the assessment strategies within sessions.
- The best inset event we have had for years.
- This afternoon was stimulating and full of good ideas, like a burst of cerebral sparks.
- Really enjoyable afternoon – excellent “real life” examples of teaching and learning.
- My learning journey has unlocked a door into an exciting new world today.
- Loved the game approach to the session: application of what is promoted, which does not always happen. It was original and stimulating.
- A chocolate orange of ideas – tapped and unwrapped ideas today.
- Enlightening – for a non-creative teacher.
- Being a detectorist.
- Keep up the brilliant work!
- My mind is now a treasure trove of ideas!
- A whole lot of teaching strategies to ignite curiosity and create meerkat moments.
- Incredibly useful and engaging tasks, really felt I learned something new.
- Great fun using the cards for the games.
- Outstanding!
- As I am doing my Cert Ed it has been eye opening and a learning curve for the future.
- Lots of great strategies, easy to adapt and fab for the students.
- With effective strategies, less planning time is required.
- Fantastic tips and ideas to improve my assessment strategies.
- Loads of strategies I have now to use for future classes and to use with apprentices.
- Recipe for success.
- Really informative and enjoyable.
- Full speed ahead.
- Sparked my inner flame.
- Inspirational.
- Refreshing!!
- Emotional learning journeys for learners and attitudes to learning attitudes!
- Fabulous, Thank you.
- This session provided a springboard for independent research, for sure.
Learning Motivation
- It was like being 16 again – a world of possibilities.
Learning is like solving a puzzle. You think you have experience and know it all, but it is not true. So many things we were discussing today including the distinction between issues and symptoms, which I never thought about, or where happiness and stress come from, and how I can apply this knowledge when I plan my lessons for CL English courses. - Fireworks!
- A swim through refreshing waters.
- Tony is the king of learning motivation.
- Inspirational.
- To plan for periods when motivation is lacking, ie: January.
- It made me think more clearly about where dips in motivation are and how to address them.
- It has inspired me to be more creative in my approach to planning exciting sessions for less exciting topics. I particularly liked the idea of removing limitations for the initial idea and then thinking of how to recreate it within the limitations.
- It was a reminder of issues that exist but some new ideas for solving. For example, the issue of some students reluctant to immerse themselves in contextual studies, writing , evaluation, reflection.
- I like the ‘big idea’ method to engage students further – already thinking of that.
- Questioning why something hasn’t gone as planned and look for a solution. I will use the short SOW to plan experiences that learners can look forward to and re-evaluate each term to identify any further changes required.
- Thank you very much. I feel as tutors we have struggled ourselves to not only keep our learners motivated through this very difficult time but remain motivated ourselves. This was the jump start that I needed in order to gain that back so that I and my team can move forward and plan for September.
- Brilliant speaker and a lovely personality.
- Need to make sure all sessions are engaging and exciting. Great ideas borne from breakout room exercises talking to different staff that I will adapt and implement.
- It has inspired me to be more creative in creating a foundation from the induction process of a new cohort to help students understand the process of their own development and the need to become independent and responsible for their own learning to reach the goals they want.
- Very inspiring and thought provoking content. Made me look at things with a different perspective.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Labrador who sees a cooked chicken just out of reach.
- You can teach an old dog new tricks!
- A flagging bird given wings.
- Inspiring session with a true reflection of the FE learning journey.
- I will aim to implement a keen focus on attitudes and how to develop them within my session. Very thought provoking and inspirational.
- Lead to Gold.
- MOT. This has helped me sharpen my focus – I liked the stuff and difference concept and I know I’ll be considering ‘on the table’ ideas more clearly.
- It started out like a flat tyre but ended in a successful ride in a limo!
- Implement at least one expert learning trait in every learning outcome.
- I feel I have been able to spread my wings and fly with the information / understanding learnt today.
- My practice is driven by qualification criteria but these need to run underneath experiences. I want to make them more curious.
- Great ideas, lots of interesting and new ideas and really made me think.
- Add outcomes based on changing / developing learner attitude.
- Tony again teaches an old dog new tricks.
- Recipe for success.
- Eye opening.
- Excellent session.
- I will think more about independence and how to develop this in learners. Also about ‘stuff’ and ‘difference’.
- Include expert learner skills / attitudes in practice and LOs.
- Allowed me to look at creating LOs differently and the importance of LOs.
- As a 1:1 tutor this session helped me to reflect on my own practice and developing learning outcomes that will be useful and appropriate to each individual.
- Excellent speaker, very knowledgeable and passionate to develop teaching strategies.
- The mist is clearing.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- Very interesting and productive session that enabled me to understand the way different teaching strategies were linked to theorist. I think this would be a great resource for teacher training courses to lighten up a very heavy module about theorists as you are able to look at it all in a practical way.
- Provided a deeper understanding of the learner journey which was differentiated. Good range of strategies were looked into which linked to theorists’ ideas of learning and explored that range of emotions from a learner’s point of view rather than the teacher’s. Helped look at ideas in a different way and provoked different thoughts on how strategies could work from a number of different view points.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- This was an excellent session – very interactive and has given me lots of good ideas for things I can implement in my own teaching as well as cascade to the rest of the group.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Helped to free the mind!
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- I’ve really enjoyed it and am leaving this room as high as a kite!
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Driving the same route to work every day and suddenly discovering there are lots of others I could have been taking.
- I will work on using sandbox to develop writing outcomes.
- Thought provoking, logical, learner centred.
- “A spark in a dark night!”
- Like getting my new glasses – I saw what was there before but needed to sharpen my focus!
- I recognise now that LOs can be longer and also a way to inform my pedagogy – I do not need to share the sane LOs with learners. Show understanding of … by … will help me to write more effective LOs – hopefully!
- Rain on dry soil!
- Made me think more about considering learning outcomes, rather than trying to comply with ‘Ofsted’ expectations (sorry, don’t know how else to put it!). Love the colour coding ‘prompts’ for writing learning outcomes.
- Hope is on the horizon.
- Use guidance relating to brain, body, attitude and label, verb, outcome and learning outcomes.
- More thinking from learner view now than Ofsted.
- It will help me coach tutors towards attitudinal outcomes, which are a key focus for our cohorts.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I’m high as a kite because this course really showed me things can change!
- Individual targets, supported by me but written by students to ensure they are working towards their goals.
- Playing a game of Rugby and suddenly being told that you can pass the ball in any direction.
- Make targets more exciting and aspirational. Use term ‘experienced’ rather than ‘ability’ when describing learners.
- Challenging and disrupting established practice in a positive way.
- I will reframe my coaching of staff / questioning of personal learning aims and avoid using SMART as an as shorthand.
- Enjoyed the interactive exercises using the IT resources.
- Next step is to review curriculum plans for Autumn.
- Change from thinking about SMART targets to project manage. Give learners suggestions of target setting.
The Evaluative Conversation: Transformational Lesson Observation
- I am stepping down from the pedestal!
- What we think we are asking isn’t always what people hear us ask. Today has once again helped me hold up a mirror and encouraged me to resist the urge to ‘feedback’, however nicely it is couched.
- Really enjoyed it the session as always. Have never walked away empty handed (or headed?).
- Very inspirational. Thank you so much.
The RED System
- Another chance to adapt and overcome!
- Key Questions What is our philosophy of education? Do we emphasise the efficiency of learning enough when promoting research approach?
- Key phrase: Change one thing!
- In every other circumstance I would choose face to face over online learning, but you have managed to translate your sessions beautifully to the online environment, which has resulted in an enriched rather than a lesser experience.
- Always take something useful and something innovative from these sessions – an elusive blend!
Crosby Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Fabulous session.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Being a ‘learner’ and entering into a session which I was quite apprehensive about, this has given me an insight into the values of both ‘engagement’ and ‘open mindedness’ – I like to think that I applied them both…and it paid off!
- In spite of the initial technology/access issues of a colleague, I think that the tutor coped extremely well with this. I can’t think of any negative terminology that he used – every issue was a ‘challenge’, ‘lesson’, ‘learning curve’ – and I feel that his continued positivity undoubtedly kept me engaged, despite the potential disruption and subsequent negativity that this could easily have caused.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It surpassed all of my expectations and the session ended too quickly. We are revisiting our SAR to revise it and use the advice and strategies he suggested in the session.
- The session was excellent and the tutor made me wish I was just starting my teaching career!
Antrec Limited
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Another step along the long road towards self-actualisation.
- I have long been a believer in ‘letting students do the work’. This has given me more scope and belief to be able to develop the learner ability to think and learn independently.
- Transitioning from classroom to remote has been a difficult one. It feels strange to just talk to a computer screen. I am a very visual teacher and moving to a platform where learners can generally only see my head seems indifferent. I have witnessed a session today that shows that it can be done and is nothing to be feared.
- Although I believe that my knowledge in this area is good, some examples of the assessment methods in practice are great. I liked it when you gave examples of where you picked these up from. It really helps.
Mode Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I have another quiver to my bow.
- Helped me realise that formative assessment is not just a practice for a summative assessment, by identifying learners’ strengths and weaknesses and working to rectify the weaknesses. It is what has changed in the learner, as well as both learner and teacher identifying what needs to be done next.
Learning Motivation
- When developing SoWs, lesson plans and activities, give higher priority and consideration to what motivates my learners and not what I would necessarily find interesting.
- Think big and then plan how to modify and adapt the idea into a workable entity
- Went from a kitten to a roaring lion when sharing ideas.
- It’s not as difficult as I thought to make learning exciting.
- Add exciting lessons in known dark weeks. Take lessons outside.
- Reflect on SOW and plan in more unmissable sessions that are promoted.
- Caterpillar – Butterflies
- To give them more to look forward to.
- Turning the ‘bad lessons’ to be fun and interesting.
- The main thing is how to change your thoughts and ideas from a linear way of thinking to more expansive and creative.
- Make learners more curious – leave them on a cliff-hanger.
- Add more to sessions
- To teach more using experiences to try and make long-term memory.
- Think about key parts of the calendar and when to add more.
- To ensure I keep my sessions engaging and inviting to all learners’ learning styles.
- Aim high with creativity allowing the learners to find a comfortable level of work.
- Inventive practice keeps learners engaged.
- Read case study as a team. Comment on what works, what needs development.
- Reflect on own practice.
- To highlight the relevance of tasks in sessions.
- The excitement of how we can make the subject more exciting and engaging.
- Motivational.
- Provide a better learning experience for students.
- Reflect on my own delivery of work. Really enjoyed the session.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- A very informative day which I feel has been beneficial and I already have ideas I want to implement.
- It changed my perception of learners’ behaviours.
- A rollercoaster of new ideas
- Identify lulls in class more quickly and assess what I am delivering. Identify better strategies to allow learners to become more social.
- It’s challenged my thinking on how I write my outcomes.
- I will definitely look at my own practice and lesson plans and implement my current knowledge.
- It gave me more ideas of how to produce the correct outcomes with the correct lesson to get the best outcomes of learner.
- Rollercoaster of learning
- Think of more fun lesson.
- Really enjoyed sessions.
- Exciting.
- Absolutely helped for future delivery.
- Meeting with head of department to discuss strategy to move forward.
- It was perfect, thank you.
- Fantastic inspiring day.
St Helens & Knowsley College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Unlocking the door on my learning palace to pedagogy garden beyond.
- I felt that my assessment strategies were effective coming into this session but an open mind has allowed me to see the rich variety of potentially much better strategies to improve learners’ outcomes.
- The discussions around learning outcomes was especially useful.
- Always remember the key objective to be ‘How do I want them to have changed by the end of session?’
- I have acquired multiple new assessment strategies and began adapting existing lesson plans with them.
- Confidence building. This training provided me with lots of great information that supported my teaching style and way of thinking of what teaching should be.
- This helped me think differently as a new teacher about how students will feel in my sessions and how I can help.
- Continuously getting learners to critically analyse their work, avoid telling them what to do and focus on how to improve.
- Ground-breaking.
- Everything – I’m going to attempt to change key lessons that are very theoretical.
- I would like to go through the strategies in my own time and do some experiments with them in my own teaching – especially liked: provocation/trick question/‘Gapped handout from the start’. I also appreciated the guidance about learning outcomes. I liked the anecdotes – the ‘tell me how’ demonstration, the price tag, the trick question – stories help me take on concepts & ideas.
- Got so many quick new ideas.
- Fun way to learn!
- Meerkat moments. Curiosity triggering. Development of expert independent learning skills.
- This afternoon was a light bulb moment.
- Inspired but not overwhelmed by the work I need to do to adapt.
- Assessments are more than meets the eye. The fog has lifted and I can now clearly see the importance of varied assessments.
- High performance fuel for the brain!
- Rekindling the flame of pedagogy.
- Blew my mind! Totally different perspective on LO.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Dismantling the car and re-building it better.
- My initial confidence in objective writing was exposed as being only partially formed, As a result of this session I will strive to move both learners and myself out of our comfort zones of cognitive skills development towards attitude and behaviour development too. If I really want to build learners’ independent skills then I need to consider the whole person and not just the exam focused skills.
- A solid blend of reinforcing my good practice whilst challenging me to continuously improve. This session has altered my conception of the purpose of learning outcomes and lesson objectives.
- Adding the the gravy to my pedagogical pudding and chips.
- Challenge staff (and myself) to think differently about learning objectives – what do we really want learners to walk away from our lessons with?
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Inspirational methods alternative thinking.
- Engaging tasks, informative content, and great links to the art of teaching.
- Thank you for opening the path to good practice, we just need to walk down it now.
- Encourage more stretching targets for lower level learners.
- Like pressing the reset button on the principles of target setting.
- I will work with senior managers to review and re-write our traget setting strategy.
- We need to move away from ticking procedural boxes to igniting purpose and ambition by empowering learners to be their own project managers.
- Learning is like building a house. Using this training to support other staff, In my quality role as I support and induct new teachers, this has been extremely useful.
- Interesting, refreshing, encouraging and smile provoking 🙂
- An Eye-opener.
- Encouraging learners to take ownership and responsibility for their learning journey, through effective target setting.
Barnsley Adult Skills and Community Learning
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- A journey to enlightenment.
- I found this training really helpful. I found the colour coding of the elements of the objectives has really helped me to develop my sessions better. It has already helped me to improve how I structure my planning, through using the objectives as my staring point.
- This has supported me to go back to ‘thinking outside of the box’ with my planning and how I am going to support the learners to achieve what I set out for them to achieve.
- It is like being new to teaching again, I feel more positive and focused on exciting lessons and challenges as I did feel I was in a rut and wanted to challenge this for my learners and my practice. The lessons were becoming a little more tutor led than I am comfortable with and I wanted to return the focus back on learners, especially during the online learning.
- Learning new software has also helped and combining this with my new focus, thanks to the course, I feel much better and want to do better for my learners. I also want to share this with my department.
Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- You know when you know you’re going to a wedding / other gathering where there is going to be a lot of extended family and you just think ‘Christ, this is going to be a painful few hours’ and then you get there and the ones you’re worried about being there aren’t there and you end up having a good time, make some new friends etc. It felt like that.
- I have a great trepidation at the start of any of these events that it’s going to be buzzword overkill, the shilling of the latest teaching techniques scrawled on a piece of paper as the ‘trainer’ sits on the corner in a dingy bathroom trying to work out how to get out of the mess they’re in and they suddenly design a new lukewarm teaching idea that they can sell. Plus those that attend to show off how smart they are, or how much they hate teaching and want everyone to know about it. This wasn’t that. It was great and I look forward to more.
- Good use of interesting tech and it flowed seamlessly.
Northamptonshire County Council
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Breathless and mind expanding! I loved Tony’s enthusiasm thoroughly grounded in the topic.
- Will aim to include an ‘excellent learner skill’ outcome in as many sessions as possible.
- The Brain, Mind and Body approach profoundly challenges the approach to standard induction sessions where tick boxes and Service standards for Safety, Group interaction etc have to be covered as well.
- Great pace… loved the use of Google docs and slick presentation with Prezi.
- The real ‘hop’ is to take some of these great approaches and ideas and to start making them WORK!
East Kent College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Amazing, very helpful food for thought! Nice to be provided with tools to use and adapt.
- Work smarter, not harder.
- I definitely will be supporting students to take a more proactive approach to their own assessment, and encouraging teachers I coach to do the same.
- Fizzy drink bubbles of enlightenment rising towards the surface – will pop into practice/ hot air balloon – some strategies defiant but others like a puff of air to inspire.
- Learning outcomes, more directly related to lesson plans & spec. Applying a range of assessment type. Loved the cards & great way to introduce new ideas! Thank you!
- Our learning was clever as a collie, wise as an owl, steady as a buffalo.
- A breath of fresh air. Mind blowing.
- Managers to be made aware of these progressive ideas in assessment.
- Some of the strategies, especially ones about independent learning/taking ownership of their own learning. Very informative, a lot of food for thought. Excited to try out some of the strategies in my teaching practice.
- This is the first set of new ideas that would help the type of learner I teach, I have seen in a long time. Happy to try almost all of it.
- A whippet in a storm.
- A whale being filled with delicious krill knowledge.
- Seeing formative assessment as a tool of learning not just a check-box exercise.
- On fire!
- Incorporate a card a week (extra) into our teaching.
- Don’t let learners depend on me!
- I would like to see all the different strategies enhance my lesson.
- Helpful, so thank you. Any training to get us making sessions more interesting is a positive.
- Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
- FA – I was made aware that I am a little bit too ‘test’ heavy – plus I may not focus on the 30% that got away in my ecstasy of the 70% pass rate.
- Mandatory!!
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- I’ve realised that learning outcomes are a recipe with 3 main ingredients and you need to take your time to shop for the right ones.
- Having read through a lot of my own learning outcomes since the session, I’ve found that I tend to follow the same trend: Use a Bloom word and then tell the students what they will be learning. I don’t tell them why or how it will benefit them and this is something I will work on changing. I want to inspire my students to work well and to continue working outside of the classroom, not just see maths as something they have to attend and then forget about until the next week.
- So much relevant and exciting information.
Ofsted Ready
- Such a rewarding session, not what I expected at all but have some key takeaways to really reflect on and action.
- Think more creatively, invest in the students’ experience, create an Ofsted position statement for maths and English.
- I thought the breakout room size was going to be limiting but it was actually great, loads of dialogue and ideas – I couldn’t fault the session.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Student led reviews are the way forward. The person that talks the most gets the most from the experience!
- We will be looking at developing our paperwork to try and focus not so much on the stuff but rather on the difference.
- Very engaging. Tony is an expert at what he does and clearly explains things so everyone understands. Nice to have training relevant to exactly what is happening in the sector.
Quest Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Yes this was another great session. A very fun way to look at assessment methods.
- Thank you so much for your great resources, think you should sell your cards.
- Creating learning traits to support teaching and develop independent learners who can assess and criticise their own work, allowing better investment of tutor time.
- It allowed me to see the different formative assessment methods that apply to different strategies and how these can be interlinked.
- It was a brilliant session and I learnt a lot and feel that both sessions I have now attended have broadened my thought process and are developing my teaching skills and approach.
- I enjoy the curiosity and the methods used to create interest.
Learning Motivation
- Really good and fab extra resources.
- I am attending all the courses I can Tony runs as I feel they all link into each other really well. I am using this to try to update the thinking and practical ways of teaching we use in our organisation.
- It has made me think about things from a different perspective and how we can make the learning journey more of an experience than a task.
- I have definitely embraced a new approach of designing experiences and not lessons. I will definitely start at the beginning and change the experiences and the curiosity for learning and development.
- I was engaged and felt included and involved at my own pace.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- This was a fantastic session, really useful.
- Love the new card game session.
- I am booking on further courses to help open my eyes with stopping “stuff” and looking at “difference” as would really like to embed this in our company structure.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Fab session again – really enjoyed this.
Ofsted Ready
- Want to go away do the wiki with staff and look at implementing action research projects in my setting.
- Great session as always, my to do list has grown even more.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Information and examples can clear the murky waters.
- This session has totally made me re think the systems and process we have in place in my setting and how we can change our focus moving forward.
- It certainly helped me to re think our review process, we will now develop our own standards with our team and change the paperwork we have in place.
- It was a great session and it’s always lovely when you hear other peoples’ ideas and how they use the reviews etc.
- I will certainly be attending more of your sessions. It’s lovely to have someone who is enthusiastic about what you teach.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A new lens.
- This has really helped me look at the correct ways to use the correct wording in SAR.
- Fab resources – very useful to help in practice and share with management.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- This has been really useful to help give me ideas to take back to my company to try to look at self assessment in new light.
- Fantastic session Tony, Great resources to support the session and further reading.
The RED System
- A wealth of meerkat moments.
- This session has really helped me to look at how I can adapt my ideas already to change the system we have in place. Just added 100 things to my to do list as I always go away with wanting more knowledge.
- Well done it was a fab session. I will be in touch to book in with you – Thank you for the one to one time also today.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Fantastic session, lots to take away and have a try at making resources and sessions with. I just need extra days in my week to try them all.
College of North West London
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Like restarting to build a house after being inspired.
- After 20 years of writing LOs this insightful session has really focused my attention on the importance of Brain, Body, Attitude LO writing, which I will share with teacher training students to stretch their thinking and to give them strategies to make a difference.
Milton Keynes Council
21st Century Pedagogy
- Older and wiser! He came, he saw, he conquered (hearts and minds).
- A bop on the head with a hammer!
- I felt inspired to start a new term with new learners.
- It certainly made me feel excited and inspired to look at my learners differently.
- I will need to review all my learning outcomes and consider the attitude changes and how that will be covered in the ‘stuff’.
- Helped me with writing outcomes (which I still find tricky), but now I can go back to examples/essentials. In planning, I’ll work backwards and forwards from outcomes and focus on what the differences are in learners’ attitudes and skills. The mind map of independent learning traits was revealing – it made me articulate the traits I observe as well as focussing on attitudes and skills.
- Using curiosity as a doorway into learning.
- Relaxed, non-stressful session.
- [I need to] See if I can have the confidence to do things relaxedly as I think correct, rather than by old-style Ofsted and book instilled ideas of topic + content + task based LOs.
- Interesting and clear enlightenment on what Ofsted mean by I I I [Intent, Implementation, Impact] I sense Montessori attitudes are being valued. My family and I guide our lives by these, so I am pleased to see this being promoted.
- Really good session.
- Particularly the ‘red carpet’. It was very informative.
- Thinking outside the box! Going back to my roots!
- It focused my strategies and helped me to reshape how I present my delivery. Thought provoking!
- Climbing a ladder.
- Not over-empathising with learners.
- I want to create more Meerkat moments.
- Going through a maze and realising that several paths lead to the same place.
- Through hangover (!) and reluctance, to lightbulb and sparkle!
- [I need to] Consolidate what I (sometimes) do already. Gave a solid framework to refer to.
- Departure gate.
- Cold drink on a hot day.
- Great opportunity for reflection and time to focus on what is most important regarding the planning of lessons.
- Thank you for your inspiration and motivation. I loved it.
- It was like an exhilarating roller coaster, maybe a log flume – I ended up a bit overwhelmed.
- I’ll try not to be overly empathetic; start on time – don’t worry about FOMO; change how I describe outcomes – ensure they are visible. Bloom’s taxonomy – fun.
- A fab, very inspiring course. Thank you.
- Really positive and accessible session – ideal for kicking off the new term.
- Brilliant! Very thought provoking.
- Thanks, brilliant, inspiring. I came with low expectations but I’ve learnt loads. Thought provoking.
Michael John Training (Manchester)
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Total change, from PR to evaluation.
- The light bulb that was switched on has just burned brighter!
- Light at end of the SAR tunnel.
- A change of format and open debate to prompt actions.
- Great, relaxed session. Informative and thought provoking!
- How to eat an elephant… break it down into little bits.
- The main points: ‘however’ and ‘leave the third party behind’.
- [I need to] Focus on the issues at hand. Don’t use self assessment as a PR document.
- Click – lightbulb!
- Changing the approach to self-evaluation to less descriptive, more honesty, identifying ‘why’.
- Outstanding training.
Novus LTE Group
Independent Learning
- Space travelling.
- This session has been an eye-opener, because the ideology is quite simple, which begs the questions why haven’t we been doing this for some time??
- My learners are very dependent on me through my own fault. I will definitely make the changes to start my lesson off wanting to know more and end the lesson wanting to learn without me by their side.
- A well-educated and articulate lecturer.
- ‘Cross the carpet’ – you’ve changed my journey!
- This has been a strataphonic journey to rewriting LOs and seeking curious learning.
- Made me a little more confident in stretching my learning and teaching methods because I feel constrained by the observation process. My superior judges my ability as a teacher against what is on their paperwork.
- I will refine my learning outcomes and change how AI start/finish my lessons so that I encourage curiosity.
- I feel I have learned so much in this session, which I will incorporate in my future lessons.
- Being hit with the ‘reminder’ stick…
- Developing our ‘teacher toolkit’ regionally to incorporate this.
- Liked the interactive approach to the session, I am normally a fidgety student, but you kept my interest and attention. Thank you.
- Thank you so much for reminding me why I became a teacher and NOT to teach a curriculum, but to encourage independent learners to become curious!
- Great session, interesting, thank you Tony.
- Ping moments.
- Will be putting more thought into outcomes to create interest and curiosity.
- Insights into how to improve written learning objectives and to promote independent learning skills.
- Thinking outside the box.
- Worthwhile – thanks Tony!]
- Great session, very engaging, which is the point of the outcomes. Lots of realisation about what we already do.
- Inspired. Teach them to become independent.
- Lots to reflect on now.
- Don’t use a full stop at the end of learning. Try to make sure they think about how they could next develop their skills.
- Inspiring, enlightening, challenged my established beliefs.
- Fantastic NEW ideas to allow for teaching and learning whilst possibly taking a risk.
- I will be able to support colleagues to think differently about developing independence. Really thought provoking.
- Inspirational. I could listen to this subject all day.
- Very interesting morning, taking lots away to help improve my teaching and learning.
- More independent learning.
- I will embed the Meerkat Moment. I would love my learners to be curious at the beginning and the end of the session.
- I really enjoyed this session, it was very informative and I have a list of things I will research tonight. Thank you.
- Delivery of the session was passionate and energetic.
- It pointed at things that I thought I was doing to develop independence but actually don’t and how I can change it to show independence.
- I am always learning! I will focus on adapting LOs to reflect the change I hope to see in learners’ attitude to learning.
- I am going to look at how I start and finish lessons.
- A new idea is a spark that lights an eternal flame.
- Incorporation of attitudinal objectives (covertly). Reviewing strategies to get ‘the difference’.
- Implementing the Expert learning traits – Blueprint.
- Dependence is a constrictive boa around the neck of the learner.
- I will explore taking more risks and encouraging my learners to do so. Also look at changing setting learner goals.
- More open loops at the start of my lesson. Rethink my learning outcomes.
- My new learning shone from behind the grey cloud with promise.
- Session openers – moving away from beginning a lesson with aims and objectives. Exploring ways to hook learners from the start and develop their curiosity.
- A fantastic, engaging and thought-provoking session. Thank you.
- Considering the expert learning traits and starting to consider how strategies can be developed.
- I thought it was brilliant! It was great to hear other people thinking this way about learning. I feel isolated in this method in my department.
- I work in an environment that has crippled tutors desire to take risks with their lessons. I want to help them to develop their skills in improving independence. They are probably scared of change – it will take time.
- I was tired, but this caused me to wake up.
- Mind and eye opening.
- I intend to take a lot if not all of the points covered today and implement them into my own teaching – The mind map: fabulous!
- Like finding a new level of abstraction – for instance, when you can generalise an action in a computer program to make a function. Understanding the structure of learning better.
- More use of attitudinal learning objectives. Reduce my own ‘mouse-grabbing’! Interesting to hear you mention NLP – there are some good ideas there.
- I have some much to think about today that I have no metaphors. Unusual, since I use them all the time in my teaching.
- Writing and discussing attitudes and skills was a valuable exercise and will be something that I will be evaluating. I shall be reviewing plenary attitudes to finishing lessons. Thank you very much for the time taken and the enthusiastic delivery.
- Torn! I will ask them more questions at plenary.
- How to encourage learners’ curiosity in my lessons. I really enjoyed it!
- A journey through experiences.
- Developed my understanding of planning. Very interesting. Delivered at a suitable pace.
- My Lego house has just had an extension to improve the value.
- Think about being more creative in planning learning. Getting to the outcome without ‘normal’ teaching techniques and attitudes.
- It was not the catch, but the chase.
- Instructive, informative.
- I will use new strategies I learned today, in the future education.
- I think I’ve had a light-bulb moment!
- It has made me aware of the negative impact of the teaching strategies we already use in offender learning and made me curious as to how we can change what we do to help learners work towards independent learning.
- I am curious and curiouser… and hope my students become the same – thanks!!
- Trust in myself more, I do a lot of this already. Now I will be more self-aware when doing it.
- I will push them to be more self-aware and critical thinkers.
- Very positive learning experience. Give more time for exploration.
- Positive evaluation for the effects to learning and review of teaching strategies.
- Change my learning outcomes and pass this on to my team.
- Thank you! I found the session very useful in clarifying what I can apply to my own practice to see the behavioural changes in my learners – or try to!
- Made me think about my learners. Are they curious in my lesson and whether they leave my session as a different person?
Boston College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- I feel that the session has provided me with a new perspective on induction. Because of the ‘tick off the checklist’ type induction that is usually run, induction has always felt like something to be endured before the ‘real’ stuff begins. This session has made me realise that an (extended) induction period can be crucial in helping learners.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- I found the whole day quite liberating! This was a challenging day, that enabled me to reflect on my own practice and my organisations approach to self assessment and continuous quality improvement.
- I found the issue and symptom activity particularly useful in helping to drill down to the real problem. I also liked the ‘what does outstanding look like for our college’ discussion, especially for English and math and induction.
- The practical resources were fantastic and certainly something we will be using further. The whole day was practical, well paced and productive. I came away feeling exhausted, but informed and motivated to apply and build on what I had learnt. Thank you!
- I would value support from a more strategic perspective on reviewing our college SAR/QIP process. I am keen to attend the online session in October to learn more!
Fashion Enter
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I was a blank canvas and the enthusiasm shown by the facilitator shone through.
- I will share with the colleagues and think of how we could improve lesson planning and rewording criteria.
JTL Training
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Really good presentation, delivered within context, in a language that was non-academic so as to communicate with differing types of teachers from different backgrounds. Honest, clear and to the point. Any personal opinions were backed up with clear reasoning.
- You’re never too old to learn new tricks. I will be using the 47 cards to plan lessons.
- Rediscovering a favourite record you haven’t listened to in a long time.
- Pulling on my climbing boots. First time heard FA described in terms of next steps.
- Being on the bus on an exciting trip, stopping at interesting sights and being joined by interesting people.
- You can actually teach an old dog new tricks. I have lots of ideas to take to the teaching team.
- A meerkat moment!
- Clarity of thought has progressed from darkness to instances of transparency.
- Rainbow of assessments through sunshine and showers.
- Opened my eyes to different assessment methods and how to develop my writing objectives to enable independence in my learners.
- Ensuring that I build in the concept of assessment to inform and produce the next step.
- I found recognising how learning outcomes that are a ‘to do list’ do not lead to be able to assess, this was particularly helpful and I will change how I reflect on the ‘actual’ learning taking place, rather than the learning activity. I liked the ‘in’ form too, very helpful. I will be cascading the learning through our wider teams. I also found the outcome builder really useful and will be using this, plus the assessment cards.
- Enlightening and informative.
- Introducing a rainbow to the black and white world of assessment.
- Reawakening.
- Brilliant.
- My mind has expanded!
- A cauldron of ideas.
- A new idea is the spark that lights an external flame.
- Brilliant !!!! I am new to JTL, and this session has really opened by eyes to what else is out there to use in assessment.
- Seeing how the Learning Outcomes shape the lesson in terms of experience v concept and how these individual strategies can change how the learners take on the intended learning for each session.
- Be braver and not afraid to try new methods.
- Tony provided so many different assessment strategies that I will be using in the future, and the fact that they are what he has seen being used in his previous roles are what I liked about them and this shows they work.
- It has opened up the subject for me and shown how much variety you can bring in it, this will liven up my lessons going forward.
- This was an online session due to covid 19. Would be improved if it was delivered face to face, but I didn’t think much was lost due to the excellent resources used and Tony’s knowledge of subject.
- Tony was a wonderful tutor who made everything interesting and very understandable.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- A melting pot of creativity.
- It was like having the hard shell of a walnut finally smashed.
- Learning something new is like building a house – lay the foundations, build the walls and structure, then fill it with stuff and ideas!
- Learning is like building a sandcastle.
- I feel this has helped me challenge my perceptions of what induction should look like and will enable me to breathe life into future inductions.
- Ensure more inspirational learner involvement.
I might change EVERYTHING! Actually…I was already going to, but now it has MUCH better focus! - It has revealed that we must redevelop our learners’ induction to better suit the changes we would like to see in them.
- Fantastic session.
Learning Motivation
- We have so many ideas. Concentrating on the worst engaged lesson and turning it into the most engaged lesson is now my mission.
- Very informative and practical session which got me thinking about certain aspects of my practice and learners. I am new to the company so it was good to see all the people I have been emailing. The breakout rooms were good gave me an opportunity to speak to course tutors and identify where I need to improve to support students.
- Stimulating.
- Very engaging and thought provoking journey.
- Powering imagination.
- Fantastic.
- Interested, imaginative.
- Another lightbulb moment.
- Like peering through the curtain to a brave new world.
- Excited.
- It has helped me understand where tutors struggle to work with the less motivated students and the pressures on them and where I can support their learners.
- Look at introducing different ways of motivating apprentices, particularly for the topics they and I find dull. I will look for new/different ways of using technology to help them learn.
- Rethink my approach to lessons that I may have subconsciously written off as “dull” and something to “plough through” .. and try to make them more engaging.
- Think bigger regarding student engagement. Think outside the box.
- Consider how to make sessions more of an ‘experience’ for learners moving forward.
- Always informative to share a meeting with Tony, his though process is different to most in education.
- Think more creatively about how to engage learners and to think about emotional barriers.
- Look to sequence my curriculum differently to make the least motivating months more engaging.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- This session brought the sunshine from behind the clouds on objectives.
- Thought provoking.
- Key to unlock potential in learners through creating challenging teaching.
- Eye opener
- Learning outcomes are a useful tool to help focus on learner development, rather than describing the content of a session.
- Learning is like cracking a code.
- Learning is like housework – it’s never done.
- Writing learning outcomes is a powerful tool that plots the course of one’s lesson.
- Refreshing reboot.
- Fantastic session Tony thank you.
- So valuable, really appreciated.
- Thank you, really enjoyed it.
- Thanks Tony, great event.
- Thanks Tony it was excellent session as usual.
- This will help me improve my objectives.
- To enable myself to write outcomes confidently for my learners not just for base knowledge or repetition. It’s a refreshing change to hear someone talk about the learners rather than the learning.
- It was positive to have discussions with colleagues about how to approach learning and in some of their specific contexts.
- On reflection, mine look a bit sterile and generic, being developed from the awarding body’s original statement.
- It has given me some very useful ways of writing learning outcomes.
- It reminded me to focus more on the attitude rather than just focussing on the learner within the hour or so that takes place, this is the way I prefer to deliver, but sometimes can get caught up in ‘number and results’ focus…
- I will pay attention to changing attitudes as well as skills by considering and including these in my future learning outcomes.
- The session gave me ideas and I need to experiment to see what and how will work.
- It was a positive reminder of my Cert Ed days
- A reminder on how to focus on attitude as an area to develop and grow as that can then widen and improve skills.
- From toddler to teen in terms of developing outcomes.
- It may sound a bit drastic, but it’s positive: I can imagine myself lying in a hospital bed after a car accident, where I was told that I may not be able to walk and have to re-evaluate all that I knew so far about Life – and in this case – teaching.
I know that I am able to do new things/ do things differently and this experience gave me spark to do a follow-up on. - A journey of challenge and reflection.
- Walking on a rainbow bridge.
- Steep learning curve.
- Slight fish out of water, But understood at the end.
- This is a little bit silly, but will use the weather: I started off on a sunny day, went through a patch of rain, through to thunderstorms, with clouds now clearing!
- I am more confident to use appropriate vocabulary when writing learning outcomes. This will make it clearer for the learner to understand what is expected of them for each session.
- Will think about starting from ‘attitude’ with regards LO’s.
- I will include the body outcome/attitude outcome for a fraction session asking the learners to take photos of fractions in real life/internet that they make them curious.
- 1. I might want to develop independent learning skills but I don’t often actively write them in my learning outcomes, even if they are intended in my head when I’m planning. I will include them now.
2. I’m reasonably good at writing learning outcomes, but it really helped to show me how to stream-line them and I liked the colour-coding to ensure the 3 essential things are covered. - I am still fairly new to the teaching profession, but I can understand the importance of developing a more clearly defined learning outcome, which I will endeavour to do.
- By having different colours to identify the skill, outcome and what it brings to the table helped develop writing objectives.
- In general I find it really difficult to write learning outcomes and today has helped with the colour coding and 3 steps. I also want to add in more ‘body & attitude’ learner outcomes rather than ‘brain’ as teaching English and maths has historically been this – with some ‘body’ thrown in. Using the session today will help me improve learners’ learning skills by improvement of my own outcome writing.
Ofsted Ready
- It has caused me to change my whole approach to an OFSTED inspection, thank you Tony.
- Hope is on the horizon.
- Like opening a book.
- Very interesting and informative.
It has given me ideas to use within my own teaching practice. - Again Tony delivers a content heavy course with great skill and ease, ensuring all delegates are involved and creating great discussion topics to challenge myself and colleagues.
- Like a fog clearing.
- Peeling an onion, lots of layers in learning.
- A dry subject whetting my appetite.
- The session has caused me to reflect on, and change the way I would view an inspection.
- Good to look at it feeling a little more empowered
- I think that it’s focused me on how to improve class engagement, make it more enjoyable for the learners and for me in my task to improve learners being able to retain information long term which I am looking forward to accomplishing.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- I think for me it would be the lightbulb moment of understanding that the main focus and goal of my job is making the difference to a learners life and not just their apprenticeship experience.
- Time well spent. Clear, engaging and thought provoking.
- Like we were all round a campfire sharing stories.
- The best way to describe my learning – a few more lights bulbs have been switched on and I have better insight into what I need to do when preparing and carrying out progress reviews.
- It gave a lot of food for thought and discussion points for our team.
- It taught me about how to be more present in the moment, worrying less about statistics and more about knowing you are making an impact on the learner and as long as progress is made and they gain fulfilment, that is enough!
- I will look at how I can use open ended questions more and start to lead the learner into managing their own reviews a little more.
- When carrying out reviews, I need to focus on the difference rather than the stuff and encourage my learners to take more control of their reviews.
- Pace was excellent.
- Thank you Tony for your time and making us feel welcome and valued.
- It was really engaging, the right mix of theory, discussion and group tasks (including the Jamboard) kept my interest for the entire session. Thank you!
- Very engaging. The session gave me ideas on how to get the learner to engage during the review session.
- I would get the learner to tell me what they think they want to achieve.
- Felt this session was quite in depth and with lots of good points to focus on to improve my own practice especially around opening questions to learners.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Like opening an old book and realising you never really understood what it meant.
- A bullseye shot into target setting.
- Music to my ears.
- Reminder of the importance of involving the learner with targets.
- I will build more behaviours and emptions into targets e.g. demonstrate confidence in carrying out X independently.
- Today’s session was inspirational, using ‘real’ examples, good practice and a detailed knowledge of the education landscape.
- For the first time in a long time, I am about plan and deliver a number of sessions to the same learners. I found this session really useful and I am going to try and apply the principles to these classes. As you were talking, I was already taking notes on what I plan to do.
- This is a side benefit. I am planning some blended delivery and it’s always excellent watching you present and how you present and how you involve people. I have to use Teams/GoogleMeet so don’t have access to all the techniques you use, but I’m trying to think in a creative way to keep people (qualified electricians doing CPD courses) engaged without assuming they have good IT skills.
- Great session with plenty of great collaboration
Lincoln College International
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I now think that it is better to think of it as informative and to inform what happens next…and to ask…how do I want my learners to be different.
- Plenty to think about, as a manager never mind a teacher. What have we as observers been doing all these years???? How many of us have T, L and A strategies? Terminal – dead… We need to be alive and kicking!!
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Exhilarating…
- Tap into my imagination more and always plan with the end in mind. Simplifying assignments so that I am still able to meet the deadline but my students are also just as engaged as I would like them to be without burning out.
- The teacher has become the student.
- To reflect on my own teaching to pin down the reasons for any “issues” in the class.
- It was like finding the soul for every future class. Plan a week that students will look up to and inform them about at the beginning of the semester. Give students more control of their learning journey.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- It’s been a transformative learning journey, realizing that by crafting the right learning outcomes you can create the expert learners you wish to have in your classroom.
- A road map for effective teaching.
- Focus shift challenge.
- I’ll write my objectives and learning outcomes in a better way. Every 2 sessions, I’ll focus on one trait for expert learner in my learning outcomes. I’ll add body, and attitude learning outcomes to my lesson. Also in some of my lesson plans, I’ll add objectives that will be shown later to develop curiosity.
- Plan lessons around creating independent learners rather than just focusing on the ability to complete tasks successfully.
- Challenge myself to shift learning focus despite entrenched attitudes to learning. Use collaborative resources.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- As always a session to make me reflect and consider how I can develop myself and my skill set and therefore any team I work alongside.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Good to be reminded that we should differentiate the support and teaching strategies and not the expectations.
- What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as who you become when you achieve them – love this. Qualitative over quantitative.
- Inspired, the session was eyes opening and made me look at Target setting from different prospective.
- I really enjoyed the session. It offered me a way of thinking about expert independent skills and I will try my best to incorporate it from my end as student support.
- This session helped me looking into target setting differently. I am excited to go back to work while using this method.
- The way I will write my goals and development plans will be focused on the aspiration and motivation aspect that will better support students to progress, achieve and be more ambitious.
- A map for the learning journey. It helps to light a candle for the less experience students who get neglected unintentionally by less expectations. Engage students in setting the targets process and plan. Teach 1 skill for independent learning weekly. Teach them: C3 B4 UCme.’
The RED System
- Unlocking more educational practice doors.
- I will start looking at implementing changes to the current approach to observation processes to this impact-oriented system.
- The session was spot on in terms of its purpose, administration, and task integration.
- Fantastic session! Definitely looking forward to attending future sessions and growing within educational quality management.
- Take a risk and do something new. Empowering.
- What do teachers think of their own work and the impact on their students? It is definitely going to be a steep learning curve to change focusing on stuff to focusing on the difference the teaching is making.
- Insightful and positive! Although my institute wouldn’t be able to officially change the observation procedure to RED, I would like to implement phase 2 specifically as a tool with my team.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Lots of food for thought as usual!!
- The session supports my thoughts around the importance of ‘social presence’ (and backs up the research out there) and ‘investment and payoff’. There are so many tools to use but they should only be used if they enhance the learning (pedagogy pedigree – fabulous term and now in my repertoire!!) not technology for technology sake.
- Learning is like housework, it’s never done! There will always be something else to learn.
- I was given many options to choose from. I would definitely plan my online lessons to be more interactive. By using some of the tools provided in today’s session.
- I enjoyed it thoroughly, as I am always looking at ways to upskill myself. In today’s session, I was shown so many options I can use in my lessons and I’m excited to try them all.
- They say learning is a gift and today I felt like a kid on Christmas morning or Eid! Thank you for all the precious knowledge I have gained.
- Every week I’m planning to test 2 tools from the session to not overwhelm students. I used to stick with (Quizlet, quizzes, pear doc and write and improve). But after the session I can navigate through more platforms successfully. Also I working on a CPD for GC and I’ll talk about wiki’s and mention that I have learned about it from your session.
Transformational Lesson Observation and the Quality Standard for TLA
- Mind brightening.
- It took me to the sun of teaching .. really amazing.
- I feel amazing and more confident after the course.
- “Learning is like building a house”. We need to start from the basement meaning the simple and basic stuff; small steps, big achievements.
- A great experience, I would like to thank all concerned.
- “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it isn’t open” I’m gliding:-).
- Teaching is what makes me get up every morning! Your training highlighted many aspects that me as a first time teacher would not thought of them. It was a great experience and you had such a unique way of presenting the ideas.
- The learning journey for today was wonderful. I gain a lot of experience and creative ideas that will develop my delivery to my role.
- “A lightbulb moment”
- Knowledge is knowing what to say, Wisdom is knowing how to say it. Today’s session raised my awareness to improve ways in which I can scaffold student’s responses in English. Often they know the answers in their mother tongue but lack the vocabulary in English Language.
- Three days before I was thinking of one thing which is ; “How to make the learners’ fully engaged while time is barely enough to deliver the material?” I can’t thank you enough Tony when you ring the bell and said Teaching is about the impact on the learning and the difference that happened on the learners.
- To change from being a ‘sage on stage to rather becoming a guide on the side’
- Encouraged…inspired. One day = two weeks of learning and knowledge!
- Motivated to see the learning impact I can leave on my students.
- The session was very helpful and we learned a lot from Mr. Tony. All the information and resources were very beneficial.
- From yesterday´s lesson I learnt quite a few things and the first one that sound pretty obvious but should be like the on the top of others and is to convert dependant students into independent students; with “stuff” we create a “difference” applied to how students enter in the classroom and how they leave it after.
- I’ll write my strength and weaknesses or what didn’t work well after each session to develop my teaching style. Keeping the focus on the difference that I want to see in my students.
- I will change the kind of activities inside the class and the way the students interact inside the class.
- Using specific terms when addressing my students. Making the introductions of every lesson interesting. Making students curious, where they want to know what the rest the lesson will be about. Using more than one method, technique, strategy in the same lesson making sure that all students learnt something.
- When teaching new concepts, pre-teach the key vocabulary in order to enhance students understanding and make connection with new material been taught.
- Observation is not a criticizing but a way of improvement. Since everyone is a good observer to himself, we should keep a journal for our reflection to lessons.
- As a manager doing formal observations I have learnt to not convey my own feelings and how I feel about lessons. I will remember your words “The person who talks the most feels the best”.
- Focusing on the outcome more than the strategies.
- Be mindful to think of lessons as transformative.
- Keep researching and share good practice with everyone else.
- It was so much useful and gave us opportunity to discuss may important concepts related to teaching and learning experience.
- Fabulous treasure
- Inspired as usual.
- Learning is like building a house. If you have the right foundation your house will stay strong against any forces.
- It was a great opportunity for me as I’m in my first steps in becoming professional teacher . It helped me to think more about the impact of my strategies of teaching and how it affects the students in different ways. I think also our supervisors will use different and better tools to evaluate us which will help us to improve. Thanks a lot for the efforts you’ve put to prepare this workshop to enlighten all teachers.
- A new perspective of practical and interactive teaching methods to be applied in my classes
- Include a section on my lesson plan that states Lesson Reflection (Overall evaluation of positive, negative or missing impact).
- Create our own Quality Standard to hang all our practice on.
- Change the pattern of the sessions and add more activates. Increase the students’ talking time and have extra self learning time.
- It was a great workshop.
- Helping a stuck learner in a better way. Use Jamboard and I used wiki after the session and it helped to engage students more and made their answering process more beneficial and competitive.
North Kent College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- It’s like putting on a pair of magic spectacles; the overlap between teaching, assessment and learning is brought into sharp focus in this session.
- I feel more confident that informative assessment is built into teaching and isn’t an add on.
- I really liked the way things became clear gradually and the how the strategies became increasingly familiar as the session unfolded.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- Shifting sand bank away from feedback to a more open, evaluative conversation which makes way for greater learning and motivation for the teacher to develop themselves.
- Enjoyable session, enthusiastically delivered and interesting content to digest.
Blackburne House
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Start at the door – walk the carpet – come out a different person.
- Thank you – strategies I can use and pass on to other tutors.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- “Walking the learning carpet!”
- Thinking of experiences for students to improve their motivation at low points.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Reaching for the stars regarding our learner provision/experiences.
- I feel that the session today will help me to develop improved quality systems as well as the self assessment process.
- I will look to change the format of the SAR and the process that we go through to arrive at the judgements.
- Brilliant day, very informative and engaging.
- Knowledge and understanding of new strategies I could implement in my teaching sessions.
Warrington & Vale Royal College
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Re look at effective lesson objectives – think aspirational and at wider Expert Learning Skills.
- Start to use Expert Learning Skills rather than ‘Soft skills’.
- What are the expert learning outcomes – encouragement of aspirations – stop making it a limit.
- Support staff in developing, re-designing learning outcomes. Revisit lesson planning.
- Reflect on how I set and expose learning outcomes.
- Consider the emotional learner journey revisiting the learner outcomes as a college. Learning objectives for attitudes.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- One size doesn’t fit all Stop reinventing the wheel.
- There is light at the end of the tunnel – clearer focus on the learner journey.
- An explorer navigating unknown lands, but familiar territory.
- Thought provoking.
- Really rewarding to see what we do is on the right tracks.
- A very useful session to think about target setting as a reflective learner.
- Approach target setting and how they can be built to be more motivating.
- Use some of the target setting ideas and more student lead.
- Re-design a set of student rubrics for elements for the curriculum to drive excellence.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- The depth of the rabbit hole will be as deep as the discussion it took to get there!
- I will definitely be asking Curriculum Managers: “So why is that then?”
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Eye-opening from start to finish.
- [I need to improve] The way in which I currently give feedback to staff after an observation to attempt to encourage them to self reflect and improve.
- Come back!
- Observations are ‘listening with your eyes’.
- Very thought provoking.
- The session was as clear as the sky is blue! Lightbulb moments!
- As an experienced observer, I can observe and evaluate the impact of teaching on learning. HOWEVER, I need to further develop my coaching strategies to enable post-evaluative conversations so that tutors/teachers can self-reflect.
- Brilliant session.
- A common goal is the key to success.
- The explanation of self evaluation was an untapped fountain.
- Sometimes one takes a step back to make it easier to move forward. The evaluation of observations has become much clearer, what to look for and how to deliver evaluation to staff.
- The session was fantastic and an insight into how a transition in observation and conversation can impact the teaching and learning within FE and can ultimately create success.
- Confirmed the areas of the system currently used that reinforce the desired outcome.
- Empowered me to ‘add’ to the current system to enhance further – further drive a culture of development.
- Focus upon – terminology (obs/teacher) and layers of RED process – integrated into WVR system.
- [I need to] Develop a TLA rubric.
- If you do what you always do – you get what you always get!
- The session was extremely thought provoking and has provided/enabled an insight into how in some ways we can get ‘stuck in a rut’. It’s definitely provided a new direction for positive change.
- Really enjoyable and inspirational.
- Evaluate and change to benefit the learner’s journey.
- Consider how to observe and evaluate in order to encourage excellence in teaching.
- It has helped me to reflect on how to engage in post-observation discussion – helping staff to reach a stage of self realisation.
- Work hard in silence: let ‘impact’ make the noise.
- Thank you very much. Enjoyed muchly.
- As a new observer, it gave me insight into the process as being dialogue not just feedback. 2-way process.
- Insightful.
- This was a useful session as it has raised my awareness of observation process and expectations.
- Using the words that are relevant in precise ways.
- Transition for success.
- [I need to] Continue with question-led feedback; bite my tongue more during feedback; write more during observation, using 2 sides of paper; be less prescriptive in approach and feedback.
- A one-eyed monkey finally finding the next branch to swing from.
- Example questions will help me go guide conversations. Adjust language to use in evaluative conversations.
- Pass the ownership of teaching over to the teachers with guidance from their peers.
- Really thought provoking – getting teachers to evaluate their teaching.
- I’ve been using coaching questions for 6 months (The Coaching Habit) and the approach to be used will be an extension of this.
Skills and Education Group delegates
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Confirmation that there should be ambition in the planning of induction during unique circumstances.
- Making induction campus based, rather than curriculum based. Making sure it’s not just a checklist and sets of rules. Laying the foundation of the student experience from day 1.
- The idea of wanting to bring about change in an individual rather than merely ticking off a checklist of activities. Interesting to consider how we see ‘outstanding’ and how this can adjust how well we evaluate what we do…
- I feel that the session has provided me with a new perspective on induction. Because of the ‘tick off the checklist’ type induction that is usually run, induction always has always felt like something to be endured before the ‘real’ stuff begins. This session has made me realise that an (extended) induction period can be crucial in helping learners.
- That we need to work as a team to agree on quality standards and steer clear of an ‘induction checklist’ I really like the idea of an extended induction in terms of planning for an event in week 8. I have wanted to put on a play exhibition for some time, I teach vocational Level 1 Early Years and FS English, but there are always barriers. I intend to remove these and just go for it. If I want students to have high aspirations I need mine to be higher too. No matter how enthused I am – September rolls around and I feel helpless in terms of timetabling, timetabling changes, group sizes, late enrollers, that I’m shattered by half term.
- Having a Quality standard which isn’t about things learners have completed as part of their induction, but linking the impact of the induction to the behaviours students will be able to demonstrate. I learnt what it is like to be a learner in a virtual lesson. Really enjoyed the interactivity and breakout rooms. Gave me hope for delivering lessons online in the future! 2
- The spider diagram really helped me understand what is lacking in our induction. I am going to get staff together to identify what the outcomes of the induction should be for each criteria.
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- ‘Worth its weight in gold’!
- Lots to change…. the wording of ‘responsibility’ to ‘champion’; linking symptoms to root-cause issues; putting everyone in the college central, either directly or indirectly, to the learner’s success.
- Looking at the insight to development plans. This will help us to train staff in the understanding of how best to writer their development plan in the future.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I loved the fact that, as a senior manager, instead of being given some high level strategies, I actually got down and into the task that I need to complete in my role.
- Some really good suggestions and food for thought around content, what not to include and steering clear of non-judgemental statements.
- New perspective on self assessment.
- How to write a SAR that has real purpose and meaning and ignore the Ofsted guff whilst writing it , also using the ‘So What’s? and keep the document open all year round.
- The fundamental importance of learners’ 7 steps, especially the induction phase.
- My goodness so much. I will now spend time evaluating last years SAR to decide how to use this experience to produce this year’s SAR so it is useful and meaningful.
- This session was outstanding, and just makes me realise how much more I have to learn and to improve in our current SAR.
- Significant amount to consider with the team – review of training to be undertaken with Curriculum Managers where grades are potentially written well but no ‘however’ to ensure development.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Going on a walk and reaching a fabulous view point.
- I was blind, but now I see.
- Will try again to ensure there is an ongoing process. Like the idea of Champions, rather than responsible. Will use the idea of the learner journey as the basis of the self assessment process rather than the EIF.
- As someone who is new to this process, it will help form my approach to SAR. On a side note not, I also learnt other elements of the education process.
- Was really happy with the quality of the training today, especially at such a low cost. As a small ACL cost often prevents us accessing these events and the value for money we have had today has been excellent!
Buxton & Leek College
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Changed the way that I think!
- You get that penny drop moment when you think of how effective SAR writing can have a positive impact on the quality and improvement of delivery.
- I wish I’d have known this sooner.
- Really informative session, the session leaves you with a lot to think about which requires time to digest.
- It will make me stop more and consider the symptom/issue situation.
- I will introduce more time for professional discussion and focus the team’s efforts on root cause analysis. Make sure the development plan is a priority. More focus on the digital impact of the last 18 months and IAG and induction.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step!
- Renewed thinking.
- I am new to SAR so have found this session extremely helpful.
- It has enabled me to look at how I can improve and perfect writing a good quality SAR. Tony was a great presenter.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Going on a walk and reaching a fabulous view point.
- Will try again to ensure there is an ongoing process. Like the idea of ‘Champions’, rather than ‘responsible’. Will use the idea of the learner journey as the basis of the self-assessment process rather than the EIF.
Coleg Cambria
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- A whirlwind of excitement of new ideas.
- Many thanks for another fabulous training session. Always so much to think about and an enjoyable experience. Well done on the technology for your card games and the Breakouts!
- Another inspirational session with lots of ideas to develop my formative assessment. A good range of techniques provided and it was useful to see how some would be more relevant in a given situation. Also useful to meet up with colleagues from different subject areas, to see how this impacts on the types of assessment that could be used.
- I really enjoyed today, and I enjoyed doing it online meeting others from around the college. Tony was very welcoming and made you feel at ease discussing your thoughts.
- The session did help to improve these aspects of my assessment strategies. I would like to ensure that students take ownership of their understanding.
- I feel I know what directions I should be moving in to improve.
- Those three hours did seem to fly by and group work remotely is possible!
- So many takeaways and so generous in terms of ideas and techniques. The variety of techniques and to think more widely about what “assessment” entails.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- It was the match to an extinguished fire.
- Another excellent and thought provoking session. A chance to look at things from a new perspective and maybe revise old tired schemes of work.
- I found today really useful. Some training that we have on offer isn’t useful and I am glad I chose this. It will definitely support my planning for next year. It really has made me think about my own delivery and how ‘switched off’ my learners become. Thank you.
- I was inspired to find an unmissable experience to latch my theory sessions onto. I’m sure there are options, but as always it comes down to time and whether it can be made to work.
- Positively motivated and reassured that I am doing the right things.
- Lightbulb moment!
- Mind opening.
- I would like to try to link some topics into an overarching theme with an exciting finale that would provide the students with the desire to work hard on new and potentially difficult topics.
- Try to get my team on board!!
- As I deliver different subjects I will use it for different things:
1 – To completely change up delivery of theory lessons
2 -Plan visits to businesses
3 – Focus on how I view the learning experience for the learner - When I eventually begin my PGCSE, I will incorporate immersive “zone” based learning when teaching. I would love for my learners to be able to look back at sessions and see them as memorable and exciting. I want to be able to make them feel keen to learn!
- Be more diligent in getting learners to take control of their learning.
- Think about skills and experiences over information content.
- Add more “Experience” into my curriculum planning.
- Try harder to dedicate time to session planning.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- The clouds dispersing and the sun appearing.
- When I read the preparation material I thought – oh heck, not another session on learning outcomes, but the session was much more than this.
- The training has shone a light on the the elements of my practise I need to revisit.
- A cauldron bubbling with ideas and possibilities.
- It’s not about the stuff you teach, it’s the difference it makes!
- Yes, incorporating attitudinal change into learning outcomes moving away from something that just covers the content.
- Rather than getting bogged down with content the session was a great reminder of what pedagogy should be – focus on the learners.
- Oh yes , definitely. I now have work to do on looking again at my learning outcomes and hopefully I can share this approach with colleagues.
- I have a group titled ‘resilience’ next year, so I will definitely be focusing LO’s more often on attitudes and body, rather than mainly brain for maths and English. It also made me think about group dynamics, as some of my groups this year did not have cliques/loners and some were affected at times.
- Will defiantly re-look how I write learning outcomes, will use the colour coded approach. I will try and introduce attitude challenges. A good point that I will take on board is making the sessions more fun and relevant to the job that they do (hairdressing).
- It has inspired me to rethink my LOs. I intend to use more LOs that encourage independent learning.
- Switching a bright light on.
- I am going to start to reflect, evaluate and reconstruct my learning outcomes.
- Using brain, body, attitude model.
- Revisiting Bloom’s mountain, noticing new things on the trek.
- Interesting, got me out of a rut.
- Sounds silly but I will now be writing what we are actually doing not something that sounds official or ‘what I think I should write’.
- Helps me focus on what is really important. This will ultimately help the learner’s journey.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- It has been interesting and insightful, looking at lesson planning from a different perspective.
- To consider the emotional response (outcomes) I want from learners, rather than simply focusing on the topic learning outcomes.
- Timings were effective to allow discussion. Great circulation around the breakout groups to ensure we were on track and completing tasks correctly. I am frustrated that I have not attended the previous two sessions, so will have to look out for these next time around.
- Excellent delivery. It would be useful to have a session delivered by Tony on remote learning and the use of technology.
Supercharged evaluation skills
- Literacy can be fun. I have loads to think of.
- Epiphanous.
- Can’t wait to try and implement what I have learned.
- I have been reborn!
- I will be rearranging class seating as this definitely constrains student development. Literacy games to develop with relation to subject matter.
- A very enjoyable session which thoroughly engaged a diverse group of professionals to produce a positive experience. Thank you!
- Thank you for delivering a session with empathy and understanding towards the learner.
- Like watering a flower to make the bloom brighter.
- A shower of enjoyable learning.
- I’ll be using the colour system to encourage my learners to express their opinions. It was great.
- Waterfall of knowledge.
- I will use the colour system of ‘object’, ‘judgement’, ‘reason’ and ‘impact’ when doing reflection tasks with learners.
- It was like waking up in the morning, new day, new focus, fresh.
- It reminded me about my own learning and how you easily forget to put yourself in their shoes.
- Useful for helping my L3 learners with exam technique – answering questions (particularly explain/evaluate, etc) in the correct way and in enough detail. Scaffolding also useful for all levels.
- [I need] More scaffolding of technical vocab. Greater empathy with their lack of confidence.. Using colour coding to help learning of vocabulary and report structures.
- Fantastic.
- Interesting and thought provoking!
- [I need to] Show students how to evaluated own and others’ work. Thank you, an enjoyable session.
- Using a structure to develop academic writing skills in students. They struggle to critically evaluate, so this will really help. Really enjoyed the session – lots of thoughts to take away.
- [I need to] Give feedback in full colour.
- It let me see what students feel like in lessons when using scaffolding to develop their understanding of classroom tasks.
- Very powerful session in which I was able to evaluate my own practice and consider how I could embed the new learning from the session.
- Being able to direct them [learners] when completing evaluative assignments.
- Good at building on ideas for scaffolding and how to implement.
- A very motivational session. Great ideas and innovative resources. Thank you! J
- Like a breath of fresh air.
- Challenging and enjoyable training session. Will use to develop initial evaluation and induction of students.
- Thought provoking!
- It has made me think about how I will look less at the ‘stuff’ and more at the development of the learner.
- Enlightening. [I need to] Rethink ways of engaging learners and how they think.
- Some great activities to use/adapt to develop skills – love 8-week induction. Great session, thanks.
- Being more creative in my approach.
- Upward and interesting.
- Thought provoking and able to link very clearly to my own area of practice.
- Excellent session with some food for thought.
- Motivational. Excellent session giving great ideas on how to engage learners.
- Students often find it hard to fully evaluate in writing – this will be used in a study skills session to then be used in teaching sessions too.
- Has given me ideas to ‘add’ a colour to the list – to add ‘criticality’ for my HE students.
- The fog has partially cleared, now I just need a sunny spell to drive away the rest.
- This will clearly set a method for them to evaluate their practice.
- Muddy waters have cleared.
- It gave me ideas of how to stretch learners, develop their vocabulary, making them more confident in their use of language. Made me want to create more innovative learning opportunities – with the use of the full-colour language.
- Will use all resources on line.
- I teach ACL literacy/numeracy and the scaffolding techniques will be useful for me.
- Like dusting off the cogs before oiling them for September.
- [I need to] Give structure/scaffolding in the form of word banks.
- Like a positive experience down memory lane.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Thought provoking ideas on how the learner is taking charge of their learning.
- Blinkers – removed.
- Tunnel – Light!
- Thought provoking. More inspiration into the lesson. Enjoyed the session.
- Re-ignition.
- [I need] More emphasis on aspirations.
- Innovation, and looking from the students’ view/experience.
- Outstanding.
- Curiosity to learn new ideas.
- The concept of learner-centred evaluation is interesting and worth further investigation…
- Lots of food for thought.
- Lightbulb/blue-sky thinking.
- Identify ways to assess feedback from the learner not assessor.
- You cannot judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree. Ask learners to reflect more.
- Enjoyable.
- Every journey starts with the first step!
- Assessing learner ability and adjusting learning plan to suit individual needs. Valuable event.
- It has helped with reflecting with the learners.
- [I need to] Look at how to aspire more and how to use student feedback more. Very informative
- enjoyable session.
- We enjoyed the session. It’s been wonderful tonight…
Sefton Community Learning Service
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Thank you Tony, another inspiring session.
- Excellent session. It exceeded my expectations. Fantastic collaborative activities, very well presented and managed, inspiring. It was so engaging that time flew by and I have learnt so much in one training session, I can now cascade to colleagues.
- I went in for a pint of milk and left with a trolley full of things I didn’t know I needed but that will be essential – Not a metaphor, but this is how I felt after this session!
- Although I feel I have a good understanding of formative assessment, there were so many other ideas I took away from this training which I can share with our team of tutors. I will encourage tutors to study each of the assessment strategy cards and use whichever is most appropriate depending on what learning traits we are looking to develop.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Climbing a tree – started off struggling to reach the branches of technology, but soon found myself able to move around from branch to branch.
- Encouraging learners to take charge of their own learning, using evaluative language and at the end of sessions as well as recapping give learners the opportunity to critically reflect on the session outcomes, to name but a few
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I no longer teach as I have moved into management many years ago. I want to teach again after today’s session.
- Encouragement to be more innovative when target setting.
- Using Aspirational, Techniques and Progression as a template for target setting.
- ‘Ping’ moment!
- Very interesting. Great ideas. Easy to understand what changes I can bring to target setting.
- Helped me understand and review my own planning and target setting.
- [I need to] Review lesson plans to identify improvements. Loved the Art of Target Setting activity.
- Really enjoyed training and will help my own planning.
- I will look at different strategies in teaching and learning in which way to set targets.
- Don’t judge a book by its cover!! Ofsted & SMART doesn’t make you inspired. The actual session did.
- I will ask the learners to discuss (maybe in their own language, even in their own time) what they want from the course (ESOL) and that will inform my target-setting with individuals.
- Refreshing look at target setting.
- Enlightening.
- Worth every minute. Inspirational.
- [I need to] Create some ‘getting to know you’ activities in order to understand learners better and where they’re coming from – with the intention of inspiring them with more personal targets.
- Inspirational.
- After many session given by SCLs on target setting, it was useful to have a fresh approach on this subject area.
- The matching game makes you really think, which is good.
- Absolutely great lesson, provided clarity and very concise ides.
- He is a brainbox.
- A laboratory.
- Consider more ambitious targets – link them to personal goals. Really enjoyed the session. Very interesting – a lot to think about.
- Inspirational.
- Excellent session. Inspirational speaker.
- Wiping the mist and fog away from inspection and the muddy waters of target setting.
- [I need to] Take more time – consider – keep aspiration at the forefront. It was inspirational. Great examples and tasks used.
- Refreshing and inspiring.
- Factor in more ‘curiosity’ – create more of this. Aspiration – how to bring this out in each learner.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Every session I have attended with Tony has been excellent, inspiring and really makes me reflect on our current practice, providing plenty of ways on how we can improve. Excellent, thank you.
- It was like cracking a code, now everything makes sense.
- It was very inspiring. I will revisit our SAR and check that all our judgements have a “however” statement that focusses on what is stopping it from being outstanding. Also will have a closer look at our surveys to ensure they are not just aiming at getting a “pat in the back”, but that really informs us on what is working and what we need to get better at.
- I think all the notes I made during the session and the resources provided by Tony is all what I need to help me review and improve our SAR.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- It’s like someone has opened the curtains in a dark room and I can see the light.
- Feel 100% more confident in using technology that is new to me.
- Tony you’re inspiring – this session has impacted on me greatly and I can’t wait to start implementing what I have learnt today when I cascade this to tutors (after further practise). Well and truly taken out of my comfort zone – thank you.
The Learning Foundry
A Unified Theory of Learning
- As deep as the ocean. I can see so much to look into and learn over time.
- Learning theories are a melting pot.
- Exciting.
- Insightful
- I learnt a lot from the session today, I found it very interesting and I understood it as I could link to my learners and real life experiences.
- The breakdown of learning theories was very useful giving a detailed overview of each and providing strategies and identifying the emotional learning elements.
- It has opened my eyes to the amount of different theories there are to look into and explore in more detail which I am excited about. From the session today, I have written down around 12 [teaching strategies to explore] and I am prepared to look at each one and see how these can be adapted for each individual learner.
- Enjoyed the focus of how emotions impact on learning and planning to provide differentiated learning experiences, as opposed to a step-by-step / one size fits all process.
- I will change my approach when planning a lesson to see what emotional response I might get from the learner prior to delivering. Depending on whether it is positive or negative would say whether I want to build on the emotion or reduce it to improve the learners’ understanding.
- It helped me revisit what I had learned many years ago. It also opened my eyes on how I could apply them in my delivery so the learners take ownership rather than relying on me to direct them.
- I will think more about the emotional elements of my learners prior to our sessions so I can ensure I am finding ways to keep them engaged.
- I would like to thank you for your time and the quality of the resources used and the amount of knowledge gained from today.
- I found the interactive graphics on screen and being able to see you as well a very good teaching aid. I will be looking in to how I can use this in the future with my own delivery. A course on how to use this technology would be great!
- Tony is an excellent teacher, I find him very engaging and motivating.
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I will be concentrating on learners enjoying the journey rather than just completing the journey (end results).
- Feel open to new assessment strategies.
- I did not know there were 50 assessment strategies – I now have a lot more to think about! Very interactive.
- Great session, thank you. Excellent resources.
- Very informative, made me think.
- [I need to] Apply different methods to sessions, allow learners to take ownership and be independent, and make sessions more engaging.
- [I need to] Introduce new techniques to support developing learners independence and assessing their next steps.
- This session has widened my knowledge of different assessment strategies. This has now given me a toolbox to use in future sessions with learners.
- I really enjoyed the session and particularly the interactive games.
- Extensive range of assessment methods.
- Full review of all sessions and look at how to adapt and change assessment methods.
- I hope that from today I will have the tools I need.
- Informative. Helped me understand formative assessment. I will now put this into practice with learners. Really good session.
- Intriguing.
- Use more formative assessments that are more fun and encourage learners to assess themselves and each other rather than all by assessor.
- Really enjoyed this afternoon and the various strategies. Will be developing a dental traineeship for September and this will definitely be used!
- There are many, many ways to skin a cat.
- Lots of great ideas and tasks to set learners.
- Tony, you’re an inspiration. Don’t change, unless you feel it would make you better, in which case do as you want, I’m not the boss of you.
- Energising.
- I will plan and use different assessment strategies in classes to improve learner experiences and development.
- A reawakening.
- I have a tool kit of formative assessment methods now that I can dip in and out of depending on what I will be teaching.
- An excellent session. I will refer to the “”47″” strategies of assessment, continue to add particular favourites to the Assessment Strategy Log and make notes as to the most appropriate practice depending on the group and level of the learners.
- I really like the imaginative style of learning through gamification – a very contemporary approach.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Inspired.
- It will help me deliver initial assessment differently. Furthermore, it has enabled me to be more aware of the barriers that hinder independent learning. I feel more confident in building appropriate learning outcomes. Thanks so much for all your help Tony!
- Tony has opened my eyes to changing attitudes, starting with my own.
- [I need to] Focus on attitudes not just skills.
- An interesting day, delivered in a fun and exciting way.
- [I need to] Develop skills and attitude of learners from the start.
- The session was fantastic. Tony gets everyone engaged and involved so this is more interesting. This session has made me realise we need to focus more on ILP. Loved training. Very useful!!
- The way in which we question learners and make them curious to learn independently.
- Enlightening.
- Insightful.
- By attending this session has shown me that we need to concentrate on the learner needs as individuals when doing initial assessments, induction programmes and writing class sessions. Day was excellent.
- Tony was an excellent tutor to put over how to prepare for writing learning plans.
- Felt session was very beneficial. Helped develop understanding for initial assessment process and ILP and how to implement change. How to implements Bloom’s taxonomy process.
- Inspirational. Colour-coded objectives. Attitude – learning outcomes. Amazing.
Learning Motivation
- Mind opening.
- I struggle to think outside the box and be creative [but] this morning session has encouraged me to have more creative freedom. I really enjoyed this session.
- It was inspiring.
- Introduce more hands-on experiences to engage and motivate learners.
- [I need to] Think about planning the sessions to make them more engaging for learners. Think about where to add in parts that will make learners want to learn/fun.
- Think outside the box when trying to engage learners – plan ahead for key points of lack of knowledge and put exciting plans in place.
- [I need to] Be more strategic in my planning of the high points in the learning programme.
- Idea-growing.
- Fantastic session 🙂
- This really helped me as I feel like I know about symptoms and issues and how to unpick them.
- To motivate others, first learn to motivate ourselves… by giving small exciting goals for the future. Great day again.
Tricked out tutorials
- Like the barn door being opened and being let out into the sunny meadow.
- [I need to] Focus more on removing obstacles.
- Prevention is better than cure. It was an eye opener!!
- [I need o] Ask more open-ended questions of learners to get to the nitty gritty of any issues.
- [I need to] Review my leaning outcomes, preparation for progress reviews, and questioning techniques.
- I felt this session really helped my knowledge, and I feel a lot more confident in delivering a review with a learner. I also learnt a different strategy in how to approach learners to speak more than myself.
- Could listen all day, very interesting and learnt a lot.
- Inspirational, very thought provoking.
- [I need to] Listen, ask more questions of learners. Don’t judge what they say on face value, always take time to find out the full impact of problems.
- Very enjoyable – feel positive for how to conduct review – using questions/wording.
- How to set a scene, ask questions without being too intrusive. Getting info without putting words in [learners’] mouths.
- I feel really inspired after today’s session.
- I will take the info learnt today and implement this into future sessions/progress reviews. Thank you for a great session.
- Lightbulb moment.
- Lovely delivery and session work.
- Inspiring to inspire my learners.
- [I need to] Use more technique around gaining information from a learner by asking them to tell me rather than me answering for them.
- Good visuals. Enjoyed the video and working with colleagues, and sharing ideas.
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- My lesson plans are dinosaurs.
- Amazing and eye opening.
- [I need to] Revisit, review, refine and re-energise.
- Will use the assessment strategies to make the more difficult aspects/subjects more enjoyable and fun.
- I loved the session. It has made me think more about the learners.
- [I need to] Be aware of how people should always be travelling ‘across the carpet’.
- I am much more aware of the huge variety of formative assessment strategies.
- Like a dream!!
- Rocket trajectory!
- Introduce more group assessment and get learners to take more control over their learning.
- Well prepared, very informative and useful. Thank you very much for your friendly delivery.
- Really appropriately pitched with excellent resources.
- Aiming higher.
- Start planning with outcome which if well written will lead to a good range of assessment and learning activities.
- I have crossed the carpet.
- Alter my ‘stuff’ to support the learning outcomes more efficiently.
- Great delivery and content. Extremely useful, thank you.
- A mindful walk across the carpet J
- I will be rewriting learning outcomes and using a variety of assessment strategies for formative assessment.
- Car needs to become a newer model.
- Interested to see strategies/teaching overlap.
- Like taking a chauffeured car, rather than a bus. (i.e. a lot more pleasant than expected for a long day!)
- Aim to use expert learning traits in lesson planning and highlight at start of session.
- Inspiring.
- I’ll take nothing I’ve done in the past as useful, but how I could improve everything.
- An excellent day that really highlighted what I should be doing.
- 5*
Clarifying Governance
- Today was like an epiphany.
- Very thought provoking. Excellent – insightful.
- I have a greater understanding of the impact of my role as a governor and the influence on the culture of WLL.
- I need to see the bigger picture.
- Really interesting to see the origins of the approach the Council Life Long Learning Service has taken this year.
- Good balance of practical activity and discussion. Very interested in concept and approach to changing culture.
- Brilliant. Made a big difference and about raising my own view on Governance.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Excellent facilitator. Found the session really inspiring and interesting!
- Tony – you have re-instated my faith in training! Thank you J
- Creative sessions leaving me more curious to explore a variety of methods.
- Excellent training, very thought provoking.
- A journey across the carpet!
- The teaching was chilled and non-demanding. Initial assessment – I will change the way I get information about learners from learners.
- A shooting star.
- Have to say overall I found today very helpful.
- Very good. I would like to thank you for your insight.
- Like a trip through the hills with changing scenery.
- I would like to perfect writing creatively when planning and designing SOW and lesson plans to ensure learner engagement and curiosity.
- Using ‘active’ verbs in writing learning outcomes. Really enjoyed the day, Tony, delivery and content.
- Learning outcome wording. Great to hear that change to attitudes in how to observe is being driven.
- Intriguing.
- [I need to] Update LOs, rewrite assessments with scaffolding – breaking down questions into series of simpler steps.
- To look at ways to make learners enjoy and be curious to learn new skills.
- Foundation stones are the most important.
- Set the seeds for flowers.
- Encouragement to be more creative; identification of how to achieve impact; review current outcomes to see if they are fit for purpose.
- How to write better learning outcomes – be more creative. Use of initial assessment in a different way. Differentiation – importance of how it is used.
- Sharing information with other participants – stealing ideas. Make curiosity an essential part of my sessions.
- I will write my outcomes following the colour code! I think it would be really interesting to set up a competition (friendly) with other tutors to come up with the most whacky start to sessions. ‘The Meerkat challenge.’
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Session made us (the group) think about some very fundamental issues… Like why are we doing it and who for? Critical for any purposeful outcome.
- Self assessment that evaluates and changes practice for learners on programme now.
- There has been significant impact on our practice re self assessment.
- Very thought provoking and genuinely useful.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Eye opening. Refocusing – on what matters and what we’re actually here for.
- I’m working with one tutor to implement the design cycle – which came out of discussions we were having re aims of curriculum. This training has given me the confidence and impetus to develop and push this approach through to a much broader set of tutors and curriculum areas.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- I went to see a man about a dog, but I saw the dog!!
- Thanks, very useful and will change how we do our SAR & QIP & the service.
- Team needs to change our system significantly to make self assessment dynamic, useful & questioning.
- Small group session was particularly effective, I thought.
- An excellent session – Light at the end of the tunnel?
Shift Media
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- [I need to change] The way in which I approach [self] assessment and the regularity of doing so; and the format!
- Not having a third-party audience and always mentioning impact on learners.
- Before the training, I didn’t even know what ‘SAR’ was an acronym for. Now I feel more confident that if I am ever required to write an SAR in future I know what one is.
- Very clear and engagingly delivered.
- Nourishment. I enjoyed the event!
- Good flow, energy and pace.
- It was a very informative and engaging session.
- Good range of resources, well explained and comfortably engaging.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- De-layering an onion without crying 🙂
- It helped me understand how to address an underlying issue and what rigour is needed to stay with that approach.
- I liked understanding how to stay with a perceived problem to a solution – so no ducking out of it.
- Waves of enlightenment!
- Intriguing. Really engaging.
- It helped develop my understanding of SA. I will change the way I approach it – delving deeper to the root causes and always putting the learner at the centre.
- Very informative and well explained.
- Like painting getting light and dark and reference points that come together in a bigger picture.
- The session gave me an understanding of the structure and purpose of self assessment.
- Rollercoaster.
Runshaw College
Achieving Grade 1 for Employability Skills
- The session helped me to see past the current issues and identify our current strengths. We need to work backwards and improve understanding and ‘buy in’ from students to improve placement and skill development success. Excellent session. Very motivational.
- Excellent delivery, which was exceptionally engaging. This has given me insight which I will now share with the rest of the team.
- Thought provoking and inspiring! Reflect, reflect, reflect!
- It’s made me want to reflect what I do on my own course/department, identify areas of improvement and use the top employability skills to devise motivating and engaging employability activities.
- I enjoyed the ‘write your own Ofsted report’ exercise using the grade 1 words – highlighted what I need to achieve.
- Blue sky thinking.
- Need to develop cross-college ‘buy in’. Very interesting ideas.
- Like the interactive sessions.
- Forward with confidence.
- Transferable skills and specific ‘projects’ to be involved with other their placements. The need to also quantify their development whilst on placement.
- Developed my realisation for the need to have measurable outcomes to assess development of skills.
- Guidance is an issue for tutors and leaders of courses. This is the first direction I have had. Thank you.
- Michael Craig-Martin’s ‘An oak tree’. It helped to expand my understanding of the challenges faced whilst also enlightening me towards a new perspective.
- Possibly the best training session since I started here.
- Paradigm shift.
- Creating a new path across the gap between college and employability. It has helped to understand what is ahead regarding Ofsted.
- I’ve walked across the carpet.
- [I need to] Try to make wider connections on how English/literacy can impact upon their employability. Make more use of real life scenarios and links to their subjects.
- [Now] Thinking about being creative. Thinking about what we do after work placement.
- [We need] More development of placements within college and use of student-led projects.
- [I need to] Develop students’ responsibility, encourage them to take more ownership, explain that all experiences are valuable – good or bad.
- Made a ‘difference’. Thought provoking.
- [I need to] Develop/rethink employability skills for 16-18 programme. Use as a motivation/resilience tool.
- Like going on a train with various stops, but all one end destination.
- Particularly looking at how we would want Ofsted to describe our contribution to employability skills.
Stoke College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- My brain feels soaked in knowledge.
- A rocket to the moon.
- Meerkat teaching – I want all my lessons to be meerkat!
- I will endeavour to use 5 new assessment techniques in lessons by half term. I will try them and reflect on how they can be improved for my learners and my subject to build excellent learning skills.
- Plenty of firework moments for future lesson ideas.
- I’m going to ensure my learning outcomes evaluate the impact on learners.
- It was like the Snap Crackle & Pop when making my cereal!
- [I need to] Be prepared to take risks; try new things.
- A journey of revisiting, refresh and discovery.
- I will use more peer learning and assessment strategies.
- This is the only useful and inspiring CPD I have had in my long years at this college. Thank you!
- The power of curiosity and how developing this would encourage learners to attend punctually.
- Some good strategies that could be adapted for ESOL – more peer evaluation.
- [I need to] Raise learners’ expectations.
- [I need to] Explore motivation and fun. An enjoyable first day back.
- Consider one of the 50 shades each week; see if I can use it.
- Ideation.
- In a recent review we saw opportunities to engage students more with targeted questions – I now have lots of ideas with which to proceed.
- Uncovered buried treasures.
- A chance to change.
- I was blind but now I can see.
- Allowed me to see how assessment can be applied to any type of lessons. Also identified how high-level assessments can be used at lower levels.
- Brilliant.
- Really informative and easy to follow. Really enjoyed as active rather than silent and listening. Good amount of handouts.
- [I need to] Be confident experimenting, even if being observed. Good to have planning opportunity within training session.
- Exhilarating.
- [I need to] Try a greater variety of formative assessment techniques.
- Thought provoking. Certainly made me reflect on my assessment strategies. Keen to try out wiki notes/assignments and mobile phone documentaries.
- Excellent, well-planned and run at a good pace.
- A child in a candy shop.
- An in-depth insight to assessment methods. Thank you.
Learning Motivation: designing outstanding learning experiences
- I came in with an expectation. I left having had an experience like a child getting on a ride for the first time.
- [I need to] Make my boring lessons more exciting to motivate my students.
- Inspirational to change and improve my learners’ experience.
- Time passes slowly just this side of paradise.
- [I need to] Use more unmissable moments.
- So, back to being more creative. Very relevant, informative.
- “This is how learners will be different” – change attitude. Rethink schemes of work and make them thin.
- [I need to] Focus on impact, not stuff. What do I expect a learner to do/be different in class by the end?
- Most intriguing set training we have had that actually made me reflect on practice rather than just go over things done in teacher training.
- Gradually ascended into ‘blue sky’ thinking on helium balloons of curiosity!
- Blown my mind.
- Make the issue the best bit.
- Try to make the tasks they like the least, the best.
- Eating a fresh apple. Dream big and then work out the practicalities.
- Plan to build curiosity through the lesson, starting from the objectives/outcomes.
- Try out new activities, be creative and remember what learners enjoy, and use that to make them more engaged and curious about the session.
- An awakening.
New College Stamford
Bespoke Quality System Training
- Excellent. Highly professional approach. Helpful constructive and perceptive feedback. Stimulating and engaging commentary on the way we were approaching the SAR and improvement strategies.
Plymouth College of Art
21st Century Pedagogy
- A broad landscape. It was really stimulating, and I am hopeful that it shifts culture change.
- Useful to think about how to write learning outcomes as this has always been a bit confusing.
- Interesting to consider writing learning outcomes for the expert learning traits.
- Connected well to the morning session [Transformational Lesson Observation] and challenged my approach to learning outcomes.
- The session on writing learning outcomes was excellent. Will use this.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Leading a horse to water and making it think.
- I really liked finding out that the ‘stuff’ is less important when observing compared to the difference this makes to a learner.
- I began a PGCE as I wanted to teach. I became disillusioned with the process of teaching plans and what to include very quickly. I felt this stopped my natural abilities, was too prescriptive and observations ripped away my confidence. This [session] has helped me realise I wasn’t ‘wrong’ feeling this way that that there are other ways to train as an educator.
- I will constantly try new things to engage and create a social cohesion. Absolutely brilliant session.
- It has given me a good insight into observing others and the importance of myself being observed.
- Stepping into the shoes of the observer.
- Taking on the role of observer has highlighted the emphasis on ‘difference’ and this will be more at the forefront of my mind in future planning and teaching.
- It has helped me to attempt to unpick impact and focus on impact in a much, much more in-depth way than I had the opportunity to do so before.
- Fantastic, idealistic! Love idea of impact > stuff and hope we can implement it here.
- A train breaking down preconceptions
- Eye opening and sensible.
- Empowering: a mute person finding their voice.
- Excellent session in that: the pedagogy of our curriculum can now be analysed/evaluated with a new sense of purpose. Seeing/empathising with the observer in terms of the process of augmentation – how to allow the observee to effectively reflect on the impact of indicators of difference.
- Horizon.
- [I need to] Question in a different way. “You know when you did such and such; what do you think the impact was?”
- Sharpening a pencil.
- I felt that it helped a lot to refine my ideas around what is important and how the important aspects of what we do can be over-ridden and undermined my stuff and ego.
- Be more open-minded. Hopefully the process at PCA will be more supportive and less about accountability.
- A messy bedroom which I want to tidy up! I found the discussion points stimulating and thought-provoking.
- I have a curiosity for ideas, so I’m looking forward to trialling the new structure.
- Using a torch in a cave.
- ‘Granular’ – I learnt the meaning of this word, and this session sums up this word as it has many interesting points holding it together.
- Helped me consider what ‘actual’ impact it [teaching] has on my learners.
- In-depth exploration of terminology was very helpful.
- [I need to] Structure lessons completely differently. Impact on learning as the focal/central consideration.
- I’ve never really thought about how my sessions might change learners.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
21st Century Pedagogy
- A roller-coaster ride on a magic carpet of independence, with the culture of dependency teaching swept firmly under its frayed edges!
- The rug has been shaken – the carpet beaten! I’m now excited to show it off to my learners – who can and will stomp all over and across it!
- I will revamp my lesson planning and get to grips with my objectives! I will most certainly enjoy making my weaknesses my most valuable assets!
- It was great. I’d actually say, for the first training session ever, I’d like it to be longer!
- A transportation back up to my blue-sky thinking.
- Got me to think about how to actively empower the learners more.
- [I need to consider] Timing of displaying outcomes in class; working of outcomes – consider ‘mind’ outcomes; think of the characteristics of the ‘expert’ learner.
- ‘…gives you wings!’
- A good curry. Thinking up creative ideas. Raising curiosity in learners.
- Magic carpet
- [I need to] Encourage curiosity/expert learning traits. Really enjoyed the day, thank you.
- Inspirational.
- [I need to reconsider] The way I write lesson plans/learning outcomes.
- Flying high.
- I will change my session outcomes to enable students to become more independent.
- Eye-opening. Thought provoking.
- I am going to use the summer break to re-find the enthusiasm I started teaching with!
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Great! The information on outcomes & assessment. The whole session was excellent. Loved opportunity to practise and lots of useful information.
Initial Assessment & Support
- Putting my glasses on for the first time and seeing the detail in a Van Gogh!
- Flower opening!
- Brain changing. I will focus on the student/learners being able to be independent post the course.
- Obtaining support can be like walking through a ploughed field in high heels. I am grateful for the tips to help overcome rain.
- Do not be afraid of being creative when writing lesson plans. Very clear and informative.
- Lovely approach from Tony D ?
- Always refreshingly thought provoking.
- I need to look again at how we create our modern languages initial assessment in order to diagnose needs and barriers to learning. Thank you ever so much Tony!
- Structure of learning outcomes – to be expressions of what differences will be made.
- I will be more than happy to rework my lesson plans and reorganise my learners with regard to PLPs.
- I would word things differently in future to assure students understand they have potential (which then helps confidence).
- Great interactional session.
- Erecting and gradually dismantling learner support scaffolding.
- To prepare learners to remove the scaffolding and focus more on the ‘difference’ and less on the ‘stuff’.
- Look to improve how I interact with students.
- I learnt how to use the carpet, to change the way a learner takes knowledge away from each lesson.
- I will treat my initial assessment as a tool to empower my learners to independent learning (without scaffolding). I always enjoy the relevance of these sessions in our present-day teaching.
- Rousing. Identify ways that learners can disclose difficulties safely/comfortably.
- Working past the scaffolding.
- Distinction between ‘stuff’ and ‘difference’. Terminology: ‘less experienced’ rather than ‘less able’ (then does not influence expectations). Activity: reading out others’ comments, not my own. Think about how to reduce anxiety in learners (Q&A). Think, pair, share technique is useful.
- I have realised the importance of initial assessment and how it can set the learner up for a successful learner journey.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A light at the end of the (SAR) tunnel. It should be learner-focused. Enjoyed the session.
- A ray of light in the clouded sky of SAR.
- Finding out root causes/issues. Looking at live rather than ‘terminal’ data.
- Great idea to use the learner journey as a scaffold for identifying quality.
- The SAR should become a more useful document. Purposeful – facilitating change.
- Really useful, practical, enjoyable session.
- Some clarity has emerged from the chaos!
- I’ve changed my glasses and can now see clearly.
- Helped me identify where we need to make changes to our own system so that we are fully evaluating the impact on learners. Also made me aware of how we need to make changes to other aspects of quality assurance to ensure ‘connectivity’.
- [Helped me see] The importance of having professional standards for all aspects of our work.
- I am glad that we’ve had the opportunity to get help to move this forwards.
- I feel I have a good understanding, but the session helped me to refocus my approach and the framework. It also helped me think more broadly about aspects of the provision that we don’t focus on enough within the SAR.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It’s soooooo interesting, enjoyable and engaging. Loved it.
- Learning to dance – aspiring to do it backwards and in high heels.
- A dog wagging its tail ?
- How to scaffold the learners when they set their own targets. The vital importance of aspirations!
- I will focus more on their needs, ambitions and aspirations, not only on relevant targets.
- I especially focused on the importance of aspiration in the learning process.
- Transitional to achieve difference.
- The exercise for learners’ target setting makes it more interactive and an enjoyable task rather than a chore.
- A beacon of hope!
- Involve learners more in the process. Be less hung up on SMART.
- You will not write a goal without the true engagement of your learner in the process.
- The session has broadened my outlook to making my classes more efficient leading to better work.
- A perfect balance between the stuff you do and the difference you make.
- It was definitely helpful. I will definitely try out the randomised seating strategy and the swapping statements activity to gather data more anonymously. Very informative and inspirational.
- I love all the online resources and will use them without doubt.
- I really enjoy this side of teaching, and pedagogy and hope to pursue it further academically and apply it in practice.
- Enlightenment – a light bulb coming on again.
- I will improve upon my target setting through involving learners more – using visuals as they are lower level.
- I have had a ‘Eureka’ moment! Forget the straight-jacket of normal target setting and view the course as ‘Project Management’!
- Consider ‘A’ standing for ‘ambitious’ giving a sense of ‘worthwhile accomplishment’. Think about how target-setting can lead to a positive difference for learners. Think: Aspiration, Skills, Progression.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- A ray of sunshine through a dark cloud 🙂
- This was really good individual feedback and support given throughout. Very enjoyable.
- Basing it [self-assessment] on issues/root causes and learner journey.
- Enlightenment is mine… ‘however’. Today I heard the click!
- Not nearly the finished article, but it did all start to make sense today.
- Hopefully we will have a better system – identifying root causes and actions to improve – more systematic approach. Hopefully more effective!
- Very enjoyable and useful session.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Both sessions really inspiring.
- Provided me with an opportunity to recap on technologies and previous CPD I have already engaged in and used and evaluate how to use them more effectively. Gave me the motivational push I needed to re-invigorate teaching, assessment learning and inspire educators to do the same. As a service we are using Teams/Office 365 so I am interested in how we can use the tools already available in Teams to develop highly effective online learning.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Exciting times ahead.
- Lightbulb moment. Change to make a difference, not for change sake.
- The learning was a sunflower, nice and bright and cheerful! (With edible seeds!)
- The session was excellent. Well facilitated and gave some very good ideas on developing the process of the observation into a developmental model.
- I will take more of a coaching approach to eliciting development ideas from tutors.
- [I will] Focus on tutor as a professional. Develop professional ethos and pride in our work and ourselves.
- Really enlightening and enjoyable. Will put it all into practice.
- [I will] Ask more open questions which encourage tutor to evaluate session and identify how to develop.
- (I need to) Change/adapt lesson plan and SoW to match Lesson Reflection From content.
- A sunshine moment. The session encouraged a sense of self reflection on how I have traditionally observed and given feedback, then moving forward to using OTLAs as a development tool.
- TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More
Coventry Adult Education Service
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Ronseal.
- It’s helped me see self assessment as a ‘live’ activity.
- I think as a team, we need to go back to our QIP issues! (e.g. falsely labelling things as issues when they are symptoms.)
- A veil of terms phrases and language has been lifted to reveal a simpler formula for SAR writing!
- [I need to] Remember the focus should be writing it for me/my team rather than a 3rd party.
- How not to do what you have always done!
- How to work with the ‘freedom’ this session has created.
- Really enjoyed the session… looking forward to looking at the website.
- I’ve seen the light!!
- Having the impact on the learner is a revelation.
- The clarification that it [the SAR] should be written for ourselves only will make for a less waffly, more honest report.
- The idea of working back to the ‘root cause’ of an issue was interesting and valuable.
- A light bulb moment.
- Meerkat moment.
- [We need to] Revamp the layout of the QIP
- Smooth sailing.
- [I would like to] Completely overhaul the SAR if allowed so it’s written for us and investigates the root causes.
- Shifted the vision from retrospective to live reflection, informing current and future decisions.
- Really helped me understand the whys!! and how it is important to consider these in all areas. Loads to think about!
- The application of the principles will take some practise.
- Learning with scissors! Exquisite paper dolly result.
- Inspiring presentation.
- Opened my eyes to the process of being positive.
- The feeling that SAR can be a lot more interesting – capture more of the vision for the curriculum: empowerment.
- The bees are now awake all year and not just in November.
- It made me believe more strongly that we should have live/volatile data and evidence to work with throughout the year.
- It is challenging to believe we can flick from our shoulders a third audience.
Bolton Adult & Community Learning
Lesson observation
The feedback I received after both days from the tutors I saw was really positive and they truly appreciated your warmth and your coaching style.
Warwickshire Adult & Community Learning
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It gave me licence to be honest about what is and isn’t working.
- It was a super day – thought provoking and interesting. Feel that we could make our provision outstanding.
- Caterpillar ð butterfly.
- ‘Scales fell from my eyes’.
- White water rapid ride.
- Thank you for sharing your expertise and enthusiasm in this area.
- I now know that past self assessment has been inadequate and must change to be able to effect positive changes and improvements.
- The SAR is not a tick-box/self-justifying thing and dusty document reluctantly compiled once a year by a manager!
- [I need to be] less descriptive, more confident to make a judgement about the provision, and more focused on impact on learning.
- It is important to write useful, meaningful statements.
- Excellent trainer – very knowledgeable and entertaining.
- Helped me understand what is really important.
- Understanding self assessment is a group/team effort.
- I now know more about self assessment and can now contribute more effectively to my team’s SAR.
- Excellent course, well presented and thought provoking.
- It has given me a new perspective and many ideas and tips to be more effective when drafting reports.
- Outstanding presentation, superbly delivered. Very thought provoking and best of all inspiring.
- [I need to] Focus on issues not symptoms. Doing it as a team.
- [I need to] Ask ‘So what?’ ‘Why is that?’
- I feel that the process will enable our team to work more collaboratively.
- [The SAR] Should be for us, individually and as a team (as well as whole organisation) and that it should be a more straightforward look at what our ‘howevers’ are.
- I’m feeling hot, hot, hot!
- The teacher planted the seeds of wisdom.
- A knowledgeable and pleasant presentation that kept my attention during a long and ‘over-hot’ day.
- [I am] More aware of the purpose of the SAR. More aware of how my input can make a positive difference.
Access Creative College
English Skills: an easier life for teachers
- Socially engaging and visual. Encouraged teaching and learning strategy thinking.
- Inspirational assignment briefs that triggered learning.
- Online delivery and engaging resources eg: Prezi that was being used in session was effective.
- An enriching exercise to inform present practice.
- Contextualising GCSE English materials into the different vocational subject areas.
- Sharing good practise using the Quality Standard.
- The focus on ‘difference’ rather than ‘stuff’ to achieve effective outcomes.
- Well organised and planned session.
- Vital for Life!
- Stuff & Difference. Creating the Need for Knowledge Spread over a longer time.
- I am looking forward to watching the recording back so I can break it down, some parts went quickly for me!
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Absorbing, Factual and Useful…not always the case with CPD.
- An insightful session with some great ideas.
- I found a lot of tools mentioned in this session will be useful in my own practice.
- Eye-opening.
- How what you are using makes the learner feel. Heightened interaction/collaboration.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Was fantastic. So nice to have some positive, creative and inspiring input from someone as inspiring as you!
- The most significant thing I can take from today is learning how to break down a session as well as learning new strategies on how to feedback to staff.
- ACC needs a total culture shift to embed this. Great stuff.
- Yes, yes, yes! I will try to create an open ‘non-judgemental’ space for the tutor to evaluate their own work.
- Enlightening.
- Really enjoyed the process and looking forward to implementing it.
- Massively [helped]. Very enlightening and a refreshing change of direction.
- Interesting and thought provoking.
- I feel I will approach feedback and observing with a more broad and holistic approach.
- Transformational!
- An awakening.
- It has helped to provide a framework for evaluating impact and being able to open up a discussion.
East Coast College
21st Century Pedagogy
- An excellent session – engaging approaches.
- Old dog, new tricks.
- It will change the way I write my learning outcomes. It will push me out of my comfort zone, which is great.
- Absolutely fantastic. Allowed time to reflect on current practice and how it can be developed.
- We have some important and fundamental changes to make cross college in this area as it underpins motivational TLA (and creates curiosity!)
- Inspiring.
- I learnt a whole new way of planning outcomes and enabling learners to be more independent.
- I found this session really helpful and will be implementing these new strategies in my sessions – and definitely look at Tony’s website.
- A window in the wall of learning outcomes lets in the light.
- [I need to] Focus on curiosity and motivation of the students.
- Walking my learning rainbow.
- Silk purse from sow’s ear.
- Producing lesson plan – think more of setting targets and using the elements: mind, body, brain.
- Impact – not task list.
- Pioneering.
- This training should be a session in the teacher training qual and also repeated for tutors biannually/annually. More teachers need to attend this training if we are to overcome TLA.
- Revelatory.
- By designing LOs that encourage learning independence, my lessons will be more effective, active and hopefully outstanding.
- Really, it’s been the starting point of outcomes is key; you can’t do the ‘stuff’ until you know what you want to achieve. Especially relevant around attitudinal change, which gets missed when you just focus on the ‘stuff’. A very engaging, highly informative session – could listen to you for hours.
- Loved the examples and pace/style of delivery.
- I’m an open book.
Achieving Grade 1 for Employability Skills
- Like opening a door to new possibilities
- Walking through a familiar corridor only to find how unfamiliar it actually is.
- Unexpectedly useful.
- You gave me new ideas to try that I hadn’t considered in the past.
- Having no idea what to expect, this session was most interesting. Understanding individual needs requires attention.
- Opened up expansive thinking. Should make the further debate necessary easier.
- Making sure the learners can explain how and why they are doing something and how it relates to work.
- [I need to] Vocalist the things we are already doing so the learners are more aware because if you ask them what we are doing for employability, they will say ‘nothing’ so break it down into language they understand and will use.
- Learners’ ability to articulate how they have developed skills.
- Meerkat – popped up from the daily routine to take in the landscape.
- Useful practical task.
- Consider thinking differently to accommodate work placements in a more meaningful way.
- Learning is like wrestling a lion. [I need to] Engage students immediately in the importance of employability skills.
- Lots of ideas to help make employability more learner-led.
- The menu was useful for ideas for students to assess themselves and be independent.
- Learning is like climbing a mountain. I really like the idea to ask learners to develop own projects regarding employability progression.
- Got lots of ideas for projects to make work experience more valuable.
- Going to try to include more work-based and employer linked things with students.
- Ideas on how to raise the bar in this area. Enlightening. More student-led activities.
- I appreciated discussions with other teachers. I appreciated clarifying employability skills in my own subject.
- Reconsidering industry placement as an employability skills development which can encompass soft skills to a higher degree than previously.
- A lot of thought around moving towards a student-led employability-skills-building curriculum.
- Very good and very thought provoking.
- I have good understanding of employability skills through teaching Prince’s Trust. This has developed my thinking of ideas for other students I teach who have additional learning needs. I will plan further project-based work.
- Further understanding to what Ofsted are looking for and how work might be documented to highlight the implementation and development of employability skills. Encouraged further creative thinking of how one might develop these skills and facilitated by tutor.
- Like a rose ready to bloom. Challenged ideas and thoughts regarding SEN learners.
- I have a much clearer idea of what is required.
- Looking more/engaging with variety of employers within sector to ensure/aim high quality work experience.
- Learning is like climbing a mountain. Encourage and engage learners with work experience that is meaningful where they can look at how they are able to benefit the employer.
- Review learning outcomes for lessons to include employability and tutorial redefinition.
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- The use of games to demonstrate the assessment types. Loving it all. Thank you Tony, I have enjoyed all your sessions and learnt a great deal.
- The 50 Shades of Assessment, a collection of great practices from many colleges – many of which I plan to use.
- Huge range of assessment techniques to be considered and discussed with colleagues from other college areas.
- All of it. Great ideas, easily adaptable to lessons.
- It has given me a completely new perspective on assessment in that I feel properly informed on the benefit of formative assessment.
- It is like taking a lift to better practice.
- Motivating. Keep coming with more ways to induce learners to reflect about their own learning.
- Walking into the light. I will incorporate one of the strategies into my teaching each week.
- Inspired – on cloud 9.
- [I need to] Use different assessment strategies to make learning an active process, so learners make decisions.
- It has sparked a new bulb in my head.
- [I need to] Implement some of the assessment strategies that I have come across today.
- Reflect on my own strategies and implement some steals to inform my teaching and learning in the classroom.
- ‘Six blind me and an elephant.’ This session has enabled me to consider different approaches to delivering ‘assessment strategies’ for trainee teachers.
- Tony’s enthusiasm is amazing, hope he is going to return.
- Enlightening. The session was really helpful to encourage a change in the way I formatively assess and plan next steps for teaching and learning. Found the 50 assessments very helpful.
- Educational. I am amazed at how well you know your own resources.
- [I need to] Tweak group discussion tasks. Greater emphasis on learner engagement, i.e. all learners answering questions.
- Developmental! [I need to] Incorporate more formative assessment techniques in every session.
- Excellent use of games (and Top Trumps!)
- Practical resources to walk away with to embed in sessions. I would personally like to attend more sessions like this – inspiring to my teaching.
- Encouraging!! [I need to] Use some of the different ideas gained from the session.
Creative Learning Teams and The RED System
- Blossomed from a dying rose. (Was unsure about it all, but now confident.)
- Really enjoyed the day. Lots to take in.
- Creative, collaborative and inspiring.
- Discussions afterwards were supportive and cohesive.
- I have a greater understanding of my own methodology through the eyes of experienced peers – this means a lot to me.
- Great to receive such a wide range of ‘steals’ from other teachers.
- Realising that I am doing a good job and that help is available from others and that impact on learning is in all areas which I teach.
- Feel ready to start.
- The longest journeys begin with a single step.
- I was enabled to see what was good and not so good about my own impact on learning.
- I had a lightbulb moment.
- It gave me a completely different perspective. I loved the idea of making students curious.
- Thank you. I feel enriched.
Improving Learner Motivation
- I got very excited about planning a zone experience in low points in the academic year to excite my learners.
- It was a simmering pot of ideas.
- From tiny seeds big trees grow!
- Make something exciting to look forward to each term.
- Creative thinking.
- Made me think – new ideas, look at work differently. Get students more involved in planning/thinking to how to improve learning: skills, knowledge, behaviour, employability.
- It would be good for everyone in ECC to practice what has been said today.
- In my happy place.
- Put into practice. Have each department plan a crazy lesson together. All of them teach it and evaluate, then do another PL day to discuss difficulties and what worked well.
- [I need to] Revisit initial planning and aim to address low points effectively.
- Thin scheme of work makes sense – useful. Have come up with some ideas about symptoms that need to be addressed.
- Useful practical tools that have been through through. Thank you.
- Small steps to success.
- Look at this session from a support point of view – to help identify and support learners’ retention/work with tutors more around identifying possible ideas/feedback.
- I will look at the students’ motivation and link it to my teaching.
- My island was closer to the mainland. On a day-to-day basis I would start with a curiosity question. I am going to think of a project for my maths course. I liked the opportunity to discuss ideas with others.
- Interesting. [I need to] Look more into engaging students by curiosity.
- Consider the high and low points in the year and plan accordingly.
- Have covered some of the content before, some lovely skills sharing.
- Learning is like building a house!
- Highlight: low and high points and identify/plan exciting sessions/events in particular low points.
- Plan something exciting at low points of academic year.
- A beautiful echoed forest.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- ‘From prison to freedom.’
- Move away from silo thinking. Refreshing, pragmatic and honest.
- Like an inquisitive child realising there are many possibilities out in the world.
- I’m buying a new carpet. I shall totally revise what I’ve done previously.
- [I need to] Think more about what I want the learner to ‘look’ like after induction. What difference do I want to make..?
- I would like to inspire my learners more and be more creative in lessons. Really good inspirational session.
- Lot of ideas to consider in the induction experience for learners. [I need to] Get together with others in my teams to develop some of the ideas.
- Found session liberating.
- Inspirational. Considering innovative ways to engage students. Excellent presenter.
- [We need] Less focus on initial assessment in first weeks. Confidence to spend time building relationships and engaging learners.
- It was like a breeze of fresh air! [We need to] Make more impact, not just ticking boxes.
- [We need to] Stop repetition of paperwork over year 1/2/3.
- Crossing a carpet.
- [Induction needs to be] More meaningful and engaging. Requires ‘buy in’ from management.
- Old dog, new tricks.
- First go for the moon, then think real.
- [I need to] Be a bit braver/wackier with ideas.
- I have gained lots of excellent ideas and strategies to make the induction process a better experience for the learner.
- Enjoying planning a pie-in-the-sky idea. More collaborative work across all areas of the arts would address many points in induction and beyond.
- Puts importance of induction in the focus.
- Helped me to understand the importance of getting it ‘right’.
- Waking up from a deep sleep. I feel inspired.
- Ray of sunshine.
- A breath of fresh air! The possibilities are endless!!
- Putting the spring back in my step.
Introduction to the RED System
- Gives a much clearer indication of how the concept works in practice. Informative, lot of creative thinking. Good delivery and explanation.
- Change my use of language when reflecting on the session with the tutor. Use the Learning Momentum curve.
- Teaching is a profession that needs to be Newton’s Cradle, keep it going as a team approach.
- Less process, more impact.
- Change in attitude, sell the idea to others – might have to be gradual.
- Overflowing cup.
- Same horizon, different vantage point.
The RED System – Next Steps
- ‘Pulling together the pieces’, ‘seeing the bigger picture’
- A bit like catching up with a like-minded professional that loves a bit of learning theory but also is really keen on practical application.
- The three observations were from very different perspectives and helped me brush up on the style of language to use for a coaching conversation.
- Developed confidence around writing impact judgements during an observation.
- Recognising how to construct an effective discussion/reflection stage, to encourage the teacher to be more reflective and encourage them to self-drive their experience forward.
- In particular it was really good to go over the opening questions for the ‘transition point’ during the discussion with teacher. Really good reminder on ‘open’ questioning, devising a bank of open questions to start and the use of ‘funneling’ to encourage ownership by the teacher of the positives, negatives, missing and unintended impacts. This has helped to hone my skills a bit more and made me realise that I need a bit more prep on the questions beforehand to avoid ‘leading’.
- I gained insights into how to avoid giving feedback that aimed to “fix” and how to phrase feedback to lead instead.
- As ever, a very strong session Tony, with a good recap on RED and a lot more detail around the questioning and database. Always a pleasure to come to one of your sessions and I’ve never gone away without at least a couple of improvements to make.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- I particularly liked the Zoom set up Tony used – especially the whiteboard interaction and break out room facilities which I haven’t used before – I felt like we were in an actual classroom – brilliant!
- Tony Davis – always gets you thinking and questioning your practice.
- I need to go back and defiantly re-write my learning outcomes so they are smarter and incorporate the three components.
- I found the session very interesting and useful and I very much enjoyed the opportunity to go into brake out rooms to discuss and have a go at the tasks.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Inspired to complete more meaningful progress reviews.
- Thought provoking. Not used the GROW model before so interesting to see this.
- Like a soap opera, looking forward to the next episode.
- I think the structure of our reviews needs to change to allow us to focus on the important things rather than ticking boxes for Ofsted/funding.
- It was like having a window opened up on what I do. Very revealing and a breath of fresh air!
- The lightbulb moment.
- The session was informative, interactive and useful and will help me to review my own practices in progress monitoring. End goal – to produce an aspirational quality standard for progress monitoring – this is marathon not a sprint!
- The session made me think about getting more from the learner and enabling them to engage instead of myself doing the talking in reviews.
- It has made me look at how I will carry out my reviews in future to ensure the learner leads…
- I’m a real fan of what you did today – it really worked well and felt like we were in an actual classroom – loved it!
- Thanks Tony – A really useful session – I particularly enjoyed the way you broke down the video clip into a range of different activities and will be stealing this for future session if I can get my head around the Zoom break out room and whiteboard!
Quality Standard writing
- Like making a statue from a mound of clay.
- Inspiring.
- Someone has turned the light on, let’s avoid the powercut!
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Inspirational.
- It will enable them [learners] to write meaningful evaluations of their work. This will save me time in the workshop.
- This was a very useful session and can be applied immediately to my teaching.
- Thought provoking. Sentence structure is easy to form using colours.
- Induction week will be changed to include the colour thinking – posters on walls to use as a reminder.
- A new challenge.
- System is simple to use and benefits all learners if used early.
- This session needs to be attended by all who teach English (GCSE and FS), but also all those who assess students’ written work, E3 and above. Co Educators would greatly benefit from this!
- Refreshing. Focusing. New perspective. Focus on learners’ evaluations and tutor feedback.
- Useful session! I’ll look to change the way I describe key words to students – give them more opportunity to input and discuss. Very enjoyable and thought provoking.
- It’s taught me not to be afraid to have a go and keep trying until I get it right.
- This was the best English lesson I’ve ever had, 🙂 Very enjoyable.
- The use of words and how to build better constructed feedback for students based on the formula for evaluative phrases.
- From good to outstanding shall I go.
- A wake-up call.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It helped me find the kernel of target setting via links to destinations and differentiation.
- Thank you this was a great session very inspiring.
- Although the dog wags the tail, at times the dog should follow it’s nose to where the tail is happier.
- Insightful.
Thinking about targets/destinations/future changed selves/project management as a normal way of working from the start. A lot of key phrases that will help e.g. linking curiosity to homework. - It has helped me better understand the use of language and trigger words/phrases I will now refrain from or increase use of.
- I am going to use the project management as a tool with my tutorials. We will use this to help commence the individual tutorials so they remain person-centred being conscious not to make it purely academic but holistic.
- This can be embedded into everyday classes without the need to create separate targets that are restrictive.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I started as a half-empty bottle and ended up overflowing with new ideas and desire to put into practice.
- I’ve always struggled with evaluation, however, I feel after today I have a better understanding! I like the idea of the new observation process.
- Closing the door on outdated practice.
- I welcome any change that will take us from the antique and irrelevant system of observation we currently use.
- Happy to have such an expert delivering our training – felt confident in his hands.
- It is impossible to discover new oceans if you do not have the courage to lose sight of the land.
- Not to focus on ‘stuff’ but think what will make a ‘difference’ to students’ learning.
- [I need to] Encourage more independent learning – curiosity. Be more creative and take ‘risks’!
- Thank you! Very engaging!
- Tony’s voice is music to my ears!
- The focus on impact rather than process was a useful critical lens to apply.
- A breath of fresh air.
- An insight into positive and productive professional conversations that will help to support and develop my teaching/impact. Look forward to seeing the new observation system.
- We should have done this a long time ago.
- EPIC.
- [I need to] Think more deeply about how I can inspire the learners and ensure maximum learning.
- Enthusiastic about being more collaborative.
- Empowering new approach would be valuable.
- I particularly enjoyed the ‘curiosity opening’ example given by the trainer.
- A hot air balloon being fired up. Very helpful in terms of positive impact on learning and how to have evaluative conversations.
- I am now thinking about impact rather than the stuff.
- Feel excited about new system.
- It lights up my fire.
- Helped to understand and differentiate what really makes an impact on the learners. Encourages creativity and risk-taking.
- A concrete bridge bulldozed in a glorious explosion. The foundations laid for the new bridge. The river’s flow grows dangerously fast.
Mid Kent College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Wide saucer eyes of enlightenment.
- To build assessment throughout your session with ease.
- The session was brilliantly paced, entertaining and informative.
- Thank you for given me a new lens to look at my teaching through.
Implementing Live Self Assessment (Quality Standard development)
- A refreshing view of how to achieve my dream 😉
- Out of the firefighting, into the helicopter view (then back to the fire).
- A melting pot of knowledge.
- The journey is the reward.
- I think it will generate an improvement plan which will focus on impact for both staff and students.
- It has helped me put pen to paper and articulate my Standards.
- It will clearly define where the college wants to be, and supports being able to see the steps that need to be taken to get there.
- “Capacity to improve!”
- Have felt I’ve been swimming against the tide in terms of evaluating impact on learners. Great to all be going in same direction.
- Good to have a standard and objective approach to self assessment, and to use the process as a planning rather than reflective tool.
- Putting the learners and not the process at the core of what we do, and helping us to aspire to great things.
- Over time, this will change our direction and will drive use to aim for our gold standards.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- My brain is a sponge, soaking up all the awesome ideas.
- A breath of fresh air.
- Cliffhangers for the end of lessons, canyon-hangers for the end of terms.
- We were on fire!
- Planning a consistent engaging induction.
- Rollercoaster
- Putting more excitement into context.
- Climbing a mountain using an escalator.
- Self reflection – reminded of core values that made me a teacher.
- Thank you. I am very grateful that you liked my definition of resilience.
- Exhilarating.
- New ideas and techniques for induction.
- Plan for the differences, not the objectives.
- Opened more doors of thought.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment.
- Thought provoking.
- Slowly sinking in. Finally got it.
- 3 types of difference I can make the life of my pupils cognitive, physical and attitude.
- Motivate them from the first day of the course.
- Dislocating from the norm and creating unmissable lesson.
- As a member of support staff, I found the session inspiring with so many questions and answers, as well as continued thought provoking things.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- More unmissable events to look forward to on the SoW.
- It would be really nice to do a training session with my teaching staff, we will be looking into planning this.
- I was so inspired by the video at the end. It would be so amazing to do a collaborative induction term with the college.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Ironed the wrinkles out of my brain.
- Root cause issues analysis – I feel far more confident identifying this and discussing it.
- This training was fantastic – one of the most engaging and effective I’ve had!
- Reassuring, like being wrapped in a warm blanket.
- Thought provoking and want to try the approach out.
- Think about the impact of my support service on the learner -how do I want them to be different.
- Supernova. Relentless focus on root causes is a powerful message I want to implement. Fab.
- Very informative and changed my view of self-assessment.
- I have a far clearer vision of what the SAR should look like and how I can use them to make a real impact in my department rather than writing them for SLT.
- Enlightening. Thinking about the ‘so what’ and getting to the root cause. Great session, thank you.
- Planted the seed.
- The light at the end of the tunnel feels less like an oncoming train.
- Greater focus on language and stop writing for someone else.
- Really interesting session; very well delivered. Thank you.
- It gave a fresh look at something we do on a regular basis.
- Thought provoking. How to approach the root causes.
- Reflective. Importance of reflecting and asking ‘why?’
Lakes College
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Outstanding experience with excellent takeaway examples to support my professional development and leadership practice. Reimagined!
- Brilliant! Really enjoyed all aspects and would love more!
- I will really spend a bit more time on my learning outcomes. In particular how I cultivate more expert learners.
- Contagious
- The session has fully transformed the way I think of outcomes – more focus on attitude-based ones!
- My brain was like a sponge.
- I felt the session was excellent and will now consider ‘difference’ rather than ‘stuff’ when considering learning outcomes.
- Created further lightbulb moments for teaching and honing LOs to be smarter.
- Thank you. Excellent use of NLP.
- I will put more time into thinking about learning outcomes.
- It has helped me reflect. I will think more of the learners’ experience and possibilities of improving by thinking more of the difference when writing the outcome.
- Excellent, thought-provoking delivery creating interest and useful tools.
- My learning journey today was excellent as I learnt a lot of useful things that I will apply to my teaching practice.
- Impact of colour.
- I will now use the coloured approach to designing my LOs and ensuring that LOs are about end – learner.
- I liked the different use of terminology ie understand – use their understanding.
- Like putting on a new set of glasses.
- It has helped me to change my angle and stop presuming everyone will understand at the end of a lesson!
- It has given me the inspiration to challenge my outcome.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- My brain feels fizzy with ideas! A great way to start a year!
- Can’t wait to model some of this with trainee teachers. Super.
- I love that loads of the theories can be applied easily. I am going to try to use a different card every week.
- The pre-learning technique, perfect lesson notes, barrier removal strategies.
- More strings to my bow
- A working machine.
- Thanks – brilliant, useful session.
- Try looking at each task from different angles. How they can they improved to maximum effect.
- Enjoyed this session – found it very valuable.
- The learner journey has just become a blank canvas.
- We are all one huge tree (the branches). We looked today at the different theorists (roots) and how these feed / join together to feed the branches (lessons, teachers, learners)
- Lots of fab ideas: I do, we do, you do, Top Trumps, Taxonomy Teams. Really liked how this was underpinned by a theory. Hugely enjoyable.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- An oasis in the desert of FE 🙂
- Helped me to understand what we want from the induction process and how to use the Formula for Happiness to do this.
- (I need to) redesign the induction process using a ‘zone experience’.
- Please come back – we need more of these sessions.
- Big ideas to put into action!
- (I need to) completely rethink induction – big inter-department project between construction and engineering??
- Think big and get them enthusiastic from the first moment.
- Thought-provoking session. Hopefully it will be adapted to the whole college.
- Poking the bees nest.
- Back to the year 2000 when I felt free to experiment.
- Stimulating. Inspiring.
- Make more structured use of independent learning time, rather than just ‘assignment time’.
- Be daring, and focus on the learner.
- As a very passionate leader of my subject, I have found I can often ‘take control of the mouse’ – this must stop.
- It was like sitting up a fell, looking out to sea, having drunk two cans of dry blackthorn cider.
- Whirlwind of ideas.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- It is clear as day when it is shown to you.
- Can’t have accountability and learning – this has absolutely focused my mind and is so very relevant to my current work.
- There’s more ways to skin a cat!
- Good Practice database, creative learning team concept.
- Really interesting topic and articulated in a great way.
- “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative”
- Really informative. Thank you.
- Good looking at a new way to observe utilising peers, hopefully will create a more relaxed vibe! Thank you!
Lancashire Adult Learning
21st Century Pedagogy
- Make it longer (4 hours)
- Make lessons more impact focused rather than process based.
- I feel the session has enabled me to understand the importance of lesson strategy and how objectives should focus on ‘mind outcomes’ – therefore enabling learning to continue through curiosity – fuelling conversation for further lessons.
- I’ll try to be braver writing more independent learner outcomes, trying to include more targets focusing on the mind.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Personally, it contributes to using a richer, more precise and accurate language for my own feedback to learners or with colleagues.
- Refreshingly stimulating.
- A cacophony of rainbow adverbages that will initiate a colourful journey of language exploration throughout my teaching.
Tricked out Tutorials
- [I need to] ask different questions – change my language.
- Brilliant start and excellent examples.
- Paperwork needs to be fit for purpose to allow for success.
- Skipping from one shore to another across a fast river. (Limp, pause, think, be brave, jump, pause…)
- [I need to] implement tutorials for learners and develop and capture learners’ reflections about their learning.
- Walked into a wood, not knowing what to expect and came out with a bunch of ideas to implement.
- Excellent, thought provoking session.
- Challenging and outstanding.
- [I need to] think about how to take a different approach to questioning – more open questions that allow the learner to see the bigger picture.
Blackburn with Darwin Adult Learning
21st Century Pedagogy
- Mind is a whirlpool of fresh thoughts and ideas which need time to impact!
- An escalator experience. Really enjoyed it and found it developmental.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Stoking the furnace.
- Mindboggling – was a challenge at first, but through scaffolding I understood concepts.
- A stepping stone path leading into a new forest of discovery.
- I found this session insightful as it gave me the tools to help enable my learners to carefully evaluate their work and that of others.
- Intuitive.
- Fantastic lecturer with a great sense of knowledge and understanding. His approach was very professional.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It was good to be challenged on both outlook/attitude and language we use.
- Feel more confident to evaluate impact and feedback to a tutor in a way which promotes tutors to consider and improve impact.
- Liked the learning momentum graph.
- This was very exciting to be involved in – I hope we take this on because it focusses on impact – not ‘judging’ tutors’ performance.
- [I will] Encourage teachers to focus on how their sessions make a difference to the learners and not how many boxes they’ve ticked.
- Loved the obs of the lessons – allowed us to practise.
- As inquisitive as a… cat – meerkat.
- Has given me a different perspective. My approach would be more collaborative and learner-centred, not about ‘stuff’.
- Lots to think about – food for thought. Some excellent examples of terminology to use.
- Challenging the mindset of OTLA.
- Fast-pace, but informative – thought provoking!
- A shift in focus was good. More emphasis on the learner and the impact on the learner.
- It was interesting to see the impact of using different vocabulary.
- Unmissable!
Tricked out Tutorials
- I like the idea of helping learners to fly.
- I found the video clip most useful.
- More clarity with learners on what change they want to see by the end of the course/session.
- Take time to discuss progress on all courses.
- I will alter objectives to show the journey across the carpet.
- Work out strategies/practices to achieve what I want to achieve by encouraging the learner to talk.
- Make learners more curious.
- Using open questions in reviews and letting learners identify what they need to do in their learning.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
21st Century Pedagogy
- This was absolutely fascinating!!
- It was so helpful to be given guidance and advice about how to begin to develop a more effective practice when thinking about, planning and producing learning outcomes.
- It’s encouraged me to think how I can develop my use of verbs in relation to Bloom’s taxonomy.
- I’m out of the starting blocks and raring to go!
- I feel as though I have cleared a little more of my cluttered ‘garden’ of practice.
- [I liked the] Idea of ALL achieving, but with differentiated support.
- The links to examples such as: a good book, and crime dramas was excellent.
- Nice to see that tutors realised where they could make changes in their practice.
- Made me think more about how I can introduce my independent learning in the classroom.
- I realised that I might be over empathising and therefore lowering expectations of my learners.
- I need to review the type of support I offer my learners.
- I will review my planning to really raise the profile of curiosity and how I can encourage learners to engage with independent study.
Learner-Centred Assessment, Feedback and Questioning
- My knowledge bucket is officially overflowing with goodies :).
- Loads of great practical ideas to try out in the classroom. Many thanks, terrific training.
- Differentiated support, not targets.
- More inspiration to be creative with.
- Like a new chapter of a book.
- [I need to] Introduce learner critical reflection/evaluation.
- I picked up some tips on questioning and assessment that was really helpful.
- New ideas and techniques for formative assessment.
- Thank you. Enjoyed it and found the day valuable.
- [I will] Definitely use the critical thinking ideas; critique work then pass back to original source; pairing, sharing questioning/coaching.
- Very enjoyable and informative.
- [I need to] Use more higher-level based questions.
- Very thought provoking – must try 1 or 2 techniques out asap then move on to another!
- I particularly enjoyed the part on coaching answers out of students and how to avoid putting them on the spot.
Lesson Plan Review
- I found it interesting that if you change your outcomes how this necessitates a change in my planning, and how different the lesson content would be.
- Relating this session to the CIF and the recent inspection report has hit the right level of realisation with tutors.
- I will use the review strategy to search for flat areas of sessions and create a range of activities to use or have available to reduce possible reductions in learner engagement.
- I will review my lesson plans, reflecting on the highs and lows of my sessions.
- [I need to] Think about Mind and Body outcomes and how to incorporate expert learning traits.
- I feel a little like British Rail… I am getting there J
- I will keep practising and trying to improve the way I view the ‘end prize’.
- I will put into practice the colour strategy for learning outcomes and put more thought into what makes green and orange.
- A very helpful and refreshing session.
Quality Standard
- Walking round a corner of a mountain and coming across an unexpected sunset view.
- I will begin developing a gold standard for inductions and the first sessions of my courses.
- A foundation of a beautiful fountain.
- A cake with the right ingredients.
- Great activities, particularly around writing standards.
- Look through the EIF to see how we can fit it into session plans – what constitutes outstanding.
Supercharged evaluation skills
- Scaffolding! Waterfall of information to be flowed throughout organisation.
- Today has felt like a flight to a new country. I have seen local details change to broader ideas, overseen and unfamiliar, but arriving at a new destination.
- I intend to integrate the strategy of a colour formula with future NEET groups.
- Really enjoyable, but feel a lot more exhausted than after most training sessions.
- An explosion of ideas that have decorated the walls of my brain with colour and innovation :).
- Enlightening. I’m looking forward to seeing a change in the classroom.
- Like a lightbulb, which gradually burns brighter and brighter.
- A sponge – soaking up the information and letting it seep into my teaching.
- This has proved a very valuable session.
- Thank you – very challenging!!
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Watching a favourite film which has never been remastered in colour. I can now see the screens properly.
- A clearing through the brambles.
- Using activities to generate targets. Thinking of a particular course, I propose to use part of the session at the start to generate aspirational targets.
- Really helpful. Helped us to clarify target setting.
- [I need to] Think about how to make targets more challenging – to make learners take more control of their targets.
- A snowball gathering and growing as it rolls.
- Able to begin to write targets with more confidence.
- I want to increase curiosity to reach and engage my learners from the start of a course.
- I’m climbing a mountain and I’m halfway up.
- [I need to] Be more enthusiastic about it. It is their journey; to take ownership more.
- Focus on excitement and curiosity – look through session plans, think of session 1 activities.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I thoroughly enjoyed the session and can’t wait to try out some of the ideas that we discussed.
- [I need to] Focus on impact and difference this has made to learners. Foster a more collaborative and equal approach to observing sessions. Use strategies to facilitate discussions about feedback.
- Millipede – take a lot of small steps [and it] will get us there.
- It’s helped us focus on a framework for improving learning.
- Move to a dialogue feedback system where tutors reflect more fully on the impact of learning on learners.
- Brilliant delivery of a complex subject and looking forward to implementing change.
- I will look at coaching tutors on ‘feedback’ rather than a conversation of what were strengths and weaknesses. This will take practise on our part before we implement.
Tricked out tutorials
- I’m nearer the end of the carpet walk!
- Helped think about data preparation and encouraging curiosity/creating interventions.
- The difference between being locked on a rigid train track with a single destination and a scenic, pleasurable journey where the details on the way are just as important.
- I will aim to redress the balance between myself and the learner so they discover and define their own goals.
- A productive, realistic and well-focused session.
- The long and winding road, that leads to your door – of learning. Thanks!
- Give more opportunity for the learners to ‘dominate’ the discussion and to identify and problem solve any issues for themselves.
- Really enjoyed the learning experience.
Wirral Metropolitan College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Like being trained to run a 5K in an organisation that has equipped me for a 3-legged race.
- Value added. Has given me a (much needed) update.
- Changing outcomes and aspirations of learners particularly regarding learning traits. I need to address the challenges of building those traits.
- Crest of a wave – surfing.
- [I need to] Try to get the learners to problem-solve more.
- Another excellent session.
- Excellent strategy of how to improve learning outcomes.
- Informative, nice flow, engaging.
- The wording of my lesson objectives will improve.
- Thought provoking.
- I will think a lot more about how I will plan lessons.
- The way I write learning outcomes.
- Interesting/helpful.
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- For an online session this is good as it gets.
- This was super engaging and it felt emotional to have someone stand up and truly understand. Thank you.
- [I need to] Prepare more diligently.
- Change the way I think before I prepare the lesson.
- I find your presentation very relaxing and informative.
- The teacher planted the seeds of wisdom.
- [I need to] Use a wider range of formative assessment techniques.
- I’m flying high.
- I will certainly develop assessment strategies as a result of this session and take some risks regarding these.
- You are never too old to learn.
- Inspirational. Very enjoyable. Great morning.
- Enlightened.
- A bright, new horizon today…. new things to learn after numerous years in education. A fantastic session Tony. Thank you.
- Given me a sense of confidence, ideas and inspiration to try new assessment methods.
- A learning curve! There are many different opportunities to use different types of assessment!
- It was helpful and enabled great discussions with colleagues. The games were an excellent strategy to use.
- Sparkling ideas.
- The streets are paved with gold.
- I will need to go over the 50 strategies again to pick out the most useful to me.
- ‘Sponge’.
- [I need to] Pass the responsibility onto the learners rather than me doing the work. Going to try new assessment rather than stick to the norm.
- One more step along the world I go. I will put more effort into the Learning Outcome Builder.
- BRILLIANT EVENT!. Introduction to wide range of assessment methods that engage learners.
- 100% common sense.
- [Most useful aspects] The Fifty Shades and Community Challenge. Would love these cards please.
- Learning about wiki and how it will be useful in my sessions.
- Like opening a box of new chocolates. I’ve tried lots but always nice to try new and exciting ones!
- Great building blocks for ongoing construction of lessons.
- Education sheds new light on dark spaces.
- Opened up the door to a world of creative learning and assessment methods.
Seeing the pyramids rather than just visiting Egypt. - My learning journey today was a rollercoaster.
- It’s made me recognise more easily the difference between summative and formative assessments.
- It has definitely given me more ideas particularly for parts of lessons that are information-giving heavy.
- Well done another super inspirational session, thanks Tony.
- A thoroughly insightful and engaging session focussing on strengthening teaching practices, using simple but effective tactics.
- I will certainly be reviewing our departments’ SLP’s to reflect what I have learned today.
English Skills: an easier life for teachers
- Curiosity skilled the cat.
- [I need to] Change SoW to engage, use positive reinforcement and excitement.
- Make your weakest [aspect of provision] your strongest.
- [I need to] Use one of the assessment activities to incorporate literacy into our sessions.
- Excellent, informative session. Really interesting and well presented.
- [I need] More English within sessions using comparative text, etc..
- Motivational, coming up with better ideas.
- [I need to] Change the way we interpret English language into our lessons.
- Use English tools to integrate into the classroom – also look at SoW.
- [I need to] Make more lessons (subjects) fun. Always engaged with the presenter.
- Curriculum areas and English have been running parallel for years on a train track, heading for the same destination, but will never meet. You have to derail the train so that the tracks meet, to meet the final destination. Please do a session for English staff!! Derail that train!! 🙂
- I think parts of this session could be adapted for the English team – adapting SoW to engage students, [to] engage those who we think are not going to pass.
- A rolling subject gathers some English skills.
- [I need to] Use English tools to integrate into my own area.
- Making learning fun. Changing ways of delivery and embedding English into sessions – motivation.
- Inspiring. [We need to] Use sex more! 🙂
- Bruce Lee said: ‘You should always train your weakest side first’.
- A cloud with a silver lining.
- [I need to] Make it more exciting.
- I could have listened and learned all day.
- Sharpened our pencils!
- A duck to water 🙂 Even more great ideas and inspiration. It’s always a pleasure to attend your lessons.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Especially the bit about taking the worst bit and making it the best.
- The sandcastle analogy was really good. Changed my view.
- This session encouraged creativity. Really enjoyed this session. Clear. Simple.
- Like fog clearing. Need more and for longer.
- A rollercoaster of a day!
- Freedom to make it exciting!
- In terms of English, I feel we need to be more engaging.
- More social bonding over more weeks. Feedback from students throughout induction.
- Creativity. More interesting ideas build lasting memories for students.
- ‘We’re all nuts!’ Lots of things not previously used need to be added.
- Must improve our department’s induction.
- His lovely voice was music to my ears.
- It was mind blowing.
- Really enjoyed the task at the end.
- An onion – many layers. [I need to] Get a clearer picture of what outstanding impact should look like.
- [I need to] Revamp many aspects of induction to include overall goal.
- Create to improve.
- [I need to] Make it a more fun, informative experience.
- Dipping my toe in interesting waters.
- Ensure learners have a clear understanding of expectations and services.
- Magical mystery tour.
- The ideas are left smouldering ready to spark. I’ll be thinking more from their [learners] perspective.
- Introduce more workshops.
- Giving gumption to induction J
- More variety of task – making routine induction checklist real.
- Breaking down barriers to learning! [I need] More innovative strategies to engage new learners.
- Lots of challenging examples from other colleges.
- A painting: you can see what you want on the surface, but you have to go below the surface to interpret what the painter is saying and thinking.
- I will now approach it in a different way and bring in more creative tasks without focusing too much on what they will be doing later.
- I will look into areas of least interest to make them exciting!
- A silver bullet descending into pragmatism!
- Keep them curious.
- Thought provoking and developmental for III [Intent, Implementation, Impact] and induction.
- Lightbulb moment!
- I would like to make it more fun and engaging so it doesn’t put them off!
- Inspired. Excited.
- [I need to] Develop lessons that create independence for learners to become inspired and confident.
- Interesting.
- The penny dropped.
- [We need] More creative and innovative learning experiences for our learners.
- Like taking a dive in the ocean.
- Hoping to develop the induction experience for students starting in the study zone.
- Alternative but required – obvious when considered in an alternative way.
- Inspiring. [I need to] Focus on intent and learner.
- Provoking. With progressing learners, a different approach is needed.
- As usual, a thought provoking session.
- Inspirational. Increase curiosity around my subject.
- Going to make it more fun, especially health and safety. Thank you – a very informative session.
- Work as a team to find more exciting and inspirational ideas to deliver and excite learners at induction.
- [I need to] Review induction pack and expand delivery time.
- Think more about impact we want to achieve.
- [Our induction needs to be] More interactive and relatable.
- Creative thinking. Enjoyable session.
- Discuss with the team how we can improve the learners’ induction journey so they are inspired for the year.
- Inspirational. Brilliant trainer J
- FLOW
- Make induction more exciting and linked to the forthcoming project/s. Giving a sample of what will be happening.
- Focus on students’ needs rather than organisation demands. Inspirational.
- More practical, think outside the box. Challenge students.
- Blue cloud! [I need to] Become more creative.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Enlightened and ready to delve further. Very interesting particularly around behaviours which is something we have tried to focus on a lot during induction this year, and hope to continue to develop.
- Will share with team and encourage them to look at their outcomes and build it into how we are trying to develop behaviours and independent learning of students.
- Thank you so much for yet again a very interesting and inspirational session. The comments about developing an independent learner, with transferable skills particularly resonated with me as some of our Uniformed services students are unable to enter into the military service of their choice due to certain factors but are leaving as well rounded and good citizens. Not quite independent learners but we are getting there.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Really informative session and has given me lots of food for thought. I will view my performance reviews now in a new light and thought it was a excellent session – got to be the best online teaching session I’ve ever witnessed! Thank you
- Enjoyed the session! Lots to take in!
- An excellent and thought provoking session. Useful active listening skills and notion of putting the learner at the heart of the review. Not just a process but actually making a difference. looking forward to discovering further with my team.
- Thanks for the clear guidelines in focusing on what is important when carrying out the progress review and what yardstick to measure.
- Applicable and thought provoking…
- A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step.
- Atomic view of a high performance engine.
- Education is the key to success.
- I will be more flexible in my approach
- I will be more focussed on detailing the differences made to the learner
- To think about the language and style of questions that we would use in our 1-1 sessions.
- I will definitely be thinking more about problem solving when it comes to progress reviews.
- I am new to progress reviews and am due to complete my first reviews on Friday. This will enable me to plan and prepare and make these student centred. I will check out the resources on your website.
- Try and identify the barriers to learning and use them as a focus point and encourage the learner to talk more. Many of my learners rely on me to do the talking so I need to think about my questioning techniques.
- It made me think about how to get learners to talk more in progress reviews by prompting them.
Excellent strategies but the restrictions of college (time, staffing etc) make them difficult to implement under the current way of doing things. As a college/team we need to review our approach. - Spending time to listen, rather than the exercise being an audit trail!
- Another superb session, enlightening & thought provoking.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- The session worked perfectly for me being online as it meant I could fit it easily into my working week and I was able to access my own SAR during discussions, which I found very valuable.
- Great session – lots of food for thought and supported my own views on what a SAR should be. I will be using the session contents to review and evaluate our SAR process. The session was interactive, Tony’s approach is very engaging and he gave valuable time to discussing the various activities with other delegates, which I found very useful.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- The QIP slate has been wiped clean.
- Change QIP to a series of Development Plans.
- Really enjoyable and completely changed my attitude towards quality improvement planning and processes.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- I was a puppy waiting for the ball to be thrown and ran back to start again after break.
- If this event was a meal… I would be full.
- I want to make the learners believe.
- Helped to develop a plan for first term of college.
- Made me think about higher-order-thinking skills and how I can help them to evaluate.
- Wow!
- Great delivery and games ideas.
- Outstanding!
- Use scaffolding to help learners. Great to be given the ‘evaluative vocabulary’ sheet.
- Very simply delivered. Gave me plenty to reflect on and to help students be able to articulate themselves orally and in writing.
- Second time at this session, equally as interesting.
- Would love to have the Adverbage game for the students.
- It will help us find ways to help scaffold students’ learning and develop their independence to work without the frameworks.
- Enjoyable, worthwhile experience. I will be incorporating many ideas of I have taken from this session. Excellent development opportunity.
- Finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
- Introduction to critical-writing scaffolds. Second time I’ve been to this session – it was as inspiring as the first.
- I need to focus more on ‘all’ [learners] instead of ‘some’, and realise what I can do to support everyone.
- I have more understanding of colour writing and I love it. Thanks Tony.
- Amazing. I would like to use colour coding in my introduction to the course and how to help learners gain higher grades through writing techniques.
- I really feel this session helped. I loved the star wars intro task.
- This was the best training of the day. Fantastic session. Great enthusiasm. Thank you for today.
- [I need to be] More aware of scaffolding and when to remove it. Excellent delivery and dynamic approach.
- Need more than 2 hours… I would attend at least a day on this – all great ideas.
- An excellent example of how to scaffold to improve higher-order thinking skills.
- Boss!
- Flying carpets have lift off!
- Thank you. This has changed a lot for me and given me a great idea for the future!
- I used the English language well, I thought, before this session. I now feel like an astrologist who has just found a new cluster of planets.
- Expanded my knowledge of English and enlightened me to ways I can use to motivate my students.
- A window into another world.
- A walk through a familiar woodland accompanied by an expert in edible fungus.
- It is a genuine pleasure to have had a CPD session that actually involves staff in learning rather than lengthy didactic talks.
- I am a motivated machine.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Learning is growth.
- Use a better thought process into target setting from a learner point of view! I think this course would be beneficial to be reinforced throughout the year at intervals.
- Life is a puzzle! You can only see the picture when you put all the pieces together.
- Eye opening. Think more about how student feels. Great session thanks.
- Build in critical thinking skills early on to allow learners to write own targets.
- Very engaging.
- Today has helped clear some of the fog of the administrative airspace.
- I will involve the students more when setting targets.
- A really interesting session.
- Excellent morning.
- It’s the icing on the Christmas cake!
- Ensure learner uses their critical reflection skills.
- A great presentation. Relaxed and informal but relevant.
- Eye opening!
- Look at how learners feel.
- I crossed the carpet.
- I gained more understanding.
- Great re-cap.
- Ask each student why on course. What do you want to achieve today?
- Really relaxed atmosphere and learning.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Eye Opening, what a fantastic session.
- I will try to embed pre-learning and also involve follow up after training sessions a lot more.
Stockport Continuing Education Service
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- A snowstorm of good ideas to be caught and used as desired!
- Use of the full-colour vocabulary is a great way to improve learners’ higher-level writing skills.
- Have learnt some useful strategies to control outspoken learners, which will improve the learning experience for the whole group.
- I will use the colours of language and adapt this to level and interests of my learners.
- An exquisite and engaging journey across the room.
- Colour coding – great idea.
- Top tips from a demonstrably good practitioner!
- This session has been valuable and inspiring. I have learnt a lot and will take a lot away.
- Really enjoyed the session – the ‘Yoda’ word game was interesting. Looking at the colours for different words gave a new slant on how to break down a sentence.
- Turned full circle. Using scaffolding support with LSAs, and the impact LSAs can have with the scaffold support.
- Cucumber on my eyes.
- Looking up a big hill.
- A feast of food for thought.
- I thought the session was fantastic.
- A route-map of avenues to explore.
- A thought-provoking session that could be extended to a series of sessions.
- Come back and tell us more great teaching practice 🙂
Northern College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Trail blazing.
- Very inspiring, interesting, innovative, beneficial.
- Standing at a crossroads, thinking I instinctively know the best way to turn, and having someone point out a different route that I’ve not spotted before.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Reaching the top of a mountain and looking out at the view and seeing lots of adventurous-looking paths to take.
- The ‘full colour’ writing is a brilliant way to enable students to understand what they need to do and how to do it.
- Unpicking the concept of ‘scaffolding’ was really revealing.
- This session was inspiring and challenging and had me gripped from the start. The focus on real issues and the practical ideas to address them flowed thick and fast, and I came out energised.
- Tony is a brilliant trainer. He has masses of knowledge and experience and bases his ideas on what must be hundreds of observations, meaning he can enable participants to see the ideas as transferable to their context.
- Trail blazing.
- Significantly, I found this all created valuable shifts in my thinking.
Tricked out tutorials
- I will create more space to develop the story/narrative, to develop the context of the tutorial.
- I have a better understanding of ways to support learners in their self reflection.
- Ask more questions about how you (learner) feels different after doing X, rather than having done X.
- I need to think what I want to achieve by the end of the tutorial, not just the questions I want to ask.
- Some interesting ideas to take forward – thank you!
- (I need) more focus on barrier identification and learner ownership.
- I found analysis of the tutorial video very helpful – watching the skills in practice.
- Less telling – more open questioning.
Preston College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- [We need to] Make the boring stuff unforgettable.
- Making us think differently.
- Realisation of truth.
- Ensure it’s about the learner and what they will benefit from – not ticking our boxes.
- A lightbulb going on.
- For visual and performing arts [I’d like to develop] a festival of remembrance with British Values and Prevent themes embedded.
- [I need to] Focus on being more creative with approaches that embed the expert learning skills.
- Made me think how I do things.
- Exciting.
- Fabulous – thought provoking.
- Ensure induction process has a positive impact on learners’ development.
- Change the boring and make it inspiring and interesting = different. Excellent.
- Let’s get all our ducks on the same page(!)
- Very engaging session. Don’t feel ‘spoken at’ instead encouraged to find own solution.
- Like a sponge – saturated.
- To see the rainbow you need to go through the rain.
- Metaphysical.
- Teaching is showing how to reach a place.
- Overall interesting and valuable session makes me want to learn more!
- Eye opening.
- Found it very informative and creative.
- A good way to get the engine started.
- Helped us identify gaps and how to structure the process.
- Yes, more experiences for my learners, further develop inclusion.
- A good morning, would like further training sessions.
- No knowledge to full understanding.
- Excellent delivery, thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
- It’s not the stuff, it’s the difference.
- Really enjoyed Tony’s presentation style.
- Life is a song: we get to write our own lyrics.
- Like a breath of fresh air.
- Yes, it has helped me to think creatively and outside the box.
- Yes, need to think about the deeper impact an induction can have on shaping the learner and their
- attitude towards the rest of the course.
- Inspiring – (great way to start the year!)
- Yes, it gave me the courage that greater tasks could be included – there are ways to work around
- limits and that is more achievable.
- Inspired to look at alternative ways to excite and involve students.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Look at how to make January more exciting for the learners. Trips out. 2nd induction.
- It makes you think. Think about timing of certain ‘topics’ to ensure they are interesting at key points in the year.
- Initial foundation blocks put into building a new vision for the SOL.
- Don’t always set the target for things learner can already do – for example, they work in a dental surgery that is safe – make them think ‘what makes it safe?’
- Eye opening.
- Look at alternative ways to deliver challenging topics.
- Inspirational.
- A different view to learner’s journey.
- A big warm hug.
- Rather than differently, it has reassured me how important it is to meet learners’ needs.
Ofsted Ready
- There are so many research projects we could implement!
- To complete my own judgement statements on my curriculum impact/intent paper to support my meeting with inspectors.
- Small changes needed to enable my team to be even better.
- Informative. Taking away EIF – issues to explore and research.
- Eye opening – thought provoking.
- How to justify and show evidence in a way that puts across clearly what needs to be celebrated.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Mega lightbulb moment 🙂
- Make the review more learner-led. Would have loved to have dug deeper into the process.
- Loved the session. Helped me to think about how to get my review process to be outstanding.
- Very engaged, thoroughly enjoyed the session and feel empowered to be able to make changes to the review process and the learners journey itself. Thank you!
- Inspirational and informative.
- A magic carpet ride!
- It has made me think (again) about ‘crossing the carpet’ with learners.
- A lot of things I will take away.
- ‘White knuckle ride’.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- The earth moved… thank you!
- The secret to SAR writing being unlocked.
- Extremely helpful. Will bin the descriptive language and use the key words: judgement/subject/impact.
- Speeding train heading through a large, dark tunnel into the light beyond.
- Enlightening.
- An emerging butterfly.
- [I need to] Look for root causes and making evaluations.
- Challenging, and as such, memorable and impactful.
- Eye opening.
- It highlighted the need for deeper questions of how and why. Very enjoyable.
- Bee’s knees. Excellent, engaging and knowledgeable.
- The SAR is like a Russian Doll with the whys? drilling down to root causes.
- Fantastic, really enjoyed the training.
- It gave me a fantastic background to writing SARs as this is something I have never done before.
- Brilliant.
- Like a rollercoaster.
- Stepping stones – backwards… It will encourage me to consider what to do to keep going to get to outstanding. Keep asking why – delve deeper.
- The carpet!
- [I need to] Ask why. Use ‘however’.
- I feel more confident now.
The Evaluative Conversation: Transformational Lesson Observation
- My personal experience – a flower in bloom!
- The session was motivating and enabled us to look clearer from the learning perspective. Tony delivers with enthusiasm, knowledge and style and supports all members to grasp the knowledge.
- The pace was perfect and the use of technology enabled all to be involved without the fear of getting some aspects wrong……something we are all guilty of.
- It was space and time to think and shine.
- We need to prepare and train staff before learning walks commence in future. We need to ensure all staff fully understand the process, to ensure they engage, and to make them aware it is to support them entirely. I feel better knowing that I am asking the right questions in the professional discussions and I now have further questions I can include to ensure the process is supportive.
- If we are to make a difference, we need to focus on the difference. In order to focus on difference (qualitative), we need to recognise the dangers associated with emphasis on stuff (quantitative).
- Ideas around lead-in discussions for those learning walks that potentially could be difficult. The power of staff knowledge and development. Subject CPD learning suite for all staff to access development and CPD. We could build this into our PDP process, which would encourage staff buy in.
- Considering stuff v difference, as well as setting targets for development of skills.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the day and feel more comfortable in having the professional discussions with staff, knowing that I am on the right track. I like the idea of the bank of strategies for staff to access when struggling in a particular area.
- A huge thank you. I was thrilled to be part of a training session highlighting practical takeaways that will directly improve experiences for colleagues. Additionally, the experience will shape the future of the organisation as I am more reassured that adapting our approach to one that ensures we focus on impact/difference, will help us to move away from judgemental approaches that focus on stuff and more towards supporting staff to support their learners by knowing why/being conscious…
- Thank you it was a really enjoyable and knowledgeable day, where all staff came away with something additional in their Learning Walk toolkit.
- A really good, well delivered course.
Hopwood Hall College
English Skills: an easier life for teachers
- A very engaging and informative session. I never knew that English objectives/outcomes could be useful to develop expert learning skills.
- Returning to college in the new year can sometimes be a baptism of fire, but your molten bronze drops of wisdom helped us to see the light at the end of the Ofsted tunnel.
- As a teacher of English (and a teacher educator) I love the way you presented the AOs for GCSE Eng Lang as required content in every curriculum.
- Such fantastic concepts!
- You have started to restore my faith in teaching and learning.
- Very informative, increased my knowledge of keeping learners engaged.
- Learning was fun, like a fairground!
- Rollercoaster of learning.
- Looking at learning as an experience and not only as a learning outcome.
- Think about and consider the emotional journey of my learners.
- ‘Curiosity’ – need to bring this into my introduction and recap sessions.
- Very motivating and allowed me to reflect on my own practices and how it can be implemented.
- Changing how I word and look at lesson plans.
- The distinction between ‘stuff’ and ‘difference’ was very good and useful.
- The ‘January low point’ was great!
- My learning experience was ‘banging’ as Brian Cox would say.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this session, I feel motivated.
- The 3 broad experience groups is a much nicer way to describe my learners’ levels at the start of the year.
Formula for Happiness
- Remove limits and barriers from planning.
- Roller coaster of discovery.
- Got us to think big and creatively.
- It was like learning ideas from our own brain.
- (I need to) think more broadly to create inspirational sessions.
- Highlighted my reluctance to allow myself to step out of the box.
- Mind opening.
- I will try to be more fun and creative when planning and creating my lessons.
- Intrigued.
- Ideas floated through my mind and gently whispered to me in the breeze.
- Think big.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Today I am meeting with the Head of Quality and the Assistant Principal to start a quality standard for induction.
- Whilst it would be great to do this face to face the online session was very interactive and enjoyable.
- This was an amazing session. We have now written our own quality induction standard. So inspiring and informative.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- I am fizzing with theoretical ideas after this session! Educational theory does not have to be heavy and laborious! We can develop our understanding in more engaging ways.
- Today I am meeting with the Head of Quality and the Assistant Principal to start a quality standard for induction.
- Whilst it would be great to do this face to face the online session was very interactive and enjoyable.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Today was the start of a journey to empower my learners to take ownership and identify their own strengths and areas for development.
- Be more specific but subtle and encourage learners to take ownership of their own reviews and progress, to take the initiative.
- Insightful. I will consider the questions I use during tutorials and plan them better before they take place.
- Reassured me that we can make a difference.
- Less focus on ticking boxes and allowing for a more natural conversation to flow.
- Engaging, interesting informative. Excellent presenter.
- I really enjoyed taking part in the Jamboards and Breakout Rooms.
Supercharged Evaluation skills
- I have been blown away by some of these lovely ideas. I am thinking in colour!!
- I love the ‘differentiate the support’ comment – it will become my mantra for my teacher training!
- This revived my sense of what is possible for my resit learners.
- The activity of using the colours way of evaluating should help learners to aim higher and be naturally stretched and challenged.
- A true lightbulb moment.
- Provided plenty of ideas as to how I may adjust my approach to TLA.
- (I need to) give learners the vocabulary with which to explain and describe.
- A rising sun.
- Incredibly informative and knowledgeable. Really enjoyable.
Supported independent study
- Realised we need to own the problem in order to solve it.
- Excited for the new academic year; new possibilities and tools to add to my repertoire!
- Thinking about the root and cause of issues, language use: conversations with learners rather than challenges.
- Session was useful and relevant to what we do. Handout with pedagogy activities on will be useful to reflect on.
- Looking forward to changes that will come about as a result of this session.
- Eye-opening.
- I would like to create a more welcoming environment for learners.
- The trainer had extensive knowledge in the subject, and provided very useful information.
- The curtains being opened with new possibilities of a fresh day.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It made me seriously consider how I set targets and has massively encouraged me to hand the mantle over to the learner so they become more enthusiastic about targets. I also loved the idea of target setting to solve an issue rather than concentrating on the symptom.
- The journey to the centre of the Earth.
- Encompassing.
- It has been a really great experience and has given me a lot of new knowledge to bring into my role in September.
- I will involve the learner a lot more and look to separate targets out into skills and knowledge, aspirations and progression.
- Broke the stereotype of SMART targets
- Targets needs to be set by learners. Needs to have 3 key focuses (skills knowledge, progress and aspirations).
- I feel I have more of an insight on how to set targets that will effectively support learners to progress.
West Lancashire College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- 50 Shades of Great!
- Change is in the air! I am definitely going to implement some of the strategies learnt in this session.
- Purposeful, creative, engaging.
- I need to Reflect and challenge my own pedagogy to ‘reboot’ as sometimes we get lost in all the other noise.
- It helped me understand the importance of formative assessment and how these can be implemented simply within all sessions.
- Really enjoyed the Community Challenge game and the chance to apply the strategies to given scenarios and discuss differing perspectives.
- Refreshing to get back to thinking of assessment for the learner and not assessment for numbers/tick boxes/KPIs.
- Caterpillar to a butterfly.
- We need to Create a bank of assessment strategies for use by the whole team.
- Learners will now be more involved in theory lessons, for example: presentations, group work, and peer learning.
- Enlightening!
- Eye opener.
- Students need to take more control of their learning.
- Attitude-shifting journey.
- Enlightening experience, demonstrating there are many more ways to assess learners and their progress and real opportunities for me to use a broader range than at present.
- I have certainly walked across the carpet.
- A fitness test around my practice.
- Some great ideas. Looking forward to having my own 50 Shades as a personal resource.
- I will Use peer assessment more. Use different strategies such as Silent Minute, Gapped Handouts, Hunt the issues… This will make it more interesting for the learners and allow me to learn more about each of them.
- Fantastic session with lots of information to take into my own sessions.
- Activities prompted significant thought about how and why we should use particular methods.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Open windows and doors of the mind.
- [I need to] Write a better lesson plan and [learner] profile.
- [I need to] Amend my learner profile to be of greater value and show greater attention to strategies for support needed by individual learners to achieve outstanding outcomes.
- As a manager new to apprenticeships and the need to support staff, this really gave me an insight into how to support staff to ‘individualise’ apps.
- Mind opening. Writing meaningful learning outcomes.
- [I need to look at] Scaffolding for ALS support and thin SoW.
- Challenging.
- [I need to look at] Differentiated support, and use the Professional Discussion Tool.
- [I need to look at] The writing of learning outcomes in lesson plans and SoW, and the idea that attitude changes should be targeted in learning outcomes.
- Very interesting workshop that allows you to explore lesson planning in a unique way.
- Understanding the importance of outcomes and individualisation.
- [I need to look at] Learning outcomes to develop TLA strategies.
- Reupholstering.
- Curiosity didn’t kill the cat.
- To develop strategies to write motivational learning outcomes.
- To think about ‘Brain, Body, Mind’ objectives – useful.
- Rethink how schemes of work are used.
- Inspiring induction tool given. [I need to] Plan induction differently. I will give more thought to [learning] objectives.
- I will think about initial assessment and using my group profile usefully.
- Importance of clear and useful initial assessment.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Fun – Take the fear out of English J.
- Excellent strategy and clarity of higher thinking skills – how to scaffold well with learners, in order that they grow confidently.
- Loved the activities – very engaging and made me work, but in a confident and supported environment.
- Knowledge is power that can shape the world.
- This session helped me understand how to assist students to develop their learning experience and how to get them to a higher level quicker.
- I will concentrate on building these skills in the first 6 weeks to enable learners to achieve higher grades.
- Thought provoking.
Transformational lesson observation
- Excellent.
- Keep my eye on the intended impact – impact at the front of planning.
- This session has helped me understand how a learning walk is done from an observer’s point of view.
- A bird escaping the net.
- The work on impacts will be invaluable and very timely for exam prep. I will also feel more confident about taking a proactive role in my observations.
- Longer – loved it.
- Looking at learning through curious eyes.
- I will consider more how to develop curiosity in learners.
Halton Borough Council
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Confused – Meerkat – Light bulb!
- I was captivated for the whole two sessions. Lots of Meerkat moments going on J.
- Work from desired impact backwards.
- Excellent day. Very thought provoking.
- Excited to try, I am!
- Really enjoyable learning.
The RED System: Transforming lesson observation
- Changed the direction of my thinking in terms of observation and impact on learning.
- Holding a mirror up to habits I didn’t fully recognise I had developed.
- I am now more aware of my propensity to offer advice and solutions that are not invited.
- Invaluable advice and very refreshing to have a speaker open to discussion.
- Having the paperwork to give a framework to any future improvements has been very helpful.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- ‘Learning is like a search for hidden treasure!’ This session for me gave a whole plethora of treasures for engagement and bringing learning and pedagogy to life through digital means both for in class and learning remotely.
- I felt like I was climbing a hill initially as I was trying to log on for the course but thoroughly enjoyed sliding down while learning and experimenting during the course. Tony is very positive and explains things very clearly and slowly. The ‘how to’ sheets are fantastic
- Being guided to the valuable objects in a cluttered and overflowing storage room.
- It Cut the Mustard.
- Yes! It is having the guides and practical chance to play with the difference tools and options.
- Gosh yes totally. Some superb resources that I can see being used regularly. It takes time to find all these resources so I am very appreciative of the work that has been put in for us.
- I would like to use the BlendSpace to prepare learners for their next session.
- It did help develop my understanding. It was useful in terms of specific examples as sometimes there is too wide a choice and this can become overwhelming. Demonstrations of the different types of technology also allowed for reflection on their effectiveness. I will experiment in some research lessons to trial some of the ideas shown today. I will need some time to consider how the more impactful ways to use them with my specific learners and how the blended approach might work but I’m excited to try it out.
- I would use Pre-learn and Prezi. I will need to revisit them again using your links as I need to consolidate my understanding.
- Tony is very personable, supportive and has such strong knowledge that explanations are clear. His passion shines through which helps to engage and motivate delegates, even in scorching heat!!!
- This was like a digital buffet! Lots of offerings from the basic sandwich (snipping tool) to the more gourmet dishes (blendspace).
- It reminded me that I could be using these engaging tools to introduce new concepts and ideas for teachers rather than letting them rust while i am concentrating on management duties.
- The session was very good and from a delivery point of view outstanding. The experience could have been better if the handouts had been downloaded in advance (I would make this even more clear next time around!) and there were some issues with confidence/equipment that were handled with patience and grace!
Transformational lesson observation
- A caterpillar emerging from its cocoon and transforming into a beautiful butterfly.
- It has transformed my way of planning and to now look at how my lesson will impact the learners.
- Seeing the light through the trees.
- Excellent. (Will) definitely use ‘What do you think the impact was…’
- Putting impact under the microscope.
- Welcome the emphasis on impact rather than process.
- Very thought provoking and would love to debate all day on this subject!
Abingdon and Witney College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Lots of Eureka moments and pennies dropping – everything made sense.
- Opened my mind – again!
- The three colours of learning outcomes – really tricky to do, but once done (investment) can transform what then happens with learners.
- Everything thrown up in the air and gradually falling back in a new order.
- Like shedding the skin of the snake of bureaucratic approaches.
- Not to write objectives to satisfy the college paperwork, but to actually make a difference to learning.
- Refreshing!
- Inspired.
- Very good delivery – patient/calm/interesting. Tone/pitch of voice was spot on.
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
- Two key points: ‘Preventable contact’ and ‘INformative assessment’
- The RAG rating was particularly useful in personalising my own take-aways. Please do one on British Values!
Differentiation in English and maths
- Spread creative wings even more!
- Brilliantly delivered, many thanks.
- It has given inspiration to start the journey.
- It reminded me what differentiation is and how to hook learners in with creative ‘wow’ moments to begin a lesson.
- Some very inspiring learning stories.
- It will help me think creatively about how to meet learners’ needs.
- It has made me look at differentiation in a new light re considering wider skills rather than academic ones.
- It gave me food for thought. It was useful to talk through ideas with other people.
- I enjoyed watching how you delivered the session – lots of good ideas!
- Made me evaluate what the real issues are, rather than just look at the symptoms.
- Great and inspiring ideas.
- A spark. It helped me define what differentiation means at the moment.
- The distinction between symptoms and issues and avoiding initiative overload.
- I found it useful to think about the idea of curiosity and the preeminent place it has in learning, and how differentiation only exists as a means for all to find out how to learn.
- I like the discursive style of the session, right amount of small-group work without wasting time. Plenty of good examples to chew on.
- Planning for an exciting journey into the unknown!
- The separating of issues and symptoms highlighted how much we try to change or fix unfixable things.
- Reach for the stars!… and you may exceed your goals.
- Reminder to differentiate strategies not outcomes.
- Find the issues, and work from there.
- This session has made me feel positive about teaching in the future – thank you!
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- A magical tour.
- [I need to] Take more risks, and work on what students dislike, and change delivery.
- Excellent – refreshing.
- Like a train gathering speed.
- [I need to] Focus on culture from day 1.
- Helped me to think bigger.
- Like meeting up with an old friend for lunch.
- I will concentrate more on ‘mind’ learning outcomes.
- I want to think about a big induction event to help enthuse learners.
- A small ripple can cause waves.
- From a seed, a plant can grow and flourish.
- Great day – enjoyable learning curve.
- ‘Hit the spot’.
- [I need to be] More visionary, less controlling.
- Think creatively rather than pragmatically.
- Really helped to understand the importance of induction and recognise the things we already do well, but evaluate what we could do to improve.
- The label/verb/outcome exercise – we’ll use this.
- Inspiring.
- Using the pre-lesson review..
- Paragliding with my sunglasses on.
- Untangling and refocusing.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- “Design learning experience” Genius!
- Jumping out of the dark box of hell to the light, airy and positive space in my head.
- Powerful reminder to concentrate on experience and transformation.
- An enjoyable walk with fresh perspectives opening up!
- Use the creativity & knowledge I have but don’t always use. Collaborate wherever possible.
- The importance of planning for an emotional learning.
- A really lively, engaging session.
- Opening my mind to more imaginative learning.
- Re-energised, 360 thinking.
- A path of discovery.
- Dare to try visceral experiences to motivate students in their learning.
- Think big, be unreal then scale down. Create experiences not lessons. Share the issue first.
- Raring to go!
- Brilliant and inspiring session as always. Thank you so much.
- Do less of what you think you have to and more of what will make students, and you, engaged and happy!
- Thinking outside the box – try to take a risk to leave a long-lasting memory.
- Running free barefoot on a sunny day.
- Identifying low points and turning them into high points. Make January interesting for learners.
- Motivational. Think differently about lesson planning and delivering content that might be dry or dull. More of it. Really enjoyable session.
- Understand learners’ motivations more, make learning visceral. Thanks!
- A path to discovery.
- Turning lowest point to highest.
- To laugh at the stuff I want to do and do it.
- Total change of mindset to approach planning. Thank you!
- Remember to help students make an emotional connection.
- This session was eye-opening.
- Amazing – thought provoking.
- Loved it – just my wavelength.
- Planning learning experiences not lesson planning.
- Tomorrow is another day!
- Don’t let the passion die.
- A great session, thank you.
- Owning the problem, engaging learners.
- Inspiring.
- Change my SoW around. Make them more happy.
- Eye-opening.
- I really enjoyed the session! It was thought-provoking!
- Thought provoking.
- Trying different ways, not being scared.
- Transformation.
- Thought-provoking.
- Take weak points – make them strength.
- Very good.
- Thought inducing.
- Reviewing problems with root cause.
- Very informative and pleasant. Very interesting and links to our TLA at college.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Lifted the fog.
- I now am able to use learning outcomes (again) to benefit my learner’s learning!
More importantly it will make a wider difference across our college as we look to improve how we use learning outcomes and plan for them on our ‘slim’ scheme of work.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- I can see clearly now the EIF has gone!
- A flipped approach to self assessment that connects the dots and meets the needs of the learners.
- The intention is to change the whole college SAR process to ensure it relates to the learner journey, and I am here because I am pushing for it.
- Now I have a tried and tested strategy to presents to my colleagues.
- Can see the light at the end of the self assessment tunnel!!
- More focus on ‘however’ when writing statements when something is assessed as being good.
Drilling down to find the underlying issue rather than focusing on the symptoms.
The RED System
- A bit of a rollercoaster. Change to a more empowering model that trusts teachers.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Opening my eyes to a new way of thinking/working.
- I’ve walked the carpet!
- This session completely aligns with my own values and made me question the existing system even more!
- Meteoric impact.
- The lightbulb has been turned on. Allowed me to think from a different POV.
- Highly motivated and inspirational. It has been quite a while since I have felt inspired to ‘create a new culture’.
- A wonderful tour bus around the city of teacher empowerment.
- I climbed a mountain -thank you!
- Skipping over hills.
- Put the pieces together for me, both with my own personal development and my ability to effectively support others’ development which will undoubtedly improve the learning experience for our students.
- Awakening
- My lunchbox is now packed for the beginning of my journey as an observer.
- Particularly liked the momentum graph.
- Best bit was the TEACHER doing self-reflection immediately post session.
- Now more achievable to resist temptation to advise because of the excellent tools and phrases discovered today to promote self reflection and progression instead.
- The website is great and a useful tool. I really like to learning skills taxonomy.
Greater Brighton Metropolitan College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Thank you so much for a brilliant session. I have been telling my HoD about you so, hopefully the College will be in touch!
- Enlightening – good ideas to assess students’ learning. Good to implement these strategies.
- Lots I had never heard of. Was great!
- Road to improvement. I am open to trying new ideas to bridge students – formative feedback. This session was brilliant!
- [I need to] Try to employ methods which are more collaborative for the learners.
- It definitely got us all discussing different points.
- Light bulb moments!
- [I need to] Read the 50 ‘tips’ and try some per week (2-3) and reflect on what works and for what groups.
- Very much enjoyed this session. Very practical. Great team bonding. I can see me using these ideas in class.
- Sun coming out.
- Looking at strategies that emphasise collaborative learning.
- Engaged. Killer questions.
- Thank you for making CPD interesting!
- Very much so. As a new(ish) teacher, any new strategies for teaching and broadening the way in which I teach and the way in which my learners process the information is welcome.
- [I need to] Employ more of the formative assessment techniques to improve learner engagement and understanding.
- Empowering. Good reflection time.
- I have been introduced to a large range of different ways to incorporate formative assessment into my lessons.
- It certainly did [make me think differently] and in a very engaging and discussion-provoking way. It has helped me to see how a variety of activities can be used to embed assessment at all stages of learning.
- Very well planned session and valuable resources.
- Identifying more assessment strategies in creative ways.
- [I need to] Encourage students to be more motivated to enhance their own learning, developing independent strategies.
- Lots of ideas to develop existing strategies and introduce some new ones.
- [I need to] Take the time to plan more complex (but beneficial) assessment strategies into the SoW.
- Active. Made me more aware of other possible ways of teaching/assessing, getting students to access.
- Changing Room!
- Some excellent new strategies. Will reflect on ‘learning outcomes’ and refer to [web]site.
Equality and diversity
- Thought provoking. Just turned the binoculars around!!
- Start with what I want to achieve BEFORE I plan what I will do!
- Extremely useful, thank you.
- Mind expanding.
- Take time out to think before doing.
- Crossed the carpet, feeling different by the other side.
- Super empowering.
- Give learners the confidence and vocabulary to bring out their opinions.
- Interesting and daunting.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- With tentative, smart steps I’ve been taken from the side of the stage to performing music in front of an audience.
- Walking through a dark rainforest and into a sunlit clearing.
- Exciting/inspiring. I will be thinking of how I can encompass colours more into my teaching.
- It has given me a lot of ideas of how to support my students.
- Given my role as an intermediary between tutors and students, this will help me to produce better and more effective materials.
- Developing evaluative practice through peer reviews/self assessment using this approach.
- Thank you. Really helpful – lots of good practice to share.
- You learn something new every day.
- [I need to] Send time doing exercises that encourage evaluation, and expanding language used (glossary).
- Enjoyable and enlightening. Will use this myself.
- I will spend more time developing vocabulary and assignment skills in the first few weeks.
- Confirming and supportive, but also improving.
- A rising sun.
- It was very effective in providing tools and techniques to encourage learners to reflect ‘in colour’ on their learning experiences.
- A walk along a beach with the warm sand on my feet and a warm breeze through my hair.
- [I’m going to] Start term with a live Google doc. Students add glossary terms to doc. New students nominated each week to add terms into colour-coded chart. Great session, thank you.
Leicestershire Adult Learning Service
21st Century Pedagogy
- A steam train – getting there in style!
- Got me thinking!
- Loved the idea of creating curiosity in my learners from the outset, encouraging them to learn outside the lesson.
- Take your ‘weakness’ and turn it into your ‘best’!
- Walk the carpet!
- Riding the velvet rollercoaster.
- Been inspired – really like curiosity aspect – sounds fun & exciting!!
- A very thought-provoking session.
- Swing in a playground. Excellent and very inspiring.
- Volcano – hot learning.
- Enjoyed debate about how a session should start.
- Tapestry – Thinking of all the woven threads to make the pattern of the learner journey.
- When writing LOs (learning outcomes) I will always ask myself how the learning will change the learners.
- A refreshing stroll in the country.
- I am looking forward to improving the curiosity of my learners and applying: Brain, Body and Mind in my sessions.
- Penny dropping. Loved approach. Great subject and speaker.
- Amazing! A fascinating insight.
- Love the ‘happiness theory’.
- Opening another chapter.
- Great guns!
- It felt like I’d had a ‘lightbulb’ moment.
- A glittering jewel of hope. Great style of delivery.
- Walking along a street I thought I knew very well, but suddenly seeing new things. Already working on rewriting the learning outcomes in my own work.
- Inspirational.
- I will change how I write my learning outcomes.
- A walk around an adventure playground.
- Incredibly enlightening.
- Very motivating.
- I am so glad I came and heard Tony Davis today.
- Shining a torch on the path forward.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- So much to reflect on! All was thought provoking and interesting.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- It felt like I was given the key to the secret world of writing SARs!
- The importance of the SAR thinking process to guide organisational development plans. The importance of knowing what the issues are and how comparative data sets can help you to understand what is happening in your organisation.
- Really enjoyed the workshop, especially the examples shared – yours and the other attendees’ ideas. Thank you.
Stockport College
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- My 2 dimensional SAR glasses have been modified to 3D.
- It has given me a totally different view and understanding, as if I am on the outside looking in.
- The ‘Five Whys’ is a technique I’ll use from now on.
- Very insightful. Great ideas.
- The gate has been opened.
- The clouds have cleared and I can see the next part of the mountain we have to climb.
- Brilliant session, thank you. It will change what I do and how I do it.
- “I can see clearly now the rain (pain) has gone!”
- I was blind but now I see…
- It will change my practice.
- The fog has been lifted, I’ve taken my thick glasses off, I’ve had corrective eye laser surgery and I now have a clear picture of what I need to do and why!
- Inspiring! Great ideas for my own teaching practice, also.
- Eyes were wide shut, now wide open!
- Now got some strategies to find out the real issues.
- I really hope, as a college, that we can be brave and honest in this new process.
- Stunningly simple approach to self assessment.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Thought provoking and challenging.
- The rubric document will hugely support how I tailor/steer the evaluative conversation.
- The sun has come out.
- A rebirth!
- I have a whole new perspective on the observation process and I will approach observations differently.
- I think we should entirely revisit our observation process!
- It was a lightbulb in a gloomy cave of over-observation.
- Jumping through hoops? Gloves are off…
- As a teacher (as well as observer) it’s given me a shift too in my own practice.
Burton and South Derbyshire College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Feeling inspired about induction.
- It was great to look at the holistic approach and share ideas.
- Success is a sense of achievement; it is not an illegitimate child. Lots of things come from a sense of achievement not just the end result. Happiness comes from control.
- Enlightening. Continue to push the learner experience.
- A new way of looking at things that is very much needed. This is how my mind works anyway. I really hope it sparks a change in others.
- Music to my ears extended project idea is great.
- Excellent session – thank you Tony!
- Always great learning from you Tony.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I think I’ve managed to reach the other side of the carpet! It feels good.
- This will significantly improve the effectiveness of my role as a coach.
- Shifted the emphasis from what the teacher does to the impact of what they do.
- Refreshing glass of water.
- Inspiring examples and discussion points.
- Do not be afraid to think outside of the box and take risks.
- Will concentrate on the implications on the learning rather than the ‘stuff’.
- Very engaging, very useful, fit for purpose.
- Inspirational.
- An inspiring day with lots of ‘meerkat’ moments.
- A journey with exciting prospects, challenges and positive outcomes.
- Excellent facilitator, well prepared. I felt listened to and included in discussions.
- I’m curious (yay!) about finding out more about RED…
- Empowering.
- Unmissable!
Bolton College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Had the rug pulled out from underneath established things I’d been taught. The point about inspiring curiosity and not capping expectations has really stuck.
- [What might you change?] Everything! From my planning to my scheme of work.
- I now know how to review my learning outcomes to engage my learners more.
- I will be able to support other teachers better in creating learning objectives while developing the skill myself in my own pedagogy. This has been an excellent session.
- Fantastic, thank you!!!
- Inspirational, to be creative and try to focus on learners feeling different.
- Rethinking teaching strategies with reference to independence and high aspirations.
- Curiosity! Make the lesson/students curious. Allow learners to have a go first and develop/demonstrate their understanding.
- Build and fuel the learner’s car in first weeks, then it will drive itself J.
- Will remember to always focus on getting the learners’ attitude right… if possible.
- Very well organised, well planned and informative session.
- Enlightening.
- Fantastic. Left me evaluating myself!
- Inspiring and informative session, thank you.
- Very inspiring session. Learnt a lot and look forward to applying the ideas. Loved it and would have listened to more.
- It has made me think a little differently and given me some excellent ideas – I’m curious!
- Great teaching delivery. Passionate about the topic of the session. Inspiring.
- I will change the way I write learning outcomes.
- [I now have a] Different mindset.
Learning Issues and Solutions Database (The RED LISD)
- Enlightened.
- Able, aspirational, motivated, like being a new tutor again with a desire to problem solve.
- A ray of sunlight peaking out of a cloud on a cold day.
- Inspirational, thought-provoking.
- Excited about possibilities, feel so many barriers before we can be outstanding though.
- It was a river of knowledge, allowing my brain to flow with new ideas.
- I was treated as a grown up, collaborative discussions, voice listened to.
- Gyre-widening (see W. B. Yeats: The Second Coming).
- It is fit for purpose, simple and efficient.
- I love it. I would love to see it as an approach for OTLAs.
- Easy to read, useful and will try in lessons.
I like how it is structured and gives the teacher a step-by-step support. - Set-up really well. Easily accessible and easy to navigate.
- It is quite clear and easy to follow. It supports you and takes you on a journey through the thinking and development process. The case studies were useful and the more the resource is populated with other cases the more useful it will become. Sharing is so important and especially between departments.
- I like the colour coded headings and the clear structure, easy to follow and definitions helped me to decide what the actual problem/issue was. It helped to reflect on what my contribution to the issue might be but in a no blame way. Therefore easier to admit and discuss.
- Clear, demanding a next step/decision/narrowing/focussing.
- I think that the format of each section is clear and follows a process that allows you to think through the issue you have selected, and what could be the cause of the issue before exploring the strategies.
- It encourages sharing of best practice within the organisation and both offers support to those with issues as well as offering praise and reward for those who are best serving their learners.
- Great, lets us problem solve without being told one method and gives us the confidence to say that it can be solved.
- Wonderful, collaborative and informed by practice.
- To have the lessons seen and heard without prejudice is really refreshing. I have already included many ideas, from Tony feedback and his blogs and lesson.
- It is good to look at learning issues in this way, methodically…seeing the problem and the reasons behind it helps to find a solution.
- I like it and would use it. I like the links that take you through to further information.
- Felt a little upset by the barriers that I found myself coming up against that I can usually mentally overcome in the moment/when filling out a form because of the demand of professionalism it suggested.
- I like that the approach is a collaborative one, using real examples from across the college. I hope that it will inspire the college to further embrace cross departmental working to share ideas and strategies for learning. This will motivate staff to try new ideas, and be more comfortable with colleagues in their classroom without the fear of failure. I also like that it will be a working document for staff to add to so it can evolve.
- My learning outcomes will never look the same again. I’ll be tapping into those attitudinal changes.
- I think it has been extremely useful and has made a big difference to people’s attitudes. I have noticed that when Tony said he could solve how to make learners never be late again in submitting work to a deadline, many staff had a negative attitude and were quite defensive. This makes me see how the tutors need to be open minded as I know that’s how they want the learners to be. “Crossing the carpet”. Thank you for your lovely compliments of my session.
- I love this approach. It’s teacher supportive and friendly.
- Thank you very much for the session 🙂
- Some really useful ideas. This got me thinking that there might be solutions. The college needs to be supportive in their implementation. At the moment it feels like we are being swamped with admin tasks and teaching and learning is taking second place.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It was like finding a beautifully grained piece of timber.
- I will need to look more into splitting things up and thinking more from the learners point of view.
The Quality Standard
- Awakening.
- A breath of fresh air.
- An open book with a new story. I’m on page one.
- A waterfall.
- I am excited to feed this back to my team. Truly an enriching experience.
- Let’s focus on difference, not stuff!
- Intrigued, included, energised.
- Something new. A chance to the put the OTLA processes back in the hands of teachers.
- Focusing all of the time on impact and strategy. It’s really made me think again about how I share messages with staff and how to adapt to always focus on impact.
- Being completely aspirational – very inspirational.
- How can we eliminate the noise and create impact. What are the key topics within TLA that actually matter.
- A more positive way of thinking about development. Joy in the fact that it is about the learners’ journey and not about tick boxes.
- Move away from STUFF and move to Difference.
- Excellently facilitated. Thank you. Tony has a real skill in delivery and creating environments for collaboration.
- A completely inspirational session, I will be 100% going away and thinking further on my and my teams practice.
- I’m excited to see the final product and how this will look.
- Great session, very motivational.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- It was informative, assuring and engaging. I enjoyed it and it made me feel good about my choice of being a teacher.
- I believe that this system will encourage tutors to be more creative in their sessions and take more risks!
- It’s ok (good) to take risks! If something goes wrong, reflect on your practice and think about how you would do things differently next time.
- Don’t be afraid to take risks! After observing a tutor, always give them the opportunity to reflect on their own practice. Do not give feedback.
- I feel inspired and felt less anxious.
- Not just reading the book, taking in the feel of the paper and the smell of the pages – Enrichment.
- Try something new. Take risks, evaluate lessons more, don’t be afraid.
- Questioning method – “I’m really curious to know what you wrote on your form?” Encourage tutor to discuss the session.
- An eye-opener. To bear in mind that feedback is not a part of the conversation.
- Excellent, informative and inspirational. Confidence with the implementation of RED.
The RED System
- Thank you, Tony! I can’t wait to implement RED
- Whirlwind!
- My inspirational juices are flowing.
- I feel more confident to organise the days and I am really looking forward to it.
- How to analyse and avoid leading questions.
- I will continue to sing RED’s praises
- Wonderful as always. Enjoying, interesting and most of all inspiring.
- I have enjoyed everything I have done. So far it’s been interesting and informative.
- Now much clearer on the system and role of CLT leader.
- Really found the mock CLT meetings useful.
- Positivity! How to structure CLT, how to effectively question without being positive or negative!
- Rollercoaster – some ups and some downs – some exciting aspects and some anxiety (which is now over!)
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- I really enjoyed learning about some new resources, but the main thing for me was relating it to the pedagogy. It will make me think more about WHY I am using a resource and what I want my learners to get out of it, rather than simply a ‘have they remembered what they have learned?’ scenario.
- We have been provided with a wealth of resources and ‘how-to’ sheets which means I have all the support I need to be able to experiment with what I have learned.
- I aspire to be as fab a teacher as Tony – it’s not all about coming on to learn new things…it’s about watching a fab teacher in action and picking up on the way he does it in order to improve my own delivery.
Tricked out tutorials
- A road map to outstanding.
- Develop our quality standard to be outstanding in all we do.
- Consider the impact on learners, rather than what it is they’re doing.
- Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and interesting.
- I will be much more confident conducting 1:1s now!
- Great session, thanks!
- Insightful.
- Very interesting and informative session.
- It’s like making a cake – having all the correct ingredients to make the finished project.
- Made me re-examine my one-to-one review teaching.
- Thoroughly enjoyed the session.
Leeds Arts University
Creative Learning Teams
- Further emphasises impact over pedagogy.
- The observation of others’ techniques when working on similar goals. The recording of the session raised issues in my ‘unconscious’ questioning techniques I hadn’t previously been aware of.
- Observing everyone’s sessions under this system allowed for an unexpected and valuable new reading of what was seen. It also has made me reconsider how I encourage students’ engagement.
- Excited leap forward.
- I think I’m a reflective person in regards to my practice, but today has highlighted where I can seek to further develop.
- Like a detox – not necessarily without difficulty/pain, but feel healthier.
- [I valued] Opportunities to share ideas that are about professional development.
- The observation process is much more thorough and professionally relevant than a ‘grading’ system.
- It facilitated a journey with the team and created a conversation about teaching and learning and demanded that we all took time to review the impact of our teaching.
- Excited to explore strategies and impacts for an outstanding lesson – review/self assess what I currently do and don’t do.
- Fully appreciated the focus on impact rather than ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of strategies.
- Offering multiple perspectives on observation process, much like a Cubist painting!
- Discussion after each observation was excellent – sharing thoughts and confirming observations.
- I found myself reflecting upon how I organise crits/tutorials and how I could improve the impact for the learners.
- Tuning an instrument.
- [I valued] Reflecting on strategies to help lower-ability students to contribute as meaningfully as higher-ability students.
- Discussing observation without tutor present was particularly useful.
- The kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
- [I recognise] The importance of how to define learning objectives, and questions to promote evaluation. Will emphasise the importance of the development plan and further consideration of timings (follow-up).
- Informative/inspiring/refreshing.
- Discussions about my practice. Unpicking why approaches were taken and what I can alter.
- As always, I find the sharing of practice very valuable experience.
- A dinner party where we’re made to think really hard about what we’re eating (pleasurable, but hard thinking).
- Like a shaken can of coke, about to have a Mentos added to it.
- Being critiqued and trained how to improve PB (think ‘couch to 5K’).
- Kick-started.
- The observations from my peers as well as my own reflections after the observation – the discussion which took place afterwards was valuable and allowed space to reflect and discuss.
- The day has given me confidence in leading my own Creative Learning Team next week.
Second round of CLTs
- Moving from a city to the countryside and looking up at the stars.
- I will aim to constantly experiment with my teaching and have an overall greater awareness of the impact my teaching has.
- Impactful.
- Ascertain my students’ learning by asking them what they think they need to do rather than just telling them what to do.
- I learnt a lot of different questioning techniques and how students can manage their own time by tutor questioning.
- Educating.
- [I need to] Think more carefully about the transition stage when a task has been set – may not need to reiterate.
- Fabulous day!
- It was insightful and a privilege to observe my peers.
- [I enjoyed the] Opportunity to steal ideas from peers.
- [I need to] Have more focused aims before the taught session.
- Human pyramid.
- It has made me consider further the active practical role of a student in one-to-one and group sessions.
- Like a cormorant hitting the water at observation, but gaining a fish through discussion with colleagues.
- [I need to] Simplify and think more creatively on how to deliver the main issue/subject.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A journey of enlightenment.
- Great session. I learnt a lot that I can apply to planning.
- Unlearning everything you have been told.
- Need to be a football manager – learnt to assess on-going, not at the end.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- I’ve got my head stuck in the sleeve of a jumper. It was someone else’s jumper and it didn’t really feel like it fit but I probably should’ve started putting the jumper on sooner. I can see the light down the sleeve but it’s going to mean changing the jumper design whilst wearing it. Also, we need to go on a diet but it’s not about eating less it about making good choices about what we put in and understanding why?
- I really hadn’t though about comparative data sets – revelation.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- A long jump forward.
- The observation process should be a collaborative approach to create a community of practice through observation.
- Walking the carpet and realising there is a lot more carpet ahead!
- Shift the emphasis from accountability to developmental.
- More aware of measuring and looking for impact rather than focusing on strategies used. I was exhausted by the end of the session.
- ‘Passport to travel to the sun.’ (Given in pictures.)
- I don’t observe. It has given me lots of points to reflect on in relation to my own teaching though.
- I have travelled!!! This session was essential!!!
- An inspirational walk on Tony’s carpet.
- A very different way of looking at observation. Revolutionise the viewpoint.
Cheshire College South & West
21st Century Pedagogy
- Excellent session. It was Bleak House, but we now have Great Expectations, and Tony is our Mutual Friend.
- Exciting. I will implement changes.
- (It was like) waking up from a doze!!
- Excellent, inspiring session.
- I will read the web-based info again and again.
- Enlightenment. Re-opening my eyes.
- Excellent to be brought new thinking!!
Creative Learning Teams
- Filled me with inspiration, helped me get out of a rut.
- Can’t wait to deliver the next lesson.
- An eye opener.
- Difficult at first, but the pieces of the puzzle eventually dropped into place.
- Assessing impact and observing teachers in other areas was invaluable.
- Inspiring.
- Made me look at each section of teaching and how it impacts on each learner.
- A steep learning curve.
- It has made me think about some curious aspects of my questioning techniques.
- Stimulating.
- (Must) consider impact more fully when writing learning outcomes and planning sessions.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- I learnt a lot about the review process and began to question if our review sheets need to change.
- Enjoyed the session, very interactive.
- A jar of marbles sums up the session for me. At the start of the day my jar was empty and at the end it was full.
- The icing on the cake! (In a positive manner!)
- I liked the interactive parts of the course as it means you are not just sitting there for three hours. For once, I didn’t lose track or feel bored. I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. I often find that training sessions never give practical tips, just reading out knowledge of what they want us to do. It really helps when proper examples are included that are totally relevant to what we are doing on a daily basis. If I can’t relate to the training then I find it hard to get involved.
- I didn’t have a clear picture of what the end goal was with reviews. The window was misty! We are always focusing on “ticking the box”. Now I feel that it is ok to be more honest and I feel that the window has been polished and I have a vision of the way forward with review sessions.
- I will think about the way I ask questions to the learner – are they to vague? Are they fit for purpose?
- It allowed me the opportunity to reflect upon my current practice especially regarding differentiation.
- I learnt about how to approach reviews in a different way. Although at times I do feel that they are a “tick box exercise” I do feel that they are a valuable tool in what I do and will definitely take what I have gained from the session into developing my review practice. E.g. develop a more holistic document that will hopefully aim to prise more information in a more skilful way.
- Look at reviews from a slightly different perspective, more from the learner experience.
- Promote learners to own their qualification and development. Don’t ask ‘how’s your maths going?’ as nine times out of ten this gets a negative answer. I will use feedback from the tutor instead to help instil confidence in the learner. Focus more on the difference I am making rather than the stuff I have to do. Reflect on what difference I am actually making and how I can improve this.
- I will always try and record reviews along with the typed version where needed so the learner can reflect back. I will also have some without the employer or ask the employer to come in part way through. I will also try and use different questioning techniques like the one Olga used “I feel tension….”
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Insightful, it was 🙂
- It has provided me with solutions to age-old problems.
- Light at the end of the tunnel, there is.
- Lightbulb. I particularly enjoyed the scaffolding exercises and the multisensory approach.
- An entry into a vast knowledge.
- A breath of fresh air.
- I’m going to focus on developing my own language skills to enable me to further inspire learners.
- Enlightenment.
- Powerful and pragmatic.
- Excited.
- Clear structure for embedding new strategies.
- Metaphor is now a Metafive!!
- Very strong, informative session.
- Unravelling a ball of tight wool! Thank you for your eloquent and informative session.
- Scaffolding now gone!
- All staff engaged with the process and are now excited about how they would use what they have learnt. Inspirational.
- Inspiring! 🙂 Though we practise these philosophies already within the area, the structure of how to approach it holistically will help immensely in the planning of curriculum.
- Unlocking creativity.
- Motivating.
- Spectrum of ideas.
- Like a ripening fruit.
- I was as blind as a bat, now I’m clear as crystal!
- It has given me ideas on how to use activates to track, log and increase student vocabulary.
- Hot as the sun.
- Illuminating!
- A climb over a craggy mountain range to a sun-drenched beach.
- The butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
- Fantastic session, thank you!
- The train has left the station!
- Innovative technique.
- Outstanding.
- A seed is planted in my mind which I nurture with water and sun in the faith that it will sprout and grow.
Tricked out tutorials
- (We need to) standardise this practice throughout the college.
- Insightful.
- Thought provoking.
- Impactful.
Education & Training Foundation
Impact Training
- Put impact on the learner at the heart of our thinking and everything we do.
- Very helpful and informative thought provoking session.
- A golden thread.
Sussex Downs College
Activating Independent Learning
- Thoroughly enjoyable – I have some additional tools to use now in my work.
- Reinventing the wheel.
- Aeroplane journey.
- Thought provoking.
- Changing a burnt-out light bulb with a new one.
- Much, much, much more work (needed) on induction and thought about what we want to achieve.
21st Century Pedagogy
- Having clear outcomes drives ideas.
- Bubbling like Prosecco!
- Avoid trap of equating ‘doing stuff’ to actually ‘learning’.
- A rollercoaster!
- I’ll think more about engaging curiosity.
- Much more insight into writing learning outcomes.
- (I will) improve my students’ learning by using better constructed learning outcomes.
- (I need a) change of lesson planning strategy – trying to think about LOs and adding in independent learning traits to develop in students.
- It’s so easy to overlook teaching skills due to the sheer amount of knowledge students need to know, however, this (session) has made me re-realise that you can use skills-based objectives alongside knowledge objectives.
- WBL (I will) write plans more creatively so the learner is not just meeting ‘an outcome’ but can see the point/relevance of the intended learning.
- One of the best most thought provoking professional development sessions I have been to in a very long time. Thank you!
- A fine tune and general MOT.
- Great delivery and journey.
- An exercise in critical thinking.
- Rethink how I write learning outcomes.
- Engaging lecturer, relevant subject, now need to employ the technologies.
- I will definitely be using this to check my (learning) outcomes.
- I really like the idea of curiosity and will try to implement these ideas.
- Land of opportunities.
- Not just going in a straight line, but going round corners and trying different routes.
- Really trying to have high expectations for all.
- No more grabbing the mouse!
- Refreshed like a G&T.
- Thought provoking.
- (This was) also useful with identifying how to be independent as a teacher.
- Eye-opening.
- (I need to) rethink wording/use of ‘daily menu’ at beginning of a lesson.
Implementing Live Self Assessment
- Low aspirations can act like a lead balloon, weighing down achievements. For both staff and students to flourish, aspirational conditions need to be set in place to do so.
- Time to break the mould!
- I think it is the right way to go forward. It makes much more sense to design our own quality standards which are useful to everyone.
- A much easier road to take.
- It has made me relax a little about SARs – not so daunting a process – much more a reflexion of our dept.
- As illuminating as the sun.
- Planting the seed and getting ready for growth and flourishment.
- Exciting new way to do SAR.
- In the changing room before the pool.
Independent Learning
- I feel like I’ve been given a parking permit after 3 years of parking on yellow lines!
- Unwrapping a chocolate bar.
- Best session I have attended. A lot of things to think about.
- Explore ‘reverse engineering’ approach to lesson planning.
- Provocative and emotional to hear some of these things said – in contrast to our other inputs.
- Like a completely wilted flower this morning – now one petal has opened.
- I feel inspired and lifted… like a hot air balloon (with a wonderful view and an exciting journey..!)
- Provided much needed food for thought in a famine.
- Walking in a foggy woods, heading to light and hope.
- I particularly appreciated the ‘silent minutes’ and will try to use these in my lessons.
- A glimpse of the sun.
- Need to really aim for curiosity in lessons as the starting point.
- I thought it was inspiring.
- It has made me realise that I do encourage some independent learning, but could do more – need to encourage more curiosity.
- Loved the session – inspiring, but still feel constrained by management expectations.
- Green shoots!
- Inspirational.
- The cage of learning objectives set at the start of class has been opened.
- Best development session had for years.
- Lots of effort is not the same as expected results.
- Inspiring, liberating.
- Confirmed my view that a change of mindset is required.
- The first glass of champagne after weeks of dry January.
- Invigorating and refreshing.
- Do not be lazy about choreographing the social environment.
- The other side of the carpet.
- A slightly crumpled hot-air balloon being re-inflated!
- Much appreciated – engaging!
- Looking forward to change and experimenting.
- A wilting plant that’s been watered and fed.
- Most interesting.
- Really useful session – the ‘tangents’ were as valuable to illustrate so keep them in!
- The work on fostering curiosity was quite inspiring.
- Back 6 steps, take 7 steps forward.
Quality Standard development – phase 2 (academic staff)
- Wrestling a tiger – hugging the tiger – shampooing and blow-drying the tiger.
- Stimulating, creative, sincere, pedantic, challenging, CREATIVE (pragmatic), open.
- Opening doors. I feel optimistic.
- I would love to involve learners in the process.
- Creating a new culture and investing in the future.
- Exciting to work with other colleagues who I don’t get to work with. Great to shape the future.
- Thank you. Was dreading the day, but enjoyed, it.
- A well-oiled rollercoaster.
- Process was good, enlightening, creative.
- A snake shedding its skin.
- A demanding day. Demanding because it challenged me to stop thinking about implication and action and only think about the golden future we are dreaming of.
- Intensive. Interesting.
- A bumpy ride, like a roller coaster, exciting.
- A great journey, lots of thought provoking and sharing.
- I feel I am beginning to understand the rhythm of the process and making progress.
- Very enjoyable/challenging.
- Very good and focussed – enabling me to plan for an excellent induction.
- Really enjoyed working with different colleagues and starting to comment/fine tune each other’s work. It is great to get some ideas on paper, as it makes the process come to life.
- Like easing the cork.
- Aware of what we have done is good, really good!
- Infinity and beyond.
- We have the ingredients, have started on the recipe and look forward to the resulting meal!
Quality Standard development – phase 2 (support staff)
- Positive but apprehensive.
- I feel as though the chain is back on the bike!
- Excited by the changes that we can make. Apprehensive about the journey of getting there, however, this does not diminish my enthusiasm!
- I feel excited about re-evaluating inherited processes that we in our department always challenge. We are looking forward to the whole college being set in the mindset of change, and change for the better! And making it happen!
- Thank you for inspiring change!
- Very committed to the process and what the end product will be.
- Exciting concepts and good level of support.
- Climbing to the summit of the mountain to gain fantastic view of the surrounding landscape which provides a whole new aspect.
Quality Standard development – phase 3 (academic staff)
- Blue sky opening up after a dark, wet morning!!
- It feels like we are getting there!
- A dream of shimmering visions and opaque water with limbs strong, but the land not yet in view. Excited about the work, but anxious about the task of introducing it to the team whilst giving them ownership.
- Dawn emerging!
- Excellent stimulus material and a fantastic working environment. Challenging and enjoyable.
- Great teamwork. Looking forward to implementing the Gold Standards.
- Exhausted, but exhilarated.
Quality Standard development – phase 3 (support staff)
- Opening a door to ‘let in’, rather than closing a door to ‘shut out’.
- Enlightened! Really proud of the work we have started so far.
- Steep hill, but it was worth it!
- Vroom! We are off!
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Like discovering a chocolate cake in a box labelled ‘chore’.
- Like drinking champagne. It was: bubbly, enjoyable, beautifully sophisticated and dazzling.
- Cracked open the egg and it was a lovely yellow yolk – not a curate’s egg or a rotten one!
- Surprisingly enjoyable and thirst quenching!
- Coming out of my filing cabinet.
- Inspiring.
- Love the ‘Adverbage’ game!
- As inspiring and exciting as going to a Christian Zimmerman piano concert! Full of technical ideas and aesthetic appreciation.
- A logical and structural approach to learning.
- Very practical and inspirational techniques that could be adapted for adult learners.
- Thought provoking.
- Fresh air.
- Motivational.
- A kayak down a river.
- It gave me a clear way of introducing sentence structure to students.
- The session, and Tony’s insights and views, has opened doors to develop my course further.
- Was actually expecting this not to be as useful and relevant to my lower-level learners, but it was very adaptable and useful. Thank you.
- Much clearer idea of how I can help them (learners) understand how to evaluate.
- Innovative.
- Rollercoaster of emotions. So excited to put into practice what you have brought to our training days.
- Brilliant session that provokes thought and enthuses.
- A new path through a familiar landscape.
- A far more informative and engaging workshop than I have experienced before. Thank you.
Epping Forest College
Independent Learning
- Showing us the door to freedom, but it’s locked.
- Great way of delivery – informative and enthusiastic.
- I see a lovely meal – but it’s in a sealed box and I’m not allowed to eat it.
- Senior management need this session.
- Extremely useful.
- Really enjoyable, useful and engaging content that I can use.
- Yes!! I am going to research different resources to use to generate curiosity to encourage learners to do independent work.
- Very refreshing! 🙂
- A great walk across the carpet!
- It made several things very clear – especially the path to an ‘expert learner’.
- Insightful – will follow up by looking at suggested websites.
- Inspirational.
Highbury College
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Good starting points and exercises that built up my understanding and encouraged me to think more creatively in terms of word colours and higher-order thinking skills.
- Light at the end of the tunnel. Excellent, just what was needed.
- Will change the way I do things.
- Getting a set of oars for your boat rather than going with the flow.
- Not knowing the way ahead, because the view was blocked. Now it’s clear!
- Jumping on a bus with a destination, but no route information and then enjoying the places I’ve travelled through.
Bryson Futureskills
Learning Motivation
- Today has been fantastic in igniting that fire in my belly.
- I loved hearing about how a positive beginning to the learning experience during induction put learners in the right mind-set to focus and want to learn.
- I will be reflecting on my own induction and identifying how to ‘ignite’ the learning journey.
- It did make me think about different approaches to motivating my learners, especially around making my classroom an oasis of calm and structure.
- To start with my own motivation, today’s course has reinforced what I already know and given me ideas of how I need to enhance learning and make it engaging and exciting.
- To provide an exciting and engaging lesson/course that will allow transferable and taught skills to reinforce learning of the qualification.
- Exciting.
- To promote growth mindset over fixed mindset.
- This session has given me ideas to think about on how I might motivate the trainees. I will also look at my resources and on how I can improve lesson plans.
- Tony was great and his presentation was interactive, I enjoyed the course.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I have gained a better insight into how to write an SAR. Very enjoyable.
- A train coming out of a dark tunnel.
- A match being lit in a dark room.
- It has given me the confidence to evaluate honestly without fear of writing what I think management want to hear.
- There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
- Really enjoyed. Engaging. Felt I learnt a lot. Plenty to try out.
Solihull College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Breath-taking.
- The session encouraged us to think about how learners themselves can be more proactive.
- Refreshing.
- Time well spent to reflect, share, questions, engage rather than react.
- Enlightening.
- It helped me to know how important aims and objectives are.
- A challenging climb to a rewarding view.
- A re-evaluation of what I want from my learners – in what ways do I want them to develop?
- Excellent session. Tony has incredible insight and exciting, fresh ideas.
- Refreshing to be challenged during staff development.
- (I need) more focus on how learners move to aspirational goals through specific and aspirational lesson planning.
- (We need) trust from upper management that we as a team want to develop – not so much ‘one size fits all’.
- The session was very informative and thought provoking. All aspects were relevant and I look forward to the other 2 sessions.
- Someone turning the light back on.
- Inspiring and motivational.
- Found the expert learning traits particularly useful.
- I find writing learning outcomes difficult. This did help, and also helped to identify the difference between skill and attitude.
- More confident to take risks and stretch and challenge learners more often.
Formula for Happiness & Creating unmissable learning experiences
- Very busy day. Hugely inspiring. Thinking of ideas without boundaries has enabled me to develop new strategies.
- Blinding.
- The moment the ship starts to slip down the launch slipway.
- Andragogy. Re-designing and refreshing learning space.
- The observation process was at first daunting as an observer, but then it really clicked.
- Being given permission to try something you were dreaming of.
- I would like to experiment with learners being involved in the planning of the course
- Really interesting and engaging experience. Thank you so much.
- Less is more.
- How peer observations throughout the year can also keep you as a teacher curious to learn and develop your delivery by seeing other colleagues’ sessions. Having the opportunity and time to experiment without restrictions.
- Lots of ideas of how we can change and make learning more accessible to all learners. Build in strategies to be more independent and reflective to achieve higher.
- Enjoyable, engaging, empowering, enlightening, evaluative, constructive. Unchained Melody.
- I’ve really enjoyed today, even though I was anxious the night before about peer obs. (Can be harder to be observed by those who know you than strangers.)
- Felt stretched/challenged – delighted that learners were in the zone. Big impact on Adam.
- Exciting, inspiring. I really like the creative ideas that you spoke about in delivering a lesson. I found this really inspiring.
- Insightful. Less talking – allow students to steer their learning. Students being involved more in the planning.
- Consider business unit [of the qualification] and Blendspace – independent learning.
- Breath of fresh air. This is what we’ve wanted/needed. How we can change our teaching to benefit student development and learning good practice from our peers. Thank you for coming.
- An unshackling – we are free again to create. A reminder of the drive to create and reinvent. ‘New’ is exciting and possible. Excellent – truly inspiring.
- Positive constructive process. [I need to] take more positive risks.
- [I need to experiment with] levels of support built into resources to help scaffold all learners to higher level skills.
- Be creative in planning for new academic year.
- Mind opening/expanding/interesting.
Independent Learning
- Really great session and fantastically delivered. It’s good people like this that challenge and question the established way of things.
- Inspiring. Curious to learn more.
- You brought back memories of how I felt when I first began to teach.
- Eye-opening.
- Upwards!
- I’ve had another Gestalt moment!
- Motivating
- Enlightenment.
- Insightful.
- There were some excellent points illustrated with some indications of solutions.
- Inspired.
- Questioning traditional lesson planning. Lightbulb on.
- Really good to come out of a training session and feel a different perspective in how to teach. Thank you!
- An awakening to new realities.
- Awesome.
- Inspiring and exciting to try new approach.
- It’s really made me think about how to inspire students. I’m already questioning how to use Moodle to ‘ferment’. It is scary to think that this is a complete change to my usual practice, but exciting to try it. Def one of the best training sessions to date.
- Zoom! This will help me to deal with learners who don’t have the ‘fertile ground’.
- Have made copious notes for use in schemes of work.
- Far more thought provoking than usual sessions on ‘training’.
- I was a reluctant hill walker at the start – weighed down with baggage. I’m now inspired and heading in the right direction.
- I like that you are verbalising the thoughts that almost all learners have the inherent ability to achieve. I hope I can continue to use that in my teaching.
- Sparrow to peacock.
- Such an interesting topic and an ‘obvious’ fix – why isn’t it happening more already?!
- It helped me enormously. A truly inspiring session!
- Liberating.
- Independent learning is what makes a life of independence possible.
- Brilliant. Tony is a true scholar with an amazing ability to enthuse and encourage great discussions.
- Being in a nightclub and the lights come on too soon. More dancing to be done.
- Made reflection of teaching practice a crucial focus.
- Changed my perception of the importance of these skills and how to develop them.
- Radical.
- Some genuinely fantastic ideas and I hope to see some of them in practice.
- Vision of Utopia through the prison bars, but the key in on the floor… But am I too scared to use it?
- Opening the blinds to sunshine when clouds were forcast.
- Sunrise – the start of something new!
- Excellent session. Great delivery (pace/structure). Very impressive.
- Out with the old, in with the new! It’s time for a sea-change in FE teaching. “Viva la revolution!”
- A start, but perhaps a bit daunting.
- Back packing on a journey where you’re unsure of the destination, but results in one of the most memorable experiences to date.
- Brilliant session. Even the teaching technique used helped me for future lessons I will deliver.
- I need to adjust my strategy for delivery of subject material to make learners curious.
- Challenging, inspirational and a much needed breath of fresh air.
- Some good ideas needing back up from SMT.
- Spacebound.
- Interstellar.
- You have given me tools to change my practice.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- A journey along a new road.
- (I need to) think in a long-term way, developing strategies to establish expectations, motivation and higher skill sets.
- Happy, excited to change.
- A fresh breeze let through a stuffy house. Really refreshing.
- Jaded to Jazzed.
- Focus on exciting them about the things they normally hate.
- Informative and experiential.
- I will endeavour to implement changes across the whole faculty of art and work out ways of continuing this through the year.
- (I need to) get our learners to become enthusiastic, confident, happy, sociable, independent, to create a fearless learning community (so that they) look forward to new and further challenges.
- Eye-opening.
- I feel empowered to take control of induction.
- Tony was extremely professional and inspiring.
- (I need to) make it more inspiring from the take off, and maintain momentum.
- (We need a) different approach – what do the learners want, not what do we want!
- Think big. Reinforces what induction should be about.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- I love your style, you are different and engaging.
- I am bubbling with excitement for my reviews.
- My learning journey today is like collecting seashells.
- I can see clearly now the rain has gone.
- Reviews are the most powerful tool we have to empower a leaner and raise the standard.
- Several points that should be obvious, but are often difficult to put into practice, so useful to reflect.
- Playtime in an art room.
- As a new assessor I have been focussed on the tick boxes but I have good communication and motivational skills so I need to chill out and use them effectively.
- Ensure I structure my questions during the progress review meetings in a way that would encourage the apprentices’ to freely reflect, share and fully express how they are feeling about their learning journey.
- Try using scenarios more. Gave me a different outlook on the importance of the review making a difference.
- Allow the leaner to lead the review.
- I will shift more towards the ‘no feedback’ approach, giving my learners more air time.
- I am new to this, so it has given me an insight into a new aspect of my job.
- Great session. Learned a great deal and a new approach to carrying out reviews.
- The approach to the training session was refreshing and engaging. Would love the college to do a day on the Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching for our next staff development.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Super-charged journey today!
- I wish all schools could have you in to give them training.
- Dynamic.
- First class.
- The concept of ‘colour writing’, and highlighting this technique to learners, will help them to think critically.
- Very well resourced and enjoyable session.
- Given me ideas about how to develop learners’ higher-order (thinking) skills.
- Out of this world!
- Eye opening.
- Tree, branching into new ideas.
- Learnt how to get students to be evaluative and how to do it.
- His evaluative vocabulary sheet was particularly useful.
- Some excellent ideas for developing students’ descriptive skills for written work.
- A tool-box of vocabulary and effective scaffolding techniques to improve students.
- Inspired me to stretch my learners.
- This has encouraged me to focus on developing students’ evaluative skills.
- (I need to) have high expectations of individual learners in what they can achieve.
- Utopia. Achievable.
- Use of language – teach them how. This is the missing link in my teaching. Fantastic.
- Incredibly beneficial, a much better use of time compared to the usual development sessions.
- This was really helpful in how to structure and build support to enable all learners to achieve critical thinking skills. I will definitely embed this into induction.
- These sessions have been amazing and the team have lots of ideas.
- Fabulous. I really enjoyed the Adverbage game.
- The use of colour to identify terminology, judgement, opinions and impact will be a very interesting way of targeting the improvement of students’ evaluation and analytical skills.
- Very enjoyable and informative.
- I’m going to change my handouts and start scaffolding learning.
- Zeus’ thunderbolt.
- Gave me different parameters to engage with tasks.
The Art of using Target Setting
- Informative – Thought provoking.
- I will visit the website and proceed to download!
- Will take away new ideas.
- The day helped to widen my thoughts on many ways to improve.
- Tony Davis is very expert at drawing out answers and it was a pleasure to enter into the conversations.
- Provoked an alternative thought process and approach to learner interaction.
- Exciting – the use of a Quality Standard to lead my tutorial and review process.
- Insightful. I want to put these new skills into practice.
- Our review paperwork is clearly not fit for purpose.
- Look at how we can build learners own skills in identifying and setting their own targets.
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- I now have a much clearer idea about how to address symptoms when writing QIPs.
- The day was really well scheduled and managed. I cannot think of any improvements.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Eye-opening/inspiring.
- I have become more aware of how to measure the impact of learning and critically reflecting on my own practice.
- Things I would do differently: allow students to be more involved and take ownership of learning situations as well as ensure I use measures to consider what learning has taken place.
- Rollercoaster.
- We identified what an outstanding lesson looks like.
- I feel confident to let the tutor lead the feedback and not feel like I need to do all the talking.
- The video observations were extremely useful.
- (I need to) focus on the impact of the (teaching) strategies – rather than what the tutor did.
- (I need to) be more empathetic when observing others.
- Good to see things from an observer’s point of view. Also, very good to introduce a change in the way observations are done and perceived.
- Self reflection is key.
- Enlightening.
- I fee peer observations could be a very positive experience.
- Mind expanding.
- Inspired reflection.
- Feel confident to discuss the observed session more openly and positively and change the way in which questions are asked to allow a more positive outcome.
- It was interesting to sit on the other side of the lesson observation form, to consider what was successful and why.
- Forensic without judgements.
- Hopefully this could be implemented as part of the overall college observation process.
- (I need to) review and reflect more on how I can make improvement to my own practice and share skills, ideas, concerns.
- Thank you for recognising that one size fits all approach doesn’t suit all.
- Educational.
- Other side of the fence!
- Someone turning the light back on.
- The day has been constructive and something to build on.
- Incredibly beneficial, and has given me a greater understanding of the observation process.
- Very positive and eye-opening. Inspired to revamp sessions and discussions around this. All areas of the institution need to agree to this strategy.
- I feel positive and more confident to evaluate observations.
Tower Hamlets College
Grade 1 Leadership and Management
- Inspirational and thought provoking.
- I really loved this session, it will definitely impact on my life as an AP (advanced practitioner)/teacher.
Carlisle College
Differentiation in English and maths
- I have licked a sweet and it has fired my imagination!
- It has enthused me for trying different learning approaches and creating alternative resources – and to giving them to students in advance of the lesson.
- A train trundling through a tunnel into the light – picking up speed.
- Stimulated alternative ideas for pre-topic learning.
- A car journey to a sunny destination.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- It has rejuvenated my love of teaching, there is a lot to take away from this. I will be working even more with my colleagues.
- Attitude shifting.
- Makes you think how entrenched you get in teaching and learning, and forget about the bigger picture.
- Changing a student is about changing the environment.
- I went from a sloth to a Meerkat.
- Inspirational.
- (I need) unmissable tasks at start of class and after breaks.
- Really enjoyed session – nice to think creatively for a change J
- Eye opening.
- Inspired me to think of the possibilities of linking with other departments – especially maths and English.
- (I need to) be more open to new ideas, take more risks.
- Excellent, loved it. Inspiring.
- I really like the meerkat. It has made me more curious about teaching methods.
- I am excited to try new things.
- Ideas have been sparked like electricity!
- This session has expanded and opened my mind on how to plan induction sessions.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- A realisation of a better way to learn and develop.
- Common learning issues, shared team observations, teacher/development focused approach.
- Evaluative conversation – how I will change this going forward.
- ‘A spring in one’s step’.
- Modifying language, creating a culture of research, would hope this would stop people/talent leaving profession.
- Opportunity to inspire and encourage staff to achieve excellence. Really enjoyed the day.
- Opened my eyes to the positive impact on staff and the learner journey, if changing the observations process was put in place differently.
- The way to improve ‘feedback’ with graph timeline of session and changing to ‘strategy/impact’.
- Thank you. Amazing day. You clearly are very passionate in the FE sector and for positive impact and have an awesome model.
“Yes, were all individuals” Brian, 1979
- It’s like analysing my golf swing and identifying some broken components.
- I now understand how I could improve my coaching skills and how I could develop more challenging questioning styles.
- Rollercoaster.
- The sun is peaking over the horizon.
- Excellent CPD session, would like more of it. Speaker was exceptional.
- Always try new things and see which learners it works with.
- This will allow me to question in different ways and word questions for learners in different ways.
- Insightful.
- Very detailed, well-planned session, giving lots of examples.
- Stepping out of my comfort zone.
- The session has opened up different ideas to push learners of all abilities.
- Very friendly, knowledgeable and great room management.
- Consider delivering (this session) to senior managers.
- Cosmological.
- I will be going away with a lot to think about.
Leicester College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Forget ‘food for thought’ – this was a banquet!
- Building a house, starting from the foundation and moving up.
- Learning is like cracking a code – today you have given us the code to 47 effective assessment tools.
- Motivating and invigorating.
- Like a rainbow floating through the classroom.
- Teaching is a never ending journey, you are always learning new skills and techniques.
- Learning is a process of knowledge and inspiration.
- Your motivation inspired me – to reflect and look at ahead.
- Teach a baby to walk.
- It’s been an enjoyable session today. Took in a lot of different teaching strategies which I could use in a teaching career. One of the best things about the session is that it is very engaging with the breakout rooms and with other teachers which keeps everyone active and not only can we learn from the strategies shown by Tony Davis, we also learn how other teachers implement these strategies into their lessons or they give examples of strategies that they have used. So overall, very beneficial. The host of the session was really positive and filled with enthusiasm which really motivated everyone and kept them engaged in the session.
- Lightening bolt.
- It helped me understand formative assessment.
- Sometimes you need to take time out to revisit/reassess what you are doing in the classroom. This session certainly did that in terms of formative assessment and the extensive range of strategies linked to it.
- As a prospective teacher, starting my PGCE in September, the session introduced me to some concepts about the teacher/learner relationship and the process of ‘learning’ itself that I had never explored before. I had no idea that so much theory went into planning a successful lesson – I also was able to learn the names for methods of formative practices that were already familiar to me from my time at school/university. I felt the session provided me with a foundation on which I will start to build upon as I train to become a confident, dynamic and innovative teacher.
- The session was very useful and allowed me to reflect and learn new assessment strategies. Collaborating with others was really helpful. I would like to experiment some of the techniques and strategies learnt from today with the learners I teach.
- I will use strategies that put more emphasis on the students being enquirers, deep thinkers and reflectors and ones that help them with developing skills they can use in life. I want students to become inspired to take charge of their futures and not just accept the status quo.
- I really enjoyed it – it was interactive, informative and fun. Would love more sessions like this.
- I initially found the length of the session daunting but it was planned really well with a variety of activities and discussion groups so that the time virtually flew by!
Independent Learning
- An enjoyable and inspiring event offering alternatives to enthuse and engage learners.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- The flames of inspiration shot up faster than a trio of lightning bolts.
- I don’t directly deliver as I am a contract manager for our sub-contractors but this has been useful and inspirational and will enable me to provide our sub-contractors with ideas and understanding.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Absolutely fab session. Obtaining a clear colour coded structure to write effective outcomes is going to transform my planning and make it so much more efficient, just changing the verb to a skill makes so much more sense creating clearer direction to a key focus of the session.
- The differentiation of writing outcomes that support resilience, curiosity etc will be a challenge, I can see this having a real positive outcome of my students learning journey.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Learner driven. Helps learner to take ownership of their journey and progress as they are helping to set targets.
- Opened the mind.
- More relaxed atmosphere and use conversations, rather than ‘boxes’ to gain information.
- I would love to shadow you for a day. You were very inspiring. (We had a chat. I will look at the Red system.)
- Flipping the responsibility for reviews, ‘Apprentices are not employees’.
- Ask apprentices to complete their review forms in advance of my visit and get them to lead the review.
- Walking up a hill in a new place visited.
- Your words are music to my ears!
- To concentrate less on ‘stuff’ and more on ‘Difference’. Relook at outcome setting. How to use ellipses when doing reviews. Also to have more learner-led reviews.
- I didn’t realise how much I fuel my questions to get an answer they don’t necessarily like to give. I need to pass the mic.
- I really enjoyed this, I’ve learnt so much about myself and how I’d like to teach. How you join the room back together is fantastic.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Last year was my first real year of writing the College SAR and QIP from scratch, the previous one was a tweak. Although I was much happier with it and the feedback that I received from the external moderator was really helpful in terms of development, I know that there is still improvement required. I feel that today’s session has given me some further tools to use in order to do this.
- I am considering how, as a College, we can use this training to support curriculum/departments in writing their SARs.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- A light has activated to show the way.
- Changed my perception of differentiation. The most productive training event attended in a long while.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss. I’m rolling faster and better.
- An enjoyable, warm, informative and friendly experience.
- Mountain climbing – came for a stroll, ended up with an enduring journey.
- Comprehensive and entertaining.
- Highly stimulating!
- Good resources, well structured, interesting.
- Seeing something new and exciting for the first time.
- A motivating, honest and achievable session that creates ideas!
- Significant, incredible and thought-provoking session.
- I feel completely recharged to start using this in practical and theoretical sessions with my students.
- I feel the session is exceptionally inspiring and well planned. It will help me improve in the future.
- Like looking down binoculars to see something closer than I have previously had at a distance.
- Like a breath of fresh air.
- Opened my eyes to how small the foundation work to be done with learners needs to be.
- Enlightening – has given me a renewed enthusiasm.
- Session planning will be more exciting, and each session will be more evaluative.
- Purple pen is the new black pen!
- It will support me when I write documents on different topics. I will think about how I can include colours to better convey the message I hope to share.
- Like gold, it certainly was J.
- This session has inspired me to motivate my learners to look at language in a more colourful way.
- I will be able to plan my lessons where ALL my learners will achieve the targets more effectively.
- “I was blind, now I can see, you made a believer out of me.” B. Galesby, Primal Scream.
- A fresh vision of the summit.
- Really refreshing and important session.
- Like being a teacher with some room to breath! J.
- The Butterfly Effect.
- Very thought-provoking and impactful – will definitely lead to changes in expectations.
- Energising.
- Fab-u-lous!
- I’ll never write a sentence again without making it work far harder. Blue, red, green, purple!
The Art of Using Target Setting
- The art of growth is different for everyone. Continue with students to take ownership.
- Very useful, very good, incredibly articulate.
- Better than I thought.
- A runner that is starting to run in ‘the zone’.
- I will consider the 3 categories of aspiration: progression, skills and knowledge.
- Being more mindful of creating a desire for students to achieve as it makes a difference..
- Inspiring. Thank you for today. It has been a pleasure to listen and learn from you.
Framework Housing Association
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
As a facilitator, I feel I’m now moving into a first class train carriage from second.
West Nottinghamshire College
Independent Learning
- From darkness to light.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- My head is spinning with ideas!
- I need to develop learners’ ability to give their opinions and my higher-order questioning skills.
Sunderland College
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- I will be using the colour-coded sentences in order to get learners to create effective analytical sentences.
- Like looking at a familiar landscape from a different perspective.
- It clarified to me how to kick-start the development of learners’ capability to evaluate.
- A seed has been planted and now the tree can grow!
- Very interesting and innovative approaches to developing skills needed by students.
- Thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring session thanks!!
- Little ray of sunshine!
- Like a breath of fresh air.
- We will be implementing the full-colour evaluation.
- Very much enjoyed ‘Adverbage’ – great game.
- Great insight into aspects of Ofsted CIF – which we will be taking forward.
- Sentence structure’ (exercise) was useful and I intend to embed this in induction and use regularly in written/spoken feedback.
- The session definitely did develop my understanding of how to support my students’ learning – especially in relation to creative writing skills.
- Adding colours to the learning palette!
- I enjoyed the active/participating nature of the training.
- It was like white-water rafting.
- Like opening the curtains on a sunny morning!
- The session will make me consider evaluative skills in more detail and will focus my attention to develop how the learners build their skill base.
Weston College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- It allowed me to reflect on what we do well, and how we can fine tune some of our approaches.
- I am going to use the quality standards and ask curriculum to plan what exceptional looks like for their targets SKB’s.
- The examples were useful and it inspires ideas which is great.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Reflective, like the sun on a puddle.
- I am going to work with staff to think more about their intent of their session focusing on the emotional states that they want to illicit with the group.
- I would like the resources – great session.
- 1 hour isn’t enough – would like longer please.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- I found the strategies presented to be useful for providing a framework to consider learners’ learning skills.
- It prompted me to think about a process that all staff can use.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- My learning journey today was like the sun starting to shine on a cloudy day.
- Review induction period and how we support learners in their target writing, really focusing on the Project Management. Review staff development and target writing focus – taking away SMART but bringing in aspiration and progression.
- Really great session thank you. The final example was great.
- Really got me thinking, thank you. Really enjoyed the Wiki resource and Desmos too. I will take those away to share with colleagues. I am now going to watch/read the other resources shared. Also a very professional, smooth and informative training afternoon thank you.
Bracknell and Wokingham College
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- I enjoyed the focus on ‘full colour’ writing and language skills, and being evaluative.
- I found the big picture element of this session stimulating and will reflect upon this in days to come. Extremely relevant to my current college.
Transformational lesson observation
- A ship with enriching destination on the horizon…
- It will help me ensure equality of the relationship (with the observee).
- Extremely valuable video training.
- Chain reaction – in a good way!
- I have been anxious about giving “feedback” but have fewer concerns if I take this approach.
- Squaring the circle.
- Look at the impact on the learner, not the teaching of stuff!
- I learnt a lot!
- A very engaging session with lots of ‘food for thought’!
- Breath of fresh air.
- Inspirational.
Kingston College
Grade 1 Leadership and Management
- Like trudging through mud to a field of gold.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- I fully enjoyed the interactive nature of the day.
- Excellent and informative.
- Excellent day and hosts. It has made a huge positive impact.
Newcastle College
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- Learning is Knowledge. Great session.
- Re-evaluate the writing of learning outcomes and look at delivering a session similar to today to a selection of staff – ensuring I take coloured pens
- Excellent session, informative. Always good to learn new knowledge and collaborate with external colleagues.
Tricked out tutorials
- Motivational with fresh ideas.
- Some fantastic guidance which is transferable within my role.
- Thought provoking.
- Independent learning management makes sense – will try to implement.
- Your visit has been like a breath of fresh air, and because you come from Ofsted it was exactly your opinions people needed to hear!
- A lightbulb moment!
- A light at the end of the tunnel.
- (I will) Consider and apply the Quality (Standard) approach.
- It was like eating a sprout – I like sprouts, they are good for you, but not everyone gets them.
“Yes, were all individuals” Brian, 1979
- Thought provoking.
- Definitely helped me develop new ideas for adding an extra layer of challenge.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- Good revision on asking higher order questions.
- Constructive.
- Allow high-flyers to push on ahead.
- Challenge Escalator – very good J.
- I need to let go!
- Lots to take away, thanks.
- Like a breath of fresh air – a great way to start the new year!
- Fantastic, informative day. It has been very interesting, much appreciated.
- Some very thought provoking topics which have given me some good ideas.
Hills Road College
Tricked out tutorials
- Highly stimulating.
- Provided me with another viewpoint on how to structure tutorials to meet the students’ needs.
- Clarified the notion of considering the IMPACT that process can make and that all discussions and interviews should be conducted with positive change in mind.
- Very informative and enjoyable session.
Havering College
HoT Learning – The Hierarchy of Teaching and Learning
- Simply the best, most engaging and useful training I’ve had in nearly 15 years of teaching.
- Enlightening and thought provoking.
- Empowering
- It gave me the confidence to follow the important inspirational aspects of teaching and not be bogged down by process.
- Inspired to act.
- Opened new thought processes.
- Eye opening.
- Up some hills, then cruising into verdant pastures.
- Seeing a familiar object from a fresh angle.
- A Meerkat who has discovered something interesting.
- Inspirational; progressive approach to learning outcomes.
- Opened my mind.
City of Bristol College
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Challenging fixed ideas in a positive way.
- Insightful. Helpful to share understanding of expectations of WBL observations.
- Made me look at observations in a different way and what I am looking for.
- I will be looking for impact on the learner rather than a tick in a box.
- Enlightening.
- I can see how it is about how a learner is moved on that matters.
- Great discussions. Interesting ideas.
Wrightbus (NI)
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It will change the way I write. I did not realise I was so descriptive.
- Excellent and knowledgeable trainer.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Good assessment is like a light bulb moment for the teacher and students.
- Formative assessment can really become part of the lesson and blur the line of lesson and assessment.
- This workshop showed how I can use formative assessment by giving Students the control of their own journey, which many teachers find difficult. To become a facilitator in essence and helping students develop higher-level thinking and critique instead of the teacher takin on the extra workload.
- Tony has put into words what I strongly believe, students can develop if they know how to analyze themselves, and he has given me 47 strategies to work with, Thank-you.
- I would like to thank you for the interesting workshop yesterday. I enjoyed the topics being discussed and it was a great chance for me to with meet people from different countries with different educational backgrounds.
- It was an enlightening workshop.
- Learning is like collecting sea shells, and I am glad to have attended your training session today to collect a lot of new sea shells on assessment strategies – all set to apply them in my classroom.
- It gave me a whole new range of assessment strategies and now I feel confident to climb one step ahead in my mountainous journey of assessment. I would love to include the new strategies I learnt in today’s session.
- Change is a journey best undertaken with a skilled guide.
- I will add the different concepts of Assessment technologies which I learned.
Also, I shall integrate two or more strategies together in one lesson. - The most important change I want to make is incorporating assessments into my teaching strategies, and to check that learning outcomes are achieved through teaching and assessment.
- Thank you for an inspiring course. I look forward to the next one.
- Fabulous.
- Fantastic.
- I will integrate strategies learned in my lessons to monitor student’s learning during on going sessions and after reflecting, improve my lesson plans accordingly rather than relying on end of lesson assessment only.
- The way you run the session, gives me an idea how my session need to be going with my students.
Learning Motivation
- It was an enlightening session today. Thought-provoking ideas were discussed to improve students’ motivation.
- A search for hidden treasure.
- Particularly when we were asked to think of an event at the end of 6 weeks of study. I will in future come up with some ideas which impact students’ motivation for learning. Create an event or something that really attracts them.
- It was great, and you provided brilliant ideas.
- I learnt today that the most valuable tools in my learning tool kit are those integrated together to think out of the box to live the adventure and do the impossible to live a real-life story in my classroom as if telling a story of Peter Pan. It is risky and challenging but who said teaching is easy.
- I Shall incorporate the new strategies to motivate the students which I learned in this session.
- I climbed another milestone by learning to imagine big ideas and then how to narrow them down to realistic ideas.
- It has made me think in two ways and has given a whole new perspective to look at the students being demotivated and what can be done to address the issue.
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- I would start with differentiating between the symptom and the issue. However, some issues have been identified as system or structural issues, for example, recruitment. I do think that this course has provided amazing me with some ideas to guiding the students in building their portfolios. One way of doing this is to have students involved in a writing and research project that will lead to the publication and/or broadcast of their work.
- It would be beneficial if our institutions adopted some of the outcomes that the course outlines in the broader scheme of our own work. In Saudi, our Vocational Programme lacks the intense practical showcase of our work, so that would be another area that needs support.
- Keep up the good work. It would be amazing if we could have ongoing development of our skills so that there is an awareness of how much we’ve been able to incorporate the new learning into the way we do things.
- It was a roller coaster ride but I appreciated the moments that were challenging my creativity and ability to provide an unforgettable learning experience.
- I enjoy being creative with my lessons but now I think I would say I can identify the ways I could use what my students enjoy and incorporate that into how I create my lessons so as to give them a sense of control and offer varied experiences.
- Stretching my creativity skills to harness student interest.
- A great collection of online learning technology resources available and clear instructions on using them.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- This different perspective will make a huge difference not only in the quality of my lesson plans, but I now fully understand the range of writing quality outcomes.
- Be prepared to ask uncomfortable SMART questions.
- To try to use Attitude objectives (Which I really thought didn’t exist, but only in my mind and when I used them in class I would never mention it to anyone). Finally, not to be afraid to put them onto a Lesson Plan and justify my position.
- I always struggled with developing Learning outcomes for independent learning in skills sessions. Today’s session helped me realise where I went wrong. Thank you very much Tony.
- It was an enlightening session as it contained loads of good ideas and the activities that were done. I would adopt most of the new items that have been discussed.
- The journey was “very colorful” which brought lot of bright colors and new ideas.
- I shall incorporate the new ideas which I learnt today and change the way of writing outcomes in my lesson plans and structure of lesson.
- It was a session with very focused and practical tips for teachers/trainers.
- I really liked the way you demonstrated how the wording of learning outcomes influences on teaching strategy for the better.
- EXCELLENT.
- I felt welcomed, engaged, encouraged, corrected and validated and having entered and completed that session I am now changed in the sense of the knowledge attained.
- This different perspective will make a huge difference not only in the quality of my lesson plans, but I now fully understand the range of writing quality outcomes.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Excellent.
- It’s not about planning lessons, but it is about planning experiences.
- That workshop was a game-changer for me.
- Learning is like building a house – all parts are integrated with each other.
- I learnt that Connectivism seems to integrate advances in neuroscience and learning. It takes into account the behaviours of learners in the “digital age” in an explicit way that is absent in other theories.
- I was glad that at the end of the workshop I was able to figure out the suitable strategy for one of the addressed challenges. I was impressed my self 😀
- I’ll return to the materials as a great source. It provides me with a new vision of how to choose the best strategies.
- This session was very helpful for me to learn new type of teaching strategies. And learnt how and when I can use them in my lessons.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- The development form shared is very useful and practical organizing the information and targets to meet the objectives.
- Excellent.
- I would like to change the perspective of only working on weakness but focus on strengths and become champion.
- Self dissection.
- I will be better able to explore and assess my development plans in future. And will be able to resolve symptoms and identify their root cause issue.
- Differentiate between symptom and issues.
- It helped me climb another milestone for perfecting development plan writing and also I caught a golden fish by getting my hands on your development plan – its so awesome!
- It help me to understand the wobble moments and how to work on the root causes of the symptoms and work on these indicators to write objectives.
- Sailing exploring new land.
- Now I can differentiate between issues and symptoms and suggest solutions accordingly.
- Thank you for the rich session.
- It was a great session providing a clearer understanding of issues and symptoms as this is the key to achieving target/s, so in the future, I will be in a better position to identity symptoms and work on them before they cause serious problems and halt the progression.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Your art work is a master piece only you can sometimes see. Perfecting progress reviews is what you and your team (students) want your masterpiece to look like, and the difference you want to make to help them become that artist.
- It was an inspirational lesson as always, focusing on letting the learner have autonomy of her learning, in a very conscious way.
- The slides were brilliant.
- Skill smart.
- Fantastic. I will do this more frequently to improve my students performance and making them more independent.
- The video analysis and discussion was so helpful realizing how it need to be done.
- Enlightening.
- I am feeling UP.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- The new insight to self assessment will help a lot.
- This session helps me first of all to know what is self assessment and then to understand the concept of it. English is not my mother tongue language and at the beginning I had the thought that I should not be part of this course. Then after you checked on my understanding I realized that it does not have anything about the language. It is definitively going to improve my self assessment in both French and English. And, surely motivate me to start to work on my writing skills.
- Thank you very much Tony for your kindness, patience, positive energy and all the skills you shared today with us.
- I would say that today’s session was full of beneficial information & useful resources. I am fully loaded with the essential Self assessment writing skills along with the formula for writing judgements to produce impact-focused text.
- In the future, it will prove very beneficial for me to be able to write an effective Self Assessment Report. I am now well aware of the do’s and don’ts and understand how to avoid the typical mistakes while writing a Self Assessment.
Preparing for Live Self Assessment
- Two days well spent. Training that was really meaningful.
- I appreciate now that self assessment isn’t about describing and re-writing what we do or to set up ourselves and our systems as perfect.
- The sessions were brilliantly delivered. Tony is extremely knowledgeable and his approach is sensitive and encouraging.
- Using (self) assessment to improve student learning.
- A sponge. Tried to absorb as much as I could.
- I will always consider the impact on the learner and write clear judgements.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- It was an amazing session!!
- It has given me a more clear picture for target setting and I would plan this in the Individual Learning Plans of my trainees where they will be filling in details and setting targets for themselves which would be then reviewed regularly to see where they have reached. Definitely, not all will be on the same page, so, I would have one-on-one sessions to help them to get back on track again.
- It was perfect, especially the target setting skill builder which I’m going to use with my trainees in the future. I would like to have some training sessions on online teaching or how to make it more interactive and engaging.
- It was an amazing session that gave me an opportunity to feel things as a learner, so, in the future when I will use target setting I will ensure that learners understand the whole process and do it for themselves for better ownership and its implementation for a better outcome.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Invigorating experience. Stimulating, got me thinking about aspects I never paid attention to before.
- Exciting.
- It made me realize to work on root-causes and not jumping to solutions.
- It was an eye-opener in many ways and I am sure it will help us make our students have a wonderful and rewarding learning journey.
- It helped me realize that there is a solution for everything if we follow the process in its true spirit.
- It was a wonderful training experience and I felt that time just flew as always.
- The clear identification of symptoms and issues was very helpful.
- Challenging. Never thought self assessment could be done in such detail.
Tools for Online Engagement
- Fabulous.
- Very excited. It was a fabulous session. I will be giving a try to some of the new technologies I learned today to use and implement for teaching purposes to engage and connect my students in a better way.
- Learning new stuff; new technological tools to be specific, is like a motivation trigger for trying them afterwards.
- Today’s lesson was like climbing a mountain. It was daunting at first and wondered if I’d understand it all but once I reached the ‘top of the mountain’ I was elated because I have learned something new and can identify what resources can be used and its impact on students.
- I will include more online tools to engage my students and make the lessons more fun as they enjoy games. They learn concepts easily when it is a game or where they need to engage in dialogue.
- I would be using all the online tools I have learnt today, however, 3 in each lesson would be more than enough (because each session is 50 minutes only).
Sutton Community Academy
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- The creative way in which this subject was explored and the way it has a ‘real’ (rather than theoretical) application.
North Lindsey College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Insightful and now eager to complete LP (lesson plan) with more thought – using colour-coding to reorganise my LP.
- Don’t be afraid to challenge the norm.
- Many Meerkat moments J
- Very informative and helpful.
- Lightbulb moments.
- Ready to climb the mountain (of motivating students).
- I hadn’t realised the importance of setting outcomes that challenge skills to be an expert learner.
- A squirrel running across a garden. His name is Tom. That is not my name. I am the garden.
- (I need to) use ‘mind’-based learning outcomes with my students.
- Training was great, but I need more practice at writing outcomes.
- Inspirational.
- (I need to) completely change the way I address lesson plans.
- Enjoy your sessions – your resources are very useful for developing practice.
- A rainbow.
- An enjoyable session allowing me to want to develop further.
- Box of chocolates.
- (I need to) be more aware, during lesson planning, of the individuals in the group.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- (Now) relooking at something we have felt confident at doing for years.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Good examples of how to develop learners’ literacy skills and reflective practice.
- An excellent session.
- It was a whirlwind.
- It was motivational.
- Enlightening.
- Opening a book in a foreign language and being taught the language as you read.
- This will give me a framework to help learners work more effectively.
- Inspirational and supportive.
- Will use similar exercises within Art terminology and glossary construction.
- Meteoric.
- Make it longer. He had so much more to share with us.
- Many of my students (music tech) are highly creative, but often find it difficult to express themselves in appraisals. These techniques will help me to guide the learners to be more detailed and expressive.
- Fast, furious and exciting.
- Just beginning my teaching journey so this was fab!
- Innovative.
- A walk through a library of knowledge, stopping at shelves of interest.
- The learning journey has been a whirlwind, but awesome!
- They say the sky is the limit, but why not aim for the stars.
- Like skiing down a black run.
Federation of work-based learning providers, Northern Ireland
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Has shown me how to use the facts and to evaluate the effects of actions.
- It helped me clarify the purpose of self evaluation and that quality is better than quantity.
Customized Training
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Lightening the load.
- Helped me think about the SER (SAR) in relation to impact on the learner.
- It was very thought provoking and helped me to analyse how the self evaluation could be improved.
Babcock International
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- How you have always done something may not always be right!
- I need to change the way I self evaluate in this organisation and write the document to reflect this.
Askham Bryan College
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Make changes!!
- Allow the student to make their own progress report with my support. Follow up on this – roleplay. Fantastic!!
- Enlightening.
- Open-ended questioning. The aspirations for progress reviews to be set.
- Great delivery that looks critically at expected inspection ideologies.
- Opened the curtains.
- Prepare more in advance, more open-ended questions.
- Work smart, not hard!
- I think I will put control into the learner more during progress reviews and blend it into casual conversation rather than me doing all the talking.
- I really enjoyed it! Not confrontational but got everyone involved.
- Thank you! It was really helpful.
- Lifting the blinds.
- Open questions, passing the mic. Thinking about that walk across the carpet.
- I don’t do any but it certainly emphasised making a difference. Seeing learning happen on its own scaffolding.
- Definitely. Say less, open questions.
- Speaker was very engaging.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Excellent event, very inspiring.
Cheadle and Marple College
Data Springboard
- Made me consider issues from a different angle – will change my practice.
- Recalibrated my views on quality and reporting.
- Time to think about QIP.
- Think about ‘issues’ instead of symptoms.
- Using in-year analysis instead of end of year.
Learning Independence
- Teaching and old dog new tricks.
- I shall not: ‘grab the mouse’.
- Inspiring and refreshing.
- Thought provoking term: ‘curiosity’.
- (I need to) relinquish control in my classroom and create curiosity.
- Lesson control, more curiosity.
- Awakening me to memories of previous experiences and inspiring new experiences.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- New perspective on old topic.
- Clearly explained, modelled and discussed approach to self-assessment.
- Really enjoyed this training and I think it highlighted a number of important ‘issues’ with our current processes.
- An inspiring and refreshing look at the learner journey. Excellent discussion and debate around key points of the learner journey and how this can convert to an alternative SAR and QIP.
- Outstanding day.
‘Yes, we’re all individuals’ Brian, 1979
- A creative Ofsted inspector – I didn’t know they existed!
- Chrysalis to butterfly.
- It has given me the confidence to develop differentiation within the classroom.
- I feel I need to make a shift away from controlling the progress in my lessons.
- Helped me to see differentiation in a different light.
- Differentiating by support.
Bracknell Open Learning Centre
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Extremely useful session which has allowed me to question the validity of our organisation’s OTL system.
- Realised that impact trumps inputs on every level.
- Enthused – I had lost that a little as things had become too prescriptive. I will now prepare to embrace the ‘bankers’.
City College Coventry
21st Century Pedagogy
- Drilled down into the nuts and bolts of learning objectives. Helped me identify ‘ideal student’ traits.
- Thought provoking. Liked definitions of expert learning.
- Enlightening.
- I will focus on setting learning objectives that will enable the development of the independent learner traits.
- [I need to] Focus on the outcome and build from there.
- [I need to] Use open loops [curiosity].
- Thought provoking.
- I have learnt what teaching staff should focus on when writing outcomes. This is now much clearer.
- Refreshing. More emphasis on educative practice to bring about improvement.
- It helped to focus thinking on the lesson as an isolated, but continual learning experience.
- Exciting! Use of the sandbox to write learning objectives.
- Really helpful. Going to deliver the ‘Sandbox’ to my team.
- Encouraging.
Learner-Centred Assessment, Feedback and Questioning
- A beginning of a new journey. [I need to] Use some of Tony’s techniques.
- The start of a journey – the way forward.
- Using post-it notes and answers to make sure comments are anonymous.
- Paired exemplar marking and avoiding the ‘but’.
- Some further tools to share with staff.
- Sharing feedback anonymously to encourage peer learning. Encourage peer assessment to reduce marking loads.
- A move towards enlightenment. Peer assessment. Learner critical reflection.
- Differentiation techniques – All learners should have same outcome, with different support levels to achieve it.
- New approaches and feedback to share with the team.
- Helpful to revisit self-assessment and marking.
- Rethink the [feedback] sandwich model and engage learners in feedback giving.
Learning Motivation: designing outstanding learning experiences
- [What might you do differently?] Everything.
- Yet another road to Damascus.
- Think big. Thank you for inspiring my staff so much 🙂
- I already aim high, but you made me realise: take away the ceiling to open up your learners’ world.
- [I need to] Research further ideas to help develop engaging lessons.
- White rapid river.
- Inspirational session. Plenty of food for thought. Thanks!
- Open the window and look at the sky. The fresh air enters the room – feel excited to be alive.
- Wow, I really enjoyed it… The reassurance that mistakes made through experimentation are ok.
- Inspiring sparks of exciting ideas.
- Inspiring. I might try to integrate new ways of getting students to be more active. It’s fantastic.
- [I/we need to] Create an effective schedule for induction week.
- Fun. I would *start* the year differently in future!!
- Eyes have been opened!
- A most enjoyable session – loved it!
Introduction to The RED System
- Rude awakening!
- Questioning. [I need to] Get my team to identify their areas for development.
- It should be a supportive system.
- I will look for impact in the lessons more than stuff.
- Empower the teachers to measure impact.
- Some very good ideas on how to change vision of observations.
- It gives me a better way of undertaking observations, I am new to the manager’s role, so is useful.
- Insightful.
- It has further reinforced the benefit of doing more coaching in the role of being the observer and focusing on impact.
- Insightful and inspirational. Started to understand the need to flip accountability to supportive process.
- Consideration of terminology and looking at impact statements.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Informative. Has helped me identify the impact on learners and not just the stuff, also to keep the process supportive.
- It was like being given a rout of a museum exhibiting what we are doing as part of an observation process.
- Developmental. Confidence-building. [I need to] Move away from parent/child [feedback].
- Thought provoking. Particularly the flip in the way to feedback and allow for own development and empowering.
- In future observations I will do the strategy/impact note sheet [Lesson Reflection Form] and consider changing the way conversations are held.
- I’ll try to rethink the language used when giving feedback and inviting teachers to an open discussion, giving them ownership of the process.
- Focus on the impact not the stuff! Conversation not feedback. Encourage staff to think about how their lessons are making a difference! If not, what needs changing.
- I have developed a good understanding of the lesson observation process. I will look at how learners are progressing in the lessons more than the documentation.
- I particularly enjoyed the post-observation evaluative conversations.
- Some very interesting and thought-provoking conversations. I am hoping that our observation process will shift from observer- to teacher-led.
- Enlightening! Being new to observation in this capacity, it has been beneficial to learn about the purpose of observation.
- Inspiring. [We need to] Agree a new system including the principles of evaluation.
Tricked out tutorials
- I really love the idea of differentiation I learnt today.
- I will apply it.I felt it was a challenging and enjoyable session.
- Nice to have a session that was a bit challenging and not patronising.
- An eye opener on what we could do better.
- Thank you for your enthusiastic delivery and passion for the subject.
- Learnt about direct and indirect questioning.
- A flower that has just sprung back to life after a slight rundown.
- Reshape tutorials so that students prepare with a brief record of GROW issues so that they take ownership.
- Made me look at my teaching practice in new light.
- Enjoyed all of the session.
DBS Music
Independent Learning
- I thought this was the next dimension regarding the learning process.
- Rapid. Inspiring like the wind.
- Like deconstructing a Lego model I made a while back.
- A new sample pack to compose with!
Collyer’s College (The College of Richard Collyer)
Independent Learning
- Remembering the enthusiasm for creativity I had as a new teacher.
- It helped challenge pre-conceived notions.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I liked the idea that getting at a root issue might deal with several symptomatic problems in one hit, and so save time.
- It got me to think painfully… like squeezing a spot – painful, but had to be done.
- A little like dragging my 5 year old to school: resistant at first, but by the end of the day I see the value!
- The light at the end of the tunnel is considerably brighter.
- It was like waking up after a good night’s sleep.
- Great session – thanks – it will be interesting to see how it changes the college process.
- Keeping a firm grasp of the two pointers – ‘so what’ and ‘however’ – will help me to think more clearly.
- Very thoughtful and challenging day. Gave me lots to think about.
- A helicopter ride (so we could all look down on ourselves from a different angle).
- Will use ‘howevers’ to highlight areas for improvement.
- It helped me get a better understanding of what self-assessment should be – not written for the devil on my shoulder, but the learner.
- Challenging and thought provoking!
- Excellent session.
- Enlightening.
Self assessment and quality improvement planning – support staff
- Stepping up the stairs to outstanding.
- Inspired!
- Don’t be scared to admit there are issues, as they help to create self assessment and improve our work.
- Thought provoking. I need to involve all of the team and ensure they input into the process!
Self assessment and quality improvement planning – academic staff
- Eye-opening, thorough, well-paced, authoritative stuff. Thank you.
- Helped me digest my volatile data.
- Helped me see the wisdom of earlier SAR drafting and of continual SAR review.
- I had someone giving me a ladder to help me climb to somewhere I couldn’t reach.
- Cleaning a dirty window. It really helped to go through the techniques of exposing the real issues that are preventing improvement.
- Enlightening.
- Explained the role of the SAR as a way to learn rather than ‘show off’.
- Feel better equipped to self assess.
- Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’.
- An archaeological dig: revealing layers of historical practice that we have assumed provide a firm foundation – but do they?! I’m a changed assessor.
Farnborough College of Technology
Independent Learning
- Flowering.
- Lightbulb moment about the purpose of FE.
- I felt that my mind had been opened to teach how I feel that my learners would respond to best.
- Awakening of ideas for creative learning.
- This is where teaching should go!!
- Thank you – this may be what makes me achieve grade 1 @ next inspection.
- Opening a window to a new view.
- Opening a packet of popcorn – it’s a taste and I want more.
- I’ve ‘travelled the carpet’.
- Exciting presentation – left me wanting to know more.
- Encouraging/enlightening.
- A great session. Hopefully will give teachers confidence to do what they feel is right, and not what they think should be done.
- Coming out of a tunnel.
- The word ‘curiosity’ has really had an impact on me and I will really look at how I open and close a class.
- Very inspiring. I wish some management were present!
- As inspirational and interesting as a good Wikipedia article.
- As impactful as a knuckle duster.
- As eye-opening as botox! (I mean that in a good way!)
- As informative as reading an encyclopaedia.
- A walk in the desert with shifting sands, but coming across an oasis.
- Some great debates prompted.
- I am ‘on the bus’.
- Interesting, informative, soul searching.
- Spark.
- Curious about the apparent ‘turning on head’ of lesson observations.
Bellerby’s (Brighton)
Independent Learning
- A squeegee on the windscreen of a car after a long trip.
- From mild scepticism to broad engagement.
- I loved the idea that we are ‘choreographers’.
- Thanks. It was great to have such an enthusiastic trainer.
- Stimulating.
- I don’t always enjoy or find useful training sessions like this – this was a definite exception!
- We need to work as a department to develop our course strategy.
- Exciting.
Bellerby’s (London)
Independent Learning
- Like finding an old book that you haven’t read for ages: thoroughly enjoyable.
- The session helped to develop my understanding and I will use some of the techniques described.
- There’s a lot of re-evaluation that I need to foster independent learning.
- Climbing the upper reaches of a tree!
Bellerby’s (Cambridge)
Independent Learning
- Sunshine through rain clouds.A light switched on.
- Encouraging students to move beyond the cards they’ve been dealt.
- Stimulating – thought provoking.
- A fascinating journey.
- Must get students to become more curious.
Bellerby’s (Oxford)
Independent Learning
- The effect you get when you clean a dirt-smeared window.
- Very engaging, easy to listen to, interesting, interactive. Inspiring.
- Very exciting and the time has flown too fast.
- Validating so much of what I believe.
- Inspirational.
- I have taken various suggestions to improve my teaching from this session.
- Improved my understanding.
- Transformation from dependence learning to independence.
- Teaching becoming learning.
- Faith (curiosity) can move mountains.
- Very approachable and engaging – I didn’t switch off once!
- Cat out of the bag.
- Refreshing and revealing insight.
- Setting sail for the New World.
Myerscough College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Candy floss! I was just a stick – got whirled around the sugar a number of times during different activities & came out a candy floss – sticky learning.
- I understood formative assessment and do utilise some of strategies already, but the process of identifying the most appropriate & the visual of seeing the scores against each strategy was fascinating & will enable me to articulate the potential impact, which is an area I’m keen to further develop in my own practice & supporting colleagues with their T,FA & L.
- Time allowed for discussion and development of ideas to progress through the afternoon. I am always keen that training shows the why & the how and this was covered in spades with lots of emphasis on the further development of strategies to meet individuals’ teaching areas.
- Great session Tony thank you so much.
Independent Learning
- I thought I had reached the top of the mountain regarding learning strategies. Now I feel like I’ve plenty more climbing to do.
- Inspiring twist.
- I’m excited to try alternative strategies with the new goal of achieving curiosity and independent learning amongst my students.
- Really made me consider how, as a learning support worker, I can work towards creating independence in learners who are typically more dependent.
- Logic.
- Don’t be so quick to pick up the mouse and take control.
- Inspiring.
- It has shown me that I need to change my teaching style to allow them (learners) to help control their learning experience.
- Motivational delivery and inspiring points made.
- The fog is lifting on independent learning.
- Excellent ideas and encouragement of us to think about what we do.
- Independent learning will be put into all my session.
- Discovery of another theory which the organisation’s infrastructure doesn’t currently support. Thought provoking and engaging.
- An out-of-body experience to look at what I do.
- I now know the destination, but could do with a map.
- I’m going to change the way I feedback to learners and make them do more of the work.
- Independent learning is within the grasp of all learners.
- The pre-learn paradigm could be very useful in implementing the independent learning concept.
- One of the most useful teaching and learning CPD sessions we have had!
- Very interesting concept of pre-learning and releasing resources in advance – I intend to try this!
- A thoroughly enjoyable, interesting and, most importantly, valuable session!
- Kept me curious!
- The start of a shopping list, in preparation to cook the tastiest three-course meal.
- Inspired to continue blossoming as a trainee teacher.
- I’d like to explore Competitive Advantage further and how to use this to inspire our less successful students.
- An uphill journey with a worthwhile view.
- Like a waterfall falling and filling an expanding pool.
- Not receptive at first. Now very enthusiastic.
- Curiosity cured the student.
- The ways of encouraging curiosity made me as curious as a cat.
- The curiosity killed me throughout to know more.
- New thought process in regards to planning and preparation of structured sessions, focusing on student-led approach through curiosity and interest in subject areas.
- Introduce a topic ‘thought’ prior to session delivery. Let students develop a knowledge base on which to build.
- It gave me the motivation to move on and break the controls that govern our delivery.
- Specific directions do not always lead to the perfect location.
- Extremely enjoyable with some amazing ideas and suggestions throughout.
- ‘Meerkat!’
- Fantastic ideas and expansions to my teaching practices – really keen to explore/expand on this further.
- I crossed that carpet!
- Developing learners’ independent learning skills at the beginning of the year is a must.
- Your enthusiasm made the session pass quickly, which is extremely unusual for CPD!
- I am a seagull, having flown over the open sea, but finding there are some chips in the hands of Tony Davis that make it worth diving down to take them and consume, to fuel the never-ending journey. And the chips are free! Bonus!
- Curiosity killed the dependence.
- A welcome addition of ingredients to a recipe for quality teaching and expert independent learning.
- Quite inspired to do something different.
- Realised I teach dependence. Looking forward to implementing strategies to change the way I teach and develop strategies to encourage independent learners.
- I will reflect on my teaching as if I was observing myself and actively discourage dependency. I will take risks..
- Wonderful like the wind.
- Sense and sensibility.
- Inspirational.
- The session was like a hot fudge sundae with a cherry on top!
- Energetic.
- Brilliant.
- An intriguing afternoon.
- Experiential learning journey.
- From zero to hero.
- A fish learning to fly.
- Tornado! Whirlwind!
- It has changed every aspect of previous education lessons!
- I’ve been in education for 10 years and this was by far the best and most influential day I have had!
- Awesome!
- A breath of fresh air in a stagnant environment!
Learning Motivation
- Rhizomatic.. travelled in different directions but grew and strengthened throughout.
- Lots of practical guidance and structured reflection.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Enjoyable, and thought provoking.
- Hope is on the horizon.
- Perfecting progress reviews. ‘It’s coming home’.
- Like floating across a ‘Red Carpet’ and enjoying the journey.
- Music to my ears.
- I will approach reviews with a new method and look more towards tackling the barriers that students face.
- It has helped me to look at different ways to improve my progress reviews. I will now work towards making the students take ownership of their review and help them to look at targets on our college system.
- More focus on the learner leading the progress reviews and setting their goals and targets. More open questioning to the learner. I like the use of project management skills instead of SMART targets.
- Relate more to the symptoms of what is going on with the learner.
- Make the reviews more learner led. Rather than tick box exercise.
- Promote the expectation for learners to bring their own perception of where they are up to along to the Review meeting – in order to promote independence and change SMART targets into Project Management of own learning, certainly for L2 & L3 learners.
- Change in approach to support work based tutors in perfecting progress reviews.
- How to softly approach topics, what to do/not to do.
- Presentation and delivery was very good, clear interesting and meaningful, Tony understood his audience and was empathetic to his learners.
- Like a sports turf horticulture operative who creates a level playing field.
- Yes particularly on differentiation, knowing what barriers there are and where the learner is starting from, creating a plan that can get them to achieve ambitious goals. Also strategies to increase learner autonomy.
North Warwickshire and Hinckley College
Transformational lesson observation
- I like to sing, but I now want to write the song!
- I am excited about the possibility of change.
- We need a new system that eliminates fear and fosters creativity.
- Observations could be such a positive driving force – at present they are not.
- Inspired.
- Best CPD I have engaged in re observation training.
- I shall use all the information, ideas and concepts, building them into my work as an observer.
- We will require that this session and its implications is cascaded to the entire organisation and to senior staff members.
- Enlightening.
- Inspirational – left me with a desire to make a positive change within the organisation.
- Eye opening.
- Lesson observation is to improve teaching and learning and not mirror Ofsted.
- Why aren’t we doing this already!!
- The event was excellent and a great insight into how to coach and mentor whilst observing.
Knowsley Community College
21st Century Pedagogy
- On an education shopping trip to gather loveliness.
- Breath of fresh air.
- Inspirational about creativity.
- Appreciate the importance of learning independently.
- Inspirational.
- [I need] Better planning for a more specific learning outcome to improve more independent learning and higher-level thinking.
- [I need to] Develop S.O.W to improve higher-level thinking skills. Develop Q&A to improve higher-level thinking skills.
- [I need to] Make learners more curious about topics. Plan and encourage independent learning.
- [I need to] Devise a problem solving/discovery-based learning environment which engages learners’ curiosity.
- Enjoyed the integrated games and tasks – more of these.
- I will be reassessing how I write my aims and objectives to ensure they are about learning not tasks. I will use less ‘mouse grabbing’ and encourage learners to find solutions themselves first.
- Informative and eye-opening.
- Use ‘all’ – encourage consistently high expectations.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Best staff training I’ve ever been to.
- Love the scaffolding approach. Will use it, 100%.
- An inspiring educational experience.
- Using colours in order to improve and widen students’ vocabulary.
- Enjoyed session – very informative and will definitely improve and change my teaching practice for the better.
- A rolling stone..
- Excellent.
- A pleasant drive to somewhere I’m familiar with, but learning throughout the journey.
- Intense, but effective.
- Excellent delivery. Gave me food for thought for my future deliveries.
- [I need to] spend more time writing L.O.s [learning objectives] and creating new ways for learners to develop higher-order thinking skills.
- An academic success story.
- Full-colour evaluation..
- I am going to concentrate more on getting my learners to work independently.
- This session has given me some ideas regarding building confidence with my students.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- My perspective has been challenged and coached.
- I really enjoyed today and I’m curious to learn more!
- Created an insight into how we need to move forward as a college.
- Really useful and learnt a lot. Looking forward to implementing the ideas.
The Derbyshire Network
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It was unmissable!
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Very thought provoking – Lots of ideas to go away with!
Banbury and Bicester College
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Today was stimulating because the ideas challenged much of my thinking.
Derby College
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- The session has helped the fog to lift after a long summer break.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Motivating, exciting and engaged.
- Consider target setting for student value, work in collaboration with the student to devise, personal, motivating targets that align with aspiration and progress.
- It was brilliant, a great balance of input and interaction.
- I want to explore Blendspace. A thoroughly enjoyed session, Many thanks.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Gained an understanding of how ungraded observations could be implemented.
Loughborough College
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Inspirational
- I want to make our distance learners feel part of something bigger than completing their short 12-16 week course.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It shone a light on some of the key aspects to be mindful of when writing a SAR. The 5 key mistakes was particularly useful.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- A calculated car crash of new concepts. Mind blowing! A change of culture from fear to one of development.
- A light-bulb moment.
- Tortoise to a hare.
- Sailing home from enemy territory. Nearly in port.
- So glad to have had this session. I think it should be repeated for those who are observing to explore the T&L focus and developmental impact as a priority.
- Definitely improved my approach to holding a post-obs conversation – focusing on ‘impact on learning’.
- From a Margarita pizza to one with most of the toppings.
- I have gained a much broader understanding of seeing the impact and how to improve the understanding of the system amongst staff.
- I think this would be excellent training for our staff. I think education of staff to reach outstanding should start before the observation process.
- Rather than focusing on lesson observation criteria, I will focus more on identifying impact.
- Inspirational.
- I will use curiosity as a tool to engage learners.
- I’ll go into observations with a different perspective, focusing more on impact rather than practical activities.
- Gave me the vocabulary to discuss observations with staff – always looking for impact.
- A bowl of fruit about to be made into a smoothie.
Pera Training
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Roller coaster ride!
- Follow the yellow brick road (without grades!).
Brooksby Melton College
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Moved from my comfort zone to exploring different methods of judging learning and the impact of teaching.
The Sixth Form College, Colchester
Transformational Lesson Observation
- On the path to enlightenment.
- We need to establish a clear idea of the meaning of impact and ensure that all staff really understand this and plan lessons with this in mind.
Bury College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- It’s re-ignited my fire! (I feel inspired).
- It has changed the way I will plan my ‘learner experiences’. Brilliant session!
- Inspired to do better – to empower learners more.
- Thank you so much. I have learnt so much and am eager to put it into practice.
- Do more group work when it comes to assessment – help them to become more independent.
- Enjoyable session. Nice to have a speaker who understands the weaknesses of Ofsted feedback!
- I will review the ways I look at assessment to make it more student focused and get them to think about what they should do next.
- No longer without a paddle.
- This has been one of the best CPD sessions we have has in the 6 years I have been here. I feel all staff members should experience this session. Engaging, encouraging and effective.
- This was an enjoyable session that gave me lots of ideas to think about.
- Meerkat moments, discovery demonstration will be a definite take away.
- Informative/transformative.
- Loved the lazy teaching session, will use the strategies.
- Enthused throughout the course!
- I will look forward to trying out the different assessment strategies. I was great!
- Be more proactive to make the learner work rather than myself.
- Amazing session.
- Changing views on general TLA creating more interactive lessons that do not take much time to produce, adapting more student-led learning.
- The big one I want to explore is using ‘wiki’ in one note so I can monitor progress with assignments.
- ‘Ditching’ the objectives.
- Structure of the session very-well designed – we feel like we’ve been playing games all morning but actually learned a lot while having fun!
- Going to look again at my SoW for next academic year with “new eyes” and introduce a range of formative assessments.
- Take more ownership in designing ‘fun’ sessions. Making a difference from classroom experiences.
- “Choose risks, not ruts”
- Motivated, curious and excited.
- Inspirational. Fabulous session – highly informative, helpful and interactive!
- Always engaging and inspiring in your sessions.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- Providing a life jacket in an ocean of pedagogy.
- A Eureka moment. Why did I not know this before?
- I crossed the carpet and left a changed teacher!
- Too many to list – really useful and informative. Really good CPD for all experience levels.
- The importance of not always allowing student to hang onto the support until the end.
- Great delivery/fantastic session.
- Change of purpose of ILP and IA
- Another outstanding session that will have impact on my approach. Thank you!
- I’m in front of a huge appetising buffet I can’t eat all at once.
- Rethink assumptions – Thank you
- I took more from this than I expected – really opened my mindset.
- Walk on the carpet. ‘Experienced’ learners not ‘able’ learners.
- To continue to have high expectations for all learners. Really focus on the strategies I can use to get all learners to achieve.
- Great session. Very informative and presented issues that need to be challenged and how to support.
- SLT to be involved and support key concepts
- 2nd Session – attended SAR writing other week – both excellent. You talk the right language!
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It’s show time! We are ready to step up to the plate.
- I really like the concept of saying to an inspector that I would like to show you the issue I had, what I did about it and the impact it has had on my learners.
- This approach provides a framework for affective critical thinking – need to make this happen.
- Penny dropping.
- Focus more on questioning the ‘why’ behind judgement.
- Inspired curiosity and creativity.
- Curiosity sparked to review and refresh SAR process, engaging with staff team.
- I will now look for the root cause and take ownership or identify the most appropriate person in my team.
- Enlightening. This session has highlighted all the elements of SAR and Quip and how to evaluate them in a more informed way. I enjoyed all of this day.
- I can see clearly now the rain has gone.
- Different starting points, clearer analysis and actions.
- Rabbit in headlights – best find the rabbit holes!
- Much more targeted. Bring teams back in again.
- Identify the cause and cure the symptom.
- Now more ownership on ‘causes’ and how to resolve! Look for impact! Relate to the learners. More staff engagement and team ownership.
- Found the session really useful. Very reflective and have identified many areas to improve!
- Looked at process completely differently. Really interesting – issue + symptom.
- Very informative. I will be looking at root-causes more than the symptoms.
- Sparked thoughtful discussions.
- Involve the team and have champions. Reduce the document, not enlarge it.
- Cheap as chips. Logical structure to support ‘cheap’ quality improvement. Really well delivered.
- Transformational. Will be adopting a more methodical approach to evaluation of performance and identifying key challenges.
- Really thought provoking and will inform practice.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Big conversation captured on a simple form.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- An awakening: what I’ve been doing wrong and what I need to do better.
Supercharged evaluation skills
- A lightbulb!
- Excellent and inspiring.
- Carpet metaphor – I got to the other side!
- Much better understanding of differentiation and stretch and challenge.
- A rainbow.
- Really engaged in the session. This really illustrated for me the students’ experience.
Access Training (East Midlands) Ltd
Transformational Lesson Observation
- From the ridiculous to the sublime!
E.Quality Training Ltd
Transformational Lesson Observation
- More ‘reds under the bed’ than I first thought!
Chesterfield College
21st Century Pedagogy
- Clouds clearing.
- Teaching an old dog new tricks!
- (I need to) devise strategies that encourage curiosity.
- Breaking through the fourth classroom wall.
- The sun coming out after a rainy day!
- (I need to) challenge myself and the learners through more considered planning.
- Switched on a light bulb.
- Leading a horse to water and convincing it it’s thirsty.
- Sponge.
- Stimulating.
- This has helped to clearly define how to set out aims and outcomes.
- I’ve peeped out of the box, but fear that I may be told to get back in it.
- Best handout on outcomes I have had for many years.
- The comment about the teacher taking control of the mouse really helped me to reflect on how much control I am taking away from their independent learning.
- If we don’t challenge ourselves as teachers, we will not change!
- Rediscovering spontaneity in teaching.
- Stop the carpet burns by dragging them (learners) through, and show them the wheels to get there on their own.
- Really enjoyed this session and already thinking of way to be more creative myself.
- Made me curious and kept me intrigued.
- I was that Meerkat.
Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching
- As if by magic, the shop keeper appears.
- Make the world of learning real. Fill creative assessment through the sessions and SoL.
- Various shades of ideas and new strategies. Food for thought!
- Really enjoyed the session and would like access to the assessment cards.
- Mind blowing. Gets creative juices flowing.
- I will get a desired learning outcome from the learner as well as the tutor.
- I will observe classroom lessons with Sharon so I can learn strategies from the classroom team.
- Eye opening amount of strategies that can be used through teaching.
- Loads of different ways of using assessment in my workshop session or theory lessons. Thank you for all the information. A lot taken on board that will be implemented.
- Seeing the wood through the trees.
- Revisit how we gauge success in short lesson visits, we should look at impact from intent to completion. I thought this session was great. It would be nice to revisit after we have put it into practice.
- This will focus my mind on formative assessment strategies, or ‘Informative strategies’. A reminder of that importance to check learning and progress.
- So many ideas, something for everything. A fun and well-planned approach. Quite refreshing.
- My brain being turned inside out. Give more independence/ownership back to the learner.
- The session was like a learning tree branching out for more understanding of teaching. It helped me reflect on different assessment types and how to approach them.
- Thank you for the session. It was informative and engaging.
- The application of new ideas and approaches to planning and delivering ideas.
- The session was interesting and informative, it was a great ways to change thinking and approach to lesson planning to try and make assessment the focus.
- Open as a door to new ideas. I will use more teaching assessment techniques in lesson and I have learnt different techniques relevant to subject.
- I have learnt a lot today and got a link between theory and practice. Thank you, Tony.
- Inspiring. Given me a lot of ideas for how to approach assessment – still studying PGCE and find this session useful to add a new perspective.
- Really enjoyed this! Opened my mind to a variety of ways assessment can be used to inform lessons rather than an afterthought!
- Opened mind to new ideas and methods. Use as many of the strategies as possible when relevant.
Well-spent morning of learning. - It has helped me to widen my knowledge of different assessment methods so I can make future lessons more engaging.
- I can see clearly now the brain fog has gone.
- It helped me to recognise that whilst I use formative assessment methods, I could use them more frequently and in different creative ways.
- Excellent! Lovely demeanour and informative/creative.
- There are ways to engage students in a fun, creative manor. Strategies that can be implemented to many subjects.
- Lots of great ideas to make lessons more fulfilling for my learners, so they get more out of them and I’m passing the onus on to them, rather than doing everything myself.
- Tony Davis was a very good presenter. He is very enthusiastic and clear in his explanations. The resources, visual presentations, questioning and activities were very engaging and got us all talking. The pace of the sessions was very good and we got through a lot of content while also having a practice with the resources. I will be using questioning during my demonstrations to ask ‘What would need to be done next?’ rather than simply showing the students what to do next.
- Enjoyable and informative. Training that I can actually use.
- The fifty shades of assessment overview, love the simple structure with so many ideas to spark our imagination.
- Brilliant session, well planned and interactive.
- Useable assessment strategies that I can find quickly and link directly to the learning outcomes.
- That was an extremely useful session, probably the best bit of CPD I’ve ever done. I will certainly be making use of the resources in the months (and perhaps years!) to come. Thanks very much!
Independent Learning
- A journey into the light.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- An inspirational session this morning! Thank you. I took my induction idea to the JOYFE ideas room tonight and explored it further with a group from around the country! Watch this space?♂we are collaborating across colleges?
- Like sailing out across the ocean.
- Really liked the online accessibility and thought it was the correct amount of time.
- Will be disseminating this Friday – the team who attended were really buzzing… fingers crossed.
- Great ideas and lovely way of presenting information.
- Great session and love the video.
Learning motivation: designing unmissable experiences
- This session lit up a corner of a dark room that I have just entered – and will get brighter the more I learn, teach and adapt these techniques.
- Absolutely – especially in regards to my department. Hearing new ideas, techniques and understanding and implementing approaches to learning with unmotivated/disengaged students and activities.
- Brilliant delivery and very engaging. Appreciate the lesson and enlightening.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Pleasantly tired from all the ideas and enthusiastic about the future!!
- Look at building a quality standard to support the impact we want to see.
- Ensure that staff ensure that learners take ownership of their review.
- Music to the soul.
- Let the learner do all of the talking! (Well, most)
- Blue sky.
- Use of curious questions to draw out learner with no agenda.
- Loved the use of the video for this session.
- Help staff develop ‘language’ of mastering curious questions…
- Lovely session, thank you.
- Rainbow.
- Not to rely on the quality checks. Enjoyed the session – thank you ?
- Crossing a river.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- A journey of 100 miles starts with a single step.
- YES!!!! Look at the ‘however’. Use the red, purple and blue strategy to help me write better judgement statements.
- Tony was engaging, positive and gave some really great advice.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Bacteria to amoeba to fish to lizard to dinosaur to bird.
- A pre-lit firework – having the ingredients to improve development of knowledge before ‘firing off’.
- Very interested in the Emotional Learning Journey, evaluative vocabulary; will definitely look at/think about this more.
- Loved it thank you ? You really challenge my thinking.
- Green buds on a tree.
- Focus on the individual and the support they need.
- Use an about face. How could PBP allow learners to ‘own’ their learning and create curiosity.
- An awakening and realisation.
- Focus on progression/aspirations.
- Budding flower.
- Look at the writing in colour, gives me an idea on how this can be implemented to give feedback to students.
- Great session. Just need time to implement.
- Rollercoaster ?
- Empowering/using the project management tool, using the ‘colour’ code method. Enjoyed the session!
- Give learners (and staff) more control.
- Speak to the students to discuss what they want to achieve. Much appreciated, thanks.
The RED System
- A roadmap to success.
- Storms are created as a natural part of life and a natural part of every ecosystem.
- Loved it – perhaps challenge perception of what managers do!
- Icing on the cake!!
- Loved it thank you 🙂
- The myth of Sisyphus, but with a different ending (He gets it over the hill).
- It can be factored into our current system and COPs.
- Like climbing a ladder to reach the stars!
- Really liked the way in which each phase is structured, in particular 6, 7 and 8.
- Really enjoyed it, thank you.
- The future is bright and ever changing.
- Evaluation and continuous improvement.
- I found today’s session very inspiring and I feel RED will re-energise our college.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I am keen to use this for my newly formed post-16 QA, but also embed it where possible in pre-16.
- Fascinating.
- Outstanding! Inspirational.
- Full change college system – must move forward.
- Focus on the impact in a positive manner.
- Breath of fresh air.
- Realigned my passion for improving TL&A.
- Use the question: ‘Tell me about the impact on learning’.
- Exciting. Extremely helpful. Motivated, empowered.
- A definite light-bulb moment!
- I now fully understand that I have to concentrate and evidence the impact (on learning) and the distance travelled.
- I was expecting the usual observation training, so was very pleasantly surprised 🙂
- The left-hand/right-hand system (for writing lesson-reflection notes) was great.
- Engaging, exhausting, passionate delivery. Thank you.
- Planting a seed and watching it grow.
- I/we need to implement this into our strategy.
- Really like the new approach the college is adopting. Inspiring.
- It has challenged my understanding.
- A very different approach to the observation process.
Transformational Lesson Observation – follow-on training
- Great session that challenged, informed and highlighted ways to develop our coaching and mentoring strategy.
- Inspiring and challenging session that the whole college would benefit from.
- Motivational.
- I need to practise my coaching technique.. and (completing) the writing and feedback in one go!
- Good insight as I’m new to observation.
- Now aware of what is required and tips on how to manage the coaching conversation if the session doesn’t flow well.
- The session has really helped today.
- Yes. More use of coaching questions to reach the ‘tipping point’ and find the point of intrinsic motivation.
- Look for strategies to enable transfer to intrinsic control.
- Enjoyed the calm and direct approach – the correct type of tutor-led activity.
- A new skill to develop for me, but I am feeling curious and excited about the process after today.
- I clearly need to spend more time working on writing up my reports in a more timely way and to practise my evaluative conversations.
- Rollercoaster J
- Every journey starts with just one step.
- Remembering I’m not there to have all the answers, but to ask questions to get the teacher reflecting and evaluating the impact on learners.
- The importance of ensuring observe recognises own actions and self-development opportunities.
- Individuals need to be enabled to take ownership
Newcastle Sixth Form College
Learning Motivation
- An eye opening insight into what should have been done years ago.
- It provided me with a major understanding of motivation techniques and how I can use them to improve.
- Great applied examples.
- Re-engaged in my teaching after Xmas break.
- ‘Expandable foam’ – brain stretching!
- Close to the pot of gold under the rainbow.
- I need more time with my colleagues to implement some of the great ideas into my scheme of work.
- Brilliant, insightful, and worth the time.
- It encouraged me to think outside the box when planning lessons to engage learners.
- A treasure hunt car drive on a Sunday afternoon.
- Think about the essential issues rather than the symptoms.
- Really enjoyed the curiosity aspect.
- Like entering a cupboard on a rarely used corridor.
- Good ideas, fun.
- A bouncing ball, bouncing a little higher each time.
- Thoroughly enjoyed the session – very inspirational.
- Learning today is like reading a new play – with themes and issues and interesting characters.
- Roller-coaster.
- I wish I had gone to school when all of this was put to use.
- Like a great curry – I’m full, but I still want more!
- I am now going to build curiosity into my lessons.
Grimsby Institute
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- This course made me feel like I had been dragged out of the quicksand and placed into a lovely bath of assessment infused bubbles!
- This session brought to the fore how the term assessment is not sufficiently linked to formative and ongoing, but rather the end!
- It will influence the way teachers see assessment through the development of new resources and training.
- This course was refreshingly informative, engaging and extremely useful for myself and my colleagues once cascaded.
- This is a whole new world of assessment, shinning, shimmering, splendid – a dazzling place I never knew.
- The difference between summative that I thought was formative in the classroom. I have a whole range of assessment methods to call upon and develop for delivery.
Learning Motivation
- Riding the waves on a sea of great ideas.
- I’m taking away the thin scheme of work and mapping unmissable events and motivation low points to inform planning.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- I will start with discussion with colleagues around how we encourage the teaching staff to use learning outcomes as a whole session approach and refrain from using lots of unnecessary aims and objectives. There is a place for these but..
- The toolkit is less jumbled and much more organised. Loved the activities.
- A great session that will help me support colleagues and develop their understanding of writing LO’s with a focus upon the skill aspect of their delivery.
- The journey across the carpet and other metaphors were very helpful and will support the illustration of what I am trying to achieve in coaching others.
- Thought everything went really well, the great modelling of tech which I loved and will also utilise.
- Very enjoyable – enjoyed the passion, the tools and the concepts.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
- Lots of simple strategies which are easy to implement – excellent.
- It was really refreshing that a topic such as learning theorists was delivered in such a way as to make it practicable. It should be a ‘dry’ session – it wasn’t! Really enjoyed it.
- Opening the toolbox of my mind.
- Team meetings will be reinvented.
- Deeper exploration of how to design learning experiences.
- This should be a national programme.
- Opening the curtains and seeing the light.
- Another great learning experience. Thanks.
- A window has opened for me.
- Lots of useful and informative ideas I could bring to the classroom.
- All round excellent training with lots to take away.
- Brilliant solutions/strategies – excellent.
- Excellent delivery/training.
- Definitely going to use the online resources.
- Great morning, better than expected – thank you!!!
- Many new teaching and learning strategies gained – very useful.
- New innovative learning styles. Thank you.
- I’ve walked the carpet.
- Well done, the pitch was at the right level, you did engage with the audience well.
- Refreshing.
- Awareness of how various learning theorists can be embedded into a planned session using varying teaching methods – this will address emotional learning states.
- Addressing emotional learning states and linking to various strategies that can aid learning.
- Clear reminder that the learner’s emotional needs/states impact greatly on their ability to learn – sometimes in our pressure to get through the curriculum we can forget this!
- The strategies are very valuable. Loved looking at the categories as “experienced” rather than “able”.
- Fantastic, great tool.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I felt like a child who did not want to go back to school today, but was glad when I got there!
- I have been involved in self-assessment activities for about 20 years, but recently left the FE sector only to return so it was a real good refresher.
- I really enjoyed this session and it has helped me to focus on the SAR that I am starting to write. Thank you
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Chomping at the bit to discuss changes.
- How a QIP doc can be used more effectively without unnecessary additional work #keepitsimple. I really liked the concept of a celebration box and will be championing this asap. It was the usual interesting and engaging session I have come to expect from Tony.
Preparing for Live Self Assessment
- It was the opening first ascent on a rollercoaster leading to that tipping point when you shout ‘Wahey!’ and just ‘get it’ as you go over the top!
- Enlightened. Feel more able and confident to accurately produce an SAR which is fit for purpose.
- It was a journey of eyes being opened – to see how far we could move from good to outstanding.
- Encouraging honest evaluation and meaningful development planning.
- Thoroughly enjoyable session.
- We must use self assessment in the ‘live’ context and not retrospectively.
- It made me more aware that I have tended to focus on 3rd party audiences, rather than the key issues that needed to be reviewed.
- Inspiring.
Service area self assessment
- Buckets full of ideas.
- Better understanding of the cogs in the wheel of self assessment.
- Gave me a lot to think about, but very helpful.
- Made me realise that there are many more things to consider.
- Don’t write (about) symptoms – write issues!
- I haven’t looked at self assessment in this format before. It helps me think and conclude differently.
- Bit like an iceberg. Have realised SARs are just the bit we see on top and there is a lot to go on below the water level.
- This was a great way of ‘building’ quality standards.
- I will be more involved in self assessment in future.
- Much better understanding of what is required now.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Valuable
- The session presented a range of considerations and processes to consider in relation to re-developing our self-assessment procedure, particularly around working with staff to get to the root cause of issues.
- The use of Prezi video overlaid on the presenter screen made the sections of tutor delivery far more visually engaging over the standard screen share with a slide show.
Transformational lesson observation
- Unmissable!
- Was hugely developmental to review OTL as a transformative rather than didactic/systems-based process.
- A great session – thought provoking and allowing for the college to look differently at OTL.
- Eye-opening
- Change my focus onto the impact on the learner and bring more ownership to the reflection of the observed rather than feedback from the observer.
- Face the learners (when observing) not the tutor and watch for signs of learning in its many forms.
- The system needs to be re-energised to provide support for staff and to empower them to request observations.
- (We need a) cultural shift to support move to outstanding.
- ‘Intellectual temptation!’
- Observations should be a learning experience like you want to see in a classroom.
RNN College Group
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Motivated to make change.
- I am keen to explore how some of the ideas today can be moulded to use around the current structure I have to abide by. There were lots of helpful tips to make the process more meaningful and to support a move away from ‘stuff’.
- I think the session was really well structured. I think I have a range of new tools in my toolkit, I just need time and scope to try a few out.
- An overall informative day, the group size was perfect.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Re-energising
- The light has been turned on!
- Very enjoyable and knowledgeable presenter who made me think deeper.
- Light bulb moment regarding ‘Live Self Assessment’ vs. ‘historic self assessment’.
- A ship that has found its port.
- A venture into the thought provoking..
- A canvas that has had colour added to it.
- The forest’s been cleared.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- Inspirational, thought-provoking.
- I will share with colleagues in the hope to move away from the restrictions of SMART as an organisation, in the interim, as organisational change does not happen quickly, I plan to use the information gained from today in my own teaching sessions, linking to reflection and personal development which are key processes for my students to embrace.
- I think I will have a go at some changes, do some deeper reading, and revisit the training again in the future to refresh.
- I have asked a key staff member who works in our quality dept if this training could be delivered at one of our staff development days to share to a wider audience.
- Thank you for a very informative and refreshing session.
West Thames College
English Skills: an easier life for teachers
- Always look towards outcomes, then build strategies towards that end.
- A journey of new understanding.
- I found it useful to see the assessment objectives for GCSE English and have the time to think about how drama can serve these objectives, and embed them in every class.
- Shamazing!!
- Changed my own mindset.
- I enjoyed the session – very motivated.
- It was delivered very professionally.
- Enlightening.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- I thought we’d be talking about [GCSE English] exams. We actually talked about how to develop learners’ skills. I found this much more useful and inspiring – building skills for the future – skills students can use. It needs to be longer.
- It was like being cocooned in a warm, pleasant sweatshirt.
- Moved perspective.
- Enjoyed the delivery style – matched my own.
- Very useful in generating ideas of how to embed.
- It was a great session.
- Really interesting session – active and thought provoking.
Independent learning
- It was an amazing, unforgettable experience and inspiring.
- It was like an out of body experience. I was able to look back at my teaching in a different way.
- I loved this session.
- As enlightened as Gandhi.
- A light bulb has gone on… and it’s shining brightly on independent learning skills.
- A wealth of knowledge and tips.
- Eye-opener. Mind jogger.
- Amritsari fish.
- A bountiful, strong, focused talk!
- The session helped me rethink the way I teach.
- Old dog being taught new tricks! Great.
- Breath of fresh air!
- A voyage of discovery. A smooth pathway to success.
- By adapting this approach to learning at a college level, a lot of the bureaucracy could be eliminated.
Support staff:
- This session has made me look at independent learning in a different light.
- Brilliant session!
- A tree growing very fast to bear its fruits.
- Keep up the good work, and keep up being a FREE THINKER.
- Made me reflect on how I’m modelling independent learning.
- Enlightening!
- Surprised at how engaging and enjoyable I found the session.
- Learned so much about what learners need to succeed.
- Make it longer!
- Reflective, eye opening.
- I particularly found the topic of stimulating learners’ curiosity interesting, and will definitely use this technique in my classes.
- Inspirational.
Initial Assessment & Differentiation Controversy
- The penny has dropped.
- The imagery of the scaffold was clear and I had never thought about support in this way.
- Rather than reinventing the wheel, I have tools to make my practice more aerodynamic.
- Label, verb, outcome – very useful.
- Astounding.
- [I need to] Create lesson plans differently!
- Colour coding of learning outcomes. I will use this approach to write my LOs in future.
- Use of materials to develop a lesson plan. Fantastic resources.
- Like the refresh on differentiation and how we were made to think of something we don’t already do.
- Change is required.
- The visualisation you gave about the walking across the carpet made me think about my learners walking out of the studio – how I would like them to walk out.
- Supporting students and reducing support as the course and students’ progress.
- LOs = not an activity list!
- Regenerative.
- Like a warm, comforting blanket – wool and cashmere mix.
- A bud opening to a flower.
- Reassessing how to differentiate.
- Lots of ideas and completely new perspective on support in class.
- Has made me stand back and take a look at how I am assessing.
- ‘Walking the carpet.’
- [I need to] Use correct verbs and outcomes to create lesson objectives which are specific and meaningful.
- Lesson plan sandbox – will reword lesson plans to include brain, body and mind.
- Redefining differentiation and what it means.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- It made me think outside the box.
- Tony was very knowledgeable and it was extremely enlightening to revisit differentiation and stretch & challenge. I now feel more equipped to ask higher-order questions.
- I thoroughly enjoyed all the input and the professional approach.
Tricked out tutorials
- Target setting on its head.
- Engaging and motivating and creative.
- I love the way Tony always turns things upside down and inside out and makes me think outside the box.
- Innovation. Aspirational.
- Thought provoking, motivating.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
Creative Learning Teams
- It made me think more about what I was doing and it was interesting to see some of the mistakes I make happen in others’ practice (offering direct early advice rather than coaching) and what I could do to combat this.
- Good to see my fellow colleagues teach a similar topic and the different ways we all do it. Much more friendly approach to observations and more learning occurred.
- I found that seeing the other staff’s good practice has enabled me to understand the use of different teaching strategies and their effect on students.
Grade 1 Leadership and Management
- Light at the end of the tunnel – move towards ungraded, developmental observations..
Transformational Lesson Observation (observation team)
- The brick wall I have banged my head against for years is finally starting to crumble!
- I missed the morning due to teaching commitments – I feel I missed a huge amount.
- The cage door is open.
- It hit all the buttons for me!
- Feedback is dead: asking the right questions to empower staff to solve their own problems and set their own objectives.
- Out of the darkness into the light!
- Absolutely changed my view of lesson observation and how this can be a real change focus for college development.
- ‘Kerching’ – light bulbs have lit in my brain!
- Excellent and challenging mountain to climb.
- Enthused to drive reflection forward.
- It has helped me hugely as I am quite new to lesson observation, but now I feel much better equipped to support my peers and colleagues.
- I loved the idea of promoting curiosity among learners again, and how very useful to be able to discuss these matters openly.
- Opened new doors.
- Evaluation, instead of feedback.
- Going behind the scenes of lesson observations
- A light has been shone on an aspect of CPD that’s been left in darkness for too long.
- Thank you for the insights and validation.
- Standing by to launch Thunderbird 1.
- I can’t wait to get started.
- Inspire and energise staff to take risks, enjoy teaching and become inspirational.
- I will be excited to teach tomorrow – curiosity…
Transformational Lesson Observation (teachers)
- Like an interesting new recipe!
- Exciting and relevant
- A good and refreshing view on a system that generally leaves staff disheartened and demoralised, irrespective of the grade.
- The windscreen is starting to clear!
- Has motivated me to take more risks to achieve outstanding learning for my students.
- I want to improve my people skills to motivate and inspire my learners.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this session, it was a refreshing change. It is clear that BMET are valuing and supportive of teachers. I feel I will learn a lot of good practice through this pilot.
- Turning observation on its head.
- Refreshing.
- Inspirational, enlightening and encouraging. We have been heard!
- Creative thinking.
- Critical thinking.
- Like having eyes opened a little, and fear assuaged.
- Quixotic.
- I will better consider the impact my lessons have on learners and their learning.
The RED System
- You can teach an old dog new tricks.
- It was hard and tiring, but definitely worth it.
- The discussions were positive and focused on building our skills in teaching and learning.
- Resetting the sails on a ship to chart new or forgotten waters, discovery or rediscovery.
- Forms worked well for focusing teachers and getting them out of ‘feedback’ thinking.
- Eye opener to many possibilities.
- Learning is an adventure with new discoveries every day.
- It was interesting to see some of the mistakes I make happen in others’ practice.
- Climbing out from under the microscope and looking down the lens yourself.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I have grown an extra finger on my hand.
- I have climbed out of a dark hole and seen the light.
- This has proved to be the most beneficial session this year.
- Excellent, entertaining delivery with lots of practical hints and tips. Thank you!
- Very thought-provoking session. Challenges every aspect of previous SAR and QIP completion!!!
- A whole new adventure!
- It made me see the bigger picture and shattered a lot of myths.
- Empowered.
- Liberating.
- Really helpful to drive us forward.
- Eye opener. Made SAR understandable.
- Inspirational. However, I’d like all training to be of this quality.
- The best training I have attended in years! Thank you.
- Awesome (Totally)
- I can see clearly now!
- Taking the stabilisers off my bike.
- A game changer!
- A discovery journey helping to tackle bad habits.
- I have been involved in writing SARs in the past and can see that I have made these mistakes!
- Can now see the wood as well as the trees. Excellent session.
- The clarity you experience after a thunderstorm.
- Brilliant, enlightening, informative, entertaining, enjoyable.
- Best training all year.
- Excellent way of making you think and challenge ideas and ways of reviewing.
- One of the best sessions for really adding understanding to job role.
Yorkshire Coast College
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It made me focus more on the impact of the teaching and learning observed.
- Inspiring!
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- Enlightening.
- Measure impact, not teaching.
- A rolling stone… in the making.
Data Springboard
- Leopards can change their spots and become interested in data.
- Like a zebra, everything has become black and white.
- I always saw data as numbers and numbers disengaged me. Seeing them as indicators helps understanding.
- It was a more ‘human’ discussion about data.
- Actually enjoyed discussions about data!
- A seed being watered…
- Curiosity killed the cat – but I’m willing to use up one of my lives!
- My light has been relit with curiosity.
- I can apply the curiosity ideas to my work.
- Enjoyed this. Made me think.
- Interesting to have things from an Ofsted inspector’s point of view.
- Goal!
- Meerkat moment.
- I am very new to teaching so having this as my first eye opener to data it allows me to tackle it very positively.
- Like watching blindfolds being removed around the room!
- Developed my ideas for explaining to others why data is a winner. I already love it!
- Melting pot of ideas.
Tresham College
Independent Learning
- I’m in wonderland!
- Excellent session, very engaging and so much info to now do away and develop further.
- Loads of ideas and prompts to invigorate teams and schools across the college.
- Fully motivated throughout.
- Like walking into a garden full of flowers.
- The fog has lifted on the field of potential learning.
- Putting me back on the right footpath as I was beginning to lose direction.
- You have shot an arrow straight into the target of what I believe teaching should be.
- Very thought provoking and refreshing way of looking at learning.
- Inspirational.
- I feel like a caged animal whose cage door has been left open…
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Develop a more safe environment to allow ‘learners’ to strongly believe that their ‘mistakes’ are treated as valuable learning experiences – then replace ‘learners’ with ‘staff’.
- Inspirational and doable.
- (We need to) look at observations in a new light.
- A culture of allowing teachers to teach enables an outstanding experience.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Inspirational! I have a lot of work ahead of me rewriting our SAR!!
Harrow College
Implementing Live Self Assessment
- A mystery tour of an adventure island.
- Empowering.
- Inspirational.
- Thinking about the end goal and reverse engineering the actions.
- Refreshing!
- The journey to excellence.
- Oasis in the desert.
Quality Standard development – phase 2
- Very enlightened insight into curriculum process and management.
- Started at the bottom of a hill and climbing up steeply and then it got easier.
- Good progress; hard going at times!
- Unravelling the path to exit a maze.
- Enabled a greater understanding of the task ahead.
- He who dares wins.
- Exciting times ahead – clear focus on key areas and what to aim for.
- Honest and collaborative process.
- Successfully kept a disparate group on task and working together.
- Hard work, but uplifting.
- I really enjoyed the session and process. We built the landscape step by step and everyone was engaged.
- Loved the mindmaps.
- I feel hopeful.
- Exhausting but worthwhile.
- Walking through a tangled forest and feeling the light and clear space as I emerge.
- Having this framework will be so helpful for self assessment, also having (a vision of) what outstanding looks like.
- A shared experience that links our journeys – support staff/curriculum.
- I think we are all aware of each other’s’ work and beginning to gain a common purpose.
Quality Standard development – Phase 3
- Gliding through the air.
- It has enabled us to capture ideas from everyone and then produce relevant standards.
- Intense. Feel tired, but worth it.
- I like working in collaboration with my colleagues.
- Hard job well done.
- High quality! Effective process. Good use of time.
- Very happy with the process. Feel the session was very valuable.
- Fast and furious! Feel like we have achieved a great deal today.
- I feel involved in the process and know I have contributed to the Gold Standards.
- Liberating.
- It’s work in progress and there’s an energy to it.
- Today was total flow for me – it really did feel like 5 minutes!!
- Gets easier the more we do.
- Challenging. Great!
Croydon College
Equality and diversity
- It has changed my way of thinking about E&D
- I will change how I get students to engage with each other
- Will explore E&D further ensuring it’s fully embedded in my lessons
- Enjoyable and engaging – will refer to Quality Standard in particular
- Induction needs to be more robust and relate to E&D more
- Good to have a session which is active and literally using the strategies which it is teaching
- Knowledgeable and inspirational
- Made me think
- Empowering learners with an understanding of E&D
- Empowering and dynamic
- Now more aware of discrimination
- A journey through the keyhole of insightfulness
- Opening new doors
- A great variety of interesting activities
- Seeing a complicated painting with better light
- Awakening
- I will consider every aspect of how I deliver and how it impacts upon learners
- A cool glove; calm and fitted well
- Organised, effective and pertinent
The Sheffield College
Creative Learning Teams
- It was like wiping a window clean.
- It gave me the confidence to talk about what I haven’t achieved and what I want to achieve.
- Consider (lesson) timings more carefully and allow students a little more space to think before responding to questions.
- Consider desired impacts before establishing strategies.
- I was able to reflect on my current practice and now know areas to address. I thought it was a fantastic day
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Lateral thinking – back to purpose. This was excellent!
The RED System
- A really challenging, inspiring & enjoyable event, which will certainly impact my own practice. I hope the college moves forward with this as a whole.
- Enlightening.
- Eye opening. It helped me look at my teaching in a more objective way.
- Confidence building and motivational to embrace change.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Thank you for enabling me to think differently.
- Jedi mind games. An excellent session, delivered really well.
- I felt v. engaged in the activities and informed by the process.
- (I need to) provide more of a coaching approach when feeding back to staff after a lesson observation.
- A thoroughly enjoyable and informative session. Thank you.
- Should be delivered to all teaching staff. I have learned from the session how to improve my practicals.
- A fun ride along a laminate floor – with no carpet burns!
- Will now coach staff rather than feedback.
- A phoenix rising from the flames of IQA, metamorphosed in observation process.
- Refreshing coaching skills. Will alter practice.
- I thought I knew how to give feedback.
- Inspirational.
- Made the process easier to understand. Should be extended to all colleagues.
- This approach to observation is exactly what the college needs as, if implemented across all departments, it should help to transform the culture of the college.
- Challenging – me/the system.
- Brilliant!
- Enlightening.
- I will approach this activity (observation) from a more supportive view and encourage tutors to be more proactive throughout the observation process.
- Taking the cork out of a bottle of fizz.
- A locked door opening.
- (I need to) Ensure staff critically evaluate their sessions with support from me.
- It was great – thank you!
- A Meerkat with a shopping trolley full of mealworms.
- Jumping in a stream and coming out refreshed.
Follow-up observation training
- Curiosity is the tool for fuel.
- Informative, positive and supportive, as well as being thought provoking.
- Realised that a focus on impact is vital and that observers need to change the way in which they observe.
- Super-duper.
- I feel I have clarity on the observation approach, and my ‘feedback’ will take a different approach.
- Curiosity educated the cat.
- Feel that what we have learnt in this session will have real impact, whereas a lot of other box-ticking doesn’t.
- Observe the impact rather than the strategy.
- Small changes can have large impacts.
- TSC (The Sheffield College) is a leopard that is changing its spots.
- Best CPD in ages, thank you.
- Practise makes permanent.
- At the foot of a new mountain. Fantastic training.
- I am at the other side of the carpet.
- Open windows.
- I will use the evaluative conversation method after observations.
- Eye opening.
- I am already using the questions (given at first session) – revolutionised my approach.
“Yes, we’re all individuals” Brian, 1979
- I came in to see what individuals were eating and stayed to feast.
- The higher-order questioning – a real eye-opener to my laziness.
- Very valuable, interesting and confirming.
- Many meercat moments, thanks.
- Some excellent strategies that I can take straight into the classroom.
- A journey to a place never visited before.
- Loved the Bloom’s bit – definitely need help here..
Canterbury College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Thank you for you excellent presentation and some excellent tools, looking forward to using Provocation, Trick Questions and Mobile [Phone Documentaries].
Data Springboard
- Highly informative.
- Really enjoyed this – very supportive and some great ideas.
- Inspiring.
- Actually useful and practical.
- Will now look at symptoms that I previously thought were issues.
- Really useful session. We need more like this.
- We need you on a retainer..!
- Excellent pace and combination of discussion and delivery.
- A very enjoyable course. Common sense and easy to navigate templates; how quality planning should be.
- Enabled identification of preventative strategies.
Equality and diversity
- You can teach an old dog new tricks
- Broke the area down effectively and made it appear much more manageable
- Good easy ways to embed E&D
- Too short, but gave an insight into this vast area
- Watching the sun rise
- I will ensure questioning in the class is addressed by all staff
- Really great info for me to take back and share with my team
- It made me evaluate what we currently do in the section. made me think about questioning
- Enlightening
- Highly recommended for wider teaching team
- Opening of the mind
- Took some of the fear away
Independent Learning
- I have had so many lights switched on!!
- A tree not just growing new leaves, but roots as well
- Lots of creative ideas and strategies – lots of inspiration!
- Really enjoyed the ‘modelling’ of strategies for independent learning to give us the experience
- Thank you for an inspirational seminar. I will try to put many of your thought-provoking ideas into my teaching practice
- Really reassuring, inspirational
- I have found myself in the zone throughout!
- An interesting, refreshing and somewhat radical insight to what could be…
- It gave me keys to engage students
- Beyond the hot edge..
- I will be exploring curiosity and making dull topics fun
- Wiki will definitely be a tool I utilise in the future
- Onwards and upwards
- Excellent ideas on how to engage and motivate learners
- A breath of fresh air in a system fogged up by bureaucracy!
- It helped me discover new and exciting ways to develop classes for students and for the teacher!
- Brilliant. Very factual and relatable to a very new teacher
- Fantastic! Invaluable for new teachers.
- Invigorating swim.
- A leap into the unknown and finding a life jacket waiting for me.
- It’s really got me thinking about how to inspire my students with practical ideas.
- A tree growing from the seeds of inspiration, learning in the wind of curiosity.
- A real cliff-hanger!
- Exceptional, unexpected, very interesting.
- Awakening. I want to discover more!
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Looking through the eyes of a learner.
- A gradual removal of scaffolding leading to free-flying.
- I’ll definitely break down evaluation into four categories in my marking and get learners to do this in all sessions.
- It’s clear that staff have been inspired by the ideas presented and are going to make positive changes to their practice as a result.
- It helped me to understand how I can not limit the growth and development of students. I now can provide them with tools to be excellent.
- Like a refreshing shower after a long and dusty term!
- Evaluative skills – breaking them down, using scaffolding, etc.. It was great!
Transformational Lesson Observation (observation team)
- Turning the dimmer switch up to full brightness!
- This session/day has brightened my outlook on observation.
- (From) Draconian to developmental.
- I need to focus on ensuring as many staff as possible understand the difference between impact and (teaching) strategy.
- All staff should take this training.
- Informative, motivating.
- Excellent session. I will absolutely take these ideas forward into future observations and training.
- Insightful, helpful, eye-opening.
- Inspirational!
Transformational Lesson Observation (teachers)
- An inspired session and thought provoking, which hopefully leads to change!
- Life changing.
- Lightbulb moment.
- It has turned observation on its head.
- An excellent sessions again.
- Showed me how observations should be done.
- Inspirational/experimental.
- Every member of staff, including the Principal, should attend.
- So many ideas.
- A lot of ideas I would like to include in my lessons. I will think much more about impact.
- Inspired.
- It has opened my eyes to the fact that observation could (and should) be about empowering us as teachers to managed our development in terms of continuous improvement of practice.
- Realised it (observation) was harder than it looks.
- Made me look at the impact on learning rather than at the quality of the teaching.
- Enthused and encouraged to put ‘impact on learning’ at the top of my lesson planning.
- Make it compulsory for all academic staff to attend.
- Excellent Tony – thank you. I feel uplifted and inspired.
- Learnt a lot. I have not considered how things looked from an observer’s perspective.
- As a teacher, the session has really inspired me and encouraged me to think about the impact my lessons have on students rather than feeling like I have to include particular elements to tick boxes.
Quality Standard development – phase 2 (for support staff)
- Useful but scary.
- It’s just the start.
- It was inspiring and a chance to discuss how each member of the team will have an impact on students.
- I just hope that our managers take these ideas on board and support us in trying to change processes.
- Value the process, which has a creative and tangible centre of outcomes, the impacts being to support teaching and learning.
- A walk to a cliff edge. The difficult part comes next…
- Excellent delivery. Always enjoyable training with you.
- Focussing.
- Invigorating.
- Has made me review our existing practice and consider how to improve and apply what I’ve learnt today.
- Enlightening.
- Good to have the opportunity to work as a team to review and reflect on impact on students and how our QS (quality standard) can be raised.
- I feel empowered to try and move things forward. I hope someone listens and considers our proposal. Not a waste of time! Well done.
- Frustrating, valuable.
- To swim in the sea you must first inflate your armbands.
- The first bite of a Michelin-starred meal.
We present feedback from providers to show the sort of positive impact the training may have on your own staff. However, in this instance we also feel it is important to alert you to the potential negative feedback if the session is delivered to overly large groups of non-academic support staff.
- Bored.
- Building a sandcastle when the tide is coming in.
- Could have done with fewer big words, such as taxonomy and pedagogy – shoulders went up, but otherwise enjoyable.
- Tiring!!
- Our group was too large.
- Very interesting and has inspired me, but I am cynical.
- A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step.
- Interested, but cynical.
- Far too long. Too hot, too noisy, too many people. Wasted a lot of time not developing anything.
‘Yes, we’re all individuals’ Brian 1979
- Servant hazing at the brandy in the tantalus.
- The ideas and strategies are inspirational and useful.
- It gets darker before dawn. This session made me question.
- Good ideas for deeper development.
- Really enjoyable. Found Tony very knowledgeable with a lovely, calm way of delivering.
- Really interesting. Good communication.
MSI Learning
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Mind-opening.
- The session helped me shift focus from activity to impact.
Goldsmiths Centre
Transformational Lesson Observation
- A real eye-opener. I will be using this next year and feel more ready to set it up now.
Pro-Action Herts
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Thought provoking and interesting.
- Has totally changed my perception.
- Removed the shutters.
- We will hopefully change our whole process.
- A sunrise.
- Now I have a deeper understanding, I will focus much more on impact, both when teaching and observing peers.
- I found this session very helpful indeed and am much more confident about expectations.
- I feel we will really be able to make significant improvements to the quality of our teaching.
- Eye-opening. A new way of thinking.
- Very clear and easy to understand process.
- Feeling more confident about being observed.
- Doors were opened.
- Made me realise what I need to improve and what to do differently.
- Thought-provoking, inspirational, motivational.
Skills UK
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Really understood the meaning of impact and its importance.
- Enlightening.
Trainplus
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It’s good to learn!
- It has challenged my thoughts on grading my tutors and assessors.
Pathway Group
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Greatly beneficial.
- Very informative. Many thanks!
Flexible Training
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Recognise impact rather than ‘sell’ organisation.
Institute of Groundsmanship
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Best aspect was the opportunity to develop lateral thinking ‘outside the box’ rather than accept mundane existing approaches.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Refreshing, enlightening, empowering
Rinova
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- A very inspiring session and particularly enjoyable as it managed to address serious issues around creative delivery, but in a fun and engaging way.
Abis Resources
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Inspiring, engaging.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It’s like plotting your way from a mysterious space into a demystified ground of pedagogical awareness.
- Impact is like the taste of fine food – lesson bellisimo!
- Challenging topic. Influential new concepts.
- Leave no student behind.
- I have understood how learning is impacted through teaching.
- I have gained confidence.
- A wonderful session. I have not only understood the importance of teaching, but also very clear with the meaning of ‘impact on learning’.
- Exceptional. Outstanding.
- Learnt new things – how to observe impact on learning through the lesson observation process.
Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Ugly duckling to beautiful swan.
- Homing in on a target.
- Feel like a surgeon who has just had his scalpel sharpened.
- Thought I knew a lot about this, but it’s really challenged my thinking about planning for impact and end points.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Marching through the pearly gates of development plan writing heaven.
- My eyeballs have been spruced up a bit (window-cleaned).
- The emotional aspect is so important to me. It impacts our students considerably & staff and I feel this was clearly acknowledged in your session.
- I am herding cats in my head (so many ideas)
- Like watching Brighton win a good game!
- Walking across the carpet.
- Icing and a cherry on top of something I quite enjoy already!?
- I will think about what I need to do rather than look to someone else to solve it. I’ll get the team to explore root causes and a ‘Why tree’.
- Love the form and the structure. I love data and self-assessment anyway so loads of brilliant ideas.
- Top class. Ideas very well explained. Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt very curious but also excited.
- As a new member of staff it helped me to think about how to start implementing development planning.
- I found this very thought-provoking in terms of ‘issues’ / concept – ‘champions’ – ‘celebration’ find a new way of measuring developments.
- I might focus on idea of ‘learning experiences’ and improve range of mid-year ‘volatile’ data used.
- Positively uncomfortably challenging / illuminating (can’t do a metaphor)
- A help up to the clouds (reach)
- This was very engaging & enlightening.
- Just about everything – use ‘why tree’ and symptoms and issue approach.
- Realising there is a carpet to cross.
- Fog has cleared.
- I made some notes on root cause issues to build upon which will help me articulate why we want to, for example, implement new software for online payments.
- Immediately changing agenda and activities re. quality discussions for team meeting.
North Lancs Training Group
Safeguarding Inspection Training
- It has improved my understanding of what we are expected to do.
- I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole of the course.
- Confusing, mixed, pleasant and finally understood.
- Like haymaking – picking up lots and turning it into something new and useful.
- Breaking it down into smaller, easier to understand sections has helped identify areas for improvement.
- Out of the darkness and into the light.
- It has enabled me to gain the knowledge to investigate things further.
- I feel I now have the ability to evaluate our practices.
Bespoke Quality System Training
- Excellent delivery, pace, interpersonal skills and very engaging.
- Tough going – but I can see the end result will be good.
- A new insight into self assessment – not just a document.
- I feel like the shackles on honesty have been removed and enlightenment is alive.
- Tony was excellent, articulate, animated and knew his onions!
- Feel more willing to identify and admit to areas for development, seeing this as positive.
- Heading to the sunlit uplands!
Business Advice Direct (national learndirect provider)
Preparing for Live Self Assessment
- Eye-opening.
- Enlightening!
- Inspiring.
- Insightful.
- A fantastic day that helped me think about my role.
- Revealing.
- Great, but hard work.
- Brilliant!!
- I just wanted to say thank you so much for the day. It’s certainly sent a buzz around the company and we’re planning Phase 2 of it at our next Regional Meetings.
SPS Training
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Revisiting my entire SAR process to be an internal document as opposed to a PR activity for contract re-negotiations.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Challenges my comfort zones.
South Eastern Regional College (Northern Ireland)
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I learned a lot from the session yesterday. I will definitely explore some of the assessment strategies that I can utilise with my group. It was good to learn from other participants too.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It was like my first day at SER [SAR] school – despite 10 years of experience.
- Like first view of a new star! Enlightening experience which makes more sense than our current method of producing an SER [SAR].
- Loads of practical ideas.
York College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- I feel like I have climbed a hill – but instead of pulling the students up behind me – they are along side me, if not in front of me on this journey and, by the way, at the top of this hill is the best and most beautiful landscape – that is where the students are heading whilst I sit at the top of the hill for a little rest.
- Change is what I take away, having the confidence to combine different assessment strategies and fully utilise their purpose. Also all the new concepts such as ‘dislocating’ the student and attitudinal change, and best of all – the use of those meerkat moments.
- Journey to the airport – ready to embark on an exciting adventure/travel – makes you excited.
- Particularly like your tone towards us.
- Lots of ideas about what is to come next year and think about planning for next year.
- A breath of fresh air.
- A wild sea was calmed.
- Be more intentional about planning formative assessment.
- Of Biblical proportions – being handed Moses’ tablets.
- Thank you for a very thought provoking and well-presented session.
- Light bulb.
- Combination of strategies for one lesson.
- Fabulous – loved focus on formative assessment.
- Challenging. A new way of thinking to put some freshness into my teaching and assessment.
- Resources are great.
- Fab ideas – lots of food for thought. Thank very much!
- An engaging presenter.
- An emotional rollercoaster.
- Using games as assessment, use of different games, could use them to decide the assessment.
- Some new strategies for formative assessment (22,10,13,37,25,11…) Many Thanks.
- Use game-based learning activities in the lesson.
- Going back to see an old place I haven’t visited for a while.
- Thank you. I completely agree that AI could not produce the type of lessons that can be put together when considering these assessment strategies.
Data Springboard
- Thoughts buzzing!
- Wiki – excellent idea to be attempted.
- Inspired with ideas to change assessment and learning.
- Like stepping off the merry-go-round long enough to see what it could be like.
- Feel inspired and excited about the new term.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Extremely inspiring session.
Learning Motivation
- I was in the undergrowth of my garden all over again at the start of this session – by the end of it I had a glass of wine in hand, smiling.
- I become even more motivated to make my students proud of what they can achieve, and to be able to have a chat in the breakout rooms is great as it gives a succinct amount of time to talk about specifics of a subject – brilliant. I am now going to take on January like never before and the students are going to get a wonderful surprize – just haven’t decided exactly what yet but it is going to be great!
- It is really great to hear other people’s idea’s and get to talk to others who are just as committed and passionate about education – blooming wonderful.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- I’ve walked into a whole new way of thinking and creating lessons!
- I feel much clearer on how I will create lessons that are suitable and appropriate for the levels of learners I teach. I am going to work on creating learning outcomes that include the attitudes and the ‘expert learner traits’ as they are often what my learners lack.
- Thanks very much for a really thought-provoking and interesting session!
- Profound.
- Very inclusive – it was great not to be ‘talked at’ and talked to/with.
- Suddenly “seeing” a DVD Stereogram.
- Check outcomes for the verb, label and product, add an attitude outcome to each lesson, develop induction activities to start developing attitude.
- Think deeply about outcomes – especially around them being active.
- Refreshing.
- Change my outcomes to reflect attitude.
- I will think more about active verbs and the actual outcome.
- The break down and discussion really helped.
- Really useful session – very interesting.
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
- The little boy has his finger in the hole but he needs to rebuild the dyke!
- It gave me an insight into your ideas about this topic and it will help me in my task of changing the college. As discussed with Tony, I am learning from him and hope to share/collaborate as part of York’s journey to a new way of doing QI.
- It was brilliant.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- The ship is sailing onwards into the distance along the chosen course.
- It helped me to see the way in which your SA process is new and innovative.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- That feeling when you get new glasses and realise things have been a little out of focus for some time!
- We have the bare bones of this but we need to find a way to keep the SAR live rather than just the QIP. Currently Improvement Plan is revisited regularly but the Self -assessment element is an annual event, largely conducted by managers. We need a better approach to incorporating individual tutor voices throughout the year.
Workforce Training Services
Data Springboard
- Tony’s enthusiasm for the subject was easy to soak up.
- I took a drink at the font of knowledge.
- I am a fish that has climbed to the top of the tree!
- The scales fell from my eyes.
- Making sense out of chaos.
Live Self Assessment (Quality Standard Development)
Stage 1
- Have confidence in delivering an SER which is intended for my own organisation and front line staff and not a third party.
- I thought it would be a walk in the part, but it was like climbing a mountain.
- Tested, challenged but enthused.
- I now understand what is needed in writing a self-assessment report.
Stage 2
- Like eating a succulent steak, savouring every small bite.
- Very intense two days, but a very worthwhile experience as real live work has been produced.
- We feel that drawing this (quality standard) up ourselves rather than having thrust upon us has given us much more understanding and a feeling of ownership.
- Very hard work, but ended up well.
- To have it (quality standard) in a working document is excellent.
Stage 3
- This session made me feel it was a company approach and not an individual approach.
- It made me look at things in a different way.
- A Road to Damascus experience.
- No more written narrative – just judge myself against the ‘gold standard’.
Creative Learning Teams
- Door-opening experience.
- Use questions to encourage own learning. Don’t ‘direct’ feedback.
- I will try to use coaching and prompting more in my lessons.
- Picked up some really good teaching methods from the other tutors. Found it really interesting and challenging.
- Saw things I would never have looked for in my lessons.
- A very worthwhile exercise which can only improve the learning impact of the organisation.
The RED System
- I really understand what it is all about – impact on learners. Did they cross the carpet?
- Real eye-opener.
- The coaching on how to ask a question to a teacher to try and pry out the positive/negative impact on learning…
- A change in perception of what it is to effectively observe. Rather than my opinion or judgement, a move to open discussion on how to improve, i.e. the observation is a means to facilitate discussion.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
- Teaching is gardening.
- In my new role I will be able to use the tools I gained in the session to disseminate to other staff with the hope of improving teaching and learning across the organisation.
St. Vincent College
Data Springboard
- As a new curriculum manager, the ideas to inspire the dept. and new students are exciting.
- Definitely revise our QIPs so the real issues are pinned down and targeted.
South Downs College
Tricked out tutorials
- Another excellent session. I experienced another session which was led by Tony many years ago. One of the very few I have remembered!!
- A candle being lit.
- Inspired.
- Lots of ideas, particularly with regard to changing the focus from process to progress.
Data Springboard
- Staff have come away inspired and filled with enthusiasm to start implementing changes, so very many thanks for lighting so many fuses.
- Someone asked, on my return, whether the training session was good and I replied “Brilliant!” – then they asked what it was about and I was as surprised as they were when I replied “Data and SAR!”
- An explosion of ways to do things differently and more effectively.
- Very relevant and thought provoking session, delivered with infectious enthusiasm. An excellent learning experience.
- A member of the A level Business team has just popped into my office to say she can’t believe the whole team are still here at this time on the last day of term and completely absorbed in planning their volatile indicator for next year!
- Stunning
- Will greatly help me to improve learner experiences and opportunities.
- Fantastic session.
- I have really enjoyed the session especially the visual actions to aid explanations.
- This session has changed my thinking completely.
- Realisation that data is not just a lot of figures.
- This journey has reignited my curiosity!
- Particularly useful re volatile indicators; I can envisage some useful data now!
- Wow!
- Inspirational. Has renewed my enthusiasm to create curiosity and success.
- A torch being given a far more powerful battery – or rather, being given several torches to shine in different directions!
- Helped me to start thinking about data as real people (learners) rather than abstract numbers for management purposes.
- You made data sound interesting.
- Great to focus on 100% meaningful, relevant data.
- Rocket propelled.
- One step back, two steps forward.
- An excellent session which held by attention throughout.
- An escalator ride to learning.
- Opens a new gateway to learning.
- Data isn’t numbers.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- My SAR glasses were cleaned and polished (hell, the frames were changed too).
- This really confirmed what we essentially already knew, but were afraid to state.
- Extremely invigorating and informative, refreshing to see a new approach to what is currently an onerous process.
- I think I’ve learnt to write for myself and not just for my line manager – and to enjoy the process.
- The whole session was insightful.
- How to write an SAR of real value.
- Interesting, informative, stimulating.
- Have started the climb to creating the perfect SAR.
- Thank you, you have inspired me.
- Well done Tony. You removed much of the anxiety and pressure of SAR writing for most of the course managers especially those new to the role.
- Excellent course – lots of light bulb moments!
- Will not find completing SAR so daunting.
- A really enjoyable morning that has inspired me to go away and improve everything I do!
- I am looking forward to writing this year’s SAR for me.
- An excellent experience – I didn’t want it to end.
- I was very sceptical – how can SARs be interesting or useful? However, Tony delivered an inspirational session leaving me with a completely different view of SAR and how it can contribute and improve learner journey.
- I arrived as a rabbit with floppy ears – focussed only on end-of-term paperwork, but pricked up my ears quickly once relevance and curiosity took over.
- It was good to listen to expert knowledge from a reliable source.
- Ferrari.
- Excellent style of delivery – engaged our tired and quite exhausted staff!
- A pleasure to observe and experience so much enthusiasm.
- Will change whole approach to SARs.
Northern Ireland Careers Service
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I am more aware of how using the right language can change the relevance of self assessment.
- It challenged me to think differently.
- Very intense day, but enjoyable.
- Opened my mind!
JTJ Workplace Solutions
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Bubbling with curiosity.
- A true light bulb moment.
Rutledge Job Link
Data Springboard
- Finally, breaking through barriers to deliver a session which speaks volumes over and above the general quality assistance received in the past.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Simple, easy to understand model, this will be implemented in Rutledge as result of today’s sessions.
NewVIc
Data Springboard
- A superb session in terms of ideas and concepts.
- Like a bus ride through the Olympic Park for the first time.
- It changed my perception of data, but also frustrated me as I don’t feel our current systems would facilitate some of these ideas.
- I liked the volatile indicator idea.
- Very insightful and helpful session. Excellent presentation.
- It gave a different perspective and I will delve deeper when reviewing performance.
- Superb!
- I will use the ideas to improve my performance.
- A deep-sea diver exploring treasure!
- Excellent insight into how we can differentiation between causes and effects.
- Very enjoyable, speaker very knowledgeable.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I have understood for the first time how to write an SAR.
- Senior management should all attend.
- Opening the eyes of the blind.
- I’ve seen SA in a new light and know how to make it useful for the team.
Bespoke Quality System Training
- Your consultation on SAR has helped the college move forward with its plans to overhaul its whole approach to self assessment.
Perfecting Self Assessment
- I am going to rewrite my SAR, I feel that I actually understand what’s being asked of me in this training.
- The blind person who got his sight back miraculously.
- Excellent understanding of the purpose and process of writing SAR.
- I learnt a great deal as a new PTM.
- Learning a new ‘language’ for the SAR is like going clothes shopping and trying avoid resorting to ‘old, tried, tested’ styles!
- SMT/CMT culture change required.
- Must focus more on judgements of impact, not on what we’ve done.
- Links to resources very valued.
- Self assessment often feels like a weight around my neck. Looking at it from your perspective makes it feel more like a puzzle that is solvable.
- Transformed.
Nottingham College
21st Century Pedagogy
- I was on an island and a boat passed by and picked me up.
- As a new tutor I struggle to develop lesson plans. This session has opened my eyes on teaching.
- Cannot wait to try out lots of new ideas.
- Blue sky.
- It has changed the way I deliver learning outcomes.
- Make this a compulsory mandatory training for all college staff including managers.
- Adventurous.
- Challenging.
- Re-affirm shift from chalk and talk.
- Eye opener to curiosity.
- I will change my teaching strategy.
- Challenged my ways of thinking.
- Introduce more curiosity.
- The use of object, verb, outcome makes it more understandable for the learner!
- Writing more effective learning outcomes which raise the aspirations of all learners.
- Going away with some great ideas.
- Fuelled the mind, now the journey begins.
- (I need to) re-visit learning objectives when planning and include more that develop expert learning traits.
- Brilliant ideas/strategies.
- Very informative, lots of examples to take away.
- Motivated to inspire my learners.
- It was a ride full of interesting scenery!
- It showed me how to make lesson objectives learner focused.
- Really enjoyed the session. Did not feel like 3½ hours.
- It was very refreshing and full of lots of examples of how to use what we learnt in practical ways.
- Inspiring.
- Very useful and insightful.
- To infinity and beyond…
Data Springboard
- From darkness to light.
- Using GPS instead of a map.
- Excellent day, inspired by it all.
- Viewing data as indicators is great.
- Eureka moment.
- Made me think about the underlying indicators for poor achievement and disengagement.
Independent Learning
- Zone idea – excellent.
- Music to my ears.
- Will use ‘expert learner trait’ activity with my own learners as part of induction.
- My favourite recipe now has some new ingredients.
- Awesome – I feel inspired to read/explore further.
- Another perspective to life and learning.
- Acorns for squirrels. Need to focus on equipping learners to learn.
- Excellent, superb, practical, makes sense. An actual researcher!! No waffle!
- Adding a few more strings to my bow!
- Thank you again for your questioning and inspiring approaches.
- Really enjoyed this session and gained lots of information/skills to incorporate into my train-assess-train sessions.
- Inspired me to consider my practice.
- A new beginning.
- Meerkat – great reference and exactly what I felt like; interesting points throughout.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- That we need to work as a team to agree on quality standards and steer clear of an
‘induction checklist’. I really like the idea of an extended induction in terms of planning for
an event in week 8. I have wanted to put on a play exhibition for some time, I teach
vocational Level 1 Early Years and FS English, but there are always barriers. I intend to
remove these and just go for it. If I want students to have high aspirations I need mine to
be higher too. No matter how enthused I am – September rolls around and I feel helpless in
terms of timetabling, timetabling changes, group sizes, late enrollers, that I’m shattered by
half term.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- Like being released from prison!
- Absolutely! It makes me think I need to change everything I do in terms of ‘class time’. Loved it!
- Thank you so much for reminding me why this is the best job in the world!
- A big swing over a canyon.
- I’m going to focus on making my most difficult elements of my teaching course my best.
- Honestly, this session was superb for me. It has been ages since I’ve felt completely engrossed in a training session. Thanks Tony!! Loved it.
- My classroom is a distant planet to explore.
- Consider changes (difference made) first.
- Honestly, the best training/CPD I have had in years. Thank you!
- Brilliant.
- Absolutely. Made me re-think induction and the values I want to instil in students.
- Immersing myself to a time I felt passionate about teaching.
- Yes, spending more time tuning into my creative side.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- It’s has shown me how I can break down a topic to allow my students to understand something better.
- Learning new ideas is like turning on a light bulb!
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Like picking at a scab when you are child. Picking and picking until finally it peels off to uncover ….. (a great feel of satisfaction).
- Adding ‘however’ to strengths – but not including what you need to do to improve.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Uplifting and informative.
- New ideas for reviews and conducting questioning and assessing progress, actions and targets.
Inspiring! Thank you, really enjoyed it ? - I will complete the review more holistically rather than looking at each component individually, and use open questions.
- Ensure correct questioning is use to get the learner talking and expressing their thoughts.
- Challenged in own processes.
- Enlightening.
- Need a more facilitative and individualistic approach. Made me consider going against the grain more. I thought it was brilliant, no complaints!
- Snowball rolling down hill – building knowledge progressively throughout session.
- The pastoral tutors at HP need to sit and develop a quality standard for progress reviews.
- It made me realise that because of time scales, I rush and do most of the talking. Thank you. Tony is very knowledgeable and inspiring.
- Not so data-driven reviews. Really good – very good presenter!
- Refreshing to see a different approach which works for learner rather than tick box for quality!
- Consider applying review to learners and covering parts naturally rather than ticking boxes!
- Informative. It tore up some of the old myths around what used to be a good progress review.
- Inspiring. Let the learner own the journey more. Good pitch and disposition.
- Inspiring and enlightening.
- Transformational.
- Emphasis on difference and not stuff. Coaching strategies to support review progress. Learner-led reviews/quality standard process. Thought provoking.
- Mindset changing and a different idea of reviews. I would like to be more open-ended in my progress reviews.
- Opening my mind to change systematic thinking. Well planned and I have learnt a lot about the focus of ‘impact’.
- Look at impact more when planning and considering areas of teaching and learning.
- Removing the tyranny of consistency. Focus on the difference rather than trying to make the ‘stuff’ fit an existing template.
- Excited. Ask questions in a different way – more exploratory rather than direct to allow learners to guide the conversation.
- Collaborative, cooperative, constructive.
- Staff are time poor. Utilising students as a resource, not only reduces the burden on staff but develops key wider skills across the cohort.
- I feel inspired, but also more confident in my abilities as a result of today’s session.
- Enable learners to talk more by skilful use of questioning and trailing off at the end of sentences to encourage their opinions.
- As fun as Christmas.
- Puts into perspective the need for “quality over quantity”. Reviews need to be more personalised focusing on individual needs. Less boxes more conversation.
- On the path towards understanding students better. Think carefully about how feedback is given to students and how we initiate conversations with students for progress reviews
- Great exploration of quality standards and interpretations. Use the standards as a reference and refer staff.
- A hot air balloon with lots of people inside! It reinforced the need to be open in our manner in order to encourage student openness.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Refreshingly different.
- Much better to write the SAR as an on-going/live document than a historic review.
- Finally SAR writing seems worthwhile!
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Thinking beyond the straightjacket of my sector.
- This is the best CPD session I have attended in at least 5 years – your facilitation style is brilliant!
The Art of Using Target Setting
- The session has been music to my ears! I cannot wait to feedback to the departments I work with, as I know they will really be able to grasp these concepts and break away from the stagnant boxes!
- The delivery was clear and the host used excellent tools in order for the concepts of mastery, expert, and ambitious goals to become “alive”.
- I have taken away some useful information that will help support my teams in the development of their learners’ journey to become reflective, self-aware, and independent! Thank you!
- I think it was perfectly paced and allowed all involved to participate, if anything a longer session would be fab!
- Thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge, I will certainly be booking onto another course.
The RED System
- A trek through the Peak District – tiring but satisfying.
- Swimming towards the light.
- Turning the formal observation process on its head! A refreshing system that puts teachers at the heart of their CPD!
- Refreshing as a morning breeze.
- Shift the focus from feedback to reflection.
- Teachers always feel very twitchy during the observation windows, and this model allows them to take control, which will reduce stress and anxiety!
- I would like to embed the system based on trust.
- This session has encouraged me to think differently about lesson obs and the impact that they have. I will definitely use different language and encourage more teacher reflection. Truly inspiring!
- Engaging and insightful.
- I enjoyed this much more collaborative observation approach whereby best practice can be shared and we still can learn from each other.
- Like wearing a new pair of shoes.
- I think we need more reflection and less judgement.
- Thank you Tony! Could have talked about this subject all week.
- Like losing a penny and finding a pound.
- Look to remove feedback and judgements – make it more developmental.
- Very very useful – reflective. Curiosity filled and discover driven. Looking and inspiring teachers to do this.
- Start of a ‘new journey’ to change the culture and development of TLA at our college. I like the ‘research element’. The feedback/emphasis on the observee to undertake the detailed reflection.
- Eye opening, thought provoking.
- Positively exhausting. Help to improve teacher ownership.
- Feeling inspired and curious to learn more.
- I like the style of the drawing the lines to correlate strategy/activity and impact on learning.
- The focus on the teacher reflecting on their practice is positive.
- It is completely different from our current system. This process will enable the teachers to feel more supported and to take risks with their teacher. Would need the trust of the staff to buy into the new process.
- Focus shift on teachers involvement in the process as reflective practitioners.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- A melting pot of food for thought
- Really enjoyed the session. Refreshing and a new way to approach observations.
- From a seed a beautiful plant can grow; get it wrong the plant might die.
- A rollercoaster of information.
- A hopeful flower in winter
- We should always reflect on our work and this gives us the means to do that.
- Embrace change. Professional sharing. Try something new. Be open to new ideas. Organic teacher led process. Good facilitators own teaching and confidence in technology.
- Curious to see how it will work. The college seems to be looking for a way of observing staff that is supportive.
- It reaffirms the idea to me of “A Leap of Faith” – As I’m still training (on placement at Nottingham College while I’m doing my PGDE) I always try and take risks, it reminds me just how important that idea is.
- Learning and risk taking is good.
- The importance that not every lesson should look the same. To celebrate the positives of lessons and reflect with peers.
- Lots of great takeaways on being inspired by peer support
- The idea is good. It will be interesting to see how it works in practice. I think it seems better than previous observation processes. We work collaboratively in Performing Arts anyway so it feels like a more natural process.
- That the lesson observation process has a lot of potential to be supportive and fun!
- I liked the interactive elements of the session.
- Potholing/caving – climbing through spaces of learning and finding beautiful ‘deep pools’ of learning.
- #onemorenotchhopeandoptimism.
- I’ve taken away some real gems.
- Enthusiasm to teach. Great reminder to talk to others.
- Loved the ‘learning momentum’ tool.
- Great as always, thank you.
- Definitely the learning momentum sheet!
- Again, brilliant session! Thanks!
- Like a trip to zoo – some beautiful, scary and awe-inspiring.
- Learning momentum graphs to frame conversations.
- Great session thank you!
- Creating a bank ‘red list’, questioning techniques, Desmos.
- Reflection – looking back (over practice) to move forward (future lesson visit).
ETI (Education & Training Inspectorate Northern Ireland)
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Greater understanding of the dynamics of self-evaluation and development planning.
Farnborough Sixth Form College
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I am in your debt because I don’t think I’ve ever received so much reflected glory for staging yesterday and having so many people, even the cynics, fired up!
- Your contribution marked a major shift in the way our managers have been thinking about self-assessment. Chalk the day down as a major success!
Cambridge Regional College
Data Springboard
- All staff should receive this training.
- Lights on/blinds up – Ah ha.
- Makes me look at progress in a different way.
- I was shown the light.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Thoroughly enjoyed an outstanding session. 41/2 hours seemed like 30 mins!
- Drawing out the issues instead of just reporting on the good.
- I am looking forward now to the challenge of inspiring my team and learners next year.
- Identified exactly where I might be going wrong.
Blackburn College
Data Springboard
- Enlightening.
- Different and informative – I really enjoyed the day.
Bexley College
Data Springboard
- Differentiation between indicators and causes removes excuses.
- First class.
- From darkness to light.
- Football analogy was great.
- Fantabidozy.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- I finally understand self assessment which has never been correctly explained. I understand how and why.
- Changing trains – high speed line.
- Useful, not drawer full.
- Realisation that SAR process can be a useful tool and not a paper exercise.
- One of the best provided courses I’ve been on.
Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College
Data Springboard
- Increased my motivation for the start of the academic year.
- It has made us all think about the experience we give to our students and how we can make it better.
- Inspiring!!!
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- It is making me think about how I can use the structure this year to inform next years SAR.
- Very enjoyable – held a large group for a whole day – impressive.
- I’m now going to introduce an induction/curiosity pack for all learners.
- Changing our approach to self assessment.
- We are going to change induction.
- Useful and meaningful SAR writing.
NESCOT
Data Springboard
- Unmissable.
- Valuable insight from a very experienced inspector and teacher.
Grade 1 Leadership and Management
- Tony was like a Cheshire cat; provoking curiosity and a desire to find a way out of the madness.
- Inspired to be curious
- Inspirational talk. The symptoms vs issues debate and implications was enlightening.
- Lots of food for thought.
- A bookshelf full of ideas.
- Enlightening moment of clarity.
Inspiring Induction Practices
- Unlike ‘footprints in the sand’, this will hopefully stay in my brain!
- One of the first training courses that kept my interest throughout!
- A twisting, green-slimy feeling of guilt and abject excitement.
- It reignited my desire to create a dynamic induction for learners and not on a mechanism for delivering dry college policies.
- This was far better than a toolkit of activities!
- Icing on the cake – my induction is the cake – the session today is the icing.
- Teaching backwards – start with the end in mind.
- It reaffirms some key messages and ideas, but shifts thinking about impact – a good focus.
- The induction experience needs to be motivating enough to make learners curious!
- New ideas to make ‘expert learners’.
- I could tell by the buzz that colleagues were engaging with this.
- A rich and stimulating event that engaged everyone.
- A paradigm shift – thinking much more about impact on students and exciting ways of achieving real impact.
- Out of the box – in the zone.
- Fuelled my imagination for developing more creative ways of delivery for induction. Also helped me pin point what I want my induction phase to achieve.
- Interesting and thought provoking.
- A rethink of induction.
- Aspirational.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Finding more clarity in the mist.
- Really helpful.
- Enlightening.
- Sunshine on a cloudy day.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Enlightening.
- The pieces that were missing from the jigsaw puzzle have been found!
- Inspirational. Also given me a sense of relief that this approach to education and learning is being promoted at Nescot.
- Extremely interesting.
- Colourful journey which will make me consider my text more carefully.
- Too short!
- Like opening a window and having the sun illuminate the room where before there was only a candle.
- Fascinated by new routes.
- Excellent session – different, but simple.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- The meerkats have landed.
- A Phoenix from the ashes!
- Transformational.
- Inspired to transform T&L.
- Have much greater confidence in valuing and evaluating the impact.
- Felt suitably challenged by activities but appropriately supported and pleased with own learning journey!
- Impact is King.
- Reaching for the stars (stars being the teachers).
- Like emerging from a rain cloud into the sunshine!
- Shift of paradigm for the college.
- This helped immediately calm my concerns about observing teaching.
Trafford College
Independent Learning
- I feel I have just done a somersault
- A squeezed out, dried up dinosaur teacher that’s just been rehydrated
- Arriving at a new world of colour from the more usual black and white
- Made me question everything
- I will re-assess my preconceived ideas about teaching and learning and make significant changes to my current practice and approach
- Very useful to explore where perceptions of good practice may actually stifle the creativity of learners
- A voyage of exploration
- A few light bulbs were switched on
- This session was excellent
- Inspiring
- Opening a door
- Being released from mind traps
- Exciting
- A journey of discovery, consideration and reflection
- A journey in which I took the car off the road, stopped the engine, and considered whether I’m heading in the right direction
- Productive – challenged and stretched!
Learning Motivation: designing outstanding learning experiences
- Exhilarated! [I need to] Stop ticking boxes and plan lessons/courses that develop curiosity and deal with the why?
- [Like] Going to a new restaurant.
- A Meerkat looking out and discovering!
- Stratospheric. Inspirational.
- Concepts: unmissable events; visceral learning; preventable contact; skills and attitudes towards study; creating zone experiences; formula for happiness.
- [I need to] Think more creatively. Fresh look at my scheme of work.
- Expanded horizons.
- Finding the problems or symptoms and pin-pointing actions to be taken.
- Long-term planning needs to include fun activity.
- Some great points raised and definite food for thought re: areas of my delivery. Particularly induction and early stage skills building.
- [I need to] Evoke curiosity in my learners at the start of class.
- Brilliant paced content. Thank you!
- [I need to] Design bespoke lessons and create resources that are tactile for non-academic studies.
- It made me look at the year and planning differently. I will look at the order in which I plan and approach a year. Develop skill, assess understanding knowledge.
- Thank you for reigniting my enthusiasm.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- Really informative session.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
- Be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable! Learnt a lot today and now my brain hurts.
- The presentation style – using Zoom and the adapted Prezi is really clear and easy to follow.
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Fascinating session!
- Raise the bar
- Enjoyable and aspirational, inspiring.
- I am in a dark tunnel, but there is a light at the end of it.
- Very informative and made me want to change the way I deliver some of my units at level 3.
- It will hopefully make me a better teacher.
- Truly inspirational.
- Enjoyable and creative.
- Made me think about how I can change my next lesson.
- Sprinting through exploding raindrops of inspiration.
- Fantastic ‘open’ and ‘progressive’ learning.
- A journey of enlightenment and clarification.
- Well divided, wonderfully digestible cake.
- I have realised the importance of challenging the independent learner further by providing opportunities for them to flourish beyond the constraints of the syllabus. (Lynsey Warner)
- A box of delights – a rainbow of sunshine.
- Moving from playing scales to symphonies.
- Olympic
- Diving into the deep sea and catching a starfish.
Stroud College
Wiki Wonderland
- Like a box of chocolates.
- A rich overview of new ideologies to learning.
- Ray of sunshine.
- Eye opener.
- Like browsing a flea market and finding an antique you’re fascinated by.
- Excellent session, and a pleasure to be a part of.
Andover College
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- The lights are on! I am going to use my play-day session.
- Ideas for pushing me out of my comfort zone.
- It was like orbiting the earth – visiting new places and revisiting old places. A good and timely start to the year.
- Was good to work with the other subject areas to share/swap ideas.
- Curiosity keeps the dream alive.
- Encouraged creative thinking.
- Excellent session, very helpful. Learnt a lot without trying.
- Really enjoyed session. Excellent opportunity to discuss ideas across departments and to develop own teaching.
- It got me excited about teaching and doing new ideas rather than here we go again.
- Optometrist leading the partially sighted.
- In the zone.
West Yorkshire Music Service
HoT Learning
- Eye-opener.
- It enabled me to consider the important aspects of each lesson to get the maximum outcome.
- A bag full of ideas.
- I wasn’t that motivated when I arrived, but I enjoyed it!
- A reluctant child finding that they do like peas when they finally try them.
- I will challenge myself to constantly have high expectations.
- Everything is achievable.
- I have so much to learn about becoming better than good as a teacher.
- Inspiring.
- A really good confidence builder as a teacher.
Totton College
HoT Learning
- Concepts have become more tangible.
- A shot of vitamin D.
- I came, I saw, I will get a grade 1!
- Inspired me to concentrate more as I plan.
- Reminds me why I love my job!
- It feels like I’ve just got some new cheat codes for a difficult computer game.
- A meerkat experience.
- Some very valuable information was provided which has challenged some of my assumptions about teaching and learning.
Data Springboard
- Makes me love data more.
- It changed my idea of what constitutes data.
- Congratulations for making data interesting!
- This is embarrassingly simple and understandable.
Sparsholt College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- They (The Fifty Shade of Assessment) can be integrated into lessons more easily and are less time consuming than I thought. I will try and see them as teaching rather than just assessing.
- The session was well thought out, especially since (as it turns out) teachers don’t make the best learners!
- Can really see the value of this particular training being delivered face-to-face, though appreciated the thoughtfulness and attention to detail in adapting to online.
HoT Learning
- Apprehensive about the content of the session, but fully engaged and interested for the whole time.
- Enjoyable, interesting, eye opening.
- Beyond expectations.
- Liked the opening about achieving happiness – kept me thinking throughout session and wanted to get to the end.
- A fantastic in-the-zone journey!
- Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get!
- A ray of sunshine.
- Will try and let my students fly more.
- Good use of wiki and new strategies.
- I was in the zone for most of the lesson!
- A toolkit to improvement.
- Very inspired by zone experience.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Like a high-energy snack halfway through a very long migration.
- I will develop some of the strategies I have never used before to make my teaching more varied.
- Like finishing a set of directions towards the light at the end of the tunnel.
- The motivation has given me food for thought to start the year as I mean to go on and try to develop more and better teaching strategies.
- Bumper cars of ideas.
- Thanks – most useful CPD in ages!
- They were all buzzing with ideas of how to improve their teaching, and you had buy in from all, some of whom were in their first year of teaching, and some in their 20th year!
- Like a breath of fresh air providing the answer to a long-standing question.
- I am full of ideas that I look forward to using.
- I love the envelope full of new innovative tasks for teaching.
- Makes a change to be inspired by staff development, not depressed!
- Rather than being told you have to change your teaching, we were given ideas as to how to.
- Eureka moments.
Learning Motivation
- Loved it. Super useful.
- Eye-opening experience – feel I can implement it in my interactions.
- Our curriculum is too boring.
- Radical reform if initial delivery. Learning key elements: ideas, research …
Fantastic, inspiring – will implement. - An experience for students. Interdepartmental working. Exciting.
- Some real plans that I will put into action.
- The need to take responsibility to foster the aspirations from students.
- Start big then make it realistic.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- I am now going to put this into my practice, ensuring every outcome has a skill, outcome and label.
- General pedagogy, inspiring learning, engaging students.
- A plant leaf from the outside has a really simple form but when you delve inside the composition and function of its inner workings are much more complex. Such a simple structure has such overarching importance for the growth of a plant. Lesson outcomes are fundamentally important to the transformation and growth of your learners.
- Like a kid in a candy shop – thank you for the useful tips and lots of ideas to teach independent learning!
- A lot to think about this morning and some things I can take away and use. Firstly, developing Meerkat Moments to create curiosity in learners. Secondly, to use more ‘body’ experiences when teaching dry theory based content. And finally, to revamp my learning outcomes to ensure all three colours/themes are included.
- Absolutely. Fairly new to teaching and so this has made me look with fresh approach on how I structure my lessons from the outset. Definitely will approach from an attitudinal perspective in future.
- Definitely – very useful in linking the specifications with the independent learning skills, starting from writing the learning outcome in the SOW to pose the key questions to the learners in the classroom. Hence I will be revisiting the learning outcomes in the SOW and key questions; try to incorporate the three types of learning outcome if possible in the lessons.
- Very enjoyable and I felt the use of so many different interactive resources really added value and aided learning.
- I will definitely be signing up for more courses run by Tony as I found his style very engaging and informative.
The Self-Assessment Flip
- A great journey, full of excellent ideas.
- Excellent use of games.
- Fun and creative.
- The however concept is fundamental.
Bespoke Quality System Training
- The two days were nothing less than brilliant.
- You have made a great impact upon the management team.
North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College
HoT Learning
- Inspirational, though provoking.
- Happiness = success in teaching.
- Someone came into the room and said, You’re right, the Emperors not wearing any clothes!
- My head is spinning with ideas.
- Falling down a rabbit hole with Alice and developing a new perspective.
- Lovely atmosphere, engaging activities, stimulating.
- Awakening!
- Really liked the development plan – will trial using it on a weekly basis to improve classroom problems.
- Prometheus unbound.
Data Springboard
- Emerging from the dark into light!
- Thank you, an opportunity to shift culture and start change.
- The fog cleared.
- Feel back in focus, and full of hope.
- You’re a lighthouse!!
- Feel energised after this – not worn out.
- I love data, but this session gave me more ideas.
- I’m not really into data, but the need for it and the relevance of it became apparent as the session progressed.
- An excellent day. Tony is an outstanding communicator, enthusiastic and energising.
- Ideas flooded in and I made copious notes.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I am excited about the possibility of change.
- Observations could be such a positive driving force – at present they are not.
- I like to sing, but I now want to write the song!
- Best CPD I have engaged in re observation training.
- Inspirational system.
- Focus on questions after an observation rather than providing feedback.
- We need a new system that eliminates fear and fosters creativity.
- Inspired.
- Change how I feedback – focus more on coaching model practised in the session.
- I shall use all the information, ideas and concepts, building them into my work as an observer in order to support colleagues in actively improving impact and learning.
- It is regrettable that the ‘architects’ of the system were not present.
- Inspirational. Left me with a desire to make a positive change within the organisation.
- Changing culture is challenging.
- Eye-opening.
- Lesson observation is to improve teaching and learning and not mirror Ofsted.
- The observation system needs a complete rethink following these guidelines.
- Why aren’t we doing this already!!
Richard Taunton College
HoT Learning
- It helped me articulate what I thought was gut instinct and feeling.
Reaseheath College
HoT Learning
- Excellent – opened my eyes!
- Totally made me realise the difference between grade 2 and grade 1!
- Inspiring and reignited my passion for developing my practice.
- It was good to take a fresh view rather than thinking about meeting a tick-box form.
- My sessions need to inspire curiosity.
- Clouds clearing from a mountain top.
- The spotlight has been redirected.
- Opening a door to new horizons.
- Heading onwards and upwards without any limits – thank you!
- Developing teaching and learning where the person delivering the session has actually practised what he preaches!
- A wake-up call.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Enlightening.
- Made me reflect on creativity – how to make sessions fun and engaging.
- The zone experience was very useful.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
- A sea of inspiration.
- I wished it could have been longer. It is one of the best uses of zoom and presenting I have seen and it kept me engaged in the topic.
- Excellent, very practical.
The Art of Using Target Setting
- I genuinely believe this is the best session I have ever done on targets.
- A game-changing mindset.
- It helped me understand that there are ways of differentiating to get the same outcome. I will be doing more research in to how to change the tutorial set up and incorporate the target setting in to this process rather than it being a separate discussion. No longer call the targets SMART targets and work with Quality and Learning to change the wording on Promonior.
- I have really enjoyed this session. It is the most informative and engaging CPD I have done for a long time. Thank you Tony.
Wiki Wonderland
- A very exciting rollercoaster (I like rollercoasters).
- As head of learning support it has inspired me to revise our study skills provision.
- Fast and strong.
- Informative session. Thank you! Especially the ‘perfect lesson notes’.
- Like a comfort blanket!
- Will try and implement both. Very interested as am maths and English link – will develop skills for exams – note taking.
- Excellent. Will implement a wiki for my next assignment in the new term.
- It was insightful.
- I have set up eportfolios on 365. I could have set this up better with editing timings. I will use a wiki for one of these tasks with editing times yet also because the task design will make for a good resource for all learners to view after. Will also try using the role of note-taker, yet may try this in OneNote.
- Informative.
- Eye opening. Very interesting. l am not a teacher, I am a support worker. If we had access to this it would be fab.
- Very interesting. Very helpful.
- Intriguing!
Reading College
HoT Learning
- One of the most inspiring learning experiences in my life and I will undoubtedly change what I do and how I do it.
- Bringing reality into focus and seeing more detail, colour and possibilities in the environment.
- Very much improved my grasp of what to do and how to evaluate my own practice.
- Excellent session – really enjoyable, thought provoking.
- A very refreshing session.
- Pushing through a membrane.
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Mind blowing – blooming brilliant!
- Welcoming the challenge ahead.
- Liked the pulsed polyphony model.
- I came with my eyes closed and they were prised open.
The Self-Assessment Flip
- I want to do it all differently!
- I can’t wait to get started!
Wiki Wonderland
- Great use of wikis.
- Inspiring.
Portsmouth College
HoT Learning
- A high-flying jet now going into outer-space!
- Opened a new window for me!
- Inspired – can’t wait to get started.
- It raised my curiosity and strengthened my determination to improve my teaching.
- It helped me realise for myself the importance of learner-centred lessons.
Data Springboard
- Really enjoyable session and kept me curious!
- Lack of curiosity is a risky beast.
Peterborough College
HoT Learning
- Will inspire and motivate me to relook at how I plan my lessons.
- Changed my mind-set towards teaching and learning.
- Made me want to put things into action soon!
- Confirmation of my own understanding of a grade 1 lesson which has increased my confidence.
- Excellent knowledge, interactive, relevant to new teacher.
- Gave me space and opportunity to actively reflect on my own teaching practice.
- Next lesson replanned in head while attending.
- Inspirational new ideas.
- I found this the most useful and helpful training/workshop the college has ever provided. Ofsted inspection? Bring it on!
- It was inspiring, awakening and motivational.
- Inspiring teacher, made us reflect on own practice and realise how to change/improve.
- I was inspired.
- A thorough session delivered by an expert in the field.
- The whole session was enlightening and interesting.
- The HoT Learning model will be displayed on my desk to support my planning.
- Going from using a match to using a torch in a dark cave of treasure.
Perfecting Development-Plan Writing
- Lots to take on board.
- Moving text to appendix on SAR. Issues and symptoms. Layout of QIP – well paced with lots of activities. I enjoyed it. Need to apply to this year’s documents. Good working with other colleges.
People 1st (Northern Ireland)
HoT Learning
- From a spark to a flame.
- Enhanced the flavour of an already fine tasting meal.
- A stunted tree trying to grow new shoots 🙂
Data Springboard
- Scaled the mountain of data.
- I feel like I surfed a wave of knowledge today.
- Helped me see things in a different way.
- I can see clearly now the fog has gone.
- Explosion of ideas.
- It was like the meeting of tiny streams that flow into a river.
- So much will now change.
- Major food for thought. Can’t wait to put it into practice.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Peeling back layers of bureaucracy to get to the kernel of the self-evaluation process.
- This session helped me expand my knowledge of self evaluation and made it clear to me where I have been going wrong.
- It helped broaden my mind on how to self assess myself.
- Enlightening.
- Will commit to completing self-evaluation for own internal improvement purposes rather than to meet requirements of external agencies.
Northern Regional College (Northern Ireland)
HoT Learning
- I would like to say how stimulating, informative and inspiring your CPD sessions were. You have even got an old cynic enthused.
- Wow. Lots of food for thought.
- Realised that the same lesson plan won’t suit all learners.
- Refreshing – a reminder of what learning is all about.
- It definitely has helped me to look at my lesson planning in a new light.
- Reach for the stars.
- A masterclass.
- Tony is an excellent role model who obviously practises what he preaches.
- An eye opener.
- A light being turned on.
- Champagne bottle.
- Very stimulating and constructive – enlightening.
- Aladdin’s cave full of gold.
- Aspirational.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Finally feel like spring time is here – budding with enthusiasm for my teaching.
- It refreshed my desire to teach.
- Think and grow rich.
- Excited about ideas.
- Like a rocket.
- Like a visit to the Tate Modern – lots to inspire me, motivate me and set me thinking new ideas.
- My eyes have been opened to view a lesson from the learners’ perspective.
- Being reborn after 25 years teaching.
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Rub out some of my thoughts on differentiation and rewrite.
- Mind-opening enlightening.
- A blossoming rose.
- Excellent delivery. Thoroughly engaged in session.
- Challenging.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- I felt like a rocket launching into space.
- I was feeling tired this semester and now I’m energised.
- If I had not attended this session I would probably have used a tick list system.
- It has changed my view of how observation should be carried out.
- Our observation ethos needs to be reformed.
- A great session that challenges traditional ideas of lesson observation.
- I never analysed impact before.
- Unmissable.
- I was aware how the bar was raised for me today and how the rubric challenged my classroom performance.
North Hertfordshire College
HoT Learning
- Everything becomes connected. Made me nervous/excited about continuing to develop my teaching and learning.
- I will now approach my lesson planning using the (HoT Learning) model.
- Made me really think!
- Let the sun shine.
- Made me think about how I teach and how to improve.
- Inspiring.
- Like jumping into a plungepool – feeling more revitalised.
- Dancing my way to success.
- It’s not what you do, it’s the impact you have.
- The mist has cleared!
- Teaching an old dog new tricks!
- It’s inspired me to explore outstanding ways of teaching.
- Plan differently (aspirationally).
- Clearest explanation I have had to date of what an outstanding lesson is.
- Clear and concise. I have the desire to plan sessions in a different way.
- I feel like I have had a large can of red bull.
- Feel enthused and thinking about possible strategies for improvement.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Exciting session which I was fully engaged in. On reflection in the tea break, I realised I was ‘zoning’!
- Blue sky thinking!
Implementing Live Self Assessment
- The best input we’ve had by miles!
- Moving from black and white to Technicolor.
- Made me look at the real issues I need to consider.
- A journey into the unknown (or rather something I thought I knew but actually didn’t).
- My head is spinning with ideas.
- I’ve walked around the mammoth with my knife and fork and I’ve a good idea how I’m going to eat it, although I’ve decided my cutlery is not fit for purpose.
The Self-Assessment Flip
- Lightbulb moment!
- I now feel confident to begin writing my first SAR.
- We liked the impact assessment tool.
- Huge impact.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- The exercises were a brilliant tool to realise and understand the positive impact of standards on performance and strategy.
- Like a penny that has been polished and revalued.
- Illuminating – I have not done an observation before. I will talk less and listen more.
- Let there be light.
- It was “unmissable”.
- I’ve been observing for many years and have been involved in double observations as part of Ofsted inspections. Having a significant rethink now re my impact judgements.
- I was in the ‘zone’.
- Quite a few meerkat moments!
- Opening of a flower in spring.
- Helped me reflect on our current (observation) system that does not improve T&L.
- Inspiring to see some people challenging the system.
- Windscreen wiper moment.
- Inspirational and encouraging knowing what observations could and can be.
- Changing trains – changing perspectives.
- This session really helped me be more objective.
- Opens the mind.
- It has opened my eyes and I’m going to have to re-think my own style of assessing/teaching in order to be an effective observer.
- It has focused me on the learning impact and judgements words to help guide the evaluation and grade.
- Provided an excellent insight into what impact a lesson has on the learning journey.
- This session encouraged me to think about learner outcomes. In courage me to see observation in a different and effective way.
- I now have a better idea about how to focus on impact.
- I feel inspired to develop my own teaching sessions based on what I’ve learned.
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Really enjoyed the participation and being included, even though I am not teaching staff.
- Nothing worthwhile comes easy.
- Very interesting to explore differentiation examples from both Tony and my peers.
Heart of Worcestershire College
HoT Learning
- Challenging but inspiring.
- Like taking the stabilizers off your bike.
- I am curious to learn more…
- Fantastic, engaging, really useful, not what I expected.
- I just wanted to say thank you for a really energised and enthusiastic development day.
Data Springboard
- An excellent opportunity to track problems with learners before crisis point.
- Great to look at data without numbers.
- Differentiation: how do I re-engage learners who weren’t engaged last week?
- Made me think about the data I have available as a teacher! Not just the data held by MIS and the departments.
Learning Motivation – designing unmissable experiences
- How I can look at my planning from a different angle (emotional) to improve leaner motivation.
- Think about my smiley points! SOW which is well sequenced to include emotional sticking points (January!)
- Time to reflect and think about to influence change across my college.
Kendal College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- Opening a door in my mind to release new ideas
- Assessment can be quick and simple – ultimately it makes lessons more engaging.
- Rethink from the learner point of view and give them more Meerkat Moments.
- Love the card games explanation of assessment and transfer to other lessons.
- Excellent approach to training delegates involved throughout. Wish we had longer.
- Ideas for assessment have blossomed.
- Learning experience was delivered in a fun and engaging way with the different types of games to promote thinking of assessment.
- Really invigorating as a new teacher – now I’m familiar with the content I can start making lessons more fun.
- Feeling re-invigorated / inspired.
- Plan the experience, not the lesson.
- Learners have to know what outstanding looks like.
- Very engaging session – one of the best CPDs ever.
- Loved this. Training 3rd time with you and just as good.
Behaviour Management
- The curtain was pushed back further to see possibilities for development.
- Insightful, useful.
- I am already using intuitive strategies and there are more I can learn.
- Strategies to enable high-performing groups.
- Thank you so much, I really enjoyed the training. You were clear, retained my attention and I would have happily stayed on the class for longer.
- Thank you Tony, Today has provided me with a chance to reflect on my practice in depth and consider new strategies moving forward to benefit both myself and my learners.
Data Springboard
- I thought the session was excellent and has made me reflect on my practice and develop ideas for the future.
- Energising – sparkling water.
- Definitely will introduce volatile indicators to catch learners who are faltering earlier!
HoT Learning
- Space travel.
- Canoeing to the end of the lake then arriving to a wonderful picnic!
- I will endeavour to introduce curiosity and re-gain some excitement with my lessons.
- Really valuable and enjoyable. You have enthused me and I am looking forward to teaching on Monday!
- You made data much more interesting!
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
- A delightful boat ride on a river of learning.
- Love the attitudinal outcomes – something I don’t usually think about.
- Really enjoyed it, thank you ?
- Jaw dropping.
- Great session, really made me think more about my learning outcomes and how I teach.
- Mind blowing – a lot of information to think about.
- Gone from cloudy to clear.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
- Refocused my focus on teachers! Do this asap! Really enjoyed!
- It’s like turning something round to get a better view of it. Changing perspective.
- More emphasis on autonomy, collaborative working and reinvigorating lecturers’ purpose with their learners. Infrastructure & mindset change, confidence, cultural. Thank you.
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Walking a familiar journey with new boots!!
- I have learnt that I usually focus on my low achievers and have discovered methods of challenging my other students.
- Like dipping a toe into an ocean of thought.
- As a 2nd year Cert Ed student, this session was really useful.
- Breath of fresh air.
- Very stimulating. Will be thinking hard when I’m planning future sessions!
- Felt session was excellent – very well prepared for such a large group.
- Old dog! New tricks 🙂
- Warp drive.
- Creative and very motivational. Thank you 🙂
- Energising. Felt it made me sit up and take notice.
- It was an extremely motivating session to start 2012. It made me evaluate my role and how I can improve in certain areas.
- There’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
- Tony delivered a great session – fun and informative. The practical demonstrations and activities were great.
- Delivered with passion.
Itchen College
Data Springboard
- Eye opening!
HoT Learning
- Motivational.
- An excellent session!
- A rollercoaster.
- I thought the HoT Learning hierarchy put into perspective the importance of the elements that make an outstanding lesson.
- Energetic river – it led me somewhere really interesting.
- Inspiring.
- Was excellent – especially given the large group size!
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
- Child in a sweet shop.
- Full-colour vocabulary – awesome.
- I felt like a student again!! Feeling open to learning and working hard.
- Practical, effective and applicable.
- Wonderful inspiring input.
Isle of Wight College
HoT Learning
- Outstanding, thoroughly enjoyed the session.
- Fully understand what is needed in a grade 1 lesson.
- Steeplechase – high fences – got there in the end!
- It has showed me that every lesson is an event not to be missed.
- The concepts of curiosity and transformation teaching has profound consequences. I must move into these areas and dig out the gold in my students.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Made me think about how I do things and the way I can improve strategies.
- I got some great ideas to use in my lesson, thanks!!
- I needed this input to advance towards next year. My energy had been dissipated, but has been rekindled.
- I believe I am on the right train, and it has just sped up.
- This is a really great session to help focus planning for the new year – it gives focus and allows new thought. I’m quite excited at the thought of planning :).
“Yes, were all individuals” Bryan, 1979
- Toboggan ride.
- Very informative – couldn’t be better.
- I can see coaching and Q&A in a completely new way.
- Have learnt a lot from this especially on the questioning techniques.
- Coaching was new to me. Good practical session.
- Reopened my eyes!
- So much to take away as a manager.
- A re-awakening.
- Like exploring in the woods.
- This is one of the most useful development sessions I have attended.
- Thoroughly enjoyable, yet useful!
- I leave today with lots of ideas for my teaching and my students learning.
- Back to the drawing board in an exciting way.
- A new direction to follow – lots more focus on how I use my teaching time.
- Loads of food for thought – has really opened my eyes to what I already do and how I can do it better.
- It has highlighted my tendency (or comfort) to teach towards the more able..
- Mind changing.
- This should culminate in a regular teaching and learning group to assess practice.
- It persuaded me that differentiation is very important. The benefits to learners is well worth the extra planning effort.
- Just to say many thanks for organising the Tony Davis training yesterday. He is so inspiring and we are lucky to have had his input into our professional development.
Huntingdonshire Regional College
HoT Learning
- Like someone throwing me a very different but exciting new torch to illuminate the dark corridor I’ve wandered down.
- A clearer view of the mountain we have to climb.
- There is another way.
- Looking through a glass bottomed boat – magnified what I have known before and widened my knowledge (added layers of learning).
- Reassuring – there is another way.
- Refreshing to know what common sense is still out there.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Enlightening.
- It has made me really think about what the point of induction is.
- Refreshing/positive, encouraging!
- A revelation in terms of the format and process. Really enjoyed it.
- Fantastic.
- Writing judgements which are objective: the practical session on this was excellent.
- A clearer view of the mountain we have to climb.
Hertford Regional College
HoT Learning
- A solution to Fermat’s last theorem!
- I have swum through a salty sea and surfaced, taking a huge gulp of sweet air!
- The sky is the limit.
- I’m no longer in a coal mine with a box of matches.
- Reassuring that learning can still be exciting.
- Want to do more!
- Inspirational.
- Enthralling.
- Refreshing perspective.
- Inspired to create more Meerkat moments.
- Empowering – filling lungs with fresh sea air.
- Very uplifting and relevant.
- Awakening.
- Like opening a box of goodies.
- Feel more confident to write a session plan with meerkat moments.
- Looking into lots of interesting boxes.
- (I need to) write the lesson plans and scheme of work with less focus on what I’m doing and more emphasis on creating space for the learner to take control.
- Aspirational.
- Drop bombs in lessons to keep learners engaged and develop curiosity in learning.
- Looking forward to giving all these ideas a go in my teaching.
- Burning bright.
- Particularly liked the Hierarchy of Teaching and Learning and feel this would be a useful tool for colleagues.
- (I want) To take my sessions to the next level!
- I now have a better understanding of what an outstanding lesson may consist of.
- New expectations.
- A new approach to lesson planning so opening a new door to lessons!
- A great session with lots of new ideas to try and practical skills I can use in my teaching from herein.
- Has extended thinking and ideas for changes to practice.
- A polished stone.
Independent Learning
- I will look at developing independency skills rather than just allowing students to work independently.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- Revealing.
- Excellent – informative and enjoyable.
- Eye opening!
- Jimmy Choo moment.
- I need to coach the teachers to accurately assess their session.
- Quite liberating.
- Lifting the lid off the box of possibilities.
- I think this session should be for all staff and not just observers.
- I will approach giving feedback to staff in a whole new light.
- Inspiring.
- Exciting.
- Enlightening.
- Enthused. Really get it now!
- Challenges received ideas – calls for change!
Gloucestershire College
HoT Learning
- This was brilliant, if we don’t have any other training this year I’d be happy to wait until Tony can return.
- Very inspirational session – the best in years. I have a lot to think about.
- A thoroughly interesting and vibrant session which certainly stimulated my thought processes and raised my excitement and motivation to change our focus regarding teaching, learning, observation and development planning.
- We are currently tick boxing creativity out of lessons. Hopefully the context of today’s session will redress this.
- I need to share the HoT Learning Model with staff by taking them through the activities so that they can identify what constitutes an outstanding lesson.
- This session was expertly delivered by a highly knowledgeable and inspirational presenter.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Helter-skelter!
- Re-engaged!
- The 28 teaching methods really made me think!
- I have taken a great deal away with me.
- I have now some ideas to expand my teaching strategies in lots of areas.
- I will be doing less talking and the students will be more engaged!
- Now I know what “to experience being in the zone” is!
- I’ve found a new recipe book I want to try.
- Just what I need to improve my repertoire after teaching adults for many years.
- Time has flown. An excellent, inspiring session.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Everything was considered from a different angle and a new light was shed on issues.
- Really like the aspect/element – intention/action process.
- SARs need to be written from a learner impact perspective.
- Opening my eyes but also my mind to new possibilities.
- A mystery tour through a jungle of challenges with more than one right path to the correct conclusion.
Data Springboard
- I arrived as a sceptic and left as a believer.
- I didn’t think about data at all!
- Data has been given a whole new meaning today – nothing to be scared of, and something to be embraced.
Belfast Metropolitan College
Assessment & the Art of Lazy Teaching
- My cataracts have been cleared. Meaning: Before the session I knew that my learners needed to be more independent and there should be less of me marking piles of work, but I had only a very foggy awareness of how to change that. Now my awareness is clearer.
- I need to change how learners experience biology, so it is not so compartmentalised into topic followed by topic, each routinely ‘formally assessed’ through working through exam questions ad infinitum until the end. It also showed – which I wasn’t expecting – a way for learners to develop a skill base so they can meaningfully engage with any new material that is presented.
- It was an excellent session that condensed a huge range of ideas – including the skills development of learners – which I wasn’t expecting and has been, to close off the metaphor, eye-opening. Thank you.
HoT Learning
- I’ve been inspired!
- Discovering – like learning the chords at the end of Stravinsky’s Symphonies for Wind Instruments.
- To infinity and beyond.
- I feel that I’ve been involved in going the extra mile today, and look forward to more.
- Very enjoyable – creative and grabbed my attention throughout.
- Cant wait to get started!
- Cutting apron strings – let learners go!
- Super – thought provoking, intelligent, and very, very helpful.
- A colleague who had dreaded 3 hours this morning sent a message to say it was well worth coming. She was not wrong.
- I will rethink many aspects of the way I teach.
- Many things are a lot clearer.
- A pedagogical whirlwind.
- Refreshing and extremely helpful.
- A clearing mist.
- I will now see the learners at the heart of what I do rather than aim to ‘get through’ the syllabus.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- A wilted flower that’s just been given a drop of water.
- Think big first, then refine as cost/needs dictate – great idea..
- Eating a huge bar of chocolate.
- Very good session. We tend to become bogged down in processes which block creativity.
- I need to think about how to build in the ‘curiosity’ idea – to keep students motivated.
“Yes, were all individuals” Brian, 1979
- TED talk.
- Exceptionally interesting.
- Sunrise/dawn – illumination!
- Rocket.
- Excellent reflective session and clearly one that challenges teaching strategies to date.
- An oasis of sense.
- An eye opener.
- Rekindled old ideas lost over time.
- A light has come on!
- Plenty of proactive techniques.
- Enjoyed questioning how I question.
- Excellent ideas on differentiation which we do not do enough of now.
- Thought provoking, with some very good practical tips.
- A light being switched on to illuminate a dark room.
- It helped me with what I have always considered to be the main difficulty in teaching further education.
- Stimulated such useful pedagogical discussion.
- Very challenging – would love to build all this in.
- A journey of discovery!
- Make me re-think my teaching strategies for next year.
- I need to get to know individual students and their needs early on, and try to plan strategies to meet their needs.
- Now I’ve had a glass of wine, I want the bottle!
- This session has enhanced my motivation ahead of next week.
- Good to be reminded that we should always reinvent our teaching skills.
- Helped me reconsider what to do with over achievers.
- A new perspective. Lots of great ideas.
- Need to revisit my scheme of work and invest in my teaching in order to work smarter.
- Eye opener.
- Some of the fog has lifted.
- Several Damascene moments.
- Excellent presenter with very innovative and creative tasks.
Data Springboard
- Very thought provoking and unusually enjoyable.
- Expanding my mind to make me better than I am.
- Touchstone – a reminder of what is important.
- Inspiring.
- I will increase my observation of useful data; note it and act on it earlier.
- I will integrate the concept of volatile indicators into the units I teach.
- Eye-opening.
- Kenny Dalglish taking Liverpool to 6th.
- Moving from HD ready to 1080!
- Controlling the rapids rather than being controlled by them.
- It will help me contribute to our quality assurance process.
- An oasis.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
- Plato’s cave
- Challenging.
- Excellent.
- Journey down quality street.
- Food for thought… feeling full!
- Excellent self assessment is honest self assessment.
- The scales fell from my eyes.
- I will certainly use the ‘so what’, but I will focus more on trying to get the ‘roadmap to outstanding’ out of the SER.
- You can teach an old dog new tricks.
- Everyone should go on this training.
- Revelatory.
- Revolutionary.
- My SER (SAR) is going to become more student focused rather than management.
- Excellent session with some great pointers from which to improve my SER and indeed have that IMPACT.
- Enlightening.
- Exciting.
- It demystified the language needed to make this a meaningful process.
- Very enjoyable. Difficult topic, well handled.
- Discovering cornerstones.
- Found games very helpful and informative. Really like the football analogy.
- Magical mystery tour!
- Switched the light on!
- Thoroughly enjoyable. Best so far.
- Audit to impact.
The Self-Assessment Flip
- I really got a lot out of your session and have been singing your praises to anyone who will listen.
- It has improved my understanding of what we are expected to do.
- Roses are red, Violets are blue, This session made me want to improve, So thank you!!
- Enthusiastic and knowledgeable presenter who clearly has a passion for this area of work.
- Super-duper.
- Inspirational.
- Excellent – very useful – creative – practical!
- Challenging!
- Excellent workshop.
- Engaging and thought provoking.
- Make it longer. It was excellent.
- A first class event.
Wakefield College
Achieving Grade 1 for Employability Skills
- Arrived discouraged – left uplifted.
- Today’s session was an employability dream.
- Theme park.
- I’ve been inspired to be more creative and dream bigger.
- We need to review our scheme of work and how we deliver it.
- Shining a light on creativity in education.
- I have unlocked my creative thoughts by realising ‘I’ could make a difference.
- Today is the start of a journey.
- Thought provoking and challenging session. Will introduce some skill development project work into sessions.
- Grade 1 session.
- [I need to] Try to be more creative and let the students lead their learning more, and apply more directly to employment skills.
- Quite challenging for one who is not naturally creative.
- Snowball of exciting ideas.
- Fantastic and enthusiastic delivery.
- [We need] To be more aspirational with our goals and expectations of our learners.
- Fantastic – I really enjoyed the half day of actual practical ideas.
- Made me think and approach it differently.
- Showed what Ofsted are looking for and how we can start developing these skills.
- A thoroughly enjoyable session that has broadened my understanding of how skills are measured.
- Like opening a new door.
- Supported employment should have this as part of their induction/training.
- I’ve walked the carpet! J
- Will embed/refer to Top 10 Employability Skills for horticulture placement.
- Outstanding session, great communications and very knowledgeable.
- Highlighted how we can work as a college to achieve this – really helped.
- [I need] To focus more on outcomes of actual skills and make these skills transparent to learners.
- Broadening horizons.
- Focus on skills development and take a project approach to assignment work.
- Really inspiring.
HoT Learning
- An excellent and inspiring session.
- A gourmet meal.
- I will find it easier to articulate what an outstanding lesson consists of.
- Wish you could give this presentation to all our teaching staff.
- This will change my old fashioned views.
- I will do most things differently.
- Excellent session – you have inspired me to become an independent learner!
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Inspirational
Abis Resources
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
- Inspiring, engaging.
Transformational Lesson Observation
- It’s like plotting your way from a mysterious space into a demystified ground of pedagogical awareness.
- Impact is like the taste of fine food – lesson bellisimo!
- Challenging topic. Influential new concepts.
- Leave no student behind.
- I have understood how learning is impacted through teaching.
- I have gained confidence.
- A wonderful session. I have not only understood the importance of teaching, but also very clear with the meaning of ‘impact on learning’.
- Exceptional. Outstanding.
- Learnt new things – how to observe impact on learning through the lesson observation process.
Please select a session:
Recruitment: increasing the impact
Hull College
- Inspiring.
- To imagine the ideal and then work out how it’s do-able.
- Thought provoking.
- Aspirational recruitment process.
- Very good morning of CPD.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- Aim high, create experiences, be exciting!
- “Bloody marvellous!”
- Awakening.
Learning Issues and Solutions Database (The RED LISD)
Bolton College
- Enlightened.
- Able, aspirational, motivated, like being a new tutor again with a desire to problem solve.
- A ray of sunlight peaking out of a cloud on a cold day.
- Inspirational, thought-provoking.
- Excited about possibilities, feel so many barriers before we can be outstanding though.
- It was a river of knowledge, allowing my brain to flow with new ideas.
- I was treated as a grown up, collaborative discussions, voice listened to.
- Gyre-widening (see W. B. Yeats: The Second Coming).
- It is fit for purpose, simple and efficient.
- I love it. I would love to see it as an approach for OTLAs.
- Easy to read, useful and will try in lessons.
I like how it is structured and gives the teacher a step-by-step support. - Set-up really well. Easily accessible and easy to navigate.
- It is quite clear and easy to follow. It supports you and takes you on a journey through the thinking and development process. The case studies were useful and the more the resource is populated with other cases the more useful it will become. Sharing is so important and especially between departments.
- I like the colour coded headings and the clear structure, easy to follow and definitions helped me to decide what the actual problem/issue was. It helped to reflect on what my contribution to the issue might be but in a no blame way. Therefore easier to admit and discuss.
- Clear, demanding a next step/decision/narrowing/focussing.
- I think that the format of each section is clear and follows a process that allows you to think through the issue you have selected, and what could be the cause of the issue before exploring the strategies.
- It encourages sharing of best practice within the organisation and both offers support to those with issues as well as offering praise and reward for those who are best serving their learners.
- Great, lets us problem solve without being told one method and gives us the confidence to say that it can be solved.
- Wonderful, collaborative and informed by practice.
- To have the lessons seen and heard without prejudice is really refreshing. I have already included many ideas, from Tony feedback and his blogs and lesson.
- It is good to look at learning issues in this way, methodically…seeing the problem and the reasons behind it helps to find a solution.
- I like it and would use it. I like the links that take you through to further information.
- Felt a little upset by the barriers that I found myself coming up against that I can usually mentally overcome in the moment/when filling out a form because of the demand of professionalism it suggested.
- I like that the approach is a collaborative one, using real examples from across the college. I hope that it will inspire the college to further embrace cross departmental working to share ideas and strategies for learning. This will motivate staff to try new ideas, and be more comfortable with colleagues in their classroom without the fear of failure. I also like that it will be a working document for staff to add to so it can evolve.
- My learning outcomes will never look the same again. I’ll be tapping into those attitudinal changes.
- I think it has been extremely useful and has made a big difference to people’s attitudes. I have noticed that when Tony said he could solve how to make learners never be late again in submitting work to a deadline, many staff had a negative attitude and were quite defensive. This makes me see how the tutors need to be open minded as I know that’s how they want the learners to be. “Crossing the carpet”. Thank you for your lovely compliments of my session.
- I love this approach. It’s teacher supportive and friendly.
- Thank you very much for the session 🙂
- Some really useful ideas. This got me thinking that there might be solutions. The college needs to be supportive in their implementation. At the moment it feels like we are being swamped with admin tasks and teaching and learning is taking second place.
Behaviour Management
Hull College
- Highly educative
- It will help me in my classroom management especially the attention war, over-contributor.
- Dealing with over-contributors – set them a challenge, allow them to answer a more difficult question.
- It was very interactive with lots of team/group discussion and popcorning of ideas.
- Inspirational. Restores belief in outstanding teaching.
- You’ve been fab, would love to learn more from you.
- Forming, storming, norming, performing. Ideas from today can be implemented in class.
- I will change my approach to sessions – for example: 1. Deal with over-contributors 2.
- Transactional management.
- I have learned simple techniques to understand and improve learner behaviour and productivity.
- The interactive tools like Jamboard and handouts were amazing.
- Transactional Analysis, Transitional Change, Active Listening – all fantastic!
- Brilliant (Always!)
- Looking at curriculum plan for adding excitement for challenging times. Continue to reflect on own practice.
Kendal College
- The curtain was pushed back further to see possibilities for development.
- Insightful, useful.
- I am already using intuitive strategies and there are more I can learn.
- Strategies to enable high-performing groups.
- Thank you so much, I really enjoyed the training. You were clear, retained my attention and I would have happily stayed on the class for longer.
- Thank you Tony, Today has provided me with a chance to reflect on my practice in depth and consider new strategies moving forward to benefit both myself and my learners.
Ofsted Ready
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Bath College
- A refreshing afternoon.
- Confidence is being authentic in an approach to quality. Not obsessing on unstable factors.
- Fantastic opportunity to sit down, discuss and think deeply. Thank you.
Bristol City Council Community Learning
- A sat nav. for self reflection on our strengths and weakness as a centre! “Turning a weakness into a strength.”
- Bringing transformation to the attention of an Ofsted inspector.
Thinking ‘wildly’ outside the box for inspiration. - “Tackle” Ofsted in a positive way – not wait for things to happen, but have things in place – e.g. reflections on how to improve things (not at the end of a course or unit but at the time when issues materialise).
- Food for thought. The use of wiki was really good and it was great to see what others had written.
- Taking the horse by its reins. That we can take control of the OFSTED process by actively working together to improve our service.
East Kent College
- Such a rewarding session, not what I expected at all but have some key takeaways to really reflect on and action.
- Think more creatively, invest in the students’ experience, create an Ofsted position statement for maths and English.
- I thought the breakout room size was going to be limiting but it was actually great, loads of dialogue and ideas – I couldn’t fault the session.
JTL Training
- It has caused me to change my whole approach to an OFSTED inspection, thank you Tony
- Hope is on the horizon.
- Like opening a book.
- Very interesting and informative.
It has given me ideas to use within my own teaching practice. - Again Tony delivers a content heavy course with great skill and ease, ensuring all delegates are involved and creating great discussion topics to challenge myself and colleagues.
- Like a fog clearing.
- Peeling an onion, lots of layers in learning.
- A dry subject whetting my appetite.
- The session has caused me to reflect on, and change the way I would view an inspection.
- Good to look at it feeling a little more empowered
- I think that it’s focused me on how to improve class engagement, make it more enjoyable for the learners and for me in my task to improve learners being able to retain information long term which I am looking forward to accomplishing.
Morley College
- Really interesting and motivational!
- Using the research activity with my colleagues and looking at the emotional learning journey as part of the SoW review and implementation.
- I also get a bit obsessed by Ofsted’s requirements and need to try and relax a bit on that!
North West Training Council
- Challenging thought provoking.
- Red Bull (energising).
Purple Beard
- Clearly lit up a gloomy rainy day!
- The mechanism of actually going about it was brilliant.
- Creative and thoughtful about the approach to improving our provision.
- Project based makes it more achievable to make improvements.
- Thank you so much for enabling a collective approach to improving a provision.
Preston College
- There are so many research projects we could implement!
- To complete my own judgement statements on my curriculum impact/intent paper to support my meeting with inspectors.
- Small changes needed to enable my team to be even better.
- Informative. Taking away EIF – issues to explore and research.
- Eye opening – thought provoking.
- How to justify and show evidence in a way that puts across clearly what needs to be celebrated.
Quest Training
- Want to go away do the wiki with staff and look at implementing action research projects in my setting.
- Great session as always, my to do list has grown even more.
Serco
- Really useful session, thank you. Gave me inspiration as to how better to engage the wider team in understanding and managing the self assessment process in preparation for OFSTED.
TPM
- Brilliant. Feel more enthusiastic, will be looking at ways I can better support the learners.
- Inspirational. Enjoyed interactive activities – will use these going forward.
- Enjoyed evaluating provision and how to set up the working groups.
- Thought provoking. The use of aspirational language. How to make the learning environment memorable. Gamification into teaching.
- Committing to research themes and researching these areas so we can come together as a team and make a difference.
TTE Training
- Consider the word ‘experience’, make it memorable.
- To steal others’ good ideas
- Nuggets of wisdom
- Make the learning experience a pleasure (as was today’s session)
- Realisation of what we do, how we do it and how to achieve the best in every aspect.
- Enabling tool to evaluate and develop to meet change.
- To look at research projects and encourage team to develop themes they have selected then share the practice.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Access Creative College
- Absorbing, Factual and Useful…not always the case with CPD.
- An insightful session with some great ideas.
- I found a lot of tools mentioned in this session will be useful in my own practice.
- Eye-opening.
Bolton College
- I really enjoyed learning about some new resources, but the main thing for me was relating it to the pedagogy. It will make me think more about WHY I am using a resource and what I want my learners to get out of it, rather than simply a ‘have they remembered what they have learned?’ scenario.
- We have been provided with a wealth of resources and ‘how-to’ sheets which means I have all the support I need to be able to experiment with what I have learned.
- I aspire to be as fab a teacher as Tony – it’s not all about coming on to learn new things…it’s about watching a fab teacher in action and picking up on the way he does it in order to improve my own delivery.
B-Skill Limited
- It was fantastic to see them being used throughout the session as well as having the opportunity to have a go. Throughout the session I have taken ideas and jotted these down about how these could be implemented within the sessions. I really liked the fact that tools were listed in order of difficultly from easiest to most complex. Some staff have a reluctance to changes towards technology based teaching and I am going to introduce these tools from easiest to hardest to make their experience more positive and help them develop confidence that they can incorporate technology into their sessions.
- Fantastic engaging session and this has enabled me to reflect on my own service and how this can be developed, thank you.
Cogent Skills
- I am a technological space tourist. I have travelled through numerous technologies that were unknown to me at the start of session. Very worthwhile.
- It is not just the technology that will be different, it will reasoning behind them that will be more prominent. Pre-learning for instance, will play a bigger role and with that the technology that you have taught.
D H Associates
- I can get distracted when listening, but I felt today’s session kept me engaged at all times.
- It’s a meal worth waiting for.
- The Lightbulb Moment, was able to see how these tools can be used for 1:1 learning.
- Will help with pre learning, interactive learning within the session and post learning to ensure continual progression and readiness for EPA.
- I have used whiteboards when completing teaching before but I have never used it in the ways shown today.
- Yes, for sure! I will definitely try and use some of the new platforms to help increase engagement and interaction.
- I will definitely be downloading the how to guides to remind me how to complete certain tasks.
- I like to make my sessions as interactive as I can and these tools will definitely help me to do this. Thank you!
Halton Borough Council
- ‘Learning is like a search for hidden treasure!’ This session for me gave a whole plethora of treasures for engagement and bringing learning and pedagogy to life through digital means both for in class and learning remotely.
- Being guided to the valuable objects in a cluttered and overflowing storage room.
- It Cut the Mustard.
- Yes! It is having the guides and practical chance to play with the difference tools and options.
- Gosh yes totally. Some superb resources that I can see being used regularly. It takes time to find all these resources so I am very appreciative of the work that has been put in for us.
- Tony is very personable, supportive and has such strong knowledge that explanations are clear. His passion shines through which helps to engage and motivate delegates, even in scorching heat!!!
- The session was very good and from a delivery point of view outstanding. The experience could have been better if the handouts had been downloaded in advance (I would make this even more clear next time around!) and there were some issues with confidence/equipment that were handled with patience and grace!
Hereford College of Arts
- This was such a great session. Really refreshing to have such high level training that was generous, practical and learner focused.
- A smorgasbord of healthy teaching and learning resources.
- A very positive and energising training session that gave me the drive to apply my learning and make one change at a time. Delivered with intelligence, empathy and inclusiveness.
Innovative Alliance
- Chomping at the bit now to put new learning into practice. Very inspirational session!
- Like a swan above the water and a motorboat underneath…
- It has given me a pleather of ideas to take away and improve our online offer in our organisation.
- I feel you have given me a wealth of knowledge and resources now to go away and engage with and train my team to improve the learner experience.
Lincoln College International
- Lots of food for thought as usual!!
- Every week I’m planning to test 2 tools from the session to not overwhelm students.
- The session supports my thoughts around the importance of ‘social presence’ (and backs up the research out there) and ‘investment and payoff’. There are so many tools to use but they should only be used if they enhance the learning (pedagogy pedigree – fabulous term and now in my repertoire!!) not technology for technology sake.
- I enjoyed it thoroughly, as I am always looking at ways to upskill myself. In today’s session, I was shown so many options I can use in my lessons and I’m excited to try them all.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- Both sessions really inspiring.
- Provided me with an opportunity to recap on technologies and previous CPD I have already engaged in and used and evaluate how to use them more effectively. Gave me the motivational push I needed to re-invigorate teaching, assessment learning and inspire educators to do the same. As a service we are using Teams/Office 365 so I am interested in how we can use the tools already available in Teams to develop highly effective online learning.
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
- Tony has such a gift in making you feel inspired and motivated to try out his suggestions. Can’t think of a metaphor today but in the words of Winnie the Pooh “But what if I fall?” “Yes but what if you fly?”
- I loved how its given me a new view on teaching the same sorts of subjects but now it can be done in different ways making it feel less repetitive.
- Great pace, direction and content. I have attended many sessions over my training career of 22 years and have found these to be the most engaging and interesting since my original training to become an assessor/Trainer in late 2000. Thank you!
Inspiring – has given me the confidence to explore different techniques. - Absolutely outstanding, really challenged preconceived ideas on learning and evidence gathering
very informative, easy tool to use, feeling more confident to explore tool for blended learning.
Good session sharing tools for online learning. - Great to see new technologies and stimulated by the ideas.
- Thinking of how the learner feels, how to improve learning for all learners. I have already booked a day in with my colleagues to look at Blendspace and wiki and make use of it.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- A melting pot of useful tools.
- My brain is a bed of blossoming seeds.
- ‘The past doesn’t equal the future’
- Discovering new technology is like getting a parcel that you can’t remember ordering.
- I think it has given me so many new ways to prep and engage with my learners. I think Blendspace will create a great pre learning for my learners.
Quest Training
- Fantastic session, lots to take away and have a try at making resources and sessions with. I just need extra days in my week to try them all.
Retrofit Academy
- We can do a lot more to make our presentations and courses engaging for the learners, catering for different abilities and learning styles.
- Useful tools. Great that they are all free.
Sefton Community Learning Service
- It’s like someone has opened the curtains in a dark room and I can see the light.
- Feel 100% more confident in using technology that is new to me.
- Tony you’re inspiring – this session has impacted on me greatly and I can’t wait to start implementing what I have learnt today when I cascade this to tutors (after further practise). Well and truly taken out of my comfort zone – thank you.
Southport College
- This was an excellent session – very interactive and has given me lots of good ideas for things I can implement in my own teaching as well as cascade to the rest of the group.
St Helens Chamber
- Learning is the spark that starts the flame.
- I will be using Blendspace (QR Codes) and inputting pre-learning sessions. I will also be using breakout rooms during my online sessions.
- Tony provides resources and how-to guides which are the most likely areas of support I would need which is great.
- Excellent session, allowed me to interact and gain inspiration from other providers. Thank you very much, will definitely be recommending.
Sysco
- Very engaging session with lots of resources/information and valuable IAG provided by Tony regarding tools for online engagement. Definitely will make me reflect and review this going forward.
- Fountain of knowledge and new information. Looking forward to trying Prezi video on zoom.
WEA
- I was originally daunted by the thought of a 3.5 hour session but the time passed more enjoyably and easily than other much shorter training sessions that I have attended, as the sessions were interesting and engaging. They were well put together, skilfully delivered and very useful. Thank you.
- It opened my mind to the options available and just how much more creative online learning can be. I feel as I have been provided with some tools to venture out and explore further. I also need to look at my current practice as a curriculum manager and determine what steps I need to take to start incorporating some of these new ideas and promoting them with staff.
- I need to build on the knowledge I have gained in this session by spending time with the different technology options we covered. In particular Prezi and wikis are completely new for me and I would love to be proficient with these.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Eye Opening, what a fantastic session.
- I will try to embed pre-learning and also involve follow up after training sessions a lot more.
Workforce Training Services
- Teaching is gardening.
- In my new role I will be able to use the tools I gained in the session to disseminate to other staff with the hope of improving teaching and learning across the organisation.
Learning Theorists and the Emotional Learning Journey
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Coleg Cambria
- It has been interesting and insightful, looking at lesson planning from a different perspective.
- To consider the emotional response (outcomes) I want from learners, rather than simply focusing on the topic learning outcomes.
- Timings were effective to allow discussion. Great circulation around the breakout groups to ensure we were on track and completing tasks correctly. I am frustrated that I have not attended the previous two sessions, so will have to look out for these next time around.
- Excellent delivery. It would be useful to have a session delivered by Tony on remote learning and the use of technology.
Derby Adult Learning
- Enriching.
- Greater knowledge of key learning theories and examples of teaching and learning strategies that are relevant to them.
- Thank you for a very useful and informative session. Access to your website with additional resources is very useful.
Grimsby Institute
- This should be a national programme.
- Lots of simple strategies which are easy to implement – excellent.
- It was really refreshing that a topic such as learning theorists was delivered in such a way as to make it practicable. It should be a ‘dry’ session – it wasn’t! Really enjoyed it.
- Opening the toolbox of my mind.
- Team meetings will be reinvented.
- Deeper exploration of how to design learning experiences.
Hopwood Hall College
- I am fizzing with theoretical ideas after this session! Educational theory does not have to be heavy and laborious! We can develop our understanding in more engaging ways.
- Today I am meeting with the Head of Quality and the Assistant Principal to start a quality standard for induction.
- Whilst it would be great to do this face to face the online session was very interactive and enjoyable.
Hull College
- Lightening in a bottle.
- (Saying) ‘Less experienced’ rather than ‘less able’ will focus on preparedness to reduce fear and anxiety.
- Sunshine. Differentiating approach not expectations – reinforcing this to staff.
- Focus on emotional state of learning – addressing that before the lesson.
- That the learning journey is the most important. If they are happy, they will achieve.
- I liked the idea of Blendspace, scaffolding – differentiation and taxonomy teams.
- Switching on a light!
- To implement theories in own practice – explore ‘fifty shades of teaching’ in more detail focusing on the less-experienced learner.
- Caterpillar to butterfly.
- (Produce) ‘Learning experiences’ not ‘lesson plans’. Blendspace.
- Great to see Tony again. Very knowledgeable – look forward to the next time.
Lakes College
- My brain feels fizzy with ideas! A great way to start a year!
- Can’t wait to model some of this with trainee teachers. Super.
- I love that loads of the theories can be applied easily. I am going to try to use a different card every week.
- The pre-learning technique, perfect lesson notes, barrier removal strategies.
- More strings to my bow
- A working machine.
- Thanks – brilliant, useful session.
Macclesfield College
- Connectivism to tutorial is illuminating like the full moon on a clear night.
- I will be using different research strategies as part of Tutorial to invigorate and engage through gamification rather than test.
- Would love to look at some examples of gamification in these areas to produce for core subjects.
- Thank you for your time – incredibly inspiring!
MK College
- A eureka moment.
- If I am honest, I have always had a downer on Behaviourism, but today I have noticed that it has many benefits and all theories have a place. It is the thing we hope to change, the level of learners and what they need to learn that can influence our choice and we shouldn’t just stick with one theory. Having knowledge of the underpinning theory alongside the emotional learning states can help us to select the best approach. Locating the position our learners are at and where they need to be is a great tool and provides an excellent starting point to develop effective teaching and learning.
- Having the material beforehand was really useful because we could do some pre-learning / reading. Clear instructions were given for the game.
- I think the supporting material is fabulous and effectively supports the delivery. And fantastic takeaway ideas.
- I think it is great and your technology is amazing!
Quest Training
- Fab session again – really enjoyed this.
Shipley College
- Social constructivism is the key to unlocking learning.
- Pandora’s box. Lifting the lid on learning theories.
- Loved how the different tools are numbered and put under the different theories.
- I really appreciated learning about the emotional learning states and how teaching and learning strategies can be used to produce the positive or overcome challenges.
- A game-base approach to learning about learning theory.
- Really enjoyed it and will definitely use the tool with the 2nd year PGCE students.
Southport College
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- Very interesting and productive session that enabled me to understand the way different teaching strategies were linked to theorist. I think this would be a great resource for teacher training courses to lighten up a very heavy module about theorists as you are able to look at it all in a practical way.
- Provided a deeper understanding of the learner journey which was differentiated. Good range of strategies were looked into which linked to theorists’ ideas of learning and explored that range of emotions from a learner’s point of view rather than the teacher’s. Helped look at ideas in a different way and provoked different thoughts on how strategies could work from a number of different view points.
Sysco
- Rewarding.
- Brilliant insight into a variety of learning theories and the emotional learning journey. Always incredibly informative.
- I felt the session helped me to link learning theories to outcomes for learners with the categories used.
- Yes absolutely! I will now put more emphasis on the learners emotional states when lesson planning.
- Today’s session was like going on an expedition, there are lots of things to do but I feel like today’s session will help us as a team to take the bull by the horns and revamp our delivery styles.
- My boat is well and truly rocked.
- Thanks again Tony, you really are inspirational.
- I was already very familiar with learning theories but I think today’s session helped me look at our curriculum models with a fresh pair of eyes and consider how we can make these connection with these with our learners.
- The exercises in the breakouts were really helpful to understand different learning theories and how they could be applied in practice. I am planning to use learning strategies 25, 27 and 34 in my future design and delivery.
- I found all information beneficial with me being new to teaching.
- As I am new to teaching I found something I can build on to be the best I can be ?
- Today’s session has helped me to embed emotional learning into my planning and delivery.
- I am going to make more use of connectivism methods to see if it helps me to save time.
- Thankyou Tony for giving me this experience.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- Excellent.
- It’s not about planning lessons, but it is about planning experiences.
- That workshop was a game-changer for me.
- Learning is like building a house – all parts are integrated with each other.
- I learnt that Connectivism seems to integrate advances in neuroscience and learning. It takes into account the behaviours of learners in the “digital age” in an explicit way that is absent in other theories.
- I was glad that at the end of the workshop I was able to figure out the suitable strategy for one of the addressed challenges. I was impressed my self 😀
- I’ll return to the materials as a great source. It provides me with a new vision of how to choose the best strategies.
The Learning Foundry
- As deep as the ocean. I can see so much to look into and learn over time.
- Learning theories are a melting pot.
- Exciting.
- Insightful
- I learnt a lot from the session today, I found it very interesting and I understood it as I could link to my learners and real life experiences.
- The breakdown of learning theories was very useful giving a detailed overview of each and providing strategies and identifying the emotional learning elements.
- It has opened my eyes to the amount of different theories there are to look into and explore in more detail which I am excited about. From the session today, I have written down around 12 [teaching strategies to explore] and I am prepared to look at each one and see how these can be adapted for each individual learner.
- Enjoyed the focus of how emotions impact on learning and planning to provide differentiated learning experiences, as opposed to a step-by-step / one size fits all process.
- I will change my approach when planning a lesson to see what emotional response I might get from the learner prior to delivering. Depending on whether it is positive or negative would say whether I want to build on the emotion or reduce it to improve the learners’ understanding.
- It helped me revisit what I had learned many years ago. It also opened my eyes on how I could apply them in my delivery so the learners take ownership rather than relying on me to direct them.
- I will think more about the emotional elements of my learners prior to our sessions so I can ensure I am finding ways to keep them engaged.
- I would like to thank you for your time and the quality of the resources used and the amount of knowledge gained from today.
- I found the interactive graphics on screen and being able to see you as well a very good teaching aid. I will be looking in to how I can use this in the future with my own delivery. A course on how to use this technology would be great!
- Tony is an excellent teacher, I find him very engaging and motivating.
Varndean College
- Lots of bright little ideas like a sparkler.
Weston College
- Reflective, like the sun on a puddle.
- I am going to work with staff to think more about their intent of their session focusing on the emotional states that they want to illicit with the group.
- I would like the resources – great session.
- 1 hour isn’t enough – would like longer please.
Lesson Plan Review
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- I found it interesting that if you change your outcomes how this necessitates a change in my planning, and how different the lesson content would be.
- Relating this session to the CIF and the recent inspection report has hit the right level of realisation with tutors.
- I will use the review strategy to search for flat areas of sessions and create a range of activities to use or have available to reduce possible reductions in learner engagement.
- I will review my lesson plans, reflecting on the highs and lows of my sessions.
- [I need to] Think about Mind and Body outcomes and how to incorporate expert learning traits.
- I feel a little like British Rail… I am getting there J
- I will keep practising and trying to improve the way I view the ‘end prize’.
- I will put into practice the colour strategy for learning outcomes and put more thought into what makes green and orange.
- A very helpful and refreshing session.
Clarifying Governance
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- Today was like an epiphany.
- Very thought provoking. Excellent – insightful.
- I have a greater understanding of the impact of my role as a governor and the influence on the culture of WLL.
- I need to see the bigger picture.
- Really interesting to see the origins of the approach the Council Life Long Learning Service has taken this year.
- Good balance of practical activity and discussion. Very interested in concept and approach to changing culture.
- Brilliant. Made a big difference and about raising my own view on Governance.
Perfecting Development Plan Writing
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Boston College
- I found the whole day quite liberating! This was a challenging day, that enabled me to reflect on my own practice and my organisations approach to self assessment and continuous quality improvement.
- I found the issue and symptom activity particularly useful in helping to drill down to the real problem. I also liked the ‘what does outstanding look like for our college’ discussion, especially for English and math and induction.
- The practical resources were fantastic and certainly something we will be using further. The whole day was practical, well paced and productive. I came away feeling exhausted, but informed and motivated to apply and build on what I had learnt. Thank you!
- I would value support from a more strategic perspective on reviewing our college SAR/QIP process. I am keen to attend the online session in October to learn more!
Bury College
- It’s show time! We are ready to step up to the plate.
- I really like the concept of saying to an inspector that I would like to show you the issue I had, what I did about it and the impact it has had on my learners.
- This approach provides a framework for affective critical thinking – need to make this happen.
Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
- Marching through the pearly gates of development plan writing heaven.
- My eyeballs have been spruced up a bit (window-cleaned).
- The emotional aspect is so important to me. It impacts our students considerably & staff and I feel this was clearly acknowledged in your session.
Buxton & Leek College
- Changed the way that I think!
- You get that penny drop moment when you think of how effective SAR writing can have a positive impact on the quality and improvement of delivery.
- I wish I’d have known this sooner.
- Really informative session, the session leaves you with a lot to think about which requires time to digest.
- It will make me stop more and consider the symptom/issue situation.
- I will introduce more time for professional discussion and focus the team’s efforts on root cause analysis. Make sure the development plan is a priority. More focus on the digital impact of the last 18 months and IAG and induction.
City College Norwich
- Panning for gold in SARs/QIPs.
- Really good session and I’m reminded of the start when you said about being excited about self-assessment, I can see why! This is a great way of writing SARs and QIPs which will help develop affective targets.
- Has made QIPs fun and useable.
- Like finding a boring brown box but finding a wonderful surprise inside.
- Instead of discussing the data, I will now be more enquiring and ask questions to get to the bottom of issues and devise/create logical and realistic steps to improve.
College of West Anglia
- Inspired.
- Allocating champions, rather than making someone responsible has the power to change the game in terms of ownership and staff buy in.
- The group work was really useful as well as the one to one support you offered.
Grimsby Institute
- Chomping at the bit to discuss changes.
- How a QIP doc can be used more effectively without unnecessary additional work #keepitsimple. I really liked the concept of a celebration box and will be championing this asap. It was the usual interesting and engaging session I have come to expect from Tony.
Homefield College
- Hit the nail on the head.
- Format of development plan to enable improved information – less restrictive and reward of completion so document doesn’t get larger. Ensuring that you are getting to the root cause rather than just trying to deal with the symptom.
- The training was delivered with clear enthusiasm, which further improved the learning experience. Good combination of input, practice and reflection.
Hull College
- Like arriving at the top of a mountain to finally get the most fantastic view – a clear view, no background noise.
- Looking for clarity to identify the root cause rather than focussing on symptoms.
- The skilled use of zoom as a presentation tool with Prezi overlay, shortcut buttons, using wikis etc is a whole training course in itself. Fantastic delivery.
- Today was a reflective experience.
Kingston Maurward College
- Sharpening the saw!
- Really useful to reflect on the current plan and how to avoid common issues that don’t facilitate rapid improvement e.g. symptoms not issues, end point data etc.
- Our new QIP process will use similar format to one shared with each ‘issue’ becoming a project for a project manager (champion) to take on … before putting it in a celebration (impact) file.
- Loved to see some of the advanced Zoom techniques being used. I am googling how to have a transparent presentation next to me on screen! I am keen to work with the team on self-assessment process more and may well engage some or all in future sessions. Thanks Tony.
Learning and Enterprise College Bexley
- Be more mindful of the masking words and finding the root cause.
- The blended delivery was working well for me as it was difficult to travel on this occasion. Tony skilfully switched between participants and I felt included.
Nottingham College
- Like picking at a scab when you are child. Picking and picking until finally it peels off to uncover ….. (a great feel of satisfaction).
- Adding ‘however’ to strengths – but not including what you need to do to improve.
OxfordSaudia Flight Academy
- Going from ‘standing’ on my head to standing on my feet.
- Shift the focus to finding the issues, instead of focusing on the symptoms.
- I’ll need to go through the process with a colleague to ensure I’m focusing on issues, not symptoms.
- A great session with great ideas. Thank you Tony. I am new to this position, so it’s all part of the learning process for me. Using an effective development plan will massively improve the assessment of “symptoms” and “issues”, which I will communicate with other departments.
Peterborough College
- Lots to take on board.
- Moving text to appendix on SAR. Issues and symptoms. Layout of QIP – well paced with lots of activities. I enjoyed it. Need to apply to this year’s documents. Good working with other colleges.
Skills and Education Group
- ‘Worth its weight in gold’!
- Lots to change…. the wording of ‘responsibility’ to ‘champion’; linking symptoms to root-cause issues; putting everyone in the college central, either directly or indirectly, to the learner’s success.
- Looking at the insight to development plans. This will help us to train staff in the understanding of how best to writer their development plan in the future.
Solihull College
- I now have a much clearer idea about how to address symptoms when writing QIPs.
- The day was really well scheduled and managed. I cannot think of any improvements.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- Now I can differentiate between issues and symptoms and suggest solutions accordingly.
- It help me to understand the wobble moments and how to work on the root causes of the symptoms and work on these indicators to write objectives.
- It helped me climb another milestone for perfecting development plan writing and also I caught a golden fish by getting my hands on your development plan – its so awesome!
- A new idea is the spark that lights an eternal flame.
- The development form shared is very useful and practical organizing the information and targets to meet the objectives.
- Excellent.
- I would like to change the perspective of only working on weakness but focus on strengths and become champion.
- Self dissection.
- I will be better able to explore and assess my development plans in future. And will be able to resolve symptoms and identify their root cause issue.
- Differentiate between symptom and issues.
- Sailing exploring new land.
- Thank you for the rich session.
WEA
- It was like walking through a secret garden with so many wonderful ideas and anecdotes through the day. Thank you!
- I feel that practice will help me reflect on what I have learnt today for this training.
- The ability to really check how are we improving the learner experience – we normally focus on quick solutions at surface level but the actions needed to deeper understand what is required to drive improvement by focussing on the root cause is fascinating. Too often we review the effect, rather than the cause when suggesting improvements.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- The QIP slate has been wiped clean.
- Change QIP to a series of Development Plans.
- Really enjoyable and completely changed my attitude towards quality improvement planning and processes.
York College
- The little boy has his finger in the hole but he needs to rebuild the dyke!
- It gave me an insight into your ideas about this topic and it will help me in my task of changing the college. As discussed with Tony, I am learning from him and hope to share/collaborate as part of York’s journey to a new way of doing QI.
- It was brilliant.
Learning Outcomes for Independent Learning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon & Witney College
- Lifted the fog.
- I now am able to use learning outcomes (again) to benefit my learner’s learning!
More importantly it will make a wider difference across our college as we look to improve how we use learning outcomes and plan for them on our ‘slim’ scheme of work.
Barnsley Adult Skills and Community Learning
- This has supported me to go back to ‘thinking outside of the box’ with my planning and how I am going to support the learners to achieve what I set out for them to achieve.
- It is like being new to teaching again, I feel more positive and focused on exciting lessons and challenges as I did feel I was in a rut and wanted to challenge this for my learners and my practice.
Bristol City Council Community Learning
- Hadn’t thought of ‘attitude’ before. Will try to incorporate this and try new teaching techniques (even if they don’t work well at first!)
- Changing the ‘chug along’ motor for a gleaming sleek Daimler.
Cogent Skills
- Very informative, enjoyed the session and was engaged throughout.
- Use of technology, such as the card sort, which can be used as an assessor tool.
Code Institute
- Retuning a piano.
- I feel that I have a new perspective on how to approach teaching and writing learning outcomes that better target the desired behavioural changes.
Coleg Cambria
- When I read the preparation material I thought – oh heck, not another session on learning outcomes, but the session was much more than this.
- The training has shone a light on the the elements of my practise I need to revisit. A cauldron bubbling with ideas and possibilities.
College of North West London
- Like restarting to build a house after being inspired.
- After 20 years of writing LOs this insightful session has really focused my attention on the importance of Brain, Body, Attitude LO writing, which I will share with teacher training students to stretch their thinking and to give them strategies to make a difference.
Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies
- You know when you know you’re going to a wedding / other gathering where there is going to be a lot of extended family and you just think ‘Christ, this is going to be a painful few hours’ and then you get there and the ones you’re worried about being there aren’t there and you end up having a good time, make some new friends etc. It felt like that.
- I have a great trepidation at the start of any of these events that it’s going to be buzzword overkill, the shilling of the latest teaching techniques scrawled on a piece of paper as the ‘trainer’ sits on the corner in a dingy bathroom trying to work out how to get out of the mess they’re in and they suddenly design a new lukewarm teaching idea that they can sell. Plus those that attend to show off how smart they are, or how much they hate teaching and want everyone to know about it. This wasn’t that. It was great and I look forward to more.
Crosby Training
- Being a ‘learner’ and entering into a session which I was quite apprehensive about, this has given me an insight into the values of both ‘engagement’ and ‘open mindedness’ – I like to think that I applied them both…and it paid off!
- In spite of the initial technology/access issues of a colleague, I think that the tutor coped extremely well with this. I can’t think of any negative terminology that he used – every issue was a ‘challenge’, ‘lesson’, ‘learning curve’ – and I feel that his continued positivity undoubtedly kept me engaged, despite the potential disruption and subsequent negativity that this could easily have caused.
East Coast College
- I particularly liked the Zoom set up Tony used – especially the whiteboard interaction and break out room facilities which I haven’t used before – I felt like we were in an actual classroom – brilliant!
- Tony Davis – always gets you thinking and questioning your practice.
JGA Group
- I am designing a traineeship course, will use the method today to design the learning sequences.
- Continue with the interactive, it was great to be a part of a collective thinking process, which was visual on the learning outcome builder.
JTL Training
- In general I find it really difficult to write learning outcomes and today has helped with the colour coding and 3 steps. I also want to add in more ‘body & attitude’ learner outcomes rather than ‘brain’ as teaching English and maths has historically been this – with some ‘body’ thrown in. Using the session today will help me improve learners’ learning skills by improvement of my own outcome writing.
- Key to unlock potential in learners through creating challenging teaching. On reflection, mine look a bit sterile and generic, being developed from the awarding body’s original statement.
Greenbank College
- Relate learning outcomes to ‘barriers to learning’. To think of my outcomes re: verb, outcome, label – as a way to be very specific and defined. To be able to not share the outcomes with students at the beginning of the session.
- I will now write learning outcomes for learners’ expert independent learning skills. I will use words such as ‘confidently’ in front of verbs such as demonstrate to remind myself to think about strategies to ensure they are confident and not nervously doing tasks.
Grimsby Institute
- I will start with discussion with colleagues around how we encourage the teaching staff to use learning outcomes as a whole session approach and refrain from using lots of unnecessary aims and objectives. There is a place for these but..
- The journey across the carpet and other metaphors were very helpful and will support the illustration of what I am trying to achieve in coaching others.
Groundwork
- Changed my way of writing plans. Going to start from the result and work back.
- I see the value of planning for attitude change rather than just skill outcomes.
- It felt like I had a half-built wall that just toppled and I constructed it sturdier from scratch. The methods I used until now will be greatly improved by what I learned.
Hull College
- My learning outcomes have been transformed from arpeggios to cadenzas! I’m definitely using the learning outcome builder strategy – very helpful.
- It’s frightening how much improvement I could see in my teaching.
- A fantastic fully immersive session, definitely plenty to think about! Left feeling like the door to the ‘box’ had been opened.
Innovative Alliance
- The journey maybe long and winding with bumps in the road, but once you realise the bumps were there to slow you down to take in the view then the journey becomes worthwhile.
- On reflection my thought process on learning outcomes is very similar to that taught today. The challenge for me is taking my belief and getting the team to buy in to the same approach. I am not sure I could teach this to others, yet, but can really see the benefits and the pedagogical experience grow so much for our learners once change is achieved.
Kendal College
- A delightful boat ride on a river of learning.
- Jaw dropping.
Lakes College
- Outstanding experience with excellent takeaway examples to support my professional development and leadership practice. Reimagined!
- Brilliant! Really enjoyed all aspects and would love more! I will really spend a bit more time on my learning outcomes. In particular how I cultivate more expert learners.
Leicester College
- Absolutely fab session. Obtaining a clear colour coded structure to write effective outcomes is going to transform my planning and make it so much more efficient, just changing the verb to a skill makes so much more sense creating clearer direction to a key focus of the session.
- The differentiation of writing outcomes that support resilience, curiosity etc will be a challenge, I can see this having a real positive outcome of my students learning journey.
Lincoln College International
- It’s been a transformative learning journey, realizing that by crafting the right learning outcomes you can create the expert learners you wish to have in your classroom. A road map for effective teaching.
- I’ll write my objectives and learning outcomes in a better way. Every 2 sessions, I’ll focus on one trait for expert learner in my learning outcomes. I’ll add body, and attitude learning outcomes to my lesson. Also in some of my lesson plans, I’ll add objectives that will be shown later to develop curiosity.
Mode Training
- It changed my perception of learners’ behaviours.
- A rollercoaster of new ideas. Meeting with head of department to discuss strategy to move forward.
Newcastle College
- Re-evaluate the writing of learning outcomes and look at delivering a session similar to today to a selection of staff – ensuring I take coloured pens
- Excellent session, informative. Always good to learn new knowledge and collaborate with external colleagues.
Northamptonshire County Council
- Breathless and mind expanding! I loved Tony’s enthusiasm thoroughly grounded in the topic.
- Will aim to include an ‘excellent learner skill’ outcome in as many sessions as possible.
- The Brain, Mind and Body approach profoundly challenges the approach to standard induction sessions where tick boxes and Service standards for Safety, Group interaction etc have to be covered as well.
Nottingham College
- It’s has shown me how I can break down a topic to allow my students to understand something better.
- Learning new ideas is like turning on a light bulb!
Quest Training
- This was a fantastic session, really useful.
- I am booking on further courses to help open my eyes with stopping “stuff” and looking at “difference” as would really like to embed this in our company structure.
Sefton
- Climbing a tree – started off struggling to reach the branches of technology, but soon found myself able to move around from branch to branch.
- Encouraging learners to take charge of their own learning, using evaluative language and at the end of sessions as well as recapping give learners the opportunity to critically reflect on the session outcomes, to name but a few
Skills & Education Group delegates
- I have attended many courses and masterclasses. This was outstanding, the model for planning outcomes and the language used (What’s on the table?) have helped me to understand how to write and simplify learning outcomes. This will have a really positive impact on my students. But more importantly for me, as a teacher I can visualise that planning for my sessions will be much more efficient.
- Writing learning outcomes can be as easy 1 (label), 2 (skill), 3, (What’s on the table)
Shipley College
- Honestly, I thought at the beginning “how can we discuss LOs for 3.5 hours” – I have to say it went in a flash – and my brain hurt. I really had to think and work hard.
- A charcuterie board of delicious delights. I liked the meerkat metaphor for curiosity. I liken myself to a squirrel now with bright eyes and ears pricked as I try to fill my cheeks with all the ideas.
Sparsholt College
- I am now going to put this into my practice, ensuring every outcome has a skill, outcome and label.
- Like a kid in a candy shop – thank you for the useful tips and lots of ideas to teach independent learning!
Southport College
- A flagging bird given wings.
- Inspiring session with a true reflection of the FE learning journey. Lead to Gold.
- MOT. This has helped me sharpen my focus – I liked the stuff and difference concept and I know I’ll be considering ‘on the table’ ideas more clearly.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- Driving the same route to work every day and suddenly discovering there are lots of others I could have been taking.
- I recognise now that LOs can be longer and also a way to inform my pedagogy – I do not need to share the sane LOs with learners. Show understanding of … by … will help me to write more effective LOs – hopefully!
St Helens College
- Adding the gravy to my pedagogical pudding and chips.
- Dismantling the car and re-building it better.
- My initial confidence in objective writing was exposed as being only partially formed. As a result of this session I will strive to move both learners and myself out of our comfort zones of cognitive skills development towards attitude and behaviour development too. If I really want to build learners’ independent skills then I need to consider the whole person and not just the exam focused skills.
Sysco
- The session was excellent, Tony is very knowledgeable and really made us think about improving our use of technology and planning for teaching sessions further.
- I got more from this session than expected, Expert learning traits activity awoke my mind so will do this with students.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- This different perspective will make a huge difference not only in the quality of my lesson plans, but I now fully understand the range of writing quality outcomes.
- I always struggled with developing Learning outcomes for independent learning in skills sessions. Today’s session helped me realise where I went wrong. Thank you very much Tony.
Thornhill Academy
- Focus on use of attitudes in learning objectives.
- A smack in the face.
- Focus on a use of skill and attitude within the learning outcomes.
TPM
- This session has definitely made me think about the wording of my outcomes and can’t wait to amend my existing lesson plans.
- I am now more aware of the language I can use to motivate learners and how sessions can be improved.
Warrington & Vale Royal College
- Relook at effective lesson objectives – think aspirational and at wider Expert Learning Skills.
- Consider the emotional learner journey revisiting the learner outcomes as a college. Learning objectives for attitudes.
WEA
- The session challenged me beyond my comfort zone but in a way that was good for me, enabling me to consider a much wider range of teaching and learning options than what I had become used to. Tony skilfully ensured that everyone was involved without making them feel put on the spot. I now want to try out more engaging methods to support learning such as the use of wikis and also learn how to be more creative when presenting information in the style demonstrated today. I am not scared of technology but do feel as if it has overtaken me recently and I need to catch up!
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Enlightened and ready to delve further. Very interesting particularly around behaviours which is something we have tried to focus on a lot during induction this year, and hope to continue to develop.
- Thank you so much for yet again a very interesting and inspirational session. The comments about developing an independent learner, with transferable skills particularly resonated with me as some of our Uniformed services students are unable to enter into the military service of their choice due to certain factors but are leaving as well rounded and good citizens. Not quite independent learners but we are getting there.
York College
- I’ve walked into a whole new way of thinking and creating lessons!
- I feel much clearer on how I will create lessons that are suitable and appropriate for the levels of learners I teach. I am going to work on creating learning outcomes that include the attitudes and the ‘expert learner traits’ as they are often what my learners lack.
Perfecting Progress Reviews
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Adult Education Wolverhampton
- Eye opening.
- Give our students the wings to fly themselves.
- Refreshing and inspirational.
- Use the … to encourage student contributions. Get the student to summarise the talk. Develop expert independent learning skills.
- This session has encouraged me to use prompts instead of leading questions to create independence in my learners and encourage self-reflection.
Askham Bryan College
- Make changes!!
- Allow the student to make their own progress report with my support. Follow up on this – roleplay. Fantastic!!
- Great delivery that looks critically at expected inspection ideologies.
- Opened the curtains.
- I really enjoyed it! Not confrontational but got everyone involved.
Barnet and Southgate College
- Today was like walking along a sandy beach and finding interesting shells to take home and finish covering my gift box for my personal tutors and students.
- It’s provided me with a springboard to set standards for our progress reviews, instead of looking at just the process. I tend to focus too much on the process. Also I felt the way you designed and delivered your session was very developmental and I will take you techniques on board.
Calderdale College
- Enlightening.
- Like moving from A-B with a blindfold that has been removed so we can see the whole journey.
- The “…” Discussion hit home – create an environmental where the learner can lead the discussion.
- A reminder to look wider and focus on barrier removal.
- I have learnt new ways of completing the reviews ensuring learners are taking the lead in the discussions and more autonomous.
- I’m a believer.
Cheshire College South & West
- I learnt a lot about the review process and began to question if our review sheets need to change.
- Enjoyed the session, very interactive.
- A jar of marbles sums up the session for me. At the start of the day my jar was empty and at the end it was full.
- The icing on the cake! (In a positive manner!)
- I liked the interactive parts of the course as it means you are not just sitting there for three hours. For once, I didn’t lose track or feel bored. I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. I often find that training sessions never give practical tips, just reading out knowledge of what they want us to do. It really helps when proper examples are included that are totally relevant to what we are doing on a daily basis. If I can’t relate to the training then I find it hard to get involved.
Chesterfield College
- Pleasantly tired from all the ideas and enthusiastic about the future!!
- Music to the soul.
- Use of curious questions to draw out learner with no agenda.
- Loved the use of the video for this session.
- Help staff develop ‘language’ of mastering curious questions…
- Crossing a river.
City College Peterborough
- Metamorphosis of a chrysalis to a butterfly. Transformative!
- Scrapping what Ofsted are looking for and it being a tick-box exercise for them, and creating a standard that is learner specific. Looking at the Organisation’s aspiration for achieving ‘outstanding’ by collating emotional and academic evidence. Changing terminology to actually mean something to the learner and demonstrating ‘rich pedagogy’.
City College Plymouth
- Achieving creativity.
- Thinking about who should be present during a review. Rather than go by a checklist, develop a high quality example for staff.
East Coast College
- Inspired to complete more meaningful progress reviews.
- Thought provoking. Not used the GROW model before so interesting to see this.
- Like a soap opera, looking forward to the next episode.
- I think the structure of our reviews needs to change to allow us to focus on the important things rather than ticking boxes for Ofsted/funding.
- It was like having a window opened up on what I do. Very revealing and a breath of fresh air!
- The lightbulb moment.
- Thanks Tony – A really useful session – I particularly enjoyed the way you broke down the video clip into a range of different activities and will be stealing this for future sessions if I can get my head around the Zoom breakout room and whiteboard!
East Kent College
- Student led reviews are the way forward. The person that talks the most gets the most from the experience!
- We will be looking at developing our paperwork to try and focus not so much on the stuff but rather on the difference.
- Very engaging. Tony is an expert at what he does and clearly explains things so everyone understands. Nice to have training relevant to exactly what is happening in the sector.
Geason
- My journey opened up new horizons.
- Creating a quality standard that would encourage independent learning management.
- Tony gave space for and encouraged contributions throughout the session. He valued opinions and views made by the group.
HETA
- This identified that progress reviews will be a cultural change and not a procedural change.
- A great session. Very informative
- Get the learner engaged more
- Let the learner lead in a review
- Well presented and interesting. An excellently delivered subject.
Hopwood Hall College
- Today was the start of a journey to empower my learners to take ownership and identify their own strengths and areas for development.
- Be more specific but subtle and encourage learners to take ownership of their own reviews and progress, to take the initiative.
- Insightful. I will consider the questions I use during tutorials and plan them better before they take place.
- Reassured me that we can make a difference.
- Less focus on ticking boxes and allowing for a more natural conversation to flow.
- Engaging, interesting informative. Excellent presenter.
- I really enjoyed taking part in the Jamboards and Breakout Rooms.
JTL Training
- I think for me it would be the lightbulb moment of understanding that the main focus and goal of my job is making the difference to a learners life and not just their apprenticeship experience.
- Time well spent. Clear, engaging and thought provoking.
- It taught me about how to be more present in the moment, worrying less about statistics and more about knowing you are making an impact on the learner and as long as progress is made and they gain fulfilment, that is enough!
- Pace was excellent.
- Thank you Tony for your time and making us feel welcome and valued.
- It was really engaging, the right mix of theory, discussion and group tasks (including the Jamboard) kept my interest for the entire session. Thank you!
Leicester College
- Flipping the responsibility for reviews, ‘Apprentices are not employees’.
- Ask apprentices to complete their review forms in advance of my visit and get them to lead the review.
- To concentrate less on ‘stuff’ and more on ‘Difference’. Relook at outcome setting. How to use ellipses when doing reviews. Also to have more learner-led reviews.
- I really enjoyed this, I’ve learnt so much about myself and how I’d like to teach. How you join the room back together is fantastic.
MTC Training
- New assessment strategies to make the learners actually learn and be self-critical and evaluative.
- A new perspective: making the learners independent which is the actual meaning of learning and gaining knowledge.
- Climbing to the ‘top-deck’ of the assessment ship.
- I will definitely build in more informative assessment activities as a basis for my lessons rather than shoe-horning in.
- Really enjoyed this session – a good reminder to step back and keep it simple.
- Building for a more varied world.
Myerscough College
- Perfecting progress reviews. ‘It’s coming home’.
- Like floating across a ‘Red Carpet’ and enjoying the journey.
- Music to my ears.
- I will approach reviews with a new method and look more towards tackling the barriers that students face.
- It has helped me to look at different ways to improve my progress reviews. I will now work towards making the students take ownership of their review and help them to look at targets on our college system.
- How to softly approach topics, what to do/not to do.
North West Training Council
- It made me feel enlightened.
- Think it’s great! Thanks Tony.
- Steak and Chips (Tasty)
- Approach my progress reviews with less of an emphasis on a tick box exercise and more focus on handing the review to the teacher.
- Excellent.
Northern Trains Ltd
- I don’t currently do progress reviews but the development of quality standards that focus on the best outcome and can be used to reflect on performance are really useful and inspiring for my other programmes.
- Great discussion around agreeing what good progress reviews look like.
- Refreshed my knowledge and understanding how reviews can be conducted.
- Discuss with my colleagues how we can improve our progress reviews. I will personally think about my questioning techniques in my reviews.
- Inspirational.
Nottingham College
- Transformational.
- Mindset changing and a different idea of reviews. I would like to be more open-ended in my progress reviews.
- Uplifting and informative.
- It tore up some of the old myths around what used to be a good progress review.
- Refreshing to see a different approach which works for learner rather than tick box for quality!
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
- I love listening to Tony- he is a fountain of knowledge and the sessions are so informative. Thank you for all of the hard work you have put into this. It has been invaluable to me in my role, especially being new and not from an assessor background.
- No words- best session to date. Defiantly do my reviews separate with the learner and the employer to draw more out of the learner.
- It’s my mission to improve the way in which I approach the review process.
- I’ll need to make more use of open-ended statements and questioning, to enable the feedback to come from the learner and less from myself.
- Frustrated – with myself. I do everything that I should do with my learners the majority of the time, but I do not record all of it, as it is time-consuming, and therefore I do not use the reviews on smart assessor correctly. From now on, I will make a conscious effort to include more of our discussion on the forms to evidence this.
- Inspired and positive. Will allocate more time to my reviews to ensure I’m spending enough time with student.
- Thank you for the last 4 sessions. Great delivery style and lots to think about.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- EXCELLENT course which kept us engaged fully!!!
- A deep dive into the field of progress reviews, splashing out my previous thoughts and feelings, allowing brand new ideas to flow forth!
- Incredibly informative and interesting training with the right balance of activities and engagement with speaker – the best CPD event I have attended !!
- Stage one: slow sheep, Stage two: curious cat, Stage three: enthusiastic border collie.
- I will be using the GROW model to carry out future reviews and make sure that they are more learner lead.
- Attitude: invested in the process. Action: plan to elicit difference and not focus on process.
- I have really enjoyed all of the sessions I have attended, and will be recommending them to my colleagues.
Quest Training
- Information and examples can clear the murky waters.
- This session has totally made me re think the systems and process we have in place in my setting and how we can change our focus moving forward.
- It certainly helped me to re think our review process, we will now develop our own standards with our team and change the paperwork we have in place.
- It was a great session and it’s always lovely when you hear other peoples’ ideas and how they use the reviews etc.
- I will certainly be attending more of your sessions. It’s lovely to have someone who is enthusiastic about what you teach.
Reaseheath College
- A sea of inspiration.
- I wished it could have been longer. It is one of the best uses of zoom and presenting I have seen and it kept me engaged in the topic.
- Excellent, very practical.
RNN College Group
- Motivated to make change.
- I am keen to explore how some of the ideas today can be moulded to use around the current structure I have to abide by. There were lots of helpful tips to make the process more meaningful and to support a move away from ‘stuff’.
- I think the session was really well structured. I think I have a range of new tools in my toolkit, I just need time and scope to try a few out.
Solihull college
- I love your style, you are different and engaging.
- I am bubbling with excitement for my reviews.
- Reviews are the most powerful tool we have to empower a leaner and raise the standard.
- Several points that should be obvious, but are often difficult to put into practice, so useful to reflect.
- Playtime in an art room.
- As a new assessor I have been focussed on the tick boxes but I have good communication and motivational skills so I need to chill out and use them effectively.
- The approach to the training session was refreshing and engaging. Would love the college to do a day on the Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching for our next staff development.
Suffolk New College
- My next progress review can’t come quick enough.
- Deliver group progress review sessions to build on learners’ communication skills, reflective skills and team building. To also ensure I am ‘passing the talking stick’ more often.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the session and took a lot from it.
- Thank you for such an inspiring afternoon, I think I took 6 pages of notes with some fantastic one liners..
Stretford Grammar School
- Absolutely fantastic. I actually feel quite energised.
- Approach to progress reviews will be different.
- Great event – worthwhile on every level.
Sysco
- Really beneficial session, I am new to the education world so it was really useful.
- Readying revolutionary, rigorous, robust reviews are recommended and a revelation.
- Change my approach to progress meetings.
- Provided me with a clear focus on how to enhance our current review process focussing on the impact on the individual.
- Really great session, engaging really enjoyed the observation section this gave me a chance to practice my listening skills.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- Your art work is a master piece only you can sometimes see. Perfecting progress reviews is what you and your team (students) want your masterpiece to look like, and the difference you want to make to help them become that artist.
- It was an inspirational lesson as always, focusing on letting the learner have autonomy of her learning, in a very conscious way.
- The slides were brilliant.
- Fantastic. I will do this more frequently to improve my students performance and making them more independent.
- The video analysis and discussion was so helpful realizing how it need to be done.
- Enlightening.
- I am feeling UP.
TPM
- Like climbing a mountain, reaching the top you get a great sense of achievement.
- Need to meet with other leads to discuss changes that will better reflect learner aspirations, progress, development etc.. Thank you for a great session.
- An enjoyable experience. How to encourage learners to take ownership of the progress.
- I enjoyed the use of the interactive resources.
- An exciting session, very interactive.
- It was good to compare our work/ideas with other providers’ ideas.
- Excellently thought provoking – Excited for the difference it will make.
- Particularly like the barrier identification. Really inspiring session, thank you.
Trafford College
- Really informative session.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Really informative session and has given me lots of food for thought. I will view my performance reviews now in a new light and thought it was a excellent session – got to be the best online teaching session I’ve ever witnessed! Thank you
- Enjoyed the session! Lots to take in!
- An excellent and thought provoking session. Useful active listening skills and notion of putting the learner at the heart of the review. Not just a process but actually making a difference. looking forward to discovering further with my team.
- Thanks for the clear guidelines in focusing on what is important when carrying out the progress review and what yardstick to measure.
- Atomic view of a high performance engine.
- I am new to progress reviews and am due to complete my first reviews on Friday. This will enable me to plan and prepare and make these student centred. I will check out the resources on your website.
- Another superb session, enlightening & thought provoking.
The Art of using Target Setting
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Adult Education Wolverhampton
- I need to change the way I have been setting targets.
- Inspirational.
- Feel my knowledge have been expanded.
- Planning learning experiences not lesson planning.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- Watching a favourite film which has never been remastered in colour. I can now see the screens properly.
- A clearing through the brambles.
- Using activities to generate targets. Thinking of a particular course, I propose to use part of the session at the start to generate aspirational targets.
- Really helpful. Helped us to clarify target setting.
- [I need to] Think about how to make targets more challenging – to make learners take more control of their targets.
Bolton College
- It was like finding a beautifully grained piece of timber.
- I will need to look more into splitting things up and thinking more from the learners point of view.
Chesterfield College
- Bacteria to amoeba to fish to lizard to dinosaur to bird.
- Very interested in the Emotional Learning Journey, evaluative vocabulary; will definitely look at/think about this more.
- Loved it thank you ? You really challenge my thinking.
- An awakening and realisation. Rollercoaster ?
- Empowering/using the project management tool, using the ‘colour’ code method. Enjoyed the session!
City College Peterborough
- Previously missing the target but now hitting bulls eye.
- Writing targets which the learner understands and being appropriate to the individual; being able to coach learners with their aspirations; completing initial diagnostics over a period of weeks rather than at the very beginning which might result in poor data.
- The main thing I will take away is when you mentioned about not stealing provenance by leading learners to do what the tutor wants them to do just because they’re passionate about their own subject.
Coleg Cambria
- Blinkers – removed.
- Re-ignition.
- Tunnel – Light!
- Thought provoking ideas on how the learner is taking charge of their learning.
- [I need] More emphasis on aspirations.
- Innovation, and looking from the students’ view/experience.
Derby Adult Learning
- This session challenged existing thinking and helped reshape a new and more effective way of thinking that is more inclusive and makes a difference.
- Introduce a more ‘project management’ method of target setting, to help learners develop key study skills and focus/drive motivation.
- Many thanks for another excellent and insightful session. You are motivational and able to help provide ‘meerkat moments’ to us as ‘learners’ in your sessions in an active and engaging way. You provide an environment in which I feel comfortable to contribute and receive constructive feedback to contributions, to help challenge pre-conceived ideas and pedagogy for the better.
Derby College
- Motivating, exciting and engaged.
- Consider target setting for student value, work in collaboration with the student to devise, personal, motivating targets that align with aspiration and progress.
- It was brilliant, a great balance of input and interaction.
- I want to explore Blendspace. A thoroughly enjoyed session, Many thanks.
East Coast College
- It helped me find the kernel of target setting via links to destinations and differentiation.
- Thank you this was a great session very inspiring.
- Although the dog wags the tail, at times the dog should follow it’s nose to where the tail is happier.
- Insightful.
Thinking about targets/destinations/future changed selves/project management as a normal way of working from the start. A lot of key phrases that will help e.g. linking curiosity to homework. - It has helped me better understand the use of language and trigger words/phrases I will now refrain from or increase use of.
- I am going to use the project management as a tool with my tutorials. We will use this to help commence the individual tutorials so they remain person-centred being conscious not to make it purely academic but holistic.
- This can be embedded into everyday classes without the need to create separate targets that are restrictive.
HETA
- Progression in the law of the mind. Aspirations become a staff of power to mount dreams on.
- The sun came through the clouds
- Enjoyable subject which was not expected.
- I would focus on aspirational target setting.
- Enjoyed the session. Clearly some of it new to me in the way of concepts but it gave me some fresh ways of looking at my in-work coaching role for learners.
Hopwood Hall College
- Broke the stereotype of SMART targets
- It made me seriously consider how I set targets and has massively encouraged me to hand the mantle over to the learner so they become more enthusiastic about targets. I also loved the idea of target setting to solve an issue rather than concentrating on the symptom.
- The journey to the centre of the Earth.
- Encompassing.
- It has been a really great experience and has given me a lot of new knowledge to bring into my role in September.
Hull College
- Like a doomed explorer lost in the desert, we didn’t realise how far off course we were.
- The cogs have started to turn!
- Thank you I intend to use ‘project management’ instead of SMART and will start to input this into my Schemes of Work.
Inspire College
- Extremely important and engaging.
- Great target setting will allow for the person to bloom into a beautiful flower.
- Like opening a small door from a dark room into a space flooded with a rainbow.
- The session was inspirational. I will be using the resources to further understand how to use this in my context.
- Amazing training session, Thank you. I feel energised and inspired.
JTL Training
- Like opening an old book and realising you never really understood what it meant.
- A bullseye shot into target setting.
- Music to my ears.
- Today’s session was inspirational, using ‘real’ examples, good practice and a detailed knowledge of the education landscape.
Leicester College
- The art of growth is different for everyone. Continue with students to take ownership.
- Very useful, very good, incredibly articulate.
- Better than I thought.
- A runner that is starting to run in ‘the zone’.
- I will consider the 3 categories of aspiration: progression, skills and knowledge.
- Being more mindful of creating a desire for students to achieve as it makes a difference..
- Inspiring. Thank you for today. It has been a pleasure to listen and learn from you.
Lincoln College International
- Good to be reminded that we should differentiate the support and teaching strategies and not the expectations.
- What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as who you become when you achieve them – love this. Qualitative over quantitative.
- This session helped me looking into target setting differently. I am excited to go back to work while using this method.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- It’s soooooo interesting, enjoyable and engaging. Loved it.
- Learning to dance – aspiring to do it backwards and in high heels.
- How to scaffold the learners when they set their own targets. The vital importance of aspirations!
- The exercise for learners’ target setting makes it more interactive and an enjoyable task rather than a chore.
- The session has broadened my outlook to making my classes more efficient leading to better work.
- A perfect balance between the stuff you do and the difference you make.
- I have had a ‘Eureka’ moment! Forget the straight-jacket of normal target setting and view the course as ‘Project Management’!
Northern Trains Ltd
- Great refresh on communication skills from coaching session.
- Will start to embed aspirations more within reviews.
- The sun kept shining all day. I enjoyed the day and felt engaged and interested throughout.
- Excellent. Enjoyed the session.
Nottingham College
- The session has been music to my ears! I cannot wait to feedback to the departments I work with, as I know they will really be able to grasp these concepts and break away from the stagnant boxes!
- The delivery was clear and the host used excellent tools in order for the concepts of mastery, expert, and ambitious goals to become “alive”.
- I have taken away some useful information that will help support my teams in the development of their learners’ journey to become reflective, self-aware, and independent! Thank you!
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
- Today was like filling in the gaps of a puzzle. I have all the edge pieces put together but today helped me complete the middle.
- I feel like the passion for helping others learn has been re-awoken in me. I always set targets with the learner not for the learner but will definitely put more of today’s learning into the target setting process.
- Go back to the drawing board. Go back to basics, my metaphor really means go back to the beginning of my own learning journey of becoming an assessor and use the skills I learned and have maybe been forgotten as we get too tied up in meeting contractual obligations rather than listening to our learners.
- Excellent Session as always, perfect to getting us all to think of how important the targets are to each learners aspirations, real eye opener and good to reintroduce learner led targets, thank you.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- Looking in a mirror and realising how ridiculous you look.
- I have always felt that Target setting has baffled me and therefore been unable to support my learners in a way they’ve needed. I now feel I can grasp the target setting and pass it on to the learners for them to develop the skills.
- As a result of this session, I appreciate so much more the art of target setting. I always knew it took time and expertise, but I’ll change my approach to make sure those aspirations are made clear up front.
Reaseheath College
- I genuinely believe this is the best session I have ever done on targets.
- A game-changing mindset.
- It helped me understand that there are ways of differentiating to get the same outcome. I will be doing more research in to how to change the tutorial set up and incorporate the target setting in to this process rather than it being a separate discussion. No longer call the targets SMART targets and work with Quality and Learning to change the wording on Promonior.
- I have really enjoyed this session. It is the most informative and engaging CPD I have done for a long time. Thank you Tony.
RNN College Group
- Inspirational, thought-provoking.
- I will share with colleagues in the hope to move away from the restrictions of SMART as an organisation, in the interim, as organisational change does not happen quickly, I plan to use the information gained from today in my own teaching sessions, linking to reflection and personal development which are key processes for my students to embrace.
- I think I will have a go at some changes, do some deeper reading, and revisit the training again in the future to refresh.
Sefton Community Learning Service
- I no longer teach as I have moved into management many years ago. I want to teach again after today’s session.
- Worth every minute. Inspirational.
- The matching game makes you really think, which is good.
- Absolutely great lesson, provided clarity and very concise ides.
- He is a brainbox.
Steris
- I read previous feedback from other providers – Sunshine through rain clouds. A light switched on. Cannot say more than that.
- I think as part of our quality review look at how we set targets, do we currently set targets? Probably not. After today though there are so many ideas in which we can get our learners engaged and for them to take control of their own aspirations.
- Unexpected. I was expecting to learn about how to set SMART targets well and the benefits of this, however it was totally the opposite about SMART. It was a very good session. Lots of opportunity for interaction and good use of various technology methods.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- Playing a game of Rugby and suddenly being told that you can pass the ball in any direction.
- What we think we are asking isn’t always what people hear us ask. Today has once again helped me hold up a mirror and encouraged me to resist the urge to ‘feedback’, however nicely it is couched.
- Really enjoyed it the session as always. Have never walked away empty handed (or headed?).
St Helens & Knowsley College
- Inspirational methods alternative thinking.
- Engaging tasks, informative content, and great links to the art of teaching.
- Thank you for opening the path to good practice, we just need to walk down it now.
- Like pressing the reset button on the principles of target setting.
- I will work with senior managers to review and re-write our traget setting strategy.
- We need to move away from ticking procedural boxes to igniting purpose and ambition by empowering learners to be their own project managers.
Sysco
- Learning is like building a house (one step at a time when setting targets).
- Excellent session and very comfortable environment set by Tony.
- More emphasis on learners setting targets.
- Supporting students to discuss, define and formulate their own targets (mini project managers). Direct and meaningful involvement should lead to greater ownership and hopefully progress.
- Reinforcing the importance of motivating students and giving them realistic steps to achieve their goals.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- It was an amazing session!!
- It has given me a more clear picture for target setting and I would plan this in the Individual Learning Plans of my trainees where they will be filling in details and setting targets for themselves which would be then reviewed regularly to see where they have reached. Definitely, not all will be on the same page, so, I would have one-on-one sessions to help them to get back on track again.
- It was perfect, especially the target setting skill builder which I’m going to use with my trainees in the future. I would like to have some training sessions on online teaching or how to make it more interactive and engaging.
University College Isle of Man
- It opened doors to a whole new learning experience for me.
- From the interactive way the session was structured, to the delivery, case studies and most importantly the topic, I am walking away with new questions, notes and actions.
- I will be looking into implementing the learning outcome in my own teaching as well as working with lecturers and colleagues at the college. Thank you for a highly interactive session.
Warrington & Vale Royal College
- One size doesn’t fit all Stop reinventing the wheel.
- There is light at the end of the tunnel – clearer focus on the learner journey.
- An explorer navigating unknown lands, but familiar territory.
- Really rewarding to see what we do is on the right tracks.
Weston College
- My learning journey today was like the sun starting to shine on a cloudy day.
- Review induction period and how we support learners in their target writing, really focusing on the Project Management. Review staff development and target writing focus – taking away SMART but bringing in aspiration and progression.
- Really got me thinking, thank you. Really enjoyed the Wiki resource and Desmos too. I will take those away to share with colleagues. I am now going to watch/read the other resources shared. Also a very professional, smooth and informative training afternoon thank you.
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- Eye opening. Refocusing – on what matters and what we’re actually here for.
- I’m working with one tutor to implement the design cycle – which came out of discussions we were having re aims of curriculum. This training has given me the confidence and impetus to develop and push this approach through to a much broader set of tutors and curriculum areas.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Eye opening. Think more about how student feels. Great session thanks.
- Build in critical thinking skills early on to allow learners to write own targets.
- Today has helped clear some of the fog of the administrative airspace.
Yew Chung Education Foundation
- Like cracking a code.
- It has made me more aware of why students find target setting so difficult and how I can further help teachers to support the target setting/achievement process. It has also given me some ideas on how to approach target setting for our teachers, particularly those unqualified.
Supported independent study
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Hopwood Hall College
- Realised we need to own the problem in order to solve it.
- Excited for the new academic year; new possibilities and tools to add to my repertoire!
- Thinking about the root and cause of issues, language use: conversations with learners rather than challenges.
- Session was useful and relevant to what we do. Handout with pedagogy activities on will be useful to reflect on.
- Looking forward to changes that will come about as a result of this session.
- Eye-opening.
- I would like to create a more welcoming environment for learners.
- The trainer had extensive knowledge in the subject, and provided very useful information.
- The curtains being opened with new possibilities of a fresh day.
- [I need to] Speak more directly to the learners on a one-to-one basis.
- Incredibly useful.
- Thinking about ways to present toe iLearn sessions differently and convey the importance of them.
- Superb!
- [I need to] Look at how our mindset impacts on learning; change our approach.
- Thank you once again for a thought-provoking session that has given us much needed input and ideas.
- The session helped us to identify our own departmental issues and as a result we’ll now look into making changes to our attitude to learners and their behaviour as to not seem as antagonistic.
- Session was fantastic. A great session that has enabled us to identify where we need to be and sown the seeds of how we get there.
- I really enjoyed it and I am excited to see what will become of this session.
- [I need to] Create a better/different induction to achieve the iLearn sessions being valued and helping learners wanting to be there to complete work.
- This session has helped very much and what I would do differently would be to find the root cause and to work from there.
- You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink it. [I need to] Think more about my actions upon learners and how they feel in our centres. Thinking about wider staff understanding of iLearn or blended learning.
Learner-Centred Assessment, Feedback and Questioning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- My knowledge bucket is officially overflowing with goodies :).
- Loads of great practical ideas to try out in the classroom. Many thanks, terrific training.
- Differentiated support, not targets.
- More inspiration to be creative with.
- Like a new chapter of a book.
- [I need to] Introduce learner critical reflection/evaluation.
- I picked up some tips on questioning and assessment that was really helpful.
- New ideas and techniques for formative assessment.
- Thank you. Enjoyed it and found the day valuable.
- [I will] Definitely use the critical thinking ideas; critique work then pass back to original source; pairing, sharing questioning/coaching.
- Very enjoyable and informative.
- [I need to] Use more higher-level based questions.
- Very thought provoking – must try 1 or 2 techniques out asap then move on to another!
- I particularly enjoyed the part on coaching answers out of students and how to avoid putting them on the spot.
City College Coventry
- A beginning of a new journey. [I need to] Use some of Tony’s techniques.
- The start of a journey – the way forward.
- Using post-it notes and answers to make sure comments are anonymous.
- Paired exemplar marking and avoiding the ‘but’.
- Some further tools to share with staff.
- Sharing feedback anonymously to encourage peer learning. Encourage peer assessment to reduce marking loads.
- A move towards enlightenment. Peer assessment. Learner critical reflection.
- Differentiation techniques – All learners should have same outcome, with different support levels to achieve it.
- New approaches and feedback to share with the team.
- Helpful to revisit self-assessment and marking.
- Rethink the [feedback] sandwich model and engage learners in feedback giving.
Initial Assessment and Differentiation Controversy
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Adult Education Wolverhampton
- A breath of fresh air (despite the heat!)
- An Oasis.
- I’d like to look again at the whole IA process and impact on the learner.
- Differentiating support. Loved it, thank you.
- Not a metaphor but just “wow”. Thank you.
- The definition of differentiation and the support needed to achieve outstanding learning outcomes.
- Looking at learning outcomes and differentiation differently.
- A rollercoaster ride of old and new concepts! It was appreciated however!
- Understanding the need to scaffold and then removing scaffolding as regards the role of support staff.
- Flash of light.
- A great session that really made you think and consider first impressions by the learner.
- Eye opener. Fast and furious.
Bury College
- Providing a life jacket in an ocean of pedagogy.
- A Eureka moment. Why did I not know this before?
- I crossed the carpet and left a changed teacher!
- Too many to list – really useful and informative. Really good CPD for all experience levels.
- The importance of not always allowing student to hang onto the support until the end.
- Great delivery/fantastic session.
- Change of purpose of ILP and IA
- Another outstanding session that will have impact on my approach. Thank you!
- I’m in front of a huge appetising buffet I can’t eat all at once.
Greenbank College
- I was like a pig in muck! Happy.
- Try to promote learner independence as much as possible. Get learners to identify ways to improve (for formative feedback and assessment.)
- Mindbending. “You’ve unlocked many of the ideas and strategies that I have been forming in my head. I can give them shape now”.
- Tony is a fountain of knowledge. I’ve enjoyed learning new things.
- Lots of great information. I’ll take away January being the time for extra excitement for the learners.
- Really enjoyed learning new methods, I like being challenged to think differently about things.
The Learning Foundry
- Inspired.
- It will help me deliver initial assessment differently. Furthermore, it has enabled me to be more aware of the barriers that hinder independent learning. I feel more confident in building appropriate learning outcomes. Thanks so much for all your help Tony!
- Tony has opened my eyes to changing attitudes, starting with my own.
- [I need to] Focus on attitudes not just skills.
- An interesting day, delivered in a fun and exciting way.
- [I need to] Develop skills and attitude of learners from the start.
- The session was fantastic. Tony gets everyone engaged and involved so this is more interesting. This session has made me realise we need to focus more on ILP. Loved training. Very useful!!
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- Putting my glasses on for the first time and seeing the detail in a Van Gogh!
- Brain changing. I will focus on the student/learners being able to be independent post the course.
- Do not be afraid of being creative when writing lesson plans. Very clear and informative.
- I need to look again at how we create our modern languages initial assessment in order to diagnose needs and barriers to learning. Thank you ever so much Tony!
- Structure of learning outcomes – to be expressions of what differences will be made.
- Erecting and gradually dismantling learner support scaffolding.
- To prepare learners to remove the scaffolding and focus more on the ‘difference’ and less on the ‘stuff’.
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
- Totally blew my mind! In a good way.
- A passion to learn is a deep seeded fire in all of us. A teacher can become the extinguisher or igniter of those flames. This course is petrol.
- Music to your ears!!
- A refreshing session. I’m a few weeks into this role so it’s been good timing for me to recap on good practice and learn new things.
- I felt inspired by teaching and learning and will discuss the use of different initial assessments.
I feel encouraged and empowered to improve the initial assessment process for learners to increase the importance placed on this by both staff and learners. This will help to improve the support put in place from the start of the learner’s programme.
Sysco
- Energised and thoughtful.
- It was like a first step over the bridge to progress.
- The key takeaway was how important initial learner assessments are and the idea that we should consider how students feel during the process.
- Success is a blossoming tree and what I gained from today will help me with my delivery in the future. My takeaways from today were flipped/pre-learning for contextualisation to meet the needs of all learners.
- Learning is a marathon. I have accrued a better understanding of removing barriers and the merits of support and scaffolding. I particularly liked the strategy of periodically removing the scaffolding to test for autonomy and independence, thereby proving learners distance travelled.
- It was an enjoyable experience which flipped some of the understanding and assumptions that I had as a tutor in general.
West Lancashire College
- Open windows and doors of the mind.
- [I need to] Write a better lesson plan and [learner] profile.
- [I need to] Amend my learner profile to be of greater value and show greater attention to strategies for support needed by individual learners to achieve outstanding outcomes.
- As a manager new to apprenticeships and the need to support staff, this really gave me an insight into how to support staff to ‘individualise’ apps.
- Mind opening. Writing meaningful learning outcomes.
- [I need to look at] Scaffolding for ALS support and thin SoW.
- Challenging.
West Thames College
- The penny has dropped.
- The imagery of the scaffold was clear and I had never thought about support in this way.
- Rather than reinventing the wheel, I have tools to make my practice more aerodynamic.
- Label, verb, outcome – very useful.
- Astounding.
- [I need to] Create lesson plans differently!
- Colour coding of learning outcomes. I will use this approach to write my LOs in future.
- Use of materials to develop a lesson plan. Fantastic resources.
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- Excellent facilitator. Found the session really inspiring and interesting!
- Tony – you have re-instated my faith in training! Thank you J
- Creative sessions leaving me more curious to explore a variety of methods.
- Excellent training, very thought provoking.
- A journey across the carpet!
- The teaching was chilled and non-demanding. Initial assessment – I will change the way I get information about learners from learners.
- A shooting star.
- Have to say overall I found today very helpful.
Lesson Observation Service
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Bolton Adult & Community Learning
The feedback I received after both days from the tutors I saw was really positive and they truly appreciated your warmth and your coaching style.
Achieving Grade 1 for Employability Skills
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
East Coast College
- Like opening a door to new possibilities
- Walking through a familiar corridor only to find how unfamiliar it actually is.
- Unexpectedly useful.
- You gave me new ideas to try that I hadn’t considered in the past.
- Having no idea what to expect, this session was most interesting. Understanding individual needs requires attention.
- Opened up expansive thinking. Should make the further debate necessary easier.
- Making sure the learners can explain how and why they are doing something and how it relates to work.
- [I need to] Vocalist the things we are already doing so the learners are more aware because if you ask them what we are doing for employability, they will say ‘nothing’ so break it down into language they understand and will use.
- Learners’ ability to articulate how they have developed skills.
Runshaw College
- Possibly the best training session since I started here.
- Paradigm shift.
- The session helped me to see past the current issues and identify our current strengths. We need to work backwards and improve understanding and ‘buy in’ from students to improve placement and skill development success. Excellent session. Very motivational.
- Excellent delivery, which was exceptionally engaging. This has given me insight which I will now share with the rest of the team.
- Thought provoking and inspiring! Reflect, reflect, reflect!
- It’s made me want to reflect what I do on my own course/department, identify areas of improvement and use the top employability skills to devise motivating and engaging employability activities.
- I enjoyed the ‘write your own Ofsted report’ exercise using the grade 1 words – highlighted what I need to achieve.
- Forward with confidence.
- Creating a new path across the gap between college and employability. It has helped to understand what is ahead regarding Ofsted.
- I’ve walked across the carpet
Wakefield College
- Arrived discouraged – left uplifted.
- Today’s session was an employability dream.
- I’ve been inspired to be more creative and dream bigger.
- We need to review our scheme of work and how we deliver it.
- Shining a light on creativity in education.
- I have unlocked my creative thoughts by realising ‘I’ could make a difference.
- Today is the start of a journey.
- Thought provoking and challenging session. Will introduce some skill development project work into sessions.
- Grade 1 session.
- [I need to] Try to be more creative and let the students lead their learning more, and apply more directly to employment skills.
- Quite challenging for one who is not naturally creative.
- Snowball of exciting ideas.
- Fantastic and enthusiastic delivery.
Assessment and the Art of Lazy Teaching
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon & Witney College
- Two key points: ‘Preventable contact’ and ‘INformative assessment’
Adult Education Wolverhampton
- A brain reset.
Antrec Limited
- I have long been a believer in ‘letting students do the work’. This has given me more scope and belief to be able to develop the learner ability to think and learn independently.
Aspire Education Academy
- This was really engaging and provided lots of thought-provoking ideas. It highlighted how I am able to take different assessment methods and create a lesson plan with such ease when you have been given the resources and tools to succeed.
Barnet and Southgate College
- Felt I was opening up a new box of chocolates and discovering new ‘flavours’ of assessment techniques and teaching strategies.
Bath College
- It was like entering an art gallery and finding yourself staring at 50 masterpieces, each worth the time to study it.
Belfast Metropolitan College
- My cataracts have been cleared. Meaning: Before the session I knew that my learners needed to be more independent and there should be less of me marking piles of work, but I had only a very foggy awareness of how to change that. Now my awareness is clearer.
Blackburne House
- Start at the door – walk the carpet – come out a different person.
B-Skill Limited
- This is the first training session in a very long time that I have come away feeling excited and motivated. It has reminded me why I do this job and given me the inspiration to make a real difference within the classroom. Thank you.
Bristol City Council Community Learning
- I’m so excited to start the new academic year and use some of the ideas from today. It will have a big impact on my teaching. My shoes were dancing without me.
Bury College
- This has been one of the best CPD sessions we have has in the 6 years I have been here. I feel all staff members should experience this session. Engaging, encouraging and effective.
Canterbury College
- Thank you for you excellent presentation and some excellent tools, looking forward to using Provocation, Trick Questions and Mobile [Phone Documentaries].
Central Bedfordshire College
- I’m itching to implement as many as possible next academic year. Keep up the good work. You had us engaged from beginning to the end. Popping candy for the brain.
Chesterfield College
- As if by magic, the shop keeper appears. That was an extremely useful session, probably the best bit of CPD I’ve ever done. I will certainly be making use of the resources in the months (and perhaps years!) to come. Thanks very much!
Code Institute
- My learning journey was akin to navigating a winding river. The training provided a steady current of information, guiding me through new concepts and perspectives. Each bend in the river brought forth thought-provoking insights, and the landscape of knowledge unfolded before me, revealing interesting vistas of understanding.
- It was a change of paradigm, I view the whole process with different eyes now.
Coleg Cambria
- A whirlwind of excitement of new ideas. Another inspirational session with lots of ideas to develop my formative assessment.
Complete Skills Solutions
- 50 shades of assessment will give me a new approach in quality to support learners gain the best experience we can give them – and make a difference. Thanks for the re-awakening!
Craven College
- Out of this world! Galactic.
Crosby Training
- Fabulous session.
East Coast College
- It is like taking a lift to better practice. I will incorporate one of the strategies into my teaching each week.
East Kent College
- A breath of fresh air. Mind blowing.
Fashion Enter
- I was a blank canvas and the enthusiasm shown by the facilitator shone through. I will share with colleagues and think of how we could improve lesson planning and rewording criteria.
Greater Brighton Metropolitan College
- Road to improvement. This session was brilliant! [I need to] Read the 50 ‘tips’ and try some per week (2-3) and reflect on what works and for what groups.
Greenbank College
- The resources used are useful to me. The lesson about chemical bonding gave me an idea for a logic lesson.
Grimsby Institute
- This is a whole new world of assessment, shinning, shimmering, splendid – a dazzling place I never knew. This course made me feel like I had been dragged out of the quicksand and placed into a lovely bath of assessment infused bubbles!
Groundwork
- T’was brilliant. Thanks for exercising my brain!
Hereford College of Arts
- I feel like I started on a camel and left on a fully functional cruise ship.
Hull College
- A great session – kept me gripped throughout.
Inspire College
- I get it – Bloody brilliant conclusion. It’s an ‘all you can eat’ buffet of assessment ideas.
JTL Training
- Really good presentation, delivered within context, in a language that was non-academic so as to communicate with differing types of teachers from different backgrounds. Honest, clear and to the point. Any personal opinions were backed up with clear reasoning. A cauldron of ideas.
Kendal College
- Opening a door in my mind to release new ideas. Assessment can be quick and simple – ultimately it makes lessons more engaging.
Leicester College
- Forget ‘food for thought’ – this was a banquet! Learning is like cracking a code – today you have given us the code to 47 effective assessment tools.
Lincoln College International
- Plenty to think about, as a manager never mind a teacher. What have we as observers been doing all these years???? How many of us have T, L and A strategies? Terminal – dead… We need to be alive and kicking!!
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- Great! The information on outcomes & assessment. The whole session was excellent. Loved opportunity to practise and lots of useful information.
Mid Kent College
- Wide saucer eyes of enlightenment. Thank you for given me a new lens to look at my teaching through.
MK College
- I think the afternoon was very comprehensive and having the PDF to take away will enable me to continue to develop my assessment. Thank you so much, it was great to see this in action and I am looking forward to trying out the assessments in my session on Thursday this week!
Mode Training
- I have another quiver to my bow.
MTC Training
- It was a melting pot of fantastic ideas.
Myerscough College
- Candy floss! I was just a stick – got whirled around the sugar a number of times during different activities & came out a candy floss – sticky learning.
North Kent College
- It’s like putting on a pair of magic spectacles; the overlap between teaching, assessment and learning is brought into sharp focus in this session.
North West Community Services
- A really engaging course and Tony was extremely knowledgeable and encouraging throughout. I have recommended this course to a colleague who I know would hugely benefit. Really enjoyed the breakout rooms (although I didn’t think I would!)
North West Education & Training
- The world is your oyster.
North West Training Council
- An assault-course/rollercoaster. It is the difference that is important not the stuff.
Quest Training
- Thank you so much for your great resources, think you should sell your cards.
Sefton Community Learning Service
- Excellent session. It exceeded my expectations. Fantastic collaborative activities, very well presented and managed, inspiring. It was so engaging that time flew by and I have learnt so much in one training session, I can now cascade to colleagues.
South Eastern Regional College (Northern Ireland)
- I learned a lot from the session yesterday. I will definitely explore some of the assessment strategies that I can utilise with my group. It was good to learn from other participants too.
Southport College
- The best inset event we have had for years. Stimulating and full of good ideas, like a burst of cerebral sparks. Loved the game approach to the session: application of what is promoted, which does not always happen. It was original and stimulating.
Sparsholt College
- They (The Fifty Shade of Assessment) can be integrated into lessons more easily and are less time consuming than I thought. I will try and see them as teaching rather than just assessing.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- Helped to free the mind!
St Helens College
- High performance fuel for the brain! Blew my mind! Totally different perspective on LO.
Stoke College
- My brain feels soaked in knowledge. Meerkat teaching – I want all my lessons to be Meerkat! I will endeavour to use 5 new assessment techniques in lessons by half term. I will try them and reflect on how they can be improved for my learners and my subject to build excellent learning skills.
Sysco
- A fantastic insight into all aspects of assessment at this level of teaching. A whole new perspective on assessment strategies and how to implement during teaching.
The Learning Foundry
- I will be concentrating on learners enjoying the journey rather than just completing the journey (end results). I did not know there were 50 assessment strategies – I now have a lot more to think about! Very interactive.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- Formative assessment can really become part of the lesson and blur the line of lesson and assessment. Tony has put into words what I strongly believe, students can develop if they know how to analyse themselves, and he has given me 47 strategies to work with, Thank-you.
TPM
- Absolutely illuminating. Just a complete pleasurable experience. All 4 sessions – what L&S sector should be about.
TTE Training
- Giving the learner responsibility to evaluate their own performance.
Vocational Solutions
- Invigorating. Some new assessment strategies and ways to get my tutors to work together to develop curriculum.
West Lancashire College
- Change is in the air! I am definitely going to implement some of the strategies learnt in this session. Really enjoyed the Community Challenge game and the chance to apply the strategies to given scenarios and discuss differing perspectives.
Weymouth College
- This was absolutely inspiring – by far the best, if not the only staff development session – Ever. Bird in a cage, door opened…
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- My lesson plans are dinosaurs. Amazing and eye opening. I loved the session. It has made me think more about the learners.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- This was super engaging and it felt emotional to have someone stand up and truly understand. Thank you.
York College
- I feel like I have climbed a hill – but instead of pulling the students up behind me – they are along side me, if not in front of me on this journey and, by the way, at the top of this hill is the best and most beautiful landscape – that is where the students are heading whilst I sit at the top of the hill for a little rest.
Differentiation in English and maths
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon and Witney College
- Spread creative wings even more!
- Brilliantly delivered, many thanks.
- It has given inspiration to start the journey.
- It reminded me what differentiation is and how to hook learners in with creative ‘wow’ moments to begin a lesson.
Carlisle College
- I have licked a sweet and it has fired my imagination!
- It has enthused me for trying different learning approaches and creating alternative resources – and to giving them to students in advance of the lesson.
- A train trundling through a tunnel into the light – picking up speed.
- Stimulated alternative ideas for pre-topic learning.
Formula for Happiness
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Hopwood Hall College
- Remove limits and barriers from planning.
- Roller coaster of discovery.
- Got us to think big and creatively.
- It was like learning ideas from our own brain.
Solihull College and University Centre
- Very busy day. Hugely inspiring. Thinking of ideas without boundaries has enabled me to develop new strategies.
- Blinding.
- The moment the ship starts to slip down the launch slipway.
- Andragogy. Re-designing and refreshing learning space.
The CCQI Self-Assessment Strategy
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon & Witney College
- I can see clearly now the EIF has gone!
- Now I have a tried and tested strategy to presents to my colleagues.
Blackburn House
- I feel that the session today will help me to develop improved quality systems as well as the self assessment process.
- I will look to change the format of the SAR and the process that we go through to arrive at the judgements.
Bury College
- Big conversation captured on a simple form.
Buxton & Leek College
- Going on a walk and reaching a fabulous view point.
- Will try again to ensure there is an ongoing process. Like the idea of ‘Champions’, rather than ‘responsible’. Will use the idea of the learner journey as the basis of the self-assessment process rather than the EIF.
City College Peterborough
- It was like dancing in the rain rather than wading through mud.
- Identifying the ‘symptoms’ before getting down to the ‘issue’ Go down the rabbit hole and keep digging.
College of West Anglia
- Yes certainly! I think the potential to increase staff confidence with Self-assessment, whilst eliminating fear of the process will be powerful.
- I know feedback with suggestions is always helpful, but I think the sessions have been great as they are. There have been a variety of tasks throughout the series of the sessions and I’ve had the opportunity to meet/network with some lovely, like minded people. I’ve really enjoyed every session.
Debut Training Academy
- Excited to have had this learning today.
- I don’t use my however correctly. I always say what we are going to do and not just leave that for the QIP. I wish it was longer.
Grimsby Institute
- Valuable
- The session presented a range of considerations and processes to consider in relation to re-developing our self-assessment procedure, particularly around working with staff to get to the root cause of issues.
Leeds Arts University
- I’ve got my head stuck in the sleeve of a jumper. It was someone else’s jumper and it didn’t really feel like it fit but I probably should’ve started putting the jumper on sooner. I can see the light down the sleeve but it’s going to mean changing the jumper design whilst wearing it. Also, we need to go on a diet but it’s not about eating less it about making good choices about what we put in and understanding why?
- I really hadn’t though about comparative data sets – revelation.
Leicestershire Adult Learning Service
- It felt like I was given the key to the secret world of writing SARs!
- The importance of the SAR thinking process to guide organisational development plans. The importance of knowing what the issues are and how comparative data sets can help you to understand what is happening in your organisation.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- A ray of sunshine through a dark cloud 🙂
- This was really good individual feedback and support given throughout. Very enjoyable.
- Basing it [self-assessment] on issues/root causes and learner journey.
- Enlightenment is mine… ‘however’. Today I heard the click!
- Hopefully we will have a better system – identifying root causes and actions to improve – more systematic approach. Hopefully more effective!
Michael John Training (Manchester)
- Total change, from PR to evaluation.
- The light bulb that was switched on has just burned brighter!
- Click – lightbulb!
OxfordSaudia Flight Academy
- Can’t be more impressed! Changing a long, dull, time-consuming, & painful process into a learning journey broken down into several steps & stages with simple yet effective tools & resources.
- A great sense of relief! A clear, honest, inclusive, and impactful approach. Linking all elements of this approach to our entire quality process. I have a clear understand and vision of how to contextualise it to our model. Keep up the great work and thank you!
Quest Training
- This has been really useful to help give me ideas to take back to my company to try to look at self assessment in new light.
- Fantastic session Tony, Great resources to support the session and further reading.
Retrofit Academy
- Great session and lots of takeaways which I hope to implement. “Why is that then” will be used as a staple within our SAR’s in the future.
- Really enjoyed the session and I will be booking on again and as we spoke will be adding my colleagues to future sessions.
Shift Media
- De-layering an onion without crying 🙂
- I liked understanding how to stay with a perceived problem to a solution – so no ducking out of it.
- Waves of enlightenment!
- It helped develop my understanding of SA. I will change the way I approach it – delving deeper to the root causes and always putting the learner at the centre.
Skills and Education Group delegates
- Going on a walk and reaching a fabulous view point.
- I was blind, but now I see.
Stockport College
- Stunningly simple approach to self assessment.
- My 2 dimensional SAR glasses have been modified to 3D.
- It has given me a totally different view and understanding, as if I am on the outside looking in.
- Brilliant session, thank you. It will change what I do and how I do it.
Sussex Downs College
- Blue sky opening up after a dark, wet morning!!
- It feels like we are getting there!
- A dream of shimmering visions and opaque water with limbs strong, but the land not yet in view. Excited about the work, but anxious about the task of introducing it to the team whilst giving them ownership.
- Excellent stimulus material and a fantastic working environment. Challenging and enjoyable.
Sussex Downs College – support staff
- Opening a door to ‘let in’, rather than closing a door to ‘shut out’.
- Enlightened! Really proud of the work we have started so far.
- Steep hill, but it was worth it!
- Vroom! We are off!
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- Invigorating experience. Stimulating, got me thinking about aspects I never paid attention to before.
- It helped me realize that there is a solution for everything if we follow the process in its true spirit.
Trafford College
- Be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable! Learnt a lot today and now my brain hurts.
- The presentation style – using Zoom and the adapted Prezi is really clear and easy to follow.
Warrington & Vale Royal College
- The depth of the rabbit hole will be as deep as the discussion it took to get there!
- I will definitely be asking Curriculum Managers: “So why is that then?”
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- I went to see a man about a dog, but I saw the dog!!
- Thanks, very useful and will change how we do our SAR & QIP & the service.
- Team needs to change our system significantly to make self assessment dynamic, useful & questioning.
- Small group session was particularly effective, I thought.
Yeovil College
- Thought-provoking. Creative.
- Structure of the learner journey. Using low level data. Getting to the root-cause of issues as well as causes of outstanding areas. Design of development plans.
York College
- That feeling when you get new glasses and realise things have been a little out of focus for some time!
- We have the bare bones of this but we need to find a way to keep the SAR live rather than just the QIP. Currently Improvement Plan is revisited regularly but the Self -assessment element is an annual event, largely conducted by managers. We need a better approach to incorporating individual tutor voices throughout the year.
21st Century Pedagogy
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon and Witney College
- Lots of Eureka moments and pennies dropping – everything made sense.
- Opened my mind – again!
- The three colours of learning outcomes – really tricky to do, but once done (investment) can transform what then happens with learners.
Blackburn with Darwin Borough Council
- Mind is a whirlpool of fresh thoughts and ideas which need time to impact!
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- This was absolutely fascinating!!
Bolton College
- Had the rug pulled out from underneath established things I’d been taught. The point about inspiring curiosity and not capping expectations has really stuck.
Chesterfield College
- Teaching an old dog new tricks!
City College Coventry
- Really helpful. Going to deliver the ‘Sandbox’ to my team.
East Coast College
- This training should be a session in the teacher training qual and also repeated for tutors biannually/annually. More teachers need to attend this training if we are to overcome TLA.
Knowsley Community College
- On an education shopping trip to gather loveliness.
Lancashire Adult Learning
- I feel the session has enabled me to understand the importance of lesson strategy and how objectives should focus on ‘mind outcomes’ – therefore enabling learning to continue through curiosity – fuelling conversation for further lessons.
Leicestershire Adult Learning Service
- Loved the idea of creating curiosity in my learners from the outset, encouraging them to learn outside the lesson.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- I will revamp my lesson planning and get to grips with my objectives! I will most certainly enjoy making my weaknesses my most valuable assets!
- I am going to use the summer break to re-find the enthusiasm I started teaching with!
Milton Keynes Council
- Older and wiser! He came, he saw, he conquered (hearts and minds).
New College Nottingham
- As a new tutor I struggle to develop lesson plans. This session has opened my eyes on teaching.
- Cannot wait to try out lots of new ideas.
Northern College
- Standing at a crossroads, thinking I instinctively know the best way to turn, and having someone point out a different route that I’ve not spotted before.
North Lindsey College
- Insightful and now eager to complete LP (lesson plan) with more thought – using colour-coding to reorganise my LP.
- (I need to) completely change the way I address lesson plans.
Plymouth College of Art
- Connected well to the morning session [Transformational Lesson Observation] and challenged my approach to learning outcomes.
Solihull College and University Centre
- Breath-taking.
Sussex Downs College
- Bubbling like Prosecco!
- Avoid trap of equating ‘doing stuff’ to actually ‘learning’.
West Cheshire College
- Excellent session. It was Bleak House, but we now have Great Expectations, and Tony is our Mutual Friend.
- I will read the web-based info again and again.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Like being trained to run a 5K in an organisation that has equipped me for a 3-legged race.
- Value added. Has given me a (much needed) update.
Inspiring Induction Practices
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Blackpool & the Fylde College
- I absolutely loved listening to you. It felt that I had found a voice of reason and it made a profession I love feasible again after I had built it up into the big bad monster that it was (in my head of course). Thank you! You’re another Ken Robinson!
- The stabilisers were wobbly and as the bike gained speed, they flew off and I freewheeled without falling off and grazing my knees.
Boston College
- I feel that the session has provided me with a new perspective on induction. Because of the ‘tick off the checklist’ type induction that is usually run, induction has always felt like something to be endured before the ‘real’ stuff begins. This session has made me realise that an (extended) induction period can be crucial in helping learners.
Burton and South Derbyshire College
- Feeling inspired about induction.
- A new way of looking at things that is very much needed. This is how my mind works anyway. I really hope it sparks a change in others.
- Always great learning from you Tony.
Central Bedfordshire College
- Like Alice falling into the rabbit hole.
- Eye opening. Shook up my ideas for creating engaging and stimulating induction activities.
- I think today went really well and I got insight into things that I did not consider before.
- It was amazing day for me!
Chesterfield College
- An inspirational session this morning! Thank you. I took my induction idea to the JOYFE ideas room tonight and explored it further with a group from around the country! Watch this space?♂we are collaborating across colleges?
- Like sailing out across the ocean.
- Will be disseminating this Friday – the team who attended were really buzzing… fingers crossed.
City College Peterborough
- By creating a Gold Quality Standard which provides learners with an outstanding experience which sets the scene for the rest of their journey with the College. Consider how to ensure evaluations are based on the ‘differences’ and not ‘the stuff’. Providing our ‘formula for happiness’.
East Coast College
- Waking up from a deep sleep. I feel inspired.
- ‘From prison to freedom.’
- [I need to] Think more about what I want the learner to ‘look’ like after induction. What difference do I want to make..?
Greenhead College
- Many thanks Tony. Lots to reflect upon.
- Thought the emphasis on the ‘extended’ induction was great as all too often, we get through the initial enrolment and move on without sufficient reflection from a learner viewpoint.
Hopwood Hall College
- This was an amazing session. We have now written our own quality induction standard. So inspiring and informative.
Hull College
- Thank you Tony for a fantastic session, given me a lot of food for thought going forward 🙂
- Ideas are raining like cats and dogs.
- As an organisation we must be led by how we want our learners to be different as a result of induction, rather than compliance of checklist activities that have limited or negative impact.
JTL Training
- A melting pot of creativity.
- I feel this has helped me challenge my perceptions of what induction should look like and will enable me to breathe life into future inductions.
- Ensure more inspirational learner involvement. I might change EVERYTHING! Actually…I was already going to, but now it has MUCH better focus!
Lakes College
- [I need to] Redesign the induction process using a ‘zone experience’.
- Please come back – we need more of these sessions.
- [I need to] Completely rethink induction – big inter-department project between construction and engineering??
Leicester College
- The flames of inspiration shot up faster than a trio of lightning bolts.
- I don’t directly deliver as I am a contract manager for our sub-contractors but this has been useful and inspirational and will enable me to provide our sub-contractors with ideas and understanding.
Lifelong Learning & Skills
- Somersaults. The thrill and excitement of doing something a bit different that brings rewards.
I very much like to turn things on their head and get out of old thinking!
Lincoln College
- Fantastic session. Superbly facilitated Tony. Thank you.
Loughborough College
- Inspirational
- I want to make our distance learners feel part of something bigger than completing their short 12-16 week course.
NESCOT
- Unlike ‘footprints in the sand’, this will hopefully stay in my brain!
- One of the first training courses that kept my interest throughout!
- A twisting, green-slimy feeling of guilt and abject excitement.
Nottingham College
- That we need to work as a team to agree on quality standards and steer clear of an ‘induction checklist’.
- I really like the idea of an extended induction in terms of planning for an event in week 8.
- If I want students to have high aspirations I need mine to be higher too.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- A journey on which the fog was lifting with every mile travelled, unveiling exciting new ideas that were there all along.
- I need to be far more creative during induction!
- Think bigger!
Preston’s College
- [We need to] Make the boring stuff unforgettable.
- Making us think differently.
- Realisation of truth.
- For visual and performing arts [I’d like to develop] a festival of remembrance with British Values and Prevent themes embedded.
Skills and Education Group
- Confirmation that there should be ambition in the planning of induction during unique circumstances.
- The idea of wanting to bring about change in an individual rather than merely ticking off a checklist of activities. Interesting to consider how we see ‘outstanding’ and how this can adjust how well we evaluate what we do…
Solihull College and University Centre
- Happy, excited to change.
- A fresh breeze let through a stuffy house. Really refreshing.
- Jaded to Jazzed.
- I feel empowered to take control of induction.
Weston College
- I am going to use the quality standards and ask curriculum to plan what exceptional looks like for their targets SKB’s.
Windsor Forest Colleges Group
- Clearing of the fog.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Especially the bit about taking the worst bit and making it the best.
- The sandcastle analogy was really good. Changed my view.
- It was mind blowing.
York College
- Extremely inspiring session
Grade 1 Leadership and Management
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
- Light at the end of the tunnel – move towards ungraded, developmental observations..
Kingston College
- Like trudging through mud to a field of gold.
NESCOT
- Tony was like a Cheshire cat; provoking curiosity and a desire to find a way out of the madness.
- Inspired to be curious
- Inspirational talk. The symptoms vs issues debate and implications was enlightening.
- Lots of food for thought.
- A bookshelf full of ideas.
- Enlightening moment of clarity.
Tower Hamlets College
- Inspirational and thought provoking.
- I really loved this session, it will definitely impact on my life as an AP (advanced practitioner)/teacher.
Worcester College of Technology
- Cow jumping over the moon.
English skills: an easier life for teachers
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Access Creative College
- Socially engaging and visual. Encouraged teaching and learning strategy thinking.
- Inspirational assignment briefs that triggered learning.
- Online delivery and engaging resources eg: Prezi that was being used in session was effective.
- An enriching exercise to inform present practice.
- Contextualising GCSE English materials into the different vocational subject areas.
- Sharing good practise using the Quality Standard.
- The focus on ‘difference’ rather than ‘stuff’ to achieve effective outcomes.
- Well organised and planned session.
- Vital for Life!
- Stuff & Difference. Creating the Need for Knowledge Spread over a longer time.
- I am looking forward to watching the recording back so I can break it down, some parts went quickly for me!
Hopwood Hall College
- A very engaging and informative session. I never knew that English objectives/outcomes could be useful to develop expert learning skills.
- Returning to college in the new year can sometimes be a baptism of fire, but your molten bronze drops of wisdom helped us to see the light at the end of the Ofsted tunnel.
- As a teacher of English (and a teacher educator) I love the way you presented the AOs for GCSE Eng Lang as required content in every curriculum.
- Such fantastic concepts!
- You have started to restore my faith in teaching and learning.
- Very informative, increased my knowledge of keeping learners engaged.
- Learning was fun, like a fairground!
- Rollercoaster of learning.
- Looking at learning as an experience and not only as a learning outcome.
- Think about and consider the emotional journey of my learners.
- ‘Curiosity’ – need to bring this into my introduction and recap sessions.
- Very motivating and allowed me to reflect on my own practices and how it can be implemented.
- Changing how I word and look at lesson plans.
- The distinction between ‘stuff’ and ‘difference’ was very good and useful.
- The ‘January low point’ was great!
- My learning experience was ‘banging’ as Brian Cox would say.
- I thoroughly enjoyed this session, I feel motivated.
- The 3 broad experience groups is a much nicer way to describe my learners’ levels at the start of the year.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Curiosity skilled the cat.
- [I need to] Change SoW to engage, use positive reinforcement and excitement.
- Make your weakest [aspect of provision] your strongest.
- [I need to] Use one of the assessment activities to incorporate literacy into our sessions.
- Excellent, informative session. Really interesting and well presented.
- [I need] More English within sessions using comparative text, etc..
- Motivational, coming up with better ideas.
- [I need to] Change the way we interpret English language into our lessons.
- Use English tools to integrate into the classroom – also look at SoW.
- [I need to] Make more lessons (subjects) fun. Always engaged with the presenter.
- Curriculum areas and English have been running parallel for years on a train track, heading for the same destination, but will never meet. You have to derail the train so that the tracks meet, to meet the final destination. Please do a session for English staff!! Derail that train!! 🙂
- I think parts of this session could be adapted for the English team – adapting SoW to engage students, [to] engage those who we think are not going to pass.
- A rolling subject gathers some English skills.
- [I need to] Use English tools to integrate into my own area.
- Making learning fun. Changing ways of delivery and embedding English into sessions – motivation.
- Inspiring. [We need to] Use sex more! 🙂
- Bruce Lee said: ‘You should always train your weakest side first’.
- A cloud with a silver lining.
- [I need to] Make it more exciting.
- I could have listened and learned all day.
- Sharpened our pencils!
- A duck to water 🙂 Even more great ideas and inspiration. It’s always a pleasure to attend your lessons.
West Thames College
- Always look towards outcomes, then build strategies towards that end.
- A journey of new understanding.
- I found it useful to see the assessment objectives for GCSE English and have the time to think about how drama can serve these objectives, and embed them in every class.
- Shamazing!!
- Changed my own mindset.
- I enjoyed the session – very motivated.
- It was delivered very professionally.
- Enlightening.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- I thought we’d be talking about [GCSE English] exams. We actually talked about how to develop learners’ skills. I found this much more useful and inspiring – building skills for the future – skills students can use. It needs to be longer.
- It was like being cocooned in a warm, pleasant sweatshirt.
- Moved perspective.
- Enjoyed the delivery style – matched my own.
- Very useful in generating ideas of how to embed.
- It was a great session.
- Really interesting session – active and thought provoking.
Supercharged Evaluation Skills
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Blackburn with Darwin Borough Council
- Fantastic lecturer with a great sense of knowledge and understanding. His approach was very professional.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- Scaffolding! Waterfall of information to be flowed throughout organisation.
Bracknell and Wokingham College
- I found the big picture element of this session stimulating and will reflect upon this in days to come. Extremely relevant to my current college.
Bury College
- Much better understanding of differentiation and stretch and challenge.
Canterbury College
- It’s clear that staff have been inspired by the ideas presented and are going to make positive changes to their practice as a result.
Coleg Cambria
- Can’t wait to try and implement what I have learned.
Derby College
- The session has helped the fog to lift after a long summer break.
East Coast College
- This was the best English lesson I’ve ever had, 🙂 Very enjoyable.
EMFEC
- I plan to develop a vocational thesaurus and adapt the induction process to culminate in a ‘zone experience’.
Framework Housing Association
- As a facilitator, I feel I’m now moving into a first class train carriage from second.
Greater Brighton Metropolitan College
- With tentative, smart steps I’ve been taken from the side of the stage to performing music in front of an audience.
Halton Borough Council
- Work from desired impact backwards.
Highbury College
- Good starting points and exercises that built up my understanding and encouraged me to think more creatively in terms of word colours and higher-order thinking skills.
Hopwood Hall College
- I have been blown away by some of these lovely ideas. I am thinking in colour!!
Itchen College
- Full-colour vocabulary – awesome.
Kingston College
- Excellent day and hosts. It has made a huge positive impact.
Knowsley Community College
- Love the scaffolding approach. Will use it, 100%.
Lancashire Adult Learning
- A cacophony of rainbow adverbages that will initiate a colourful journey of language exploration throughout my teaching.
Leicester College
- Changed my perception of differentiation. The most productive training event attended in a long while.
NESCOT
- The pieces that were missing from the jigsaw puzzle have been found!
Newbubbles delegate, Portsmouth
- Fantastic. Really keen to spend more time on these areas. First class.
New College Nottingham
- Thinking beyond the straightjacket of my sector.
- This is the best CPD session I have attended in at least 5 years – your facilitation style is brilliant!
Northern College
- The ‘full colour’ writing is a brilliant way to enable students to understand what they need to do and how to do it.
North Lindsey College
- Fast, furious and exciting.
North Nottinghamshire College
- Epic.
Palmer’s College
- Excellent!
Solihull College and University Centre
- Zeus’ thunderbolt.
Stockport Continuing Education Service
- An exquisite and engaging journey across the room.
Sunderland College
- I will be using the colour-coded sentences in order to get learners to create effective analytical sentences.
Sussex Downs College
- Like discovering a chocolate cake in a box labelled ‘chore’.
Weston College
- I found the strategies presented to be useful for providing a framework to consider learners’ learning skills. It prompted me to think about a process that all staff can use.
West Cheshire College
- Inspiring! 🙂 Though we practise these philosophies already within the area, the structure of how to approach it holistically will help immensely in the planning of curriculum.
West Lancashire College
- Loved the activities – very engaging and made me work, but in a confident and supported environment.
West Nottinghamshire College
- My head is spinning with ideas!
- I need to develop learners’ ability to give their opinions and my higher-order questioning skills.
West Thames College
- Tony was very knowledgeable and it was extremely enlightening to revisit differentiation and stretch & challenge. I now feel more equipped to ask higher-order questions.
- I thoroughly enjoyed all the input and the professional approach.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Wow!
Creative Learning Teams
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
- It made me think more about what I was doing and it was interesting to see some of the mistakes I make happen in others’ practice (offering direct early advice rather than coaching) and what I could do to combat this.
- Good to see my fellow colleagues teach a similar topic and the different ways we all do it. Much more friendly approach to observations and more learning occurred.
- I found that seeing the other staff’s good practice has enabled me to understand the use of different teaching strategies and their effect on students.
East Coast College
- Creative, collaborative and inspiring.
- I have a greater understanding of my own methodology through the eyes of experienced peers – this means a lot to me.
- Great to receive such a wide range of ‘steals’ from other teachers.
- It gave me a completely different perspective. I loved the idea of making students curious.
- Thank you. I feel enriched.
Leeds Arts University
- The observation of others’ techniques when working on similar goals. The recording of the session raised issues in my ‘unconscious’ questioning techniques I hadn’t previously been aware of.
- Observing everyone’s sessions under this system allowed for an unexpected and valuable new reading of what was seen. It also has made me reconsider how I encourage students’ engagement.
- Excited leap forward.
- The observation process is much more thorough and professionally relevant than a ‘grading’ system.
The Sheffield College
- It was like wiping a window clean.
- It gave me the confidence to talk about what I haven’t achieved and what I want to achieve.
- Consider (lesson) timings more carefully and allow students a little more space to think before responding to questions.
- Consider desired impacts before establishing strategies.
- I was able to reflect on my current practice and now know areas to address. I thought it was a fantastic day
Workforce Training (NI)
- Door-opening experience.
- Use questions to encourage own learning. Don’t ‘direct’ feedback.
- I will try to use coaching and prompting more in my lessons.
- Picked up some really good teaching methods from the other tutors. Found it really interesting and challenging.
- Saw things I would never have looked for in my lessons.
- A very worthwhile exercise which can only improve the learning impact of the organisation.
West Cheshire College
- Filled me with inspiration, helped me get out of a rut.
- Can’t wait to deliver the next lesson.
- Difficult at first, but the pieces of the puzzle eventually dropped into place.
- Assessing impact and observing teachers in other areas was invaluable.
- Made me look at each section of teaching and how it impacts on each learner.
- (Must) consider impact more fully when writing learning outcomes and planning sessions.
Tricked out tutorials
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Blackburn with Darwin Borough Council
- I like the idea of helping learners to fly.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- The difference between being locked on a rigid train track with a single destination and a scenic, pleasurable journey where the details on the way are just as important.
Bolton College
- A road map to outstanding.
City College Coventry
- I really love the idea of differentiation I learnt today. I will apply it.
- An eye opener on what we could do better.
Hills Road College
- Highly stimulating.
- Clarified the notion of considering the IMPACT that process can make and that all discussions and interviews should be conducted with positive change in mind.
Lancashire Adult Learning
- Brilliant start and excellent examples.
Newbubbles (open event)
- The use of data is especially interesting and something I will encourage colleagues to look at, as is the quality standard.
- Inspired by leader’s passion for developing education.
- Enlightened by Tony’s passion for the subject.
Newcastle College
- Some fantastic guidance which is transferable within my role.
- Your visit has been like a breath of fresh air, and because you come from Ofsted it was exactly your opinions people needed to hear!
- It was like eating a sprout – I like sprouts, they are good for you, but not everyone gets them.
Northern College
- I will create more space to develop the story/narrative, to develop the context of the tutorial.
Preston’s College
- Mega lightbulb moment 🙂
- Loved the session. Helped me to think about how to get my review process to be outstanding.
Solihull College and University Centre
- Insightful. I want to put these new skills into practice.
- Our review paperwork is clearly not fit for purpose.
South Downs College
- Another excellent session. I experienced another session which was led by Tony many years ago. One of the very few I have remembered!!
- A candle being lit.
The Learning Foundry
- Like the barn door being opened and being let out into the sunny meadow.
- How to set a scene, ask questions without being too intrusive. Getting info without putting words in [learners’] mouths.
West Cheshire College
- (We need to) standardise this practice throughout the college.
West Thames College
- Target setting on its head.
- I love the way Tony always turns things upside down and inside out and makes me think outside the box.
Service area self assessment
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Grimsby Institute service-area teams
- Buckets full of ideas.
- Better understanding of the cogs in the wheel of self assessment.
- Gave me a lot to think about, but very helpful.
- Made me realise that there are many more things to consider.
- Don’t write (about) symptoms – write issues!
- I haven’t looked at self assessment in this format before. It helps me think and conclude differently.
- Bit like an iceberg. Have realised SARs are just the bit we see on top and there is a lot to go on below the water level.
- This was a great way of ‘building’ quality standards.
- I will be more involved in self assessment in future.
- Much better understanding of what is required now.
The RED System
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon & Witney College
- A bit of a rollercoaster. Change to a more empowering model that trusts teachers.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
- You can teach an old dog new tricks.
- It was hard and tiring, but definitely worth it.
- Resetting the sails on a ship to chart new or forgotten waters, discovery or rediscovery.
- Climbing out from under the microscope and looking down the lens yourself.
Bolton College
- Thank you, Tony! I can’t wait to implement RED
- Whirlwind!
- My inspirational juices are flowing.
- I feel more confident to organise the days and I am really looking forward to it.
- How to analyse and avoid leading questions.
- Wonderful as always. Enjoying, interesting and most of all inspiring.
- Really found the mock CLT meetings useful.
City College Coventry
- Rude awakening!
- Questioning. [I need to] Get my team to identify their areas for development.
- Empower the teachers to measure impact.
- It gives me a better way of undertaking observations, I am new to the manager’s role, so is useful.
- Insightful and inspirational. Started to understand the need to flip accountability to supportive process.
Chesterfield College
- A roadmap to success.
- Storms are created as a natural part of life and a natural part of every ecosystem.
- Loved it – perhaps challenge perception of what managers do!
- Icing on the cake!!
- Loved it thank you 🙂
- The myth of Sisyphus, but with a different ending (He gets it over the hill).
- It can be factored into our current system and COPs.
- Like climbing a ladder to reach the stars!
- Really liked the way in which each phase is structured, in particular 6, 7 and 8.
- Really enjoyed it, thank you.
- The future is bright and ever changing.
- Evaluation and continuous improvement.
- I found today’s session very inspiring and I feel RED will re-energise our college.
East Coast College
- An inspiring journey. This session reinforced my own views on how observation should be a developmental process and I feel it really helped staff to see the opportunity provided by the RED System.
- Gives a much clearer indication of how the concept works in practice. Informative, lot of creative thinking. Good delivery and explanation.
- Change my use of language when reflecting on the session with the tutor. Use the Learning Momentum curve.
- Change in attitude, sell the idea to others – might have to be gradual.
- Overflowing cup.
- In particular it was really good to go over the opening questions for the ‘transition point’ during the discussion with teacher. Really good reminder on ‘open’ questioning, devising a bank of open questions to start and the use of ‘funneling’ to encourage ownership by the teacher of the positives, negatives, missing and unintended impacts. This has helped to hone my skills a bit more and made me realise that I need a bit more prep on the questions beforehand to avoid ‘leading’.
Halton Borough Council
- Changed the direction of my thinking in terms of observation and impact on learning.
- Holding a mirror up to habits I didn’t fully recognise I had developed.
- I am now more aware of my propensity to offer advice and solutions that are not invited.
- Having the paperwork to give a framework to any future improvements has been very helpful.
Hereford College of Arts
- It’s like when Derren Brown hypnotised a concert pianist.
- A signpost to Everest! We’ve got a huge climb ahead. There will be challenges along the way but we’re going in the right direction and have taken the first steps.
- Great understanding of how observations will work.
- Changing the terminology from learning observations/walks etc. Empowered to take control of our standards.
- Thank you so much – great thought-provoking day. I wish all my team had been able to attend – I will definitely be sharing with them.
- Really interesting and engaging session.
- Walking the carpet.
- A lot! Taking risks, how to observe effectively. The learners’ journey / the impact is most important.
- Enjoyable workshop/session as it made me more aware of how to approach the conversation following lesson observation. Let them talk!
Lincoln College International
- Unlocking more educational practice doors.
- I will start looking at implementing changes to the current approach to observation processes to this impact-oriented system.
- The session was spot on in terms of its purpose, administration, and task integration.
- Fantastic session! Definitely looking forward to attending future sessions and growing within educational quality management.
- Take a risk and do something new. Empowering.
Nottingham College
- Turning the formal observation process on its head! A refreshing system that puts teachers at the heart of their CPD!
- Teachers always feel very twitchy during the observation windows, and this model allows them to take control, which will reduce stress and anxiety!
- This session has encouraged me to think differently about lesson obs and the impact that they have. I will definitely use different language and encourage more teacher reflection. Truly inspiring!
- Start of a ‘new journey’ to change the culture and development of TLA at our college. I like the ‘research element’. The feedback/emphasis on the observee to undertake the detailed reflection.
- It is completely different from our current system. This process will enable the teachers to feel more supported and to take risks with their teacher. Would need the trust of the staff to buy into the new process.
OxfordSaudia Flight Academy
- The process is long, but it’s the right way. I LOVED the quick but effective information about transactional communication with the parent, adult and child. This will DEFINITELY help me in both my professional AND personal life.
- Can’t wait for it to happen!
- Takeaways in terms of the philosophy behind the RED system (such as creating and sharing collaborative tools to share insights, discussions, etc… Takeaways from the trainer qualities: being insightful, being witty, keep all engaged in different ways (verbal & non-verbal communication), etc…
- The stars are dancing! Building trust. Culture shift. Quality. Reflection.
Quest Training
- A wealth of meerkat moments.
- This session has really helped me to look at how I can adapt my ideas already to change the system we have in place. Just added 100 things to my to do list as I always go away with wanting more knowledge.
- Well done it was a fab session. I will be in touch to book in with you – Thank you for the one to one time also today.
Serco
- Putting tutors at the heart of observations.
- New role, and new to observations. This was a great session to support my learning and understanding.
- The key takeaways for me are the overview and methodology of the RED system and moving more towards a model with the quality observations with our partner providers that includes evaluative feedback.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- Another chance to adapt and overcome!
- Key Questions What is our philosophy of education? Do we emphasise the efficiency of learning enough when promoting research approach?
- Key phrase: Change one thing!
- In every other circumstance I would choose face to face over online learning, but you have managed to translate your sessions beautifully to the online environment, which has resulted in an enriched rather than a lesser experience.
- Always take something useful and something innovative from these sessions – an elusive blend!
The Sheffield College
- A really challenging, inspiring & enjoyable event, which will certainly impact my own practice. I hope the college moves forward with this as a whole.
- Enlightening.
- Eye opening. It helped me look at my teaching in a more objective way.
- Confidence building and motivational to embrace change.
Workforce Training (NI)
- I really understand what it is all about – impact on learners. Did they cross the carpet?
- Real eye-opener.
- The coaching on how to ask a question to a teacher to try and pry out the positive/negative impact on learning…
- A change in perception of what it is to effectively observe. Rather than my opinion or judgement, a move to open discussion on how to improve, i.e. the observation is a means to facilitate discussion.
Yew Chung Education Foundation (China)
- The session allowed me to put a number of our practices under the microscope, separate the composition of the cells and consider what aspects of manipulation would yield the greatest short term and long term impact.
- It was a welcome opportunity for me to refocus on the ultimate purpose of lesson observation and how well we communicate that to our community.
Learning motivation: designing unmissable experiences
Click here for an overview of the training.
Abingdon and Witney College
- “Design learning experience” Genius!
- Jumping out of the dark box of hell to the light, airy and positive space in my head.
- Powerful reminder to concentrate on experience and transformation.
- An enjoyable walk with fresh perspectives opening up!
Aspire Education Academy
- Gaining knowledge regarding new teaching skills. Also, I enjoyed learning about emotional learning journey. I feel that Tony provided an excellent class and a lot of brilliant knowledge.
Barnet and Southgate College
- Motivated and inspired.
- Thinking of something the learners can look forward to. It was a very interesting and inspiring session.
Blackburne House
- “Walking the learning carpet!”
- Reaching for the stars regarding our learner provision/experiences.
Bryson Futureskills
- Today has been fantastic in igniting that fire in my belly.
- I loved hearing about how a positive beginning to the learning experience during induction put learners in the right mind-set to focus and want to learn.
- I will be reflecting on my own induction and identifying how to ‘ignite’ the learning journey.
Calderdale College
- Sic itur ad astra (This one goes to the stars)
- A lightening bolt to engage learners.
- Planning for learning experiences, not lesson planning!
Chesterfield College
- This session lit up a corner of a dark room that I have just entered – and will get brighter the more I learn, teach and adapt these techniques.
- Absolutely – especially in regards to my department. Hearing new ideas, techniques and understanding and implementing approaches to learning with unmotivated/disengaged students and activities.
- Brilliant delivery and very engaging. Appreciate the lesson and enlightening.
City College Coventry
- [What might you do differently?] Everything.
- Yet another road to Damascus.
- Think big. Thank you for inspiring my staff so much 🙂
- Wow, I really enjoyed it… The reassurance that mistakes made through experimentation are ok.
City College Peterborough
- Create an unmissable experience. Plan super-exciting lessons in low times of learning calendar. Be creative! Brilliant!
- Mindset of lesson plans being considered as ‘designing learning experiences’.
- To evaluate my teaching in a more motivational way to benefit my students.
- A completely different view about how to create a scheme of work.
City of Westminster College
- It was like building a house.
Coleg Cambria
- It was the match to an extinguished fire.
Complete Skills Solutions
- Like a rollercoaster ride with no end! (This is good by the way!)
- Use language differently when talking about problems – replace symptoms with ‘issues’ – focus on curing issues and make our QIP actions now the best bits in the future.
East Coast College
- I got very excited about planning a zone experience in low points in the academic year to excite my learners.
- It was a simmering pot of ideas.
- From tiny seeds big trees grow!
- Make something exciting to look forward to each term.
Grimsby Institute
- Riding the waves on a sea of great ideas.
- I’m taking away the thin scheme of work and mapping unmissable events and motivation low points to inform planning.
Heart of Worcestershire College
- How I can look at my planning from a different angle (emotional) to improve leaner motivation.
- Think about my smiley points! SOW which is well sequenced to include emotional sticking points (January!)
- Time to reflect and think about to influence change across my college.
Hereford College of Arts
- We have been hit with a tidal wave of new ideas.
- A bit like the first week of college. Amazing, lots of things to take in, useful.
- Mind blowing! – but in a really good way!
- I am not a fan of rules – as in creative thinking. We wish to solve problems not be bound by them. You have given me some new tools to envision how I will deliver some of my sessions – Thank you!
- I have been a teacher for 20 years and an observer, I genuinely cannot think how to improve the day.
Hull College
- Feel very inspired to keep challenging myself.
- Change my SoW to remove X (low points) and replace with smile (high points)
- I was in danger of falling into a bit of a rut having reflected many a night on how to resolve the issue. Now feeling very positive. Every class is now a positive as I know I can improve the experience for both myself and the learners.
- “Teaching is not teaching”. Dare to go wild with planning. Stop boring lessons.
JTL Training
- Always informative to share a meeting with Tony, his though process is different to most in education. Another lightbulb moment.
- We have so many ideas. Concentrating on the worst engaged lesson and turning it into the most engaged lesson is now my mission.
- Like peering through the curtain to a brave new world.
- Rethink my approach to lessons that I may have subconsciously written off as “dull” and something to “plough through” .. and try to make them more engaging.
Learning Curve Group
- I enjoyed the course, I took more from the course than the content being delivered. I particularly enjoyed your on-line delivery set up and found it engaging.
Lincoln College International
- Exhilarating…
- Tap into my imagination more and always plan with the end in mind. Simplifying assignments so that I am still able to meet the deadline but my students are also just as engaged as I would like them to be without burning out.
- The teacher has become the student.
- It was like finding the soul for every future class.
MidKent College
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- More unmissable events to look forward to on the SoW.
- It would be really nice to do a training session with my teaching staff, we will be looking into planning this.
- I was so inspired by the video at the end. It would be so amazing to do a collaborative induction term with the college.
Mode Training
- Went from a kitten to a roaring lion when sharing ideas.
- It’s not as difficult as I thought to make learning exciting.
- Add exciting lessons in known dark weeks. Take lessons outside.
- When developing SoWs, lesson plans and activities, give higher priority and consideration to what motivates my learners and not what I would necessarily find interesting.
- Think big and then plan how to modify and adapt the idea into a workable entity.
Myerscough College
- Rhizomatic.. travelled in different directions but grew and strengthened throughout.
- Lots of practical guidance and structured reflection.
Newcastle Sixth Form College
- An eye opening insight into what should have been done years ago.
- It provided me with a major understanding of motivation techniques and how I can use them to improve.
- Great applied examples.
- Re-engaged in my teaching after Xmas break.
Nottingham College
- Like being released from prison!
- Absolutely! It makes me think I need to change everything I do in terms of ‘class time’. Loved it!
- Thank you so much for reminding me why this is the best job in the world!
- I’m going to focus on making my most difficult elements of my teaching course my best.
- Honestly, this session was superb for me. It has been ages since I’ve felt completely engrossed in a training session. Thanks Tony!! Loved it.
- Honestly, the best training/CPD I have had in years. Thank you!
NPTC Group of Colleges
- A leap of faith, followed by a solid landing! It was excellent. Probably the most inspirational INSET session I’ve experienced in years (the last one I valued this highly was about 20 years ago!!).
- AWESOME!
- Feels like a metamorphosis!
- Recognise periods of low motivation in the timetable and fill them with unmissable events.
- I hope you will come back to NPTC Group of Colleges so that I have an opportunity to attend more sessions.
- A great example of good online teaching practice. I liked the way you put us at ease by describing how to use Zoom – this removed some barriers to learning (even though you may have felt you were stating the obvious). I think technology can put students off, if they are not used to it, but as tutors, we forget because we use it every day. It was a valuable experience for me to be a student in an online lesson and helped me to empathise with them.
Preston College
- Look at how to make January more exciting for the learners. Trips out. 2nd induction.
- Initial foundation blocks put into building a new vision for the SOL.
- Eye opening.
- Inspirational.
- A big warm hug.
- Rather than differently, it has reassured me how important it is to meet learners’ needs.
Sparholt College
- Loved it. Super useful.
- Eye-opening experience – feel I can implement it in my interactions.
- Our curriculum is too boring.
- Radical reform if initial delivery. Learning key elements: ideas, research …
Fantastic, inspiring – will implement. - An experience for students. Interdepartmental working. Exciting.
St Helens Chamber
- Excellent session that has given me food for thought to refresh my session plans.
- When Covid restrictions allow, would love to do this session in a traditional classroom environment.
Stoke College
- Blown my mind. An awakening.
- I came in with an expectation. I left having had an experience like a child getting on a ride for the first time.
- [I need to] Make my boring lessons more exciting to motivate my students.
- “This is how learners will be different” – change attitude.
- Most intriguing set training we have had that actually made me reflect on practice rather than just go over things done in teacher training.
Quest Training
- Really good and fab extra resources.
- I am attending all the courses I can Tony runs as I feel they all link into each other really well. I am using this to try to update the thinking and practical ways of teaching we use in our organisation.
- I have definitely embraced a new approach of designing experiences and not lessons. I will definitely start at the beginning and change the experiences and the curiosity for learning and development.
- I was engaged and felt included and involved at my own pace.
Southport College
- It was like being 16 again – a world of possibilities.
Learning is like solving a puzzle. You think you have experience and know it all, but it is not true. So many things we were discussing today including the distinction between issues and symptoms, which I never thought about, or where happiness and stress come from, and how I can apply this knowledge when I plan my lessons for CL English courses. - Fireworks!
- Tony is the king of learning motivation. Brilliant speaker and a lovely personality.
Sparsholt College
- Loved it. Super useful.
- Eye-opening experience – feel I can implement it in my interactions.
- Our curriculum is too boring.
- Radical reform if initial delivery. Learning key elements: ideas, research …
Fantastic, inspiring – will implement.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- I’ve really enjoyed it and am leaving this room as high as a kite!
The Learning Foundry
- Mind opening.
- I struggle to think outside the box and be creative. This morning’s session has encouraged me to have more creative freedom. I really enjoyed this session.
- Introduce more hands-on experiences to engage and motivate learners.
- Think outside the box when trying to engage learners – plan ahead for key points of lack of knowledge and put exciting plans in place.
- Fantastic session 🙂 To motivate others, first learn to motivate ourselves… by giving small exciting goals for the future. Great day again.
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- A search for hidden treasure.
- Particularly when we were asked to think of an event at the end of 6 weeks of study. I will in future come up with some ideas which impact students’ motivation for learning. Create an event or something that really attracts them.
- It was great, and you provided brilliant ideas.
- I learnt today that the most valuable tools in my learning tool kit are those integrated together to think out of the box to live the adventure and do the impossible to live a real-life story in my classroom as if telling a story of Peter Pan. It is risky and challenging but who said teaching is easy.
Trafford College
- Exhilarated! [I need to] Stop ticking boxes and plan lessons/courses that develop curiosity and deal with the ‘why?’
- Stratospheric. Inspirational. Thank you for reigniting my enthusiasm.
- Concepts: unmissable events; visceral learning; preventable contact; skills and attitudes towards study; creating zone experiences; formula for happiness.
- Expanded horizons. Brilliant paced content. Thank you!
- It made me look at the year and planning differently. I will look at the order in which I plan and approach a year. Develop skill, assess understanding knowledge.
York College
- I was in the undergrowth of my garden all over again at the start of this session – by the end of it I had a glass of wine in hand, smiling.
- I become even more motivated to make my students proud of what they can achieve, and to be able to have a chat in the breakout rooms is great as it gives a succinct amount of time to talk about specifics of a subject – brilliant. I am now going to take on January like never before and the students are going to get a wonderful surprize – just haven’t decided exactly what yet but it is going to be great!
- It is really great to hear other people’s idea’s and get to talk to others who are just as committed and passionate about education – blooming wonderful.
Equality and diversity
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Canterbury College
- You can teach an old dog new tricks
- Broke the area down effectively and made it appear much more manageable
- Good easy ways to embed E&D
- Too short, but gave an insight into this vast area
- Watching the sun rise
- I will ensure questioning in the class is addressed by all staff
- Really great info for me to take back and share with my team
- It made me evaluate what we currently do in the section. made me think about questioning
- Enlightening
- Highly recommended for wider teaching team
- Opening of the mind
- Took some of the fear away
Croydon College
- It has changed my way of thinking about E&D
- Good to have a session which is active and literally using the strategies which it is teaching
- Enjoyable and engaging – will refer to Quality Standard in particular
- A journey through the keyhole of insightfulness
- A great variety of interesting activities
- I will consider every aspect of how I deliver and how it impacts upon learners
Greater Brighton Metropolitan College
- Thought provoking. Just turned the binoculars around!!
- Start with what I want to achieve BEFORE I plan what I will do!
- Extremely useful, thank you
- Mind expanding
- Take time out to think before doing
- Crossed the carpet, feeling different by the other side
- Super empowering
- Give learners the confidence and vocabulary to bring out their opinions
- Interesting and daunting
Bespoke Quality System Training
NewVIc
- Your consultation on SAR has helped the college move forward with its plans to overhaul its whole approach to self assessment.
New College Stamford
- Excellent. Highly professional approach. Helpful constructive and perceptive feedback. Stimulating and engaging commentary on the way we were approaching the SAR and improvement strategies.
North Lancs Training Group
- Tony was excellent, articulate, animated and knew his onions!
- Feel more willing to identify and admit to areas for development, seeing this as positive.
Sparsholt College
- The two days were nothing less than brilliant.
- You have made a great impact upon the management team.
Safeguarding Inspection Training
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
North Lancs Training Group
- I feel I now have the ability to evaluate our practices.
The Self-Assessment Flip
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Artswork
- I feel my confidence and understanding has increased as a result.
Belfast Metropolitan College
- I really got a lot out of your session and have been singing your praises to anyone who will listen.
Collage Arts
- Light at end of tunnel.
Flexible Training
- Recognise impact rather than ‘sell’ organisation.
Manley Summers
- Really enjoyable day with lots of food for thought.
North Hertfordshire College
- Huge impact.
Reading College
- I want to do it all differently! I can’t wait to get started!
Sparsholt College
- A great journey, full of excellent ideas. Excellent use of games.
- The ‘however’ concept is fundamental.
Quality Standard
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Aberystwyth University
- Challenging, but very rewarding when you see the results. I feel now confident that I can start the journey.
- It has worked very well today. Many thanks for all the work behind. You have created a very collaborative project. Thanks.
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- Walking round a corner of a mountain and coming across an unexpected sunset view.
- A cake with the right ingredients.
Bolton College
- I am excited to feed this back to my team. Truly an enriching experience.
- Intrigued, included, energised.
- Something new. A chance to the put the OTLA processes back in the hands of teachers.
- Being completely aspirational – very inspirational.
Business Advice Direct (national learndirect provider)
- I just wanted to say thank you so much for the day. It’s certainly sent a buzz around the company and were planning Phase 2 of it at our next Regional Meetings.
Canterbury College (support staff)
- Useful but scary.
- It was inspiring and a chance to discuss how each member of the team will have an impact on students.
Harrow College
- A mystery tour of an adventure island.
- Thinking about the end goal and reverse engineering the actions.
MidKent College (Service Area staff)
- A refreshing view of how to achieve my dream 😉
NPTC Group of Colleges
- Not only have I taken away new information to put in the Progress reviews, the pedagogy tools that were used were fantastic.
- It has made me rethink the learners’ entire experience of coming to college and unshackled me of the operational difficulties.
- Empowering and refreshing. Lovely to see the commitment level from all areas of the college working collaboratively to drive this forward.
- Aspirational quality standards will positively affect students and their performance and in turn positively impact the staff.
- Taken me out of my comfort zone and learning new ways of thinking. Feeling very inspired- thank you.
North Hertfordshire College
- The best input we’ve had by miles!
- Moving from black and white to Technicolor.
Sussex Downs College (phase 1)
- Low aspirations can act like a lead balloon, weighing down achievements. For both staff and students to flourish, aspirational conditions need to be set in place to do so.
- Time to break the mould!
Sussex Downs College (phase 2)
- Stimulating, creative, sincere, pedantic, challenging, CREATIVE (pragmatic), open.
- Creating a new culture and investing in the future.
Sussex Downs College (phase 2 – support staff)
- Excited by the changes that we can make. Apprehensive about the journey of getting there, however, this does not diminish my enthusiasm!
- I feel excited about re-evaluating inherited processes that we in our department always challenge. We are looking forward to the whole college being set in the mindset of change, and change for the better! And making it happen!
Sussex Downs College (phase 3)
- Excellent stimulus material and a fantastic working environment. Challenging and enjoyable.
Workforce Training (NI)
- Tested, challenged but enthused.
- We feel that drawing this (quality standard) up ourselves rather than having it thrust upon us has given us much more understanding and a feeling of ownership
- To have it (quality standard) in a working document is excellent.
Perfecting Self-Assessment Writing
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College
- Very enjoyable – held a large group for a whole day – impressive.
Askham Bryan College
- Excellent event, very inspiring.
Bath College
- From a tiger cub to a hunting tiger. Mind blown!!. Will need to review everything.
Babcock International
- How you have always done something may not always be right!
Belfast Metropolitan College
- Plato’s cave
Bexley College
- I finally understand self assessment which has never been correctly explained. I understand how and why.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
- I have grown an extra finger on my hand.
Bury College
- Cheap as chips. Logical structure to support ‘cheap’ quality improvement. Really well delivered.
Buxton and Leek College
- It has enabled me to look at how I can improve and perfect writing a good quality SAR. Tony was a great presenter.
Bryson Futureskills
- I have gained a better insight into how to write an SAR. Very enjoyable.
Cambridge Regional College
- Thoroughly enjoyed an outstanding session. 4 1/2 hours seemed like 30 mins!
Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
- New perspective on old topic.
Chesterfield College
- YES!!!! Look at the ‘however’. Use the red, purple and blue strategy to help me write better judgement statements.
City College Norwich
- Forget the audience. Write to find the root cause. Ask the “so why is that” and be curious. Own the issues.
Code Institute
- A good training event is like a well tendered garden: each participant is a seed, full of potential, and Tony was the gardener who provide the right balance of knowledge, guidance, and encouragement. Over time, with patience and care, the seeds grow, flourish, and bloom into a vibrant array of skills and confidence, transforming the garden into a thriving, colorful landscape of talent and growth. I love the simplicity of ‘However’. Thank you Tony.
College of West Anglia
- Self assessment is a wonderful process but when in the throws, I find I am often too close to spot where I trip up. Your session today clearly offered insight and tools that I can use to improve. I will also approach SAR with a refreshed perspective and mindset.
Collyer’s (The College of Richard Collyer)
- Keeping a firm grasp of the two pointers – ‘so what’ and ‘however’ – will help me to think more clearly.
Coventry Adult Education Service
- I think as a team, we need to go back to our QIP issues! (e.g. falsely labelling things as issues when they are symptoms.)
Crosby Training
- The session was excellent and the tutor made me wish I was just starting my teaching career!
Customized Training
- Helped me think about the SER (SAR) in relation to impact on the learner.
East Coast College
- Someone has turned the light on, let’s avoid the powercut!
Education & Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland)
- Greater understanding of the dynamics of self-evaluation and development planning.
Farnborough Sixth Form College
- I am in your debt because I don’t think I’ve ever received so much reflected glory for staging yesterday and having so many people, even the cynics, fired up!
Federation of work-based learning providers, Northern Ireland
- It helped me clarify the purpose of self evaluation and that quality is better than quantity.
Flexible Training
- It made SAR more understandable.
Gloucestershire College
- Everything was considered from a different angle and a new light was shed on issues.
Grimsby Institute
- It was the opening first ascent on a rollercoaster leading to that tipping point when you shout ‘Wahey!’ and just ‘get it’ as you go over the top!
Halesowen College
- I am a rocket on the way to the moon.
Harrow College
- Hard work, but uplifting.
Hull College
- Like a breath of fresh air – seeing clearly behind all the jargon, rhetoric and fancy words to impress SLT or Ofsted. It needs to be real!
Huntingdonshire Regional College
- Writing judgements which are objective: the practical session on this was excellent.
JTJ Workplace Solutions
- A true light bulb moment.
Learning Curve Group
- It made me realise how easy it is to fall into the habit of being too descriptive and the reasons that this happens.
Leeds Arts University
- Need to be a football manager – learnt to assess on-going, not at the end.
Leicester Adult Learning Service
- So much to reflect on! All was thought provoking and interesting.
Leicester College
- I am considering how, as a College, we can use this training to support curriculum/departments in writing their SARs.
Lincoln College International
- As always a session to make me reflect and consider how I can develop myself and my skill set and therefore any team I work alongside.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- Helped me identify where we need to make changes to our own system so that we are fully evaluating the impact on learners. Also made me aware of how we need to make changes to other aspects of quality assurance to ensure ‘connectivity’.
Loughborough College
- It shone a light on some of the key aspects to be mindful of when writing a SAR. The 5 key mistakes was particularly useful.
MidKent College
- Ironed the wrinkles out of my brain.
NESCOT
- Sunshine on a cloudy day.
New College Nottingham
- Finally SAR writing seems worthwhile!
NewVIc
- I have understood for the first time how to write an SAR.
Northern Ireland Careers Service
- I am more aware of how using the right language can change the relevance of self assessment.
Northern Ireland learning and skills providers
- Inspirational, provocative.
North Lindsey College
- (Now) relooking at something we have felt confident at doing for years.
People 1st (Northern Ireland)
- Peeling back layers of bureaucracy to get to the kernel of the self-evaluation process.
Preston’s College
- Extremely helpful. Will bin the descriptive language and use the key words: judgement/subject/impact.
Quest Training
- A new lens.
Retrofit Academy
- Great session and lots of takeaways which I hope to implement. “Why is that then” will be used as a staple within our SAR’s in the future.
Rotherham College
- Light bulb moment regarding ‘Live Self Assessment’ vs. ‘historical self assessment’.
Rutledge Job Link
- Simple, easy to understand model, this will be implemented in Rutledge as result of today’s sessions.
Sefton Community Learning Service
- Every session I have attended with Tony has been excellent, inspiring and really makes me reflect on our current practice, providing plenty of ways on how we can improve. Excellent, thank you.
Shift Media
- Good range of resources, well explained and comfortably engaging.
Skills and Education Group delegates
- I loved the fact that, as a senior manager, instead of being given some high level strategies, I actually got down and into the task that I need to complete in my role.
South Downs College
- My SAR glasses were cleaned and polished (hell, the frames were changed too).
South Eastern Regional College, Northern Ireland
- It was like my first day at SER [SAR] school – despite 10 years of experience.
SPS Training
- Revisiting my entire SAR process to be an internal document as opposed to a PR activity for contract re-negotiations.
Sutton Community Academy
- The creative way in which this subject was explored and the way it has a ‘real’ (rather than theoretical) application.
Sysco
- Tony provided clear guidance and pushed the limits of understanding too. The session really made me think differently! I’ve been thinking about masking since the session and including the “however” where something is not quite outstanding and how we can use both these methods better.
The Derbyshire Network
- Very thought provoking – Lots of ideas to go away with!
The Oxford Partnership (Saudi Arabia)
- The sessions were brilliantly delivered. Tony is extremely knowledgeable and his approach is sensitive and encouraging.
The Sheffield College
- Lateral thinking – back to purpose. This was excellent!
Tresham College
- Inspirational! I have a lot of work ahead of me rewriting our SAR!!
University College Isle of Man
- Coming out of the woods into a glade..
Wade Training
- Excellent session.
Warwickshire Adult & Community Learning
- It gave me licence to be honest about what is and isn’t working.
WEA
- I would liken my learning journey today to a hike. There were sections that felt comfortable and easily achievable, there were sections that were more challenging and required a more concerted effort, but that just meant the sense of accomplishment at the end was all the sweeter and I’m better prepared for the next hike.
Western Health & Social Care Trust
- Will change how I operate.
Wirral Council Lifelong Learning Service
- Session made us (the group) think about some very fundamental issues… Like why are we doing it and who for? Critical for any purposeful outcome.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Great session – lots of food for thought and supported my own views on what a SAR should be. I will be using the session contents to review and evaluate our SAR process. The session was interactive, Tony’s approach is very engaging and he gave valuable time to discussing the various activities with other delegates, which I found very useful.
Wrightbus (NI)
- It will change the way I write. I did not realise I was so descriptive.
York College
- It helped me to see the way in which your SA process is new and innovative.
Data Springboard
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Ashton-under-Lyne Sixth Form College
- It has made us all think about the experience we give to our students and how we can make it better. Inspiring!!!
Belfast Metropolitan College
- Very thought provoking and unusually enjoyable.
Bexley College
- Football analogy was great.
Blackburn College
- Different and informative – I really enjoyed the day.
Cambridge Regional College
- All staff should receive this training.
Canterbury College
- Actually useful and practical.
Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
- Made me consider issues from a different angle – will change my practice.
Gloucestershire College
- This was brilliant, if we don’t have any other training this year I’d be happy to wait until Tony can return.
Heart of Worcestershire College
- Great to look at data without numbers.
Itchen College
- Eye opening!
Kendal College
- Definitely will introduce volatile indicators to catch learners who are faltering earlier!
NESCOT
- Valuable insight from a very experienced inspector and teacher.
New College Nottingham
- Viewing data as indicators is great.
NewVIc
- ‘After hearing about Volatile Indicators from my PTM, I decided to experiment with some ideas for our new Creative Writing A Level. There are two indicators, a tumblr share page for inspirations and the practice that we all bring the book we’re reading to class and put it on the table in front of us. The tumblr page is used for images, quotes from texts we’re reading, ideas for writing or things overheard in the world that could be used for dialogue or whatever else the student feels is inspiring! The books we bring are discussed, with passages read out in class. The teacher is required to be involved in these activities too. Both of these are checked each week (once out of three sessions), sometimes with discussion or with writing tasks linked to the tumblr posts or reading. There are the expected benefits of being able to see who is involved in the course at this level. I have been able to catch a particular student ‘drifting away’ and get her involved again through these indicators. There are the pragmatic implications that Creative Writing students have to be curious about the use of language and ideas around them and that they should be reading so these indicators communicate part of the ethos of the course.’ Andrew Zincke, NewVIc
Northern Ireland learning and skills providers
- Like a chocolate bar. We took the wrapping off to get all the good stuff inside.
North Warwickshire & Leicestershire College
- Thank you, an opportunity to shift culture and start change.
People 1st (Northern Ireland)
- So much will now change.
Portsmouth College
- Really enjoyable session and kept me curious!
Protocol skills
- Opportunity to think outside the box.
Rutledge Job Link
- Finally, breaking through barriers to deliver a session which speaks volumes over and above the general quality assistance received in the past.
South Downs College
- Someone asked, on my return, whether the training session was good and I replied “Brilliant!” – then they asked what it was about and I was as surprised as they were when I replied “Data and SAR!”
St. Vincent College
- As a new curriculum manager, the ideas to inspire the dept. and new students are exciting.
Totton College
- Congratulations for making data interesting!
- This is embarrassingly simple and understandable.
Walsall College
- I remain inspired by the workshop you ran.
Workforce Training (NI)
- Tony’s enthusiasm for the subject was easy to soak up.
York College
- Like stepping off the merry-go-round long enough to see what it could be like.
Yorkshire Coast College
- Leopards can change their spots and become interested in data.
The Evaluative Conversation – Transformational Lesson Observation
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon and Witney College
- Highly motivated and inspirational. It has been quite a while since I have felt inspired to ‘create a new culture’.
Abis Resources
- It’s like plotting your way from a mysterious space into a demystified ground of pedagogical awareness.
Access Creative College
- Was fantastic. So nice to have some positive, creative and inspiring input from someone as inspiring as you!
Access Training (East Midlands) Ltd
- From the ridiculous to the sublime!
Banbury and Bicester College
- Today was stimulating because the ideas challenged much of my thinking.
Birmingham Metropolitan College
- The cage door is open.
Blackburn with Darwin Borough Council
- Unmissable!
Blackpool Adult Learning Service
- Brilliant delivery of a complex subject and looking forward to implementing change.
Bolton College
- It was informative, assuring and engaging. I enjoyed it and it made me feel good about my choice of being a teacher.
Burton and South Derbyshire College
- This will significantly improve the effectiveness of my role as a coach.
Bracknell and Wokingham College
- I have been anxious about giving “feedback” but have fewer concerns if I take this approach.
Bracknell Open Learning Centre
- Extremely useful session which has allowed me to question the validity of our organisation’s OTL system.
Brooksby Melton College
- Moved from my comfort zone to exploring different methods of judging learning and the impact of teaching.
Bury College
- An awakening: what I’ve been doing wrong and what I need to do better.
Canterbury College
- (From) Draconian to developmental.
Carlisle College
- Modifying language, creating a culture of research, would hope this would stop people/talent leaving profession.
Chesterfield College
- The left-hand/right-hand system (for writing lesson-reflection notes) was great.
City of Bristol College
- Challenging fixed ideas in a positive way.
City College Coventry
- Focus on the impact not the stuff! Conversation not feedback. Encourage staff to think about how their lessons are making a difference! If not, what needs changing.
Construction Gateway
- Today I’m the apprentice!
Derby College
- Gained an understanding of how ungraded observations could be implemented.
The Derbyshire Network
- It was unmissable!
Doncaster College
- Looking in a mirror.
East Coast College
- I started as a half-empty bottle and ended up overflowing with new ideas and desire to put into practice.
E.Quality Training Ltd
- More ‘reds under the bed’ than I first thought!
Furness College
- As a quality nominee in attendance it was great to put myself in the observer/teacher role & how, as a college, we can make changes.
Goldsmiths Centre
- A real eye-opener. I will be using this next year and feel more ready to set it up now.
Grimsby Institute
- (We need a) cultural shift to support move to outstanding.
Halton Borough Council
- A caterpillar emerging from its cocoon and transforming into a beautiful butterfly.
Hertford Regional College
- Jimmy Choo moment.
Institute of Groundsmanship
- Refreshing, enlightening, empowering
Kendal College
- Refocused my focus on teachers! Do this asap! Really enjoyed!
Knowsley Community College
- Created an insight into how we need to move forward as a college.
Lakes College
- Can’t have accountability and learning – this has absolutely focused my mind and is so very relevant to my current work.
Leeds Arts University
- More aware of measuring and looking for impact rather than focusing on strategies used. I was exhausted by the end of the session.
Lincoln College International
- Teaching is what makes me get up every morning! Your training highlighted many aspects that me as a first time teacher would not thought of them. It was a great experience and you had such a unique way of presenting the ideas.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- [I will] Focus on tutor as a professional. Develop professional ethos and pride in our work and ourselves.
Loughborough College
- From a Margarita pizza to one with most of the toppings.
Macclesfield College
- It’s a great way to get teachers to reflect and subsequently ‘get there’ by themselves; encourage them to take risks without the fear of being judged.
MSI Learning
- The session helped me shift focus from activity to impact.
NESCOT
- The meerkats have landed.
North Hertfordshire College
- I’ve been observing for many years and have been involved in double observations as part of Ofsted inspections. Having a significant rethink now re my impact judgements.
North Kent College
- Shifting sand bank away from feedback to a more open, evaluative conversation which makes way for greater learning and motivation for the teacher to develop themselves.
North Warwickshire & Hinckley College
- Inspirational – left me with a desire to make a positive change within the organisation.
North Warwichshire & South Leicestershire College
- I am excited about the possibility of change.
Northern Regional College (NI)
- I felt like a rocket launching into space.
Nottingham College
- It reaffirms the idea to me of “A Leap of Faith” – As I’m still training (on placement at Nottingham College while I’m doing my PGDE) I always try and take risks, it reminds me just how important that idea is.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- I like the idea of the practitioner having control and responsibility of their own development. There is no need for negative feedback when you can empower someone to be their best. Focus on reflection and evaluation with links to common solutions.
Opps Developments
- Insightful and inspiring.
OxfordSaudia Flight Academy
- I went to heaven. As a manager in education, I’ve always desired non-graded observations that use a coaching approach to elicit self-reflection and evaluation. Finally, it is here!
Pathway Group
- Greatly beneficial.
Pera Training
- Follow the yellow brick road (without grades!).
Plymouth College of Art
- I’ve never really thought about how my sessions might change learners.
Preston College
- The pace was perfect and the use of technology enabled all to be involved without the fear of getting some aspects wrong……something we are all guilty of.
Pro Action Herts
- Has totally changed my perception.
Serco
- I recognise the value of the evaluative conversation approach to observational feedback and how this can benefit the quality observational process that we use at Serco both with our internal delivery staff and with our external delivery partners.
Skills UK
- Really understood the meaning of impact and its importance.
Solihull College and University Centre
- The video observations were extremely useful.
SPS Training
- Challenges my comfort zones.
St Helens Adult & Community Learning
- What we think we are asking isn’t always what people hear us ask. Today has once again helped me hold up a mirror and encouraged me to resist the urge to ‘feedback’, however nicely it is couched.
The Sheffield College
- Thank you for enabling me to think differently.
Stockport College
- Jumping through hoops? Gloves are off…
The Sixth Form College, Colchester
- We need to establish a clear idea of the meaning of impact and ensure that all staff really understand this and plan lessons with this in mind.
Sussex Downs College
- Lesson observation is now great – it’s all about learning. We get staff asking us to come in to observe when they’re trying something new. It’s like an epiphany!
Trainplus
- It has challenged my thoughts on grading my tutors and assessors.
Tresham College
- Develop a more safe environment to allow ‘learners’ to strongly believe that their ‘mistakes’ are treated as valuable learning experiences – then replace ‘learners’ with ‘staff’.
Warrington & Vale Royal College
- The session was fantastic and an insight into how a transition in observation and conversation can impact the teaching and learning within FE and can ultimately create success.
West Lancashire College
- Longer – loved it.
Yorkshire Coast College
- It made me focus more on the impact of the teaching and learning observed.
“Yes, were all individuals” Brian, 1979
Click here for an overview of the training
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Belfast Metropolitan College
- TED talk.
Canterbury College
- Really enjoyable. Found Tony very knowledgeable with a lovely, calm way of delivering.
Carlisle College
- It’s like analysing my golf swing and identifying some broken components.
Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
- A creative Ofsted inspector – I didn’t know they existed!
Isle of Wight College
- I can see coaching and Q&A in a completely new way.
Kendal College
- I have learnt that I usually focus on my low achievers and have discovered methods of challenging my other students.
Newcastle College
- Like a breath of fresh air – a great way to start the new year!
Northern Regional College (NI)
- Rub out some of my thoughts on differentiation and rewrite.
North Hertfordshire College
- Really enjoyed the participation and being included, even though I am not teaching staff.
Reading College
- Mind blowing – blooming brilliant!
The Sheffield College
- I came in to see what individuals were eating and stayed to feast.
Trafford College
- Very informative and made me want to change the way I deliver some of my units at level 3.
Wiki Wonderland
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Reading College
- Great use of wikis.
- Inspiring.
Reaseheath College
- A very exciting rollercoaster (I like rollercoasters).
- As head of learning support it has inspired me to revise our study skills provision.
- Fast and strong.
- Informative session. Thank you! Especially the ‘perfect lesson notes’.
Stroud College
- Like a box of chocolates.
- A rich overview of new ideologies to learning.
- Ray of sunshine.
- Eye opener.
- Like browsing a flea market and finding an antique you’re fascinated by.
- Excellent session, and a pleasure to be a part of.
Independent Learning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Bellerby’s (Brighton)
- I loved the idea that we are ‘choreographers’.
Bellerby’s (Cambridge)
- Encouraging students to move beyond the cards they’ve been dealt.
Bellerby’s (London)
- Climbing the upper reaches of a tree!
Bellerby’s (Oxford)
- Very exciting and the time has flown too fast.
Blue Yonder
- Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, it improved learning independently.
Canterbury College
- I have had so many lights switched on!!
Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
- Teaching and old dog new tricks.
Chesterfield College
- A journey into the light.
Collyer’s (The College of Richard Collyer)
- It helped challenge pre-conceived notions.
DBS Music
- I thought this was the next dimension regarding the learning process.
Epping Forest College
- Yes!! I am going to research different resources to use to generate curiosity to encourage learners to do independent work.
Farnborough College of Technology
- Flowering.
Hertford Regional College
- I will look at developing independency skills rather than just allowing students to work independently.
Lutterworth College
- Curiosity engages learners.
Myerscough College
- I thought I had reached the top of the mountain regarding learning strategies. Now I feel like I’ve plenty more climbing to do.
New College Nottingham
- Zone idea – excellent.
Novus LTE Group
- Inspirational. I could listen to this subject all day.
Solihull College and University Centre
- You brought back memories of how I felt when I first began to teach.
Sussex Downs College
- I feel like I’ve been given a parking permit after 3 years of parking on yellow lines!
Trafford College
- A squeezed out, dried up dinosaur teacher that’s just been re-hydrated.
Tresham College
- I feel like a caged animal whose cage door has been left open…
West Nottinghamshire College
- From darkness to light.
West Thames College
- By adapting this approach to learning at a college level, a lot of the bureaucracy could be eliminated.
HoT2 – Techniques for engaging learners
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Abingdon and Witney College
- A magical tour.
Abis Resources
- Inspiring, engaging.
Andover College
- The lights are on! I am going to use my play-day session.
Belfast Metropolitan College
- A wilted flower that’s just been given a drop of water.
Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
- Thought I knew a lot about this, but it’s really challenged my thinking about planning for impact and end points.
Carlisle College
- It has rejuvenated my love of teaching, there is a lot to take away from this. I will be working even more with my colleagues.
Gloucestershire College
- 28 teaching methods really made me think!
Institute of Groundsmanship
- Best aspect was the opportunity to develop lateral thinking ‘outside the box’ rather than accept mundane existing approaches.
Isle of Wight College
- I needed this input to advance towards next year. My energy had been dissipated, but has been rekindled.
Northern Regional College (NI)
- Being reborn after 25 years teaching.
North Hertfordshire College
- Exciting session which I was fully engaged in. On reflection in the tea break, I realised I was ‘zoning’!
Reaseheath College
- The zone experience was very useful.
Rinova
- A very inspiring session and particularly enjoyable as it managed to address serious issues around creative delivery, but in a fun and engaging way.
Sparsholt College
- Bumper cars of ideas.
Wakefield College
- Inspirational
HoT Learning – The Hierarchy of Teaching & Learning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Belfast Metropolitan College
- Can’t wait to get started!
Gloucestershire College
- This was brilliant, if we don’t have any other training this year I’d be happy to wait until Tony can return.
Havering College
- Simply the best, most engaging and useful training I’ve had in nearly 15 years of teaching.
Hertford Regional College
- I’m no longer in a coal mine with a box of matches.
Huntingdonshire Regional College
- Like someone throwing me a very different but exciting new torch to illuminate the dark corridor I’ve wandered down.
Isle of Wight College
- Fully understand what is needed in a grade 1 lesson.
Itchen College
- A rollercoaster.
Kendal College
- Space travel.
North East Worcestershire College
- Like taking the stabilizers off your bike.
North Hertfordshire College
- Everything becomes connected. Made me nervous/excited about continuing to develop my teaching and learning.
Northern Regional College (NI)
- I would like to say how stimulating, informative and inspiring your CPD sessions were. You have even got an old cynic enthused.
North Warwichshire & South Leicestershire College
- Prometheus unbound.
People 1st (Northern Ireland)
- From a spark to a flame.
Peterborough Regional College
- I found this the most useful and helpful training/workshop the college has ever provided. Ofsted inspection? Bring it on!
Portsmouth College
- A high-flying jet now going into outer-space!
Reading College
- One of the most inspiring learning experiences in my life and I will undoubtedly change what I do and how I do it.
Reaseheath College
- Totally made me realise the difference between grade 2 and grade 1!
Richard Taunton College
- It helped me articulate what I thought was gut instinct and feeling.
Sparsholt College
- Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get!
Totton College
- I came, I saw, I will get a grade 1!
Wakefield College
- I will find it easier to articulate what an outstanding lesson consists of.
West Yorkshire Music Services
-
A reluctant child finding that they do like peas when they finally try them.
Recruitment: increasing the impact
Hull College
- Inspiring.
- To imagine the ideal and then work out how it’s do-able.
- Thought provoking.
- Aspirational recruitment process.
- Very good morning of CPD.
- Light at the end of the tunnel.
- Aim high, create experiences, be exciting!
- “Bloody marvellous!”
- Awakening.
Learning Issues and Solutions Database (The RED LISD)
Bolton College
- Enlightened.
- Able, aspirational, motivated, like being a new tutor again with a desire to problem solve.
- A ray of sunlight peaking out of a cloud on a cold day.
- Inspirational, thought-provoking.
- Excited about possibilities, feel so many barriers before we can be outstanding though.
- It was a river of knowledge, allowing my brain to flow with new ideas.
- I was treated as a grown up, collaborative discussions, voice listened to.
- Gyre-widening (see W. B. Yeats: The Second Coming).
- It is fit for purpose, simple and efficient.
- I love it. I would love to see it as an approach for OTLAs.
- Easy to read, useful and will try in lessons.
I like how it is structured and gives the teacher a step-by-step support. - Set-up really well. Easily accessible and easy to navigate.
- It is quite clear and easy to follow. It supports you and takes you on a journey through the thinking and development process. The case studies were useful and the more the resource is populated with other cases the more useful it will become. Sharing is so important and especially between departments.
- I like the colour coded headings and the clear structure, easy to follow and definitions helped me to decide what the actual problem/issue was. It helped to reflect on what my contribution to the issue might be but in a no blame way. Therefore easier to admit and discuss.
- Clear, demanding a next step/decision/narrowing/focussing.
- I think that the format of each section is clear and follows a process that allows you to think through the issue you have selected, and what could be the cause of the issue before exploring the strategies.
- It encourages sharing of best practice within the organisation and both offers support to those with issues as well as offering praise and reward for those who are best serving their learners.
- Great, lets us problem solve without being told one method and gives us the confidence to say that it can be solved.
- Wonderful, collaborative and informed by practice.
- To have the lessons seen and heard without prejudice is really refreshing. I have already included many ideas, from Tony feedback and his blogs and lesson.
- It is good to look at learning issues in this way, methodically…seeing the problem and the reasons behind it helps to find a solution.
- I like it and would use it. I like the links that take you through to further information.
- Felt a little upset by the barriers that I found myself coming up against that I can usually mentally overcome in the moment/when filling out a form because of the demand of professionalism it suggested.
- I like that the approach is a collaborative one, using real examples from across the college. I hope that it will inspire the college to further embrace cross departmental working to share ideas and strategies for learning. This will motivate staff to try new ideas, and be more comfortable with colleagues in their classroom without the fear of failure. I also like that it will be a working document for staff to add to so it can evolve.
- My learning outcomes will never look the same again. I’ll be tapping into those attitudinal changes.
- I think it has been extremely useful and has made a big difference to people’s attitudes. I have noticed that when Tony said he could solve how to make learners never be late again in submitting work to a deadline, many staff had a negative attitude and were quite defensive. This makes me see how the tutors need to be open minded as I know that’s how they want the learners to be. “Crossing the carpet”. Thank you for your lovely compliments of my session.
- I love this approach. It’s teacher supportive and friendly.
- Thank you very much for the session 🙂
- Some really useful ideas. This got me thinking that there might be solutions. The college needs to be supportive in their implementation. At the moment it feels like we are being swamped with admin tasks and teaching and learning is taking second place.
Behaviour Management
Hull College
- Highly educative
- It will help me in my classroom management especially the attention war, over-contributor.
- Dealing with over-contributors – set them a challenge, allow them to answer a more difficult question.
- It was very interactive with lots of team/group discussion and popcorning of ideas.
- Inspirational. Restores belief in outstanding teaching.
- You’ve been fab, would love to learn more from you.
- Forming, storming, norming, performing. Ideas from today can be implemented in class.
- I will change my approach to sessions – for example: 1. Deal with over-contributors 2.
- Transactional management.
- I have learned simple techniques to understand and improve learner behaviour and productivity.
- The interactive tools like Jamboard and handouts were amazing.
- Transactional Analysis, Transitional Change, Active Listening – all fantastic!
- Brilliant (Always!)
- Looking at curriculum plan for adding excitement for challenging times. Continue to reflect on own practice.
Kendal College
- The curtain was pushed back further to see possibilities for development.
- Insightful, useful.
- I am already using intuitive strategies and there are more I can learn.
- Strategies to enable high-performing groups.
- Thank you so much, I really enjoyed the training. You were clear, retained my attention and I would have happily stayed on the class for longer.
- Thank you Tony, Today has provided me with a chance to reflect on my practice in depth and consider new strategies moving forward to benefit both myself and my learners.
Ofsted Ready
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Bath College
- A refreshing afternoon.
- Confidence is being authentic in an approach to quality. Not obsessing on unstable factors.
- Fantastic opportunity to sit down, discuss and think deeply. Thank you.
Bristol City Council Community Learning
- A sat nav. for self reflection on our strengths and weakness as a centre! “Turning a weakness into a strength.”
- Bringing transformation to the attention of an Ofsted inspector.
Thinking ‘wildly’ outside the box for inspiration. - “Tackle” Ofsted in a positive way – not wait for things to happen, but have things in place – e.g. reflections on how to improve things (not at the end of a course or unit but at the time when issues materialise).
- Food for thought. The use of wiki was really good and it was great to see what others had written.
- Taking the horse by its reins. That we can take control of the OFSTED process by actively working together to improve our service.
East Kent College
- Such a rewarding session, not what I expected at all but have some key takeaways to really reflect on and action.
- Think more creatively, invest in the students’ experience, create an Ofsted position statement for maths and English.
- I thought the breakout room size was going to be limiting but it was actually great, loads of dialogue and ideas – I couldn’t fault the session.
JTL Training
- It has caused me to change my whole approach to an OFSTED inspection, thank you Tony
- Hope is on the horizon.
- Like opening a book.
- Very interesting and informative.
It has given me ideas to use within my own teaching practice. - Again Tony delivers a content heavy course with great skill and ease, ensuring all delegates are involved and creating great discussion topics to challenge myself and colleagues.
- Like a fog clearing.
- Peeling an onion, lots of layers in learning.
- A dry subject whetting my appetite.
- The session has caused me to reflect on, and change the way I would view an inspection.
- Good to look at it feeling a little more empowered
- I think that it’s focused me on how to improve class engagement, make it more enjoyable for the learners and for me in my task to improve learners being able to retain information long term which I am looking forward to accomplishing.
Morley College
- Really interesting and motivational!
- Using the research activity with my colleagues and looking at the emotional learning journey as part of the SoW review and implementation.
- I also get a bit obsessed by Ofsted’s requirements and need to try and relax a bit on that!
North West Training Council
- Challenging thought provoking.
- Red Bull (energising).
Purple Beard
- Clearly lit up a gloomy rainy day!
- The mechanism of actually going about it was brilliant.
- Creative and thoughtful about the approach to improving our provision.
- Project based makes it more achievable to make improvements.
- Thank you so much for enabling a collective approach to improving a provision.
Preston College
- There are so many research projects we could implement!
- To complete my own judgement statements on my curriculum impact/intent paper to support my meeting with inspectors.
- Small changes needed to enable my team to be even better.
- Informative. Taking away EIF – issues to explore and research.
- Eye opening – thought provoking.
- How to justify and show evidence in a way that puts across clearly what needs to be celebrated.
Quest Training
- Want to go away do the wiki with staff and look at implementing action research projects in my setting.
- Great session as always, my to do list has grown even more.
Serco
- Really useful session, thank you. Gave me inspiration as to how better to engage the wider team in understanding and managing the self assessment process in preparation for OFSTED.
TPM
- Brilliant. Feel more enthusiastic, will be looking at ways I can better support the learners.
- Inspirational. Enjoyed interactive activities – will use these going forward.
- Enjoyed evaluating provision and how to set up the working groups.
- Thought provoking. The use of aspirational language. How to make the learning environment memorable. Gamification into teaching.
- Committing to research themes and researching these areas so we can come together as a team and make a difference.
TTE Training
- Consider the word ‘experience’, make it memorable.
- To steal others’ good ideas
- Nuggets of wisdom
- Make the learning experience a pleasure (as was today’s session)
- Realisation of what we do, how we do it and how to achieve the best in every aspect.
- Enabling tool to evaluate and develop to meet change.
- To look at research projects and encourage team to develop themes they have selected then share the practice.
Tools for Online Engagement & Blended Learning
Click here for an overview of the training.
Click each provider’s name to see a detailed list of impact on staff.
Access Creative College
- Absorbing, Factual and Useful…not always the case with CPD.
- An insightful session with some great ideas.
- I found a lot of tools mentioned in this session will be useful in my own practice.
- Eye-opening.
Bolton College
- I really enjoyed learning about some new resources, but the main thing for me was relating it to the pedagogy. It will make me think more about WHY I am using a resource and what I want my learners to get out of it, rather than simply a ‘have they remembered what they have learned?’ scenario.
- We have been provided with a wealth of resources and ‘how-to’ sheets which means I have all the support I need to be able to experiment with what I have learned.
- I aspire to be as fab a teacher as Tony – it’s not all about coming on to learn new things…it’s about watching a fab teacher in action and picking up on the way he does it in order to improve my own delivery.
B-Skill Limited
- It was fantastic to see them being used throughout the session as well as having the opportunity to have a go. Throughout the session I have taken ideas and jotted these down about how these could be implemented within the sessions. I really liked the fact that tools were listed in order of difficultly from easiest to most complex. Some staff have a reluctance to changes towards technology based teaching and I am going to introduce these tools from easiest to hardest to make their experience more positive and help them develop confidence that they can incorporate technology into their sessions.
- Fantastic engaging session and this has enabled me to reflect on my own service and how this can be developed, thank you.
Cogent Skills
- I am a technological space tourist. I have travelled through numerous technologies that were unknown to me at the start of session. Very worthwhile.
- It is not just the technology that will be different, it will reasoning behind them that will be more prominent. Pre-learning for instance, will play a bigger role and with that the technology that you have taught.
D H Associates
- I can get distracted when listening, but I felt today’s session kept me engaged at all times.
- It’s a meal worth waiting for.
- The Lightbulb Moment, was able to see how these tools can be used for 1:1 learning.
- Will help with pre learning, interactive learning within the session and post learning to ensure continual progression and readiness for EPA.
- I have used whiteboards when completing teaching before but I have never used it in the ways shown today.
- Yes, for sure! I will definitely try and use some of the new platforms to help increase engagement and interaction.
- I will definitely be downloading the how to guides to remind me how to complete certain tasks.
- I like to make my sessions as interactive as I can and these tools will definitely help me to do this. Thank you!
Halton Borough Council
- ‘Learning is like a search for hidden treasure!’ This session for me gave a whole plethora of treasures for engagement and bringing learning and pedagogy to life through digital means both for in class and learning remotely.
- Being guided to the valuable objects in a cluttered and overflowing storage room.
- It Cut the Mustard.
- Yes! It is having the guides and practical chance to play with the difference tools and options.
- Gosh yes totally. Some superb resources that I can see being used regularly. It takes time to find all these resources so I am very appreciative of the work that has been put in for us.
- Tony is very personable, supportive and has such strong knowledge that explanations are clear. His passion shines through which helps to engage and motivate delegates, even in scorching heat!!!
- The session was very good and from a delivery point of view outstanding. The experience could have been better if the handouts had been downloaded in advance (I would make this even more clear next time around!) and there were some issues with confidence/equipment that were handled with patience and grace!
Hereford College of Arts
- This was such a great session. Really refreshing to have such high level training that was generous, practical and learner focused.
- A smorgasbord of healthy teaching and learning resources.
- A very positive and energising training session that gave me the drive to apply my learning and make one change at a time. Delivered with intelligence, empathy and inclusiveness.
Innovative Alliance
- Chomping at the bit now to put new learning into practice. Very inspirational session!
- Like a swan above the water and a motorboat underneath…
- It has given me a pleather of ideas to take away and improve our online offer in our organisation.
- I feel you have given me a wealth of knowledge and resources now to go away and engage with and train my team to improve the learner experience.
Lincoln College International
- Lots of food for thought as usual!!
- Every week I’m planning to test 2 tools from the session to not overwhelm students.
- The session supports my thoughts around the importance of ‘social presence’ (and backs up the research out there) and ‘investment and payoff’. There are so many tools to use but they should only be used if they enhance the learning (pedagogy pedigree – fabulous term and now in my repertoire!!) not technology for technology sake.
- I enjoyed it thoroughly, as I am always looking at ways to upskill myself. In today’s session, I was shown so many options I can use in my lessons and I’m excited to try them all.
Liverpool Adult Learning Service
- Both sessions really inspiring.
- Provided me with an opportunity to recap on technologies and previous CPD I have already engaged in and used and evaluate how to use them more effectively. Gave me the motivational push I needed to re-invigorate teaching, assessment learning and inspire educators to do the same. As a service we are using Teams/Office 365 so I am interested in how we can use the tools already available in Teams to develop highly effective online learning.
NPTC Consortium of Work-based Providers
- Tony has such a gift in making you feel inspired and motivated to try out his suggestions. Can’t think of a metaphor today but in the words of Winnie the Pooh “But what if I fall?” “Yes but what if you fly?”
- I loved how its given me a new view on teaching the same sorts of subjects but now it can be done in different ways making it feel less repetitive.
- Great pace, direction and content. I have attended many sessions over my training career of 22 years and have found these to be the most engaging and interesting since my original training to become an assessor/Trainer in late 2000. Thank you!
Inspiring – has given me the confidence to explore different techniques. - Absolutely outstanding, really challenged preconceived ideas on learning and evidence gathering
very informative, easy tool to use, feeling more confident to explore tool for blended learning.
Good session sharing tools for online learning. - Great to see new technologies and stimulated by the ideas.
- Thinking of how the learner feels, how to improve learning for all learners. I have already booked a day in with my colleagues to look at Blendspace and wiki and make use of it.
NPTC Group of Colleges
- A melting pot of useful tools.
- My brain is a bed of blossoming seeds.
- ‘The past doesn’t equal the future’
- Discovering new technology is like getting a parcel that you can’t remember ordering.
- I think it has given me so many new ways to prep and engage with my learners. I think Blendspace will create a great pre learning for my learners.
Quest Training
- Fantastic session, lots to take away and have a try at making resources and sessions with. I just need extra days in my week to try them all.
Retrofit Academy
- We can do a lot more to make our presentations and courses engaging for the learners, catering for different abilities and learning styles.
- Useful tools. Great that they are all free.
Sefton Community Learning Service
- It’s like someone has opened the curtains in a dark room and I can see the light.
- Feel 100% more confident in using technology that is new to me.
- Tony you’re inspiring – this session has impacted on me greatly and I can’t wait to start implementing what I have learnt today when I cascade this to tutors (after further practise). Well and truly taken out of my comfort zone – thank you.
Southport College
- This was an excellent session – very interactive and has given me lots of good ideas for things I can implement in my own teaching as well as cascade to the rest of the group.
St Helens Chamber
- Learning is the spark that starts the flame.
- I will be using Blendspace (QR Codes) and inputting pre-learning sessions. I will also be using breakout rooms during my online sessions.
- Tony provides resources and how-to guides which are the most likely areas of support I would need which is great.
- Excellent session, allowed me to interact and gain inspiration from other providers. Thank you very much, will definitely be recommending.
Sysco
- Very engaging session with lots of resources/information and valuable IAG provided by Tony regarding tools for online engagement. Definitely will make me reflect and review this going forward.
- Fountain of knowledge and new information. Looking forward to trying Prezi video on zoom.
WEA
- I was originally daunted by the thought of a 3.5 hour session but the time passed more enjoyably and easily than other much shorter training sessions that I have attended, as the sessions were interesting and engaging. They were well put together, skilfully delivered and very useful. Thank you.
- It opened my mind to the options available and just how much more creative online learning can be. I feel as I have been provided with some tools to venture out and explore further. I also need to look at my current practice as a curriculum manager and determine what steps I need to take to start incorporating some of these new ideas and promoting them with staff.
- I need to build on the knowledge I have gained in this session by spending time with the different technology options we covered. In particular Prezi and wikis are completely new for me and I would love to be proficient with these.
Wirral Metropolitan College
- Eye Opening, what a fantastic session.
- I will try to embed pre-learning and also involve follow up after training sessions a lot more.
Workforce Training Services
- Teaching is gardening.
- In my new role I will be able to use the tools I gained in the session to disseminate to other staff with the hope of improving teaching and learning across the organisation.