From Good To Outstanding - Rebecca Wills

Hi Rebecca,
I think you were very brave taking up this exercise. I watched your lessons twice. Your personality was fantastic and your enthusiasm rubbed off on the students. In the first lesson I think you actually delivered a lesson. More teacher-centred? Yes but there was actual teaching. The second was full of activities and little input from you so therefore a lesson were activities were facilitated. May be we should combine the first lesson and the last lesson to get the outstanding teaching we all aspire to. By that I mean we teach and facilitate all in one lesson.

Cheers

I found this really useful to watch - Unforunately I didn't have time to watch it all. How very brave of you to allow this to take place. I would find cameras etc quite offputting. I am finding myself at this point - being good but needing ideas to get to outstanding..

Thanks

A very interesting insight into foreign language teaching in England. I teach languages (English and French) at a comprehensive school in Germany. I was surprised that English was used by the teacher in a German lesson? Also the amount of energy the teacher put in to the lesson. I would last about a day at that energy level! Teachers need to be more facilitators and get the kids to learn in the classroom. All the pupils need to be active not just a few. Have you thought of cooperative learning techniques?
This sort of inspection does not happen in Germany. I think it is very brave to show your lesson. Well done!

I think I would add...

Slow down. You use volume rather than pace and clarity. You said at the beginning you like being in control, being at the front. I think that shows in your behaviour - it looks like you are trying to dominate and control the sound in the room. Let go. You are giving 110% but getting 20%; if you gave 90% you might get more.

For your assessed class why on earth did you triple your workload by having so many activities?! KISS Looks like you are economic rather than effective - ie you are trying to do volumes vaguely well rather than a few things really well.

"If you want to get your point across, say less"

Even when the voice coach, and inspector were speaking with you and when you were on the telephone you kept cutting across and interupting. Listen. Silence is not a bad thing.

Above all, it's easy to sit here at home and say all this. Well done for presenting your work for criticism, and for the film!

Thanks for doing the filming, it was amazing to watch and has given me plenty to think about in my own teaching. I do however get the feeling that inspector's "outstanding" is a bit like "infinity", you can always add something else on but you'll never get there! I was impressed with what I saw and it looks like the kids are with you, which is in it's own way outstanding. Keep it up!

Hi I am a PGCE student and i begin my teacher training tomorrow. I really enjoyed watching this clip. I thought that both lessons were great but it was clear the change in roles with when comparing them. They were both really inspiring and you did exceptional. It was nice to see the children getting a challenge! well done

Your original lesson was great! And all that advice was very helpful to me as well as a language teacher. I've taught in London and am now taeching in Canada where generally it's done quite differently.
Can anyone tell me what that program was on the smartboard that was used in the first lesson where you were putting together hair, eyes, etc.?
great work!!

Hello. Thank you all for your comments on the programme. It was really encouraging to hear what you said and to see that you saw I had worked hard. It was an intense process and I was disappointed to not achieve 'outstanding' however I definately learnt things from the voice coach and lead teacher which will help me in my teaching. Term starts tomorrow and I hope that this year I will be able to save my voice a bit more!

I'm from Australia, and I loved watching this clip. I gained some additional ideas that I could use in the classroom, and it is a great way to observe someone elses teaching style.
I thought that the voice coach and the Leading teacher were far more help than the Inspector. Are all Inspectors out of date in their concept of what happens in the classroom?

When did the Inspector last spend at least one term teaching mixed ability classes, both in terms of physical disability and mental disability/autism and all the many spheres on the Autistic Spectrum? When did she last stand in front of a very "alienated" class? Show me how she deals with pupils who do NOT want to be there, please.

If she can show me that she can do all of the above and also produce the results which are required for all the targets in terms of results on a whole-school basis...then she might be...possibly ...someone from whom one might learn.

Patricia Anne Graham

Im British also a language teacher and studied and worked in Germany for six years.

I think the most important thing is not what the inspector thinks but to do your own research into what you think is right.

It was a pleasure to see Rebecca's desire to become an outstanding teacher. All the elements taken into consideration to achieve that outstanding lesson were amazing. I tried to take those elements as well. I agree with previous comments that the last lesson looked as an outstanding one.

I enjoyed your programme, thought you were very brave and that you are already outstanding! When are we going to get the programme where the Ofsted Inspector delivers an outstanding lesson for us all to see and understand what this elusive, mysterious and controversial way of grading teachers really means? Keep up the good work, girl.

An excellent teacher!

I really like the observer feedback and encouragement to do better.