More Related Content
What's hot (7)
Similar to Biology teacher (20)
Biology teacher
- 1. AS/A2 Biology Teacher Courses London and Manchester October 2010 - March 2011 RS HE FI TEAC RST www.teachersfirst.org.uk There’s always something new to learn
- 2. Welcome to Teachers First Welcome to the Teachers First programme of Biology courses for 2010/11. Our aim is to offer a programme of one-day courses and conferences that support the teaching and learning of Biology using active learning methods through paper-based and technological approaches. The courses are specifically designed for all teachers, experienced as well as NQTs, who wish to develop their subject knowledge through our specialist days and for those looking for new strategies to stimulate and engage their students. These workshops are also suitable for graduates who are completing their training in a school environment under the school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) scheme. PGCE and final year students would also find our courses very helpful. We look forward to meeting you on one of our courses. Kind Regards, Christine Neary Chrisine Neary t Conference Director. Course contents: A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time AS/A2 Biology Making connections and being an outstanding teacher in AS & A2 Biology and Human Biology Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human Biology Stretch & challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June 2010 and implications for moving ahead with the specification. AQA AS/A2 Biology:Reflections on Practical Assessment and improving student outcomes Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology: a focus on the more challenging areas Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010 and the implications for moving forward with the specification. Leading Learning in Biology: a course for new, existing and aspiring subject leaders in Biology
- 3. A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time Course Features Tutors: Margaret Baker and New teachers or more experienced colleagues who are Alan Morris about to have their first chance to teach A level biology may feel uneasy when facing the challenge of more able students or more academically stretching subject Margaret is Head of Science in a large FE college. matter. This course will help to reassure you that with She has led a successful Biology Department and is thorough planning and the confidence that this course responsible for the training and monitoring of A level can offer, you will not only be able to cope but will enjoy teachers. Margaret is a well known author and also has a the experience too. The course will be split between number of years experience as an examiner and external didactic input, open question sessions and workshop moderator. activities. It is a generic course and suitable for all Alan is Head of Biology and an Advanced Practitioner biology specifications. in an FE College. He teaches on the PGCE course and Margaret and Alan have a huge amount of experience observes practising teachers, this has increased his in the biology classroom; they are still teaching A level awareness of the constraints and expectations placed Biology and loving it!! on teachers today. He is also an author, and has had experience as an examiner and external moderator. Delegates will receive a file and/or CD containing detailed notes of the course Venue and date London, Wednesday 1 December 2010 Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Content versus skill teaching Which do you concentrate upon? 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.15am: Lesson planning Think ‘key facts’ 12.00pm: Making use of different learning styles Be active 1.00pm: Lunch 2.00pm: Practical skills that work 2.45pm: Preparation for examination success-do’s and don’ts! 3.45pm: Day ends
- 4. Making connections and being an outstanding teacher in AS & A2 Biology and Human Biology Tutor: Richard Fosbery Course Features Richard has been a Chief Examiner at A level for 15 years. He is an author of textbooks, revision guides, study guides and CD based resources for GCSE and A This course is for Biology teachers who are looking level Biology. for new ways to inspire their students with the He has run many successful INSET courses to support excitement of their subject. We will look at how the GCE Biology including an online course for teachers new specifications in Biology and Human Biology overseas. Richard divides his time between teaching, provide opportunities for students to make connections writing and examining. between topics and deepen their understanding. The course will consider ways to challenge students’ understanding of biological topics and help to develop their responses to the types of questions they will meet Venue and date at AS and A2. London, Thursday 3rd March 2011 Delegates will be provided with a set of resources to use with students to develop their skills in Course fee £195 plus VAT • analysing, interpreting and evaluating • writing answers to structured questions • writing long answers and essays Delegates will receive a file and/or CD containing detailed notes of the course 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: The challenge for today: making connections Groups will be set problems to work on during the day 10.20am: ‘Blood is thicker than water’ Start with haemoglobin and see how much biology you can bring in along the way 11.00am: Morning coffee (and time to work on today’s problems) 11.45am: ‘Good science, poor science – unpicking the claims made about our health’ Analysing and evaluating health data – critical reading of claims and counter claims 12.30pm: Lunch 1.30pm: ‘The approximately 39 steps to success’ How to develop essay writing skills using a variety of topics, such as communication, homeostasis and gene technologies. 2.30pm: ‘The appliance (and misappliance) of science’ Critically evaluating data on various aspects of modern biology. 3.15pm: Using practicals and demonstrations to encourage students to contribute ideas to class discussion 3.30pm: Groups will report on the problems they were set at the beginning of the day 4.00pm: Day ends
- 5. Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human Biology: Strategies for challenging and guiding students to success at AS and A2 Course features Tutor: Richard Fosbery This course is for Biology teachers who are looking for ways to develop their approach to challenging and guiding their students through AS and A2. We will look Richard has been a Chief Examiner at A level for 15 at a range of activities that will help students gain the years. He is an author of textbooks, revision guides, skills that they need to acquire good subject knowledge study guides and CD based resources for GCSE and A and apply it effectively to familiar and unfamiliar level Biology. contexts. He has run many successful INSET courses to support Activities in the morning will focus on making the GCE Biology including an online course for teachers transition from GCSE to AS and making and monitoring overseas. Richard divides his time between teaching, progress through the AS course. The afternoon will be writing and examining. devoted to How Science Works in the A2 units and case studies in genomics and the opportunities they offer for synoptic assessment. Venues and dates London, Wednesday 23 March 2011 Manchester, Wednesday 9 March 2011 Delegates will receive a file and/or CD containing detailed notes of the course Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Variation is all Consideration of a range of activities to engage students at the beginning of the AS course 10.20am: Making the grade at AS Part 1. ‘GCSE was easier than this!’ Achieving progress through Unit 1 to match the AS standard 11.15am: Morning Coffee 11.30pm: Making the grade at AS Part 2. ‘Graphs with dramatic changes’ Group activities to develop students’ skills in data analysis and interpretation. 12.30pm: Lunch 1.30pm: Making the grade at A2 Part 1. ‘You never taught us about camels!’ Integrating How Science Works into teaching topics in Units 4 and 5. 2.30pm: Making the grade at A2 Part 2. ‘Telling the stories in the genes’ Group activities to develop students’ skills in applying information from the different units to case studies in genomics. 3.15pm: Revision activities. ‘Revise with a friend’ A demonstration of a range of activities to help students with their revision. 3.45pm: Plenary 4.00pm: Day ends
- 6. AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June 2010 and implications for moving ahead with the specification Course features Tutors: Graham Read and This day is intended to give teachers the opportunity Ray Skwiercyznski to reflect on the June 2010 examinations of this new specification and to identify important issues which could help to enhance student performance. In addition Graham has been a Senior Examiner for over 20 years. it provides an opportunity to review the demands of the He is a Chief Examiner and has been involved in the new A2 units and how they may be addressed. development of Biology specifications for the New AS and A levels. This work includes the integration of How Science Works into specifications, exam papers and support material. A highly experienced teacher Graham Delegates will receive a file and/or CD was until recently Head of Biology at a leading school in containing detailed notes of the course the North West. Ray is a very experienced Senior and Principal Examiner Course fee £195 plus VAT for a major awarding body. He is Head of Biology at a leading sixth form college in the North West where he is also a member of the senior management team. Venues and dates London, Thursday 4 November 2010 Manchester, Tuesday 2 November 2010 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Unit 1: Biology and disease Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010 Identifying important issues for learning and teaching How has HSW affected what students need to know? 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.15am: Unit 2: The variety of living organisms Reviewing examiners comments from summer 2010 Identifying important issues for learning and teaching. Building on concepts across the units 12.30am: Lunch 1.30pm: Unit 4: Population and Environment Mind the gap- moving from AS to A2 Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010 Identifying important issues for learning and teaching How has HSW affected what the students need to know and the types of questions they are asked? 2.30pm: Unit 5: Control in Cells and Organisms Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010 How has HSW affected what the students need to know and the types of questions they are asked? 3.15pm: Linking practical tasks to the A2 EMPAs and ISAs 3.45pm: Day ends
- 7. Stretch & Challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology Course features Tutors: Graham Read and This course will explore the requirements of the new A* Ray Skwiercyznski for the AQA Biology specification. The course will appeal to any teachers and centres that have able students. The day will focus firstly on what Graham has been a Senior Examiner for over 20 years. students have to be able to do to obtain an A*. This will He is a Chief Examiner and has been involved in the be followed by suggestions for strategies to achieve development of Biology specifications for the New AS stretch and challenge when teaching able students with and A levels. This work includes the integration of How a view to obtaining an A*. Science Works into specifications, exam papers and support material. A highly experienced teacher Graham Delegates will receive a file and/or CD was until recently Head of Biology at a leading school in containing detailed notes of the course the North West. Venues and dates Ray is a very experienced Senior and Principal Examiner for a major awarding body. He is Head of Biology at a London, Tuesday 30 November 2010 leading sixth form college in the North West where he is Manchester, Thursday 25 November 2010 also a member of the senior management team. Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Session 1 What is the A* and what is the importance of AS? This session will look at the requirements of the A* award and the criteria on which it is based. Examples will be used to illustrate the types of questions with which A* students will be presented. The links between AS, A2 and A* will be explored, especially the importance of synopsis and How Science Works. 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.15am: Session 2 What are the challenges for A* students at AS? This session will explore the elements of Units 1, 2 and 3 in which able students should excel. This will include the longer responses linked to a comprehension passage in Unit 1, the long How Science Works question in Unit 2 and demonstrating an understanding of scientific methodology in Unit 3. The emphasis will be on the skills students will require. 12.45pm: Lunch 1.45pm: Session 3 Unit 4 will be challenging for all students. There will be a long How Science Works question and a lot of data handling questions that use novel contexts. What will separate A* students from the others? The types of questions used will be examined, together with strategies to develop the critical and analytical skills of students. Some other questions require students to display their factual knowledge in longer written responses. How should A* students approach these questions? This Unit will also form a large part of the preparation for Unit 6, where the written paper will provide stiff challenges even to the best students. Examples will be used to suggest how they might be prepared for this challenge. 2.45pm: Session 4 Synopsis runs throughout AS and A2 AQA Biology. The most able students will acquire a good knowledge of ‘facts’ during their study but this will not be enough to get an A*. Their most important asset will be a grasp of concepts and ‘big pictures’ in Biology. Strategies will be suggested to help these students to develop this broader view. In Unit 5, they will be asked to write a synoptic essay. What will set an A* essay apart from the others? 3.45pm: Day ends
- 8. AS/A2 AQA Biology: Reflections on Practical Assessment and Improving Student Outcomes Course features Tutor: Michael Blakemore The course will include reflections from both Biology and Human Biology. The two subjects share considerable overlap in their approach, in the nature of assessment, Michael is a Principal Examiner for a major awarding and in marking guidelines or mark schemes. Any lessons body who has produced specimen and examination that can be learned from one subject can equally be material for the ISA and EMPA, as well as for Biology applied to the other. and Human Biology. The programme will include a variety of activities to illustrate common weaknesses and to offer ideas or ways for improving performance. Venues and dates London, Friday 3 December 2010 Manchester, Thursday 11 November 2010 Delegates will receive a file and/or CD containing detailed notes of the course Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: ISA and EMPA Pros and cons Shared experience Results profile at AS and at A2 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.30am: How centres perform How well do centres prepare candidates for the different Stages or Tasks? Have centres learned from their experience at AS? Are candidates better prepared for A2? 12.30pm: Lunch 1.30pm: How candidates perform at AS Tables Graphs Written Test Section A (and EMPA Task 1) – individual investigation skills Written Test Section B – using other peoples’ data 2.45pm: How candidates perform at A2 (Tables) Statistics Written Test Section A (and EMPA Task 1) – individual investigation skills Written Test Section B – using other peoples’ data 3.45pm: Day ends
- 9. Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology: A focus on the more challenging areas Course features Tutor: Frank Sochacki This course is intended to give teachers the opportunity to reflect on the first two years of the new specification. It will help in identifying the differences between AS Frank Sochacki is Head of Biology at an independent and A2 and how this affects planned teaching. There school in Canterbury. He has taught A level Biology for will be a discussion that highlights areas of the new 25 years and has been an A level examiner for 17 years. specification that candidates find difficult and delegates He is now a Principle Examiner of Biology at AS level. will have the chance to review progress so far. The Frank is co-author of the new OCR-endorsed textbook provision of suitable practical work that supports written specifically to accompany the new specification learning and teaching will also be addressed. and has contributed to the accompanying Student Cafe CD and the Teachers Guide CD. Frank has already run many successful INSET courses introducing the new specification Delegates will receive a file and/or CD containing detailed notes of the course Venue and date London, Tuesday 14 December 2010 Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Introduction and Aims of the Day 10.15am: What areas do students find challenging in the AS/A2 course? Feedback from the examinations Feedback from teaching experience what do teachers find difficult to teach? 11.15am: Morning coffee 11.30am: How can we approach these problem areas? An opportunity to discuss what works in practice and what may not work so well 12.30am: Lunch 1.15pm: Incorporating A2 concepts making it A2 Stretch and challenge Synoptic work 2.15pm: Incorporating additional skills; quality of written communication How science works Practical skills Use of ICT 3.30pm: Afternoon tea 3.45pm: Further Questions and Plenary 4.00pm: Day ends
- 10. Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010 and the implications for moving forward with the specification Course features Tutor: Ed Lees This day is intended to give teachers the opportunity to reflect on the June 2010 examinations of this new specification and to identify important issues which Ed is an experienced INSET presenter having worked could help to enhance student performance. In addition extensively both in this country and abroad. He has over it provides an opportunity to review the demands of 35 years experience as an examiner and moderator and Unit 6 and how they may be addressed. is currently a Principal Examiner and Moderator with a major examination board. Having been involved in the preparation of the new A-level specification he has also been appointed to a senior position for implementation. Delegates will receive a file and/or CD More recently he has become Assistant Manager of containing detailed notes of the course a local teacher training consortium and runs his own consultancy. Venue and date London, Wednesday 13 October 2010 Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Using feedback to improve student performance Unit 1 – Lifestyle, Transport, Genes and Health Reviewing examiners’ comments from Jan and June 2010 Identifying important issues for teaching & learning 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.15am: Unit 2 – Development, Plants and the Environment Reviewing examiners’ comments from Jan and June 2010 Identifying important issues for teaching & learning 12.30pm: Lunch 1.30pm: Unit 3 – A visit/issue report Reviewing examiners’ comments from June 2010 Strategies for preparing students for Unit 3 2.30pm: Looking forward to Unit 6 Reviewing import principles for investigations Preparing students to undertake individual investigations Managing individual investigations Graphical and statistical requirements 3.30pm: Plenary 3.45pm: Day ends
- 11. Leading Learning in Biology A course for new, existing and aspiring subject leaders Course features Tutors: Margaret Baker and This course has been specifically designed for aspir- Alan Morris ing Heads of Biology and existing heads who strive to improve the success of their department. The course identifies successful strategies focusing on curriculum vi- Margaret is Head of Science in a large FE college. sion, raising attainment, self evaluation, monitoring and She has led a successful Biology Department and is resources. There will also be an opportunity to consider responsible for the training and monitoring of A level effective use of technical help and risk assessments. teachers. Margaret is a well known author and also has a number of years experience as an examiner and external moderator. Alan is Head of Biology and an Advanced Practitioner in an FE College. He teaches on the PGCE course and Delegates will receive a file and/or CD observes practising teachers, this has increased his containing detailed notes of the course awareness of the constraints and expectations placed on teachers today. He is also an author, and has had experience as an examiner and external moderator. Venue and date London, Wednesday 9 February 2011 Course fee £195 plus VAT 9.45am: Registration and coffee 10.00am: Day-to-day running of the department Running meetings effectively Effective use of technical help Risk assessments 11.00am: Morning coffee 11.15am: Getting the best out of people Managing and selecting colleagues Working with management 12.30pm: Lunch 1.30pm: Monitoring and evaluation Collecting and using information from observations and student surveys Acting upon strengths and weaknesses Planning and development 2.30pm: Raising standards in the department Increasing the challenge Retention 3.15pm: Issues surrounding inspection 3.45pm: Day ends
- 12. Teacher Day Booking Form )0844 800 5292 20844 800 5295 8bookings@teachersfirst.org.uk Or return the booking form to us at the address given below. We will then confirm your booking and issue an invoice. Payment is required 2 weeks before the date of the workshop. Course details will be sent out to you about 10 days before the course, after the receipt of payment. Please telephone us if you have not received them by this time. Further information on this and other events can be found on our website www.teachersfirst.org.uk Teacher Courses Venue Date Course fee per Number of head (plus VAT) places required A guide to teaching AS/A2 Biology for the first time London 01/12/10 £195 Making connections and being an outstanding teacher London 03/03/11 £195 in AS & A2 Biology and Human Biology London 23/03/11 £195 Making the grade in AS and A2 Biology and Human Biology Manchester 09/03/11 £195 AQA AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from the June London 04/11/10 £195 2010 and implications for moving ahead with the specification. Manchester 02/11/10 £195 London 30/11/10 £195 Stretch & Challenge and the A* for AQA GCE Biology Manchester 25/11/10 £195 London 03/12/10 £195 AQA AS/A2 Biology: Reflections on Practical Assessment and improving Student Outcomes Manchester 11/11/10 £195 Moving forward with AS/A2 OCR Biology: a focus on London 14/12/10 £195 the more challenging areas Edexcel AS/A2 Biology: The lessons from June 2010 and the implications for moving forward with the London 13/10/10 £195 specification. Leading learning in Biology :a course for new, existing London 09/02/11 £195 and aspiring subject leaders in Biology Delegate School / College Address & Postcode RS Telephone Mobile HE FI TEAC Office e-mail address RST Delegate e-mail address Please return to: There’s always something Teachers First LLP, PO Box 659, Stockport, SK2 7WF. new to learn Teachers First reserves the right to amend the programme where circumstances dictate.