I included an example of a fieldwork booklet.
It is adaptable and sections can be removed depending on how much time you have.
This school was huge and they walked around separately as we had 4 buses of students.
Since we walked, I was the guide and mentioned all the prices etc.
The school is deprived so you need to address misconceptions during evaluation on whether it was successful or not as the students will think these big shops are amazing/ or unaware due to their hometown being small.
With a different school, we did the boat tour instead so they were able to easily take photos to annotate, write a lot and complete a full booklet (different to this booklet). In that booklet, the main difference was we added a map of the locations the boat goes and labelled it. Students made notes on each part. The boat tour guide may know some things, otherwise I (and you) know the information already to share. On the boat tour, you’ll see the giant boat that Bristol paid millions to move a few yards down for “regeneration” of the food shops nearby. When walking, we never saw it.
Bristol has a lot of history and original butts, cranes etc. in the area which people may not know. Things like vegetation drainage, use of brown field sites etc. I included some information for you in case you are unaware, and some articles.
With other schools, they decided to not visit Bristol.
Starter - crime in London vs. your town
Objectives
Key terms - challenge included
Crime rates calculation - handouts and modelling examples - available on PPT - challenge included
Answers available on PPT (also handouts for slow students to keep pace)
Description paragraphs (gap fills), using the data as examples - challenge included
Choropleth map - instructions - modelling examples - challenge included
Peer assessing (with marks and WWW/ HTI) - deeper assessment - Thinking box included
Describe crime in books questions (using data) - challenge included
Review objectives
1hr lesson, can easily be 2 depending on ability/ pace you want to go
I use to live and teach in rural Tanzania for a bit so I wanted to share culture about it to the students in an engaging way
Starter: images guessing where
Objectives
Images and storytelling (short)
Information sheets - around the room task for engagement - up to date info 2024
Tourism posters
Examples
Plenary sharing
Resources: PPT, Graph paper, Help sheets, Templates
Keywords: Hypothesis, Perception, Crime, Analysis, Conclusion
Starter activity: Where would you like to live? (from reading newspaper headlines)
• Describe different peoples’ perceptions towards crimes
• Identify patterns in crime perceptions
• Explain why there are differences in perceptions of crime
Key terms
Data
Hypothesis
Bar chart
Peer assess
Description paragraph
Conclusion
Review
Group sharing
Examples
Modelling on board
Colour coded
Help sheet to scaffold/ help
Template available for those who are struggling a lot
Prompt questions
Challenge – How might someone’s perception of crime be affected?
Letter 1: Geography (2 pages)
Letter 2: English (2 pages)
I had quite a few people ask for my letter so I thought I’d share it, along with my experience. I sent a generic letter to several schools and I was invited to every interview. You should personalise it.
All my experience was not included in the letter or application forms because I felt that it is too time-consuming. You should include relevant information though and increase your employability. I am a very picky person when it comes to the work environment and highly value myself. I lined up interviews day after day for about 1.5 weeks. I went to the first few and I did not like them. For example, I saw a black student wearing his traditional wear and I made a nice comment. The headteacher referred it as a special day where “they” get to wear “costumes”.
I went to one that really stood out and I have told them I have another interview. You shouldn’t do this unless you are the better candidate. You should just say that you can’t answer the phone at placement.*Never agree to a job unless you are certain. Backing out is unprofessional, leads to bad references and blacklisting = you’re stuck with the school you changed to. Remember if you fail as ECT you are barred from teaching. However, if you are failing, you can quit and rejoin as an ECT in another school - but not if you are blacklisted!
I asked further schools to cover my travel expenses. 1 school didn’t. I felt that they didn’t value teachers so I rejected them. In the interviews I attended, it was common to over-run by a little bit. That’s okay. However, in one school I got to leave after my interview (lunch time for me) but the interviewers went for lunch and made the other candidate wait until after their lunch before interviewing him, and not offering any food for him. I liked that school as I went around but not the way they treated the interviewee so I decided against it. You have to remember your workplace needs to treat you right.
In another interview, I had travelled 3 hours to. They over ran by more than 1 hour. I was debating to just leave. They never offered me the option to leave early. I felt that they did not value people’s time considering the other candidate was local and was interviewed first, yet I was interviewed later. I didn’t like it. They had a good reputation by the locals which is why I accepted the interview. They loved everything I did with the students and class, however when I asked about pay etc. I rejected the offer. With relocation costs, it wasn’t worth it. They reimbursed me £90 (railcard).
After that interview, I decided to take the earlier offer and cancel the rest. I interviewed them and negotiated masters, extra holidays, £3k higher pay etc. Don’t do this unless you’re in a good position. I was a trainee for reference but believe my experience is valuable.
PowerPoint portfolio
Consistent design and font
All 8 teaching standards with bullet points in each (from the Teaching Standards)
Under each bullet point are examples of how I completed it as evidence
Adaptable
You can include images/ files to the PPT
Your own portfolio should already be online for you to refer to (if you’re training)
Resources
PPT
Atlas (optional)
History sheets (optional)
Keywords
Africa
Asia
Migration
Colonisation
Independence
Prepare for Learning – Entry Activity
Silent reading for 10 minutes
Starter activity: Spot the odd one out images x2
Learning Intentions and Agree Learning Outcomes
Understand the causes of the English Civil War
• Describe the location of Africa
• Recognise the difference regions of Africa
• Explain how Africa has changed over time
Present New Information
Map skills with Africa/ continents
History of Africa (literacy reading)
History of Africa (10minute video – if time)
Construct Meaning – Learning by Doing
Map of Africa
Rank figures onto tables
Apply to Demonstrate Understanding – Opportunity
Identify regional scale in UK and compass regions in Africa
Find countries in different regions of Africa
PEE paragraph on how Africa changed over time
Review
Write down 3 things you found interesting
Additional Support (SEN support, EHCP, PP FSM, LAC)
Checking in
Examples
Word bank
Images
Colour and number coded
Answers on board
Stretch and Challenge
Challenge – using challenge key word bank
1hr lesson - TEEP model
Images - odd one out and why. Challenge included.
Definitions
Biomes
Animals - information collecting. Challenge included.
Short story on your daily life (as one of the animals)
Sharing
3, 2, 1 plenary
Identity
Key words
Google Earth - or consider Atlas - depending on students’ locational knowledge and skills
Video with a few comprehension questions - AFL
Images, Atlas, Split, Latitude images/ information available - explanation available if needed.
South Sudan - questions about placement etc. (in lesson plan)
Timeline reading
Mind map ideas - from timeline prompts - you may want to explain, draw etc.
I used Iraq as an example (about the war and religion) - and linking it to humanities - affecting this independence and conflict etc.
Design your own country - questions to ask to check understanding
Include prompt questions in instructions – e.g., do you want the capital city to be in the mountains or near the river? Why?/ do you want them to speak the same language or something different and why?
Questions about their new country - students to justify
They label their country
Challenges included
Random sharing - wheel of fortune included in PPT. Adjust names.
Updated: Loved lesson by schools. Focuses on literacy. I included emotions helpsheet in this for SEMH students.
Starter: Life expectancy game using 2024 statistics
Graph - students interpret or you explain
Definition
UK discussion topic - if you have more time - add in a maths question using the numbers (to include numeracy skills in your list)
Graph with lots of prompt questions. Depending on ability and past topics you can decide whether you go through this part together or in pairs/ alone.
Next slides - if they are quite low ability, do address how it links for understanding. Otherwise, it is easily understandable but check in with lower abilities by having them answer/ share (privately or in class depending how supportive the class is and if you manage behaviour well).
Articles, videos included - depending on time and ability you can choose whether to include all. I usually do the summarised slide and a video for lower ability to understand it.
Please address misconceptions that NOT every eldery does this.
Instructions with success criterion
Example which helps a lot
Template provided (print out versions available if you have students who aren’t able to write)
Challenge included
Peer assess - more positives than negatives.
Notes:
I mentioned TA but she just chills at the back of the room most of the time.
High ability (above top set) - if needed - I added lots of information about other countries with videos and personal knowledge (not included in PPT) but I found any of this difficult to fit and engage with average ability as they are only familiar with UK and still lack knowledge on that so I skipped them.
Very fun and engaging deforestation debate (they need some knowledge beforehand, otherwise your help during the debate). All students say it is the best geography lesson they had (including if I do this in other schools as a one off). All students are actively participating in every second of the lesson. I really enjoy this lesson but it is a lot of energy and they need to respond to you. For a class that are noisy/ active I used a bell per round (5), but other classes it is not needed.
Hot air balloon debate.
There is a bit of preparing time for all students at the start so they are ready.
Depending on their ability, during the “note taking” sections (between some rounds), you can give questions to volunteers/ help them out ready for the debate in advance. Otherwise, my students were just practicing their confidence and speech/ public speaking skills. E.g. I had one stand up high and speak loudly, and used the uniform as “one” to vote for him.
For example, they may ask for some advice. The lower abilities would take their books to read or use for ideas during this time. You may want to provide a finished handout for the volunteers as they are note taking (unless they are high enough ability to multitask it). I usually photocopy another students’ finished notes to give them because it is related to the actual debate they did, rather than what you’ll guess they will say.
After the debate, they have a good view on all stakeholders and can create their own speech about who they support. Sentence starters/ examples, prompts provided. Challenge included. Some students to share their speech afterwards.
This builds great confidence in their speaking, reading, and class support.
It is fast pace, so behaviour needs to be quickly acted upon.
Responsibility shared, more freedom and trust in the classroom. It is something different and worth trying if you haven’t. It will indicate whether you can trust/ give freedom in lessons.
This is a shorter version than my original to fit within 50mins-1hr class. It can easily be adjusted.
Video
Information of key features
Colour code
Categorising between tourism/ ecotourism
Images and examples
Case study with worksheet and challenges
Design task with success criterion
Student example available
1-2 hour lesson
Lesson plan attached in full (updated)
Thinking starter image
Facts (prior knowledge check AFL)
Videos with questions on causes and impacts
News report with example, gapfill/ sentence starters
Plenary AFL
Worksheets to print
2 versions (diff AFL)
Starter: List as many countries in Asia as you can (prior knowledge)
Peer assess, add 5 to list allows them to learn more within cognitive load
Learning intentions (referred to throughout lesson)
Colour coded map and compass. Think/ Pair/ Share
Students act as the teachers and point out the regions.
Gapfill
Handout for SEN
What do you need to pack on holiday travelling in Asia?
Video
Image prompts to allow time (EAL, lower ability, SEND). Challenge included for others.
Similarities and differences between China and India (handouts)
Highlight information
Add own facts
2 paragraphs writing (sentence starters)
Answers on board
Bingo key words plenary but teacher uses definitions so students need to think
1hr lesson
Guess the country images and flag
Describe the location - Atlas use and map
Video - fact information
A3 poster in pairs promoting tourism in airports
Success criteria included - slogans, pictures, facts
Images/ Montage of ideas
Peer assess (group swaps)
Plenary
1hr lesson
PPT step by step answers, images, colour coded, for low ability/ consistency in answers.
Guess where - images and flag
Prior knowledge check
World map handout
Describe location
Video
Information search (around the room/ sheets)
Fill in sheets
Lonely planet introduction writing task
Peer assessing
National Graphic Magazine task
Spelling test
Introduction (maps)
Adjectives about it
Video
Adjectives now
Discussion about perception - address all the misconceptions
Describe location (gapfill) and challenges
Images and guessing if it’s in the area or not - discussion and address misconceptions again after
Video
Development indicators
Atlas use - engaging and exploring for students (assist if needed e.g. page number after a while)
Fill in the table (challenges included)
Time limit and show answers - address misconceptions
Compare it to UK. Example on board (gapfill). Lower ability can use board example with gapfill. Higher ability can make their own.
Plenary, which statement is a lie. AFL fingers.