With memories of my primary school teacher days I boarded our coach with a group of students for a day trip to the Education Show at the NEC in Birmingham. Thankfully, unlike my primary school days there was no need to sing songs, administer to the travel sick, or try and stop them from eating their packed lunches before we got there. The show is a good outing for us. It enables us to visit trade stands and see up to date resources useful in teaching including my favourite – rows of sparkly pens and colourful paper. Who can resist? Certainly not me.
Some of the stands offer ‘freebies’ and students came back laden although I merely managed a glue stick and a highlighter, in their eyes I had probably failed. It also enables discussion with people providing things like outdoor activities for school groups. There are other stands which give you the chance to get ‘hands on’ so, for example, students tried making ‘slime’ a wonderfully tactile material which has qualities of both liquid and solid. Personally I couldn’t resist the opportunity to have a go at the climbing wall that Girl Guiding had on offer. I wasn’t exactly dressed for it but why should that stop me?
For me the best bit of a day at the show is the opportunity to get involved in the seminar groups. Some had a definitely creative, hands on feel whilst others offered a more traditional format with a speaker at the front. The sessions cover a range of topics in bite size, half an hour chunks and allow for engagement with up to date themes. I particularly enjoyed listening to Sue Cowley as she gave practical ideas for differentiation.
She has been a leading light in relation to behaviour management and her top tips have been invaluable over the years, regardless of the age range I have taught.
Her advice in relation to differentiation was simple and accessible and even though it was aimed at school based practitioners there were things I could take on board for my teaching at university.
It was a great day out and over all too soon leaving us with the final challenge of finding where the coach was parked …..