Aaron Wilkes carried out a training session for our Secondary school teachers. The theme of the training was Engaging Teaching and Learning Strategies for the 21st Century. Aaron has over 20 years’ experience working in schools as a teacher, department and faculty leader. He has also taken on pastoral and behaviour management positions within the school and, as a consequence of these varied roles, led teams of teachers (trainee teachers, NQTs and experienced full and part-time teachers) through a range of whole-school initiatives.
Julie Watson held a training session for the Primary school teachers called «Never Mind the Mucky Hands: The Resilient and Independent Young Learner». Julie is an incredibly enthusiastic and inspirational trainer, having gathered a wide range of experiences teaching and training over the past 18 years.
We spoke with Aaron and Julie to find out what their impressions of our school.
Julie Watson :
«I started training teachers in my third year of teaching. I started supporting teachers and I have been back in school, but training is my first love. I love sharing information.
I am delivering. We were looking at structures and techniques that teachers can use at any subject with any age children to encourage talk for learning and children being able to articulate their ideas and develop their ideas rather than the traditional method of imparting information.
The school is absolutely gorgeous! I was so impressed when I looked at it on the website to find out because I thought that the building is exactly what I would want a primary school to be if I could build one. It was so appealing. The teachers are really thinking deeply and that’s great. We’ve had some really philosophical discussions over cups of tea. I kind of want to encourage people to think about what they are doing because we are so busy doing the teaching that we never get the chance to reflect on what we are doing and why we are going it."
Aaron Wilkes
«I am a teacher. In September I am going to go back to work as a full-time teacher in the UK. I will be teaching 11year olds to 16-year-olds. I also write textbooks for Oxford University Press. I write the Key stage 3 and Key stage 4 textbooks. And also I train teachers.
My focus has been on engaging teaching strategies for the modern age. It’s sort of the latest techniques and tricks and tips that will empower the students to do work a little bit more independently, creatively, build up their resilience and prepare them for the crucial exams. Supplying teachers with tips to get across the subjects in an intriguing and interesting way. The school is lovely! Really impressive and the staff is so friendly! The staff is really open to new ideas and strategies which is really refreshing.»