we offer strategic consultation; inspired and inspiring cpd; curriculum engagement; learning through environmental re-design; expertise in accessing meaningful pupil voice; effective evaluation and reflective practice; assessment procedures and how to make them useful; and improving standards in teaching and learning with fresh perspectives and creativity.
here’s a selection of our tried and tested stand alone products:
- origami inset
why origami?
there’s basically one way to fold paper, you may start from a different corner of the paper but ultimately you are going to fold it.
for some in the teaching profession there often appears to be only one way of teaching.
what happens if your students don’t respond to this one way?
usually not the engagement nor progress that Ofsted, parents or you desire.
changing cultures can provide an interactive inset (yes – employing origami) that enables teachers to look at other models of teaching and learning, with alternative ways to engage students and achieve progress.
- the learning olympics
would you like your pupils to design, manage, conduct and assess their own learning?
pupil-led learning is often spoken about, sometimes actively encouraged, but can be daunting to put into practice.
what if the whole idea makes you feel uneasy?
probably not the supported freedom for your children to experiment and progress that you as a classroom or phase leader were aiming for.
changing cultures can offer a proven framework to let your children hold their own learning olympics, with your support, to supply you with a model that will sustain long beyond any sporting event.
- reflective practice
how would you like to find ways to evaluate teaching and learning in the classroom that your children actually understand?
teachers are often asked to ensure they leave time for reflection at the end of their classes.
what is the purpose of this if it is not meaningful for children and useful for staff to inform future planning?
already time is tight, and without the support to make sure evaluation is a valuable use of that time – it’s easy to let it fall off the agenda.
changing cultures can not only provide you with a range of tools to allow your children to analyse their own learning (no matter how young) but can help you use this feedback to make your own planning easier and more effective.
- enabling environments
does your current environment allow you to get the best from your learners, staff or visitors?
have you been putting up with unsuitable buildings, classrooms, offices, receptions waiting for a re-build which will never happen?
the environment which we live and work has a huge effect on us physically and mentally
the wrong environment gives the wrong impression, and dictates how people act within it.
changing cultures consider the function of your environment, needs and aesthetics to develop it; maximising learning, productivity, and that ‘feel good’ factor
- effective storytelling for primary and eyfs staff
do you feel totally confident that your children get the most they can out of storytime?
with a large class it can be difficult to engage everyone.
how can we engage the wigglers, the dreamers and the ones who already know the story all at the same time?
especially if you’re not comfortable in the role of performer.
changing cultures have developed a half day training session that can truly inspire and re-invigorate your storytelling; leading to a fresh enthusiasm for spoken narrative throughout the classroom.
- making assessment meaningful for all
can your secondary school students remember anything about their last assessment?
of course staff need to be able to measure progress, but it’s a lost opportunity if this process doesn’t help embed the learning for our young people.
do your young people really understand the purpose and value of assessment and could you actually help them get excited about it?
once the responsibility for measuring effective teaching and learning is shared throughout the classroom, it takes on a whole new life and import.
changing cultures can offer a framework that enables staff and pupils to work together to design assessments that tell everyone what they need to know, and motivates children to give of their best.
other products include :
- observation frameworks
- visioning for the future
- sifting the initiatives
- analysis through finger puppets!
- meaningful pupil voice
- learning conversations
- top trump teaching and learning
- communication techniques for EAL students
- developing parental engagement
- conference planning / delivery and keynote speaking
it all starts with a conversation
talk@changingcultures.org
changing cultures 