I always knew I was right

OK, slightly amusing story here. (In a way).

Preperation for Ofsted is involving senior teachers being watched and watching so that we know how to evaluate a lesson in the way that Ofsted evaluate lessons. I had one observation of a lesson today.

From the word go I'll put my hands up and say that it wasn't my best lesson. I felt that it fell into the (will be seriously reconsidering that one) group. They didn't, they felt it was satisfactory. However it was the feedback that was interesting.

Basic summary was that the teaching objectives were too vague, and that the work set was too complicated. So basically a simplification of it all. And I totally agree.

What makes it all interesting to me is that I purposefully chose to do a lesson that was right out of the the governments Key Stage 3 Strategy for ICT, which provides all the resources, even the lesson plans. I did the lesson strictly to that, and got that feedback.

For ages I've been arguing that the Strategy (clearly written by people who have no idea what young children would interested in) is expecting far too much in what it sets out to achieve. I also couldn't help but laugh at the fact that the 'best' the government could get to work on this stuff could only produce vague lesson objectives according to the Ofsted chap. I'll be doing my own lesson next time and I'll be interested to see what feedback comes from that. I suspect it will be more in line with what the inspector would be looking for.

So I am looking forward to the next time I get the local lea person in to let them know what Ofsted thought of the governments much praised strategy.

Relatively early night tonight as I have a tennis tournament match tomorrow.

Chris