I was reminded recently of the four stages of competence:
Unconscious Incompetence: I don’t know that I don’t know what I don’t know.
Conscious Incompetence: I know that I don’t know what I don’t know - I’m excited to know more.
Conscious Competence: I’m beginning to know what I didn’t know and I know that it’s going to take time and effort to know.
Unconscious Competence: I now know what I didn’t know pretty well and I can even help others to know.
It’s not easy to move through them.
How can it be done?
Three tools that really help are:
listening/reading
asking and
sharing.
On that note, it’s time to get those tools out.
It’s time to round up 10 questions your fellow members have been asking inside the community.
Join the discussions below - they’ll help all of us move through the stages.
We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning (when we’re listening, asking and sharing).
🤔📍10 questions school leaders are asking.
Looking for subject specific answers?
If you’re a subject leader, join our private groups for subject leaders.
If you want to hear how subject experts are developing every aspect of curriculum in their departments
Catch up on CurriculumThinking Weeks 2021, 2022, 2023 - 300 talks, 1000+ resources.
If you’re not a member of the Curriculum Thinkers Community, get free access here.
1. 💬 Oracy
“Looking to connect with schools who do Oracy well.
“We are looking to build confidence with our students in sharing their learning through oracy as well as giving them the tools to talk well about cross curricular links. If anyone is doing this well and would like to connect I would be interested to learn more.”
2. 🎯Curriculum end points
“Hi. We're doing lots of work around curriculum end points with leaders at the moment - reflecting on specificity in terms of substantive and disciplinary knowledge in particular. Does anyone have some examples of what these look like in your school for individual subjects that you'd be happy to share? It would be great to have some contrasting examples from Maths and English in particular. Thanks!”
3.🛡House systems
“I am seeing some help, please! I would really like to talk to and visit some schools who have a thriving House System. Ours has started off well this year, but I am looking to push it further, to have a model of excellence that we can strive to reach. I am in the South West and would love to connect to other AVPs with responsibllity in this area, to staff that are involved or have responsibility for it. A visit would be great but a conversation, chat or emails would also be really supportive. Please get in touch!”
4. 🧑🏫 Pedagogy
“Looking to meet schools who do I We You.
“We are currently working on implementing an I We You structure in our lessons across all subjects.
“Looking to connect with schools who use this model or a similar model.
“In particular, interested in ensuring that all our lessons have a significant chunk of the 'you do' phase, with opportunities for students to write extensively.
(An outline of our current framework for this structure is attached! All feedback welcome)”
5. 🤝 Coaching
“Hi, I am looking to see if any schools in the South East would be willing to let me visit with a view to exploring your established (or developing) instructional coaching offer. I am in the explore phase. Thanks in advance and happy Friday”
6. 🌍Year 11 Geography
“Hoping someone can help - or Niall Alcock you can pass this over to the Geo leads. One of my schools is desperately in need of an Eduqas A Yr 11 Geog Theme 6 MTP. Can anyone help please?”
7. 📊 Assessment
“Hi, I am currently looking at summative assessment for KS3 as part of a practitioner inquiry - focusing on how we can make this more impactful, whilst reducing workload/improving wellbeing. I was wondering if anyone has success stories or can point me in the direction of any literature which will support me investigating this? I am happy to share my findings at a later stage..”
8. 📚Reading
“Has anyone got any interesting "reading for pleasure" strategies. I work in a boys comprehensive school. I have considered Accelerated Reader but EEF research is not particularly glowing and its quite costly. However it was Primary not Secondary based.”
9. 📉 Assessment and tracking
“Are there any SENCOs I can ask some advice of about how you track progress with those children working below the expected standard in primary. We are moving to point in time assessment but need something more specific to track for those who are working below. Thanks.”
10. 🗣Student voice
“Dear WAIB, I am seeking some help, please! I would really like to talk to and visit some schools who successfully have a Student Voice. Ours has started off well this year, we have a clear Student Council Cycle and Prefects at both KS4 and 5. However, I am looking to push it further, to have a model of excellence that we can strive to reach. I am in the South West and would love to connect with others who have responsibility in this area. A visit would be great but a conversation, chat or emails would also be really supportive.”
Sent this email by a friend?
Got a question?
Handy to have a research assistant on tap at your school?
We invest 30+ hours a week helping you to get answers: keeping an eye on what’s happening, researching, replying, making introductions, signposting resources and updating our databases.
NB: due to the volume of questions asked, we prioritise members of the Curriculum Thinkers Community and members of the Pastoral Champions Community.
Not a member?
On a personal note
Three things I often worry about:
wasting people’s time
asking too much
not giving enough in return
It’s not a great place to be.
But the good news is those fears encourage me do everything I can to help wherever I can.
More than that, they’re actually part of the reason I enjoy helping people and why I love running the We Are In Beta community.
The bad news is, I don’t ask for help enough.
Last week, I couldn’t avoid it.
I put my worries aside to ask some of our most engaged members. We needed their feedback on an idea we’ve been working on, and their support to make it a success.
I emailed them. And waited anxiously.
I needn’t have worried - the response blow me away - they were grateful to be involved and keen to help. Results coming soon to members of the Curriculum Thinkers Community.
The lesson?
When you need help, ask for it.
Huge thanks to all of you - you know who you are.
If you’re reading this and would like to join the group of leaders we bounce ideas off, I’d love to hear from you. Just reply to this email.
Thanks for reading.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
📱 Get 16,133 school leaders and teachers in your pocket - download We Are In Beta
🚀 Looking for a new role? Get updates about specific jobs you’re looking for before anyone else.
🆕 New here? Catch up with previous editions, podcasts and webinars via the archive.