Research and Development

[Piggywaspushed]

Ok, sow e have just been awarded Teaching School and I have been strongarmed into awarded the role of leader of research and Development.

gentle enquiry ahs not really enlightened me as to what that means I am meant to spend my days doing. I had a role this year which was a bit unfulfilling and am not keen to step into another one blind.

What I have been told sounds quite dull.

Can anyone persuade me this isn't just sitting in a corner?

As you can see, sitting in a corner typing wouldn't be my forte...

Are you a member of the Chartered College of Teaching? Their first journal was all about evidence based teaching and how to translate research into the classroom. The EEF is worth a look, and EduTwitter is full of it!

No,I'm not. I do follow those things on Twitter.

I don't really get how that translates into my role . I get what research is per se. I think I might be being a bit thick...

It doesn't help that it isn't really the culture of our school to research,learn things, change practice so I can't see what it'll achieve...

I won't have a direct line manager or indeed anyone to line manage. There is a team but doing discrete things.

Without meaning to be rude, why are you doing this??

This is a very good question!!

Because we have been awarded TS status and I am in the current team and tow other people thought the role would suit me. My career is riddled with other people deciding on my behalf what fulfils me.

In school CPD and intervention went to an existing Asst head and a newly appointed SLT member.

OK. Well, I would strongly recommend joining the CCT because it looks like this is going to be a big thing with them. Could you contact a research school and go and see what they're doing? Do you have staff in your school doing MEds? I would get them together, ask them to write about their research project and produce a termly research journal for the school. Maybe organise a bit of action research in an area of interest for your school. Effectiveness of a new intervention? The EEF has templates for planning this.

OK, thanks Madonna : I'll look into it. The annoying thing is I think I have been given the bits of the job our man who already works two days a week at the local uni can't be bothered with. I think the uni might have something up their sleeve.

I have no idea of we have anyone doing an MEd to be honest but can find out.

You have made the job sound exactly like what I feared - overseeing the research of others and producing evidence / proving impact. I am sure others would like that but I miss contact with parents and students that I had in a previous role and this sounds a touch dry. I know other people really like the 'hobnobbing' aspect of stuff like this!

I don'the like hobnobbing. I do like seeing if things work though!

yes, me too. We aren't very open to that in my school somewhat depending on whose idea it is but who know maybe this'll change that a bit!

The CPD lady in charge potentially might be open to working with me.

Do it! I think it sounds like a great job.

Really??

I don't actually think I have a choice but thanks for the positivity! :)

Really. I would genuinely love it. Do try to talk to a research lead in another school to give you some concrete ideas to start with.

At my previous school we had a thing called 'teachmeet' where various teachers from a few schools (and a few people with a product to sell) came in and talked about something they'd been doing in the classroom and what impact it had. Some things useful some not so much but I always left with at least one thing to try out.

We also had a research project with links to a local uni but that was awful. Not enough time to do anything and not rigorous at all. People making things up just to say they'd done things... makes me question the ethics of research everywhere!

Oh yes, teachmeets are definitely a thing to try.

Yes dove my issue is I don't rate an awful lot of school level so called research. Your first thing sounds a bit like something we have done in house called the 'marketplace'. It's all about time though : when do people get time to get out of school and do stuff ever these days...?

Worth flicking through this presentation by Dylan Wiliam www.dylanwiliam.org/Dylan_Wiliams_website/Presentations_files/2016-10-29%20ResearchED.pptx

Why teaching isn't - and probably never will be - a research-based profession (and why that's a good thing).

Thanks noble : will do

Morning. I looked into Research School. there are only 5 and none near me . So this is a nascent organisation. Is the aim to take this research bit away from Teaching Schools ultimately , does anyone know?

Morning. I looked into Research School. there are only 5 and none near me . So this is a nascent organisation. Is the aim to take this research bit away from Teaching Schools ultimately , does anyone know?

Have you no experience in research? How to run a trial? Design a questionnaire? Are you actually meant to be conducting research yourself? Because if so, and you don't know what you're doing, any research you produce will be totally worthless.

I think you need to get into these other research schools and find out what they do.

Hit the nail on the head there noble.

This is kind of why the lady is protesting so much.

I kind of get the impression I am meant to 'broker' research by others (yawn), oversee some action research project or other with some partner schools and then who knows what.

We aren't a research school (I gather they are rather fledgling?) so don't have those funds or those amazing links. I also teach 39/50 lessons. I would like to visit one but the nearest is 250 miles away!

I think the first step is to get into another teaching school perhaps?

My head does have a tendency to think no one needs to know how to do anything themselves because they are simply overseeing the work of others. It does lead to a somewhat interesting culture.

Our area of specialism lies very much in ITT. But that won't have much to do with me in my role.