Chris M. M. Smith

Setting or mixed ability? Teachers' views of the organisation of pupils for learning

This paper examines how staff in schools formulate decisions about pupil organisation. A small sample of primary and secondary schools from across Scotland was involved in the study. n nIn 1996 Her Majestys Inspectors published a report entitled Achievement for All (SOEID, 1996) which, it was envisaged, would form the basis of school evaluations into the effectiveness of classroom organisation. This report, and in particular the six principles on which it suggested effective organisational arrangements should rest, formed the organising framework for the study. n nThe study had three main aims: n n1to ascertain the extent to which the principles outlined in the HMI report had been used by school staff when making decisions about which form of organisation to use n2to comment on the perceptions of teaching staff of how well the arrangements in place were working n3to ascertain how the impact on teaching and learning was being evaluated.

Creating a community of teacher-learners

Abstract Professional development is an essential component of retaining high quality teachers. Current US legislation, as stated in No Child Left Behind, emphasises this premise. Although professional development opportunities have been abundant for decades, a closer look at standards and criteria for effective professional development is essential in order to increase the possibility of programing opportunities that will truly impact teacher behaviors. According to the National Staff Development Council, effective professional development places teachers into learning communities. This can be a challenge to professional development center administrators, who often program single-session workshops for teachers from different school systems as the primary mode of delivery or instruction, minimising the opportunities for collaboration among a cohort. The purpose of this study is to determine instructional preferences of teachers, taking into account teaching experience and grade level, and suggest methods for placing teachers into learning communities by these preferences in order to meet current standards of professional development

The Scottish Network for Able Children (SNAP): A National Initiative To Support Schools and Teachers

Unlike many other countries throughout the world Scotland has firmly embedded the education of able pupils within an increasingly inclusive education system. The Scottish Network for Able Pupils (SNAP) is a national organization, supported by the Scottish Executive, with a remit to take forward the development of education for more able pupils within this inclusive framework. This paper outlines SNAPS origins, principles and aims.

Can Inclusion Work for More Able Learners

Since the Warnock (DES, 1978) and Progress Reports (SED, 1978) policy and legislation in Scotland has been enacted in a bid to create a more inclusive educational system. Despite an evolving legal and policy framework, or indeed perhaps because of it, tensions exist in the system and the deficit nature of language and practice remains. In this context where do more able learners find themselves? This paper will examine the concept of inclusion and the legal and policy framework that currently exists in Scotland for evidence that the education of more able learners is encompassed by this inclusive approach.

Local Initiatives in Scotland, UK

The Scottish Network for Able Pupils (SNAP) has been working closely with a number of local authorities in Scotland for some years. In partnership with these authorities we have established a network of Associate Tutors who coordinate and act as a focus for staff development, policy and provision at a local level. These tutors are part of an ongoing and collaborative programme of staff development with SNAP staff at the University of Glasgow. We are particularly proud of the work that this group has achieved and this article celebrates what has been developed thus far at a local level.