An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

Department of Education and Science

 

Subject Inspection of Home Economics

REPORT

 

Scoil Mhuire

Kanturk, County Cork.

Roll number: 62290L

 

Date of inspection: 16 November 2007

 

 

 

 

Subject inspection report

Subject provision and whole school support

Planning and preparation

Teaching and learning

Assessment

Summary of main findings and recommendations

School response to the report

 

 

 

 

Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Home Economics

 

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Home Economics and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over two days during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with the students and the teacher, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teacher. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and the teacher’s written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and subject teacher. The board of management was given the opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report, and the response of the board will be found in the appendix to this report.

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

Home Economics in Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk is well established on the school’s curriculum. As a subject it benefits from a good level of provision and whole-school support. Home Economics is a very popular subject in the school, especially amongst the female student cohort. Simultaneously, a number of boys have also opted to study Home Economics. This can be attributed in part to the fact that a taster programme operates in both first year and Transition Year (TY). This approach, along with the fact that the school operates a very open and student-centred approach to subject choice, ensures an equality of access to all subjects for all students. Both approaches are highly praised. Considering the school’s desire to see more boys opting to study Home Economics, it is suggested that the home economics department might explore the introduction of strategies designed to further encourage uptake in the subject amongst boys. This could include, for example, the erection of a subject-specific notice board that might contain information relating to course content, examination performance, both nationally and in the school, as well as career prospects.

 

The timetabling of junior cycle Home Economics is adequate, while the timetabling of senior cycle Home Economics is noted as generous. Classes for each year group are well spread over the weekly timetable. This ensures regular contact with the subject for students. Double periods are provided for the completion of required practical work. In general, class sizes are conducive to the effective and safe delivery of the home economics syllabuses. However, a number of class groups exceed twenty students, which is considered the very maximum number of students for which the room in question is designed to accommodate. In this instance, every effort should be made by management to ensure that class sizes do not exceed the maximum number of twenty students.  

 

Home Economics is well resourced in the school. The school houses an appropriately equipped kitchen and students also have access to the range of equipment that is required for the completion of both the textile section and the design and craftwork optional study area of the junior cycle syllabus. Requests for additional resources are, budget permitting, greeted favourably by management. The floor covering in the home economics kitchen causes some concern. In the interest of health and safety, the current flooring needs to be replaced with a suitable non-slip covering. In addition, the effectiveness of the room’s ventilation system needs to be examined. Should the examination outcome prove negative, an upgrading of the ventilation system should be considered. At present, access to information communication technologies (ICT) is facilitated through a booking system or through consideration of individual teacher’s requests to be timetabled for the school’s ICT room. The latter is highly praised. This is an offer which has been taken up by the home economics department, and this is also commended. Recently, a number of the non-specialist classrooms in the school have been fitted with interactive whiteboards, as well as the necessary hardware for the use of the boards. This provision is applauded. Plans are in place to provide room-based access to ICT for the school’s specialist rooms in the not-too-distant future. This is fully encouraged.

 

A health and safety statement has been compiled for the home economics room. Each September the home economics department carries out an audit of the facilities. This practice is commended. In the interest of accountability, the department is encouraged to maintain a written record of this audit.    

 

Formal planning time, for the purpose of subject-department planning, is provided by management at the start of each school year. The provision of additional time over the course of the school year, and again as the school year draws to a close, should be considered. The provision of agendas for such meetings, which simultaneously provide subject departments with some scope for the addition of items that they view as significant, should also be considered. All departments should be encouraged by management to maintain a record of the key decisions taken as a result of each formal meeting. These, along with the agendas, should be filed for future reference and reflection. As a means of further supporting professional dialogue, some consideration might also be given to facilitating, for a portion of the assigned time, the meeting of one-teacher departments with other relevant departments.    

 

 

Planning and preparation

 

A home economics subject plan is being developed. This includes outline schemes of work which are, very commendably, monitored on an ongoing basis and reviewed annually. It is recommended that these outline schemes be developed in time. To this end, it is suggested that the fore-mentioned documents be married with the information relating to planning for teaching, learning and assessment that is currently in evidence in the teacher diary. A tabular format is one recommended approach that might be adopted for the expansion of the schemes, although other approaches might also be explored. The Home Economics Support Service could inform in this regard. The expanded schemes should outline the topics to be covered on a term-by-term basis, suitable methodologies, available resources, appropriate homework, as well as the timing and modes of assessment. As appropriate they might also reference revision. Schemes should, as per the relevant syllabuses, provide for the integration of topics, including practical and theory, reflect the syllabus weightings for each area, and demonstrate a developmental approach to the delivery of syllabus content. The end product should be used daily to direct and influence lesson planning and delivery, as well as lesson evaluation.

 

More specifically, in terms of planning, it is suggested that the current scheme of work for TY students might be reviewed, in light perhaps of the desire to increase the number of boys in the school who opt to study the subject to Leaving Certificate level. In addition, when providing for the textile section of the junior cycle syllabus, provision must be made for the completion of a simple item of clothing as well as a household item. 

 

As part of the department’s long term planning for the development of Home Economics in Scoil Mhuire, some time has been given to an identification of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses. The department is encouraged to revisit such an exercise on an annual basis, as a means of evaluating progress and change. It is suggested that the approach be developed further through the use of a SCOT analysis. Such an approach would not only identify the subject’s perceived strengths and challenges, but would also lead to an identification of the opportunities for development, as well as any possible threats to the subject. Such outcomes should direct future planning and actions at both subject department and whole-school level.

 

Teacher files, reviewed as part of the subject inspection, indicate a strong commitment to lesson planning. A wide selection of appropriately chosen and prepared worksheets, acetates, handouts and assessment papers were in evidence in such files. This commitment is applauded.

 

A room-based resource library is being developed in the home economics kitchen. Such a resource is strongly advocated. The requesting from management, on an annual basis, of a small amount of funding that would help to sustain and increase the number of books and packs available to students for use during independent research and study is suggested.

 

 

Teaching and learning

 

Lessons observed were consistent with the outline schemes of work. Opportunities were very effectively used throughout lessons to demonstrate continuity with subject matter covered in previous lessons. The referencing and, on occasions, the examination of such subject matter, helped students to establish links between previous knowledge and new information being explored. The approach also provided for an examination of students’ knowledge and understanding of topics previously studied. Such a structured approach is highly commended. 

 

There was evidence of short-term planning for each of the lessons observed. Lessons were carefully planned and therefore purposeful. In the main, lessons were suitably challenging for students, as well as being appropriately paced. However, this was not evident in all lessons. As a result, it is recommended that when planning lessons, consistent consideration be given to ensuring that the volume and type of work covered is suitably challenging, as determined by students’ levels and abilities. Furthermore, when lesson planning, consideration ought to be given to the provision of time as lessons draw to a close in order that the lesson and the associated learning can be summarised and checked. Best practice dictates that clear links should be made at this point with the lesson’s intended aims and objectives. To this end, an examination of the different approaches to lesson summary might be considered.

 

A number of resources had been prepared and collected for use in the delivery of lesson content. The resources utilised included case studies, worksheets, question sheets, pre-prepared acetates and the whiteboard. As mentioned previously, teacher files indicated that the collection, preparation and use of a range of suitable resources is well established in the home economics department. It is recommended that students be encouraged to develop a filing system for materials provided to them during lessons. Lessons demonstrated clear aims. In one senior cycle lesson, the lesson aim was openly shared with students. This approach, which is very commendable, is recommended in all lessons, including practical lessons. Very good practice was observed in one lesson, where the syllabus was used to highlight to students the very specific and intended learning objectives of the topic under investigation.

 

Teacher instruction was clear and accurate. Significant efforts were made to ensure that the information being presented was accessible to students. As lessons progressed, students were regularly asked if they understood and if they had any questions. Areas of the syllabus that demonstrated a relevance to the subject matter being discussed in lessons were referenced appropriately. This integrated approach to the delivery of subject matter, which is consistent with syllabus objectives, is highly praised. A range of methodologies was utilised in the delivery of theory lessons. This included the incorporation and use of brainstorming, pair work, discussion and note-taking. An exploration of the greater use of methodologies that require direct input and the ‘hands-on’ engagement of students is recommended. It is suggested, for example, that, in place of or in combination with the strategy of note-taking, students be introduced to strategies such as note-making, mind mapping and the use of graphic organisers. The use of pictures and graphics in order, for example, to illustrate a point being made, and which was noted in some lessons, is further encouraged. Such an approach seeks to provide for the learners whose preferred learning style is visual, as opposed to auditory or kinaesthetic.  

 

In examination classes suitable and insightful references were provided to students in terms of examination paper layout, types of questioning and answering techniques. This staged approach to the preparation of students for the State examinations is commended. The questioning of students, as a means of involving them in lesson content, was a significant feature of the majority of lessons observed. Some scope exists for the greater incorporation of questions designed to develop students’ higher-order thinking skills and, as alluded to previously, to check students’ understanding of new work.

 

The practical lesson observed indicated that students were both competent and confident in their culinary pursuits. In spite of this level of proficiency, it is recommended that whole-class, teacher input remain a significant feature of all practical food-studies lessons. In addition it is recommended that opportunities to highlight, reference and teach relevant theory be fully utilised during these lessons.

 

Classroom interactions were notably positive. Students were very happy to ask questions in order to clarify a point that was made or to satisfy natural curiosity that was often inspired by the topics being explored. This was indicative of both their comfort and interest levels. Students’ input was welcomed by the teacher. All students’ contributions, be they comments, queries or answers to questions were acknowledged and appropriately affirmed. Students were well-behaved and most attentive. When questioned by the inspector, both individually and as a group, students were very knowledgeable in relation to work just explored and work previously covered.

 

 

Assessment

 

Homework was assigned in each of the lessons observed on the day of the inspection. It was clear, from an observation of students’ copybooks, that homework is assigned and monitored on a very regular basis. In the monitoring of students’ work it is recommended that the home economics department build on its use of comment marking. Periodically, this work might also be graded.

 

A range of assessment modes is employed with a view to determining students’ progress and achievement in Home Economics. This includes the assessment of students’ practical work. An extension of this to students’ project or journal work should also be considered. The grade that is provided in the Christmas and summer reports is an aggregate mark that recognises students’ performance in written examinations and in practical food-studies assessments. The home economics department is commended for this approach and is encouraged to extend this practice in order to include the recognition of students’ achievement in terms of, and as appropriate, their project or journal work. Students should be encouraged to systematically file their test papers, corrected tests and all associated work. Students’ outcomes are recorded and these inform feedback provided to parents in school reports and at parent-teacher meetings. 

 

While the home economics department’s procedures in relation to homework and assessment are generally outlined in the subject plan, in time this might be further developed with a view to producing subject and year-group specific homework and assessment policies. 

 

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

 

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

 

Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teacher of Home Economics and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation, when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.

 

 

 

 

Published, June 2008

 

 

 

 

Appendix

School response to the report

Submitted by the Board of Management

 

 

 

 

             Area 1 Observations on the content of the Inspection Report

The Board welcomes the positive and supportive nature of the report.

 

 

Area 2   Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection

The recommendations will be subject of ongoing consideration.  The replacement of the present floor covering which was approved for grant purposes in 1987 will be replaced as soon as school finances allow.