Of all the issues surrounding the wonderful world of learning and motivation it is the use of music that seems to provoke the most debate and controversy. For the past 12 years Nina has used her enthusiasm and experience as a musician and music teacher to raise achievement in the classroom through the effective use of music as a learning tool.
Her interest and key leadership roles in special needs have led her to devise Specialist ‘Therapy Programmes’ and she is in demand to deliver INSET for pupils displaying difficulties with anger management, disaffection with school, and lacking motivation and confidence.
In 2001 she was awarded a Teacher Research Scholarship from the General Teaching Council of Wales and subsequently devised, implemented and researched a programme she calls ‘Music and the Mind’, something that has attracted considerable interest across the United Kingdom. The research was extremely successful in raising achievement throughout the school in Wales she currently teaches.
Other educational bodies in Wales, including Swansea Institute of Higher Education, and a wide range of Primary and Secondary Schools in the UK have taken on board this ‘new learning tool’. She is currently supporting a school in Hampshire who are using her research to improve standards in Literacy and Numeracy. Extracts of her research work has been published in a ‘Learning to Learn’ book which is part of the ‘Campaign for Learning’ and is a contributor to the ‘Big Book of Independent Thinking” to be published in June 2006.
She has delivered inset and seminars on the development of ‘Brain Based Learning’ and ‘Thinking Skills’ at Swansea Institute of Higher Education and has now been asked to deliver a ‘Teaching & Learning’ Module for their CPD Programme & M.A. (Ed) students.
And packed into what already seems an unfeasibly full professional life she has also supported Curriculum Development and Learning Strategies with the SARA (Schools Action Research Approach) project for Education Support and Inspection Service. ‘Promoting Effective Learning’ is the focus and Nina has been specifically researching ‘An enquiry into how an improved knowledge of individual pupils’ preferred learning can be used in order to promote improved standards of teaching and learning’.
She is also a Senior Professional Tutor (ITET) training the next generation of teachers.
Here are some recent comments from happy punters following a recent workshop Nina delivered at an Excellence in Cities day in London:
'Inspirational! Has given me some excellent ideas, as well as confirm what I've been doing in my classroom'
'Fantastic - Nina has definitely motivated me and I will definitely use more music in my class - would love to do a whole day'
'Fun filled, inspiring, energetic and energising, some great ideas, very thought provoking and encouraging'
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- People who benefited from Nina have also enjoyed Tim Benton
So, for fascinating, inspiring, high enthusiasm INSET events covering the use of music and other learning and thinking strategies to raise achievement with all students contact Nina through the Independent Thinking office on 0709 239 9617 or e-mail us at learn@independentthinking.co.uk
Articles writtten by Nina Jackson: