Has ‘growth mindset’ been debunked? Will the million+ selling book quietly be removed from shelves, or will it reappear rebooted in teacher training in some other guise in future? I began writing about the promise and the problems with ‘growth mindset’ in 2014. It was a wildly popular topic that was common in school INSET, based […]
Where does ‘growth mindset’ go next? Read More »
Is ‘instructional coaching’ the next big thing? Maybe I should be a little clearer: by ‘next big thing’, I wonder whether a nation-wide wave of enthusiasm for this particular professional development vehicle will soon wane, and the promise of coaching will quietly fold into mass of unshared failures in schools. In their book, ‘The Next
Is the ‘Instructional Coaching’ wave about to crash? Read More »
It is the time of year when well-meaning parents pay for a legion of revision guides and they sit atop all the book charts.
The sobering truth is that the purchase is both optimistic and likely lacking in the specific supports and guidance required to use it well.
10 Tips for Using Revision Guides Read More »
Perhaps the most popular of all cognitive science topics is retrieval practice. It is popular, practical for teachers, familiar enough compared to lots of common teaching habits (quizzes and similar) and it has lots of research to explore its impact. Right now, we hear notes of caution around potential lethal mutations, such as mandated quizzes
5 Free Research Reads On… Retrieval Practice Read More »
Can you explain what skills are and how to develop them? Did you feel confident naming some of the key skills? Maybe you cited the more popular skills cited – literacy, numeracy, or perhaps ‘problem solving’, ‘critical thinking’ or ‘teamwork’. After some naming of skills, could you confidently explain the ‘how’ of developing those skills?
What is the Problem with ‘Skills’ in Schools? Read More »
Teaching can be tremendously rewarding, but we also know the classroom can be crammed full of complexity, surprises, and problems to solve. ‘Adapting teaching’ is a recently popular – though long-standing – phrase. It captures the subtle and challenging art of teaching expertly so that pupils maximise their learning. The immense skill of effective teaching
Adaptive Teaching and Vocabulary Instruction Read More »
The primary to secondary transition is a topic of annual angst. For school leaders, teachers, and parents, gaining insight to supporting pupils making the leap to ‘big school’ is a crucial topic. Much of the research on transition doesn’t offer easy packaged-up approaches. It does pose areas of promise (curriculum continuity when it comes to
5 Free Research Reads On… The Primary to Secondary School Transition Read More »
