[I have cross-posted this blog on my Substack. You can follow my newsletter and Substack publications HERE] The Internet is omnipresent in our lives. The magic of near-infinite knowledge in the palm of our hand would be scarcely believable for most humans since the dawn of history. Access to such knowledge is a boon, but […]
The Problem with ‘Just Google It’ Read More »
It is January and that time of year when we consider new habits, routines and development. As new resolutions begin, we may consider it a good bet to focus some effort on how best to support professional development. Here is a short selection of freely available reading on effective teacher professional development: This guidance report
5 Free Research Reads on…Teacher Professional Development Read More »
This short series is targeted at literacy leaders – either Literacy Coordinators, Reading Leads, or Curriculum Deputies – with a key role in leading literacy to ensure that pupils access the curriculum and succeed in meeting the academic demands of school. Every school policy should be seen through the eyes of a recently qualified teacher
Leading Literacy… And Influencing Teachers Read More »
This short series is targeted at literacy leaders – either Literacy Coordinators, Reading Leads, or Curriculum Deputies etc. – with a key role in leading literacy to ensure that pupils access the curriculum and succeed in meeting the academic demands of school. The old African proverb goes that it takes a village to raise a
Leading Literacy… And Perennial Problems Read More »
It is time to talk… about the importance of academic talk. Since the beginning of the year, I have worked with lots of school leaders, with discussions quickly turning to the impact and experience of the pandemic, then onto reflections about future plans. A regular refrain is the limiting experience of lockdown on academic talk.
5 Micro-moves for Academic Talk Read More »
Making positive changes in schools is incredibly hard work. It typically involves lots of teachers who are naturally inclined to protect their hard-won habits. As such, it is crucial to draw upon their experience and expertise, whilst recognising their beliefs, challenges, and sensitively handling their natural hesitations. By asking simple questions about the acceptability, the appropriateness, and
Simple Questions to Support Change Read More »
There are trillions of choices teachers make when they teach. This dizzying complexity makes teaching rewarding, tiring, stressful, and sometimes even thrilling. Understandably, faced with the complexity of the classroom, teachers are necessarily creative, but they also seek out stability and tranquillity. For many teachers, hearing calls for ‘disrupting education’, or the mention of radical reform
Why ‘disrupting education’ doesn’t work Read More »
