As curriculum is complex, we routinely seek out a plethora of handy metaphors and analogies to make sense of it. And so, in recent years curriculum has recently been described with a multitude of metaphors, such as a boxset (more Game of Thrones than the Simpsons), a voyage of exploration, or curriculum as narrative. Each metaphor has explanatory …
“From the teachers’ perspective, the education system is “noisy”: Teachers are surrounded by multiple and conflicting messages about what is most important to do. Furthermore, if they focus too much on any one of these important ideals, they may compromise their effectiveness with another.” Mary Kennedy, ‘How does professional development improve learning?’ Pretty much every …
We are ‘Doing Curriculum’ – so what are we stopping? Read More »
Every teacher and school leader wants to please the parents of their school children. And quite right too. From a warm conversation at parents evening, to a celebratory phone call, it can prove one of the perks of the job. A letter or email from a thankful parents can be circulated around school as a …
“Most homework teachers set is crap.” Dylan Wiliam, ResearchEd 2014. The subject of homework inspires strong opinions. Teachers, parents and students themselves all have a view on the matter and those views are often diametrically opposed. Dylan Wiliam, back in 2014, shared a very strong opinion that didn’t exactly condemn the evidence and action related …
I wrote this article for the November edition of Teach Secondary Magazine. In the meantime, the topic, and the debate, simply refuses to go away. My short answer on the usefulness of homework: it depends! My article explores some of the ‘home truths’ of homework. Is it a necessary evil, or a prerequisite for success? …
Any teacher worth their salt should always ask ‘why’ and know what impact their teaching has upon the learning of their students. Why then do we continue to revere the sacred cow that is homework? Is it parental pressure, force of habit, the notion that all that extra work must do something positive? All the …
