Tagged: blogs
Blog of the week | 29th November 2015
This weeks blogs of the week look at challenge and how this can be achieved in various different ways across the curriculum. Both posts nicely summarise what is meant by challenge and ‘challenging work.’ They also provide a number of strategies to use in the classroom tomorrow.
- Challenge – success for all: https://classteaching.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/challenge-success-for-all/
- Great lessons number 3 – Challenge: http://headguruteacher.com/2013/01/31/great-lessons-3-challenge/
#neverstoplearning
Blog of the week | 4th October 2015
Following on from Dave Bunker’s great 15 Minute Forum earlier this term which opened up the debate about forming positive relationships with young people and the role of behaviour management in this process, this weeks blog of the week goes to Dave’s post on the matter:
Why telling new teachers to build relationships is bad advice by Dave Bunker.
A great compliment to Dave’s blog is this post by Katie Ashford on the need for high expectations for all students regardless of their ‘issues.’
Give him a break by Katie Ashford.
I have taught too many kids like Palmer, and whilst I still have a lot to learn about building the strongest relationships and providing the best possible support, I am sure about one thing. If you give a kid a break, you reduce your standards for them, and to do so is to allow them to fall to those low standards. We do care, and caring is a thread inseparable from the complex tapestry of teaching. But sometimes, the most caring thing we can do for a child is to raise our standards even higher.
Blog(s) of the week | 20th September 2015
Having spent some time with trainee teachers this last couple of weeks I’ve tried to steer them towards some interesting books that have helped me develop my understanding of teaching and learning. One book in particular that stands out is – Why students don’t like school by Daniel T Willingham. In the book Willingham neatly explains a theory of how we learn and makes the argument that the way schools tend to deliver their curriculum conflicts with the way people actually learn, which may be why schools (secondary in particular) end up trying to ‘get year 11 through’ with last minute strategies rather than addressing the actual problem – are students learning things from year 7 onwards or just covering them?
Just because teachers are teaching does not mean students are learning.
This may be hard to digest, challenging the status quo of how curriculums are traditionally designed. It eeks of the phrase “but this is how we’ve always done it…”
Blog 1: Why students don’t remember what they’ve learned by Joe Kirby
Blog 2: FACE it – a formula for learning by Tom Sherrington
#neverstoplearning
Blog of the Week | 14th June 2015
This weeks blog of the week goes to Chris Hildrew for an older post entitled: ‘Closing the gap marking.’
At school recently we have been discussing why pupil premium is important and looking at things teachers can do in order to ‘close the gap.’ This post gave some real practical advice on how the act of marking and feedback is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal as teachers to enable all students to progress with their learning.
It’s the gap between students receiving the feedback and acting on it that we need to address.
How often do we spend a lot of time and effort providing feedback to students but don’t insist on all students acting upon it?
Blog of the week | 7th June 2015
#BOTW this week goes to Dan Brinton for his wonderful insight and dissemination of some research into what makes great teaching. As Dan outlines in the beginning of the post:
This blog is a summary of a Practice Guide by Pashler et al. from 2007, which sets out to provide teachers with specific strategies for instruction and study.
I came across it in a roundabout way via this paper by Dunlosky et al cited in the “What makes great teaching? Review of the underpinning research” by Rob Coe et al.
The central tenet of this particular Practice Guide is that learning depends on memory, which can in turn be strengthened by concrete strategies. These strategies help students to master new knowledge and skills, without forgetting what they have learned.
#neverstoplearning
Blog(s) of the week | 31st May 2015
Two blogs this week that have helped with reflecting on what great teaching may be…
1. Great teaching – Great teachers by Shaun Allison
If you are looking to reflect upon a particular aspect of your teaching this post by Shaun is a great place to start.
2. Teaching better. My pedagogical to-do list by Tom Sherrington
In this post Tom outlines and commits to act on his reflections by listing things he intends to try in order to improve his teaching.
#neverstoplearning
Blog of the week – 26th April 2015
This weeks ‘blog of the week’ has another revision theme and goes to Head-teacher John Tomsett – This much I know about… what really works when preparing students for examinations.
In the post John shares his vast experience of preparing student for exams and enlightens us with some tried and tested strategies.
#neverstoplearning
Blog(s) of the week – 19th April 2015
Two blogs have caught my eye this week that tie nicely into exam revision.
1. Knowledge organisers – specify subject knowledge in meticulous detail – by Joe Kirby.
In this post Joe makes a case for being relentless specific with the subject knowledge that students need to know. This takes the form of one side of A4 – a knowledge organiser. This is not only useful for revision but also at the beginning of the teaching cycle of a new topic.
2. Sequencing lessons in the run up to exams – by Andy Tharby.
Andy’s post outlines his plan for revision in the run up to the exams with memory in mind. He also makes use of Joe’s knowledge organisers idea.
#neverstoplearning
#CPD – 15 minute forum: Positive relationships with staff and students
Sharon Porter | @sporteredu
15 minute forum: ‘Positive relationships with staff and students’ | Sharon Porter | @sporteredu
Date: 12/09/2014
Summary of forum.
Make it a habit.
- Make an effort at all times (even if you are feeling ‘crappy’).
- Smile and say “Hello!”, “Good morning!”, “Good day!” Even if you don’t know that member of staff or even if you don’t teach that student…it can make a difference to someone’s day.
Positive relationships with students.
- You will need to do the usual text book stuff
- Praise students
- Let them know that you are proud of them (verbally or written amongst feedback in books)
- Make sure that students are aware of your expectations; be firm, be fair be consistent.
Positive relationships with colleagues
- Make eye contact when you are talking (it might feel a bit strange to start with but it just comes across as rude if you don’t!)
- Listen. Really listen. Try not to sit there thinking about what you are going to say next…you’re not really listening. Summarise what you’ve heard and clarify this with ‘informed’ questioning.
- Express yourself; don’t just agree all the time. Challenge colleagues in conversation and occasionally ask “why?”
- Why do you think that? Where did you get that information?…..
- Give someone a compliment – I really liked what you had to say in that meeting because…; I thought that proforma you produced was really good; I particularly liked….
- Don’t shoot folks down if you don’t like what they have to say. Suggest alternatives
- Offer help – even if you are really busy, can you take on a small task to help a colleague? There is always someone in a worse position that you.
- Be positive…it will make you feel better!
#TMNSL 20/03/2014 – Workshop resources: Stop doing I.T. wrong!
Stop doing I.T. wrong! by David Morgan (@lessonhacker)
Stop doing I.T. wrong by David Morgan.
Workshop summary.
Digital learning is not something to be scared of or to be worried about.
It’s just learning.
No one called it ‘Pen based learning’ when we moved away from slate tablets, but I’m sure there were a few people reluctant to change their ways, or that didn’t quite ‘get’ the point of pens. In any case, digital learning is here to stay and should be a part of every lesson in some form, if only because it saves you time!
@lessonhacker
If you’re interested in finding out more then head to my blog [http://www.lessonhacker.com/] or read my book, which coincidentally has the same title as my workshop [http://www.stopgettingitwrong.com/] .
Buy David’s book – Stop doing I.T. wrong!
@LessonHacker on Twitter.
#neverstoplearning
#NeverStopLearning by @DavidJesus
Never Stop Learning 