Class Dismissed…

Yes - the first week comes to us all.

But if you’re new and this is your first first week… let me offer you some advice for how to get off to a solid start...

As Michael Jackson said: I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'
I said you wanna be startin' somethin'
You got to be startin' somethin'

It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah)
Too low to get under (yeah, yeah)
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

That's the catchphrase of the moment... Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge.

How can we help and support children to know more and remember more?

Let me share a few tips from my classroom to yours.

Sometimes you just want the children to do a little bit more... say more... speak clearly... add detail...

Well, what if we insisted that the children ALWAYS give the Full Monty?

What if we insisted that they answer in full sentences?

What if it was a core expectation that one/two word responses were not enough?

Wouldn't that have an impact on oracy, knowledge, retrieval/recall, explanation, communication, understanding, comprehension, vocabulary and so much more?

And that would be a really positive outcome wouldn't it?

This episode looks at what the impact of adding this to your practice could achieve in the classroom.

Getting to understand the outcomes of any assessment data that you have created is really important - so here are a few quick tips to support that process.

Yeah, if you don't know what you have, how can you know what it tells you?

Having a clear understanding of what assessment if for and what you can get out of it is essential - otherwise you really did waste everyone's time - including the children!

[A little late due to technical issues]

As we try to cater for all the key groups and the ever increasing range and needs of the children in our classes - how to we really support those children who just need a little bit extra? Noel Gallagher said...

You gotta roll with it,
You gotta take your time,
You gotta say what you say
Don't let anybody get in your way,
'Cause it's all too much for me to take

Don't ever stand aside
Don't ever be denied
You wanna be who you'd be
If you're coming with me

As we try to cater for all the key groups and the ever increasing range and needs of the children in our classes - how to we really give our more able learners that chance to sing it loud and proud? Noel Gallagher said: Take the time to make some sense
Of what you want to say
And cast your words away upon the waves
Sail them home with Acquiesce
On a ship of hope today
And as they land upon the shore
Tell them not to fear no more
Say it loud and sing it proud today
And then
Dance if you wanna dance
Please brother take a chance

Teaching SRE to any age group can be a sensitive and challenging task, but it's also a crucial piece of an all round education.

We need to create a safe space for dscussion and accurate information - so how might you go about doing that?

Because whether it is naming body parts in YR to Puberty and Conception in Y6... it can be as awkward and uncomfortable for them as it can be for us. As Salt-N-Pepa put it so eloquently... "Let's talk about sex for now
To the people at home or in the crowd
It keeps coming up anyhow
Don't be coy, avoid, or make void the topic
Cuz that ain't gonna stop it
Now we talk about sex on the radio and video shows
Many will know anything goes"

It's job application time ... So, how exactly do you go about securing that first teaching post? What should be doing to write that OUTSTANDING application?

In "The Boys From the Black Stuff", Yosser Hughes badgers anyone with his now immortal line: "Gizza job...". I honestly wouldn't recommend walking into a school and saying that... and especially not then headbutting the School Business Manager if they say no!

7 Pillars of Teaching Reading

I was doing some reading around Teaching Reading and I discovered a really interesting blog post (March 2023) from Chris Ratcliffe, the Head of Education at Scholastic entitled "The Seven Pillars of Teaching Reading" here: https://cstuk.org.uk/news-publications/cst-blogs/the-seven-pillars-of-teaching-reading/

I really enjoyed it and wanted to share some of its content and my thoughts on it.

It offers some handy perspectives on the keys to successful teaching of reading.

(Please read the original post too!)

Lessons on Lessons - based on some research, reflection, discussion and and Ofsted inspection - here is a 10 Step Process for a Lesson Structure.

Not all the steps are huge or complex, or surprising but it gives a bit of guidance towards how a period of learning can be maximised for all pupils.

Something to consider at least...

Welcome to Season 2!

Barack Rosenshine’s 'Principles of Instruction' is a must read for teachers. 

I mean everyone knows about it now, right? 

It’s not that you don’t follow them, but because you do - and you can get 1% better… and that’s worth it! 

This is my summary of what it means to me, and what you might be able to do for you.

Reference made here to Doug Lemov's 'Teach Like A Champion'

In this, the last episode in Season One, before the Christmas and New Year break - I will reflect on 3 teachers who have helped to shape and mould me and my practice. In doing this I hope that you can reflect on the teachers that inspired you to be where you are today - because there will be at least one teacher from your past who you remember, maybe because of what they did, maybe because of how they made you feel - but you remember them, right?

Those are the inspirational people who put you on the path you are on now... think about that... that's the good stuff!

“People call those imperfections, but no, that’s the good stuff.” Sean Maguire (Robin Williams)

Well, being able to explain thinking is really tricky, and yet really important. Here are some of my thoughts on why it matters so much to promote good quality reasoning and how it supports getting learning to stick. There will also be some top tips for using questioning carefully and getting children to give better quality justifications and reasoning for their thoughts.

“That which is clearly known hath less terror than that which is but hinted at and guessed.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Who better than Master Detective Sherlock Holmes to headline this week's podcast?

Was there a greater fictional questioner or reasoner?

A character who used all his acumen to solve some of the most cunning puzzles.

"Strike while the Iron is Hot!"

Teaching a language can be scary for the non-specialist - but actually it can be really rewarding and fun.

Done with a little style and panache, a few jokes and a halfway decent accent (No Officer Crabtree please!) children really love it - especially when they first start out in LKS2.

This week, I will share some ideas on the teaching of MFL, I will talk about French as it is my preferred option, and the one I can speak a little bit of - but you can easily apply these thoughts to Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese or which ever option your school has selected.

(A slightly longer running time this week as it's subject specific focus)

“Battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud!”

How can you prepare a lesson with a logical flow that better supports the learning of your pupils?

This week, I am going to share some thoughts on lesson planning, as it is likely that your workload is starting to increase and it can be a really daunting task. Especially when it seems to come so easy to more experiened colleagues and mentors. If you have the right approach - then you can reduce the time it takes and the stress it can induce! 

As Billy Joel wrote...

"Buddy Holly, Ben Hur, space monkey, mafia, Hula hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go, U2, Syngman Rhee, Payola and Kennedy, Chubby Checker, Psycho, Belgians in the Congo! We didn't start the fire. It was always burning, since the world's been turning"

That's a lot of history to learn,

Teaching Vocabulary

Knowing the right words to say, write and use is incredibly important, especially in our classrooms - so why is it important and how do we make sure we support children in learning it?

‘Buying bread from a man in Brussels He was six-foot-four and full of muscles I said, "Do you speak-a my language?" He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich!’

(Men at Work 1981)

Writing… one of the biggest challenges teachers face is how exactly do we improve it? So much we put in and so much falls out through the collection sieve... so how do we plug the gaps and stop it sinking? I don’t know if there’s a secret, but here’s a plan I’ve found success with… "They went to sea in a Sieve, they did, In a Sieve they went to sea: In spite of all their friends could say, On a winter’s morn, on a stormy day, In a Sieve they went to sea!" Edward Lear

Marking (Walrus) and Feedback (Carpenter) go hand in hand as important elements to effective teaching and learning - but how can we get he best out of what we do?

How can we clear away the sand to get to those lovely little oysters of progress?

The Walrus and the Carpenter Were walking close at hand; They wept like anything to see Such quantities of sand: ‘If this were only cleared away,’ They said, ‘it would be grand!’

Making learning stick is really important, but how can we use Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) to try and get the best outcomes? 

This week, I’ll try to tell you what it is and how you can use it to your best advantage!

Some theory and quick suggestions of how you might begin to put it into practice.

The Quangle Wangle's Hat is a story/poem by Edward Lear - it describes a bizarre hat worn by a strange creature...  As teachers, we wear lots of bizarre hats and some of us are quite strange creatures!  So, in this week’s episode, I will share thoughts, ideas and suggestions for Class Management - tips to keep your classroom engaged and learning.

Fed up of repeating yourself?

Tired of waiting?

Want to get and keep attention?

Here are my 4 phrases to help you make that happen.

**Warning** It’s a long one!

When you arrange a seating plan… what should it look like?

Should children have groups?

Should they move places?

Should HA and LA pupils work separately or together?

It’s a divisive topic - here’s my thoughts on the matter

What should be on a wall to support maths in your class?

Purpose, Practicality and Psimple!

(I know, leave me alone!)