Perhaps because most of us are still up to our necks in mock marking, I’ve been reflecting on some of the time-effective marking practices that we have been advocating as a school over the past few years. I thought it would be a good time to gather together just some of the ideas on this topic and share them again with you. Continue Reading
Teaching like a Champion?
Rereading Doug Lemov’s ‘Teach Like a Champion 2.0’ , I am reminded of the simplicity and practicality of his ideas. So how does a “Champion” teach and why is this book so powerful? Continue Reading
HubTales: a case study from our Pitch and Challenge Hub 7 weeks in.
Enquiry question: ‘Which tools and strategies, both teacher-led and independent, effectively support and engage KS4 learners in climbing out of the “learning pit”?’
My enquiry question was built from extensive academic research that discuss the dangers of pitching lessons too low – essentially ‘spoon-feeding’ information to pupils – in the belief that this is ‘learning’. An intriguing opposition to this form of teaching is James Nottingham’s concept of the “learning pit”; in short, that pupils must be cognitively challenged, leading to confusion, but with the right tools, strategies and support, they “climb out of the learning pit”, and consequently have a fuller understanding of the concept. In my reading, I have discovered that this teaching strategy is commonly applied to primary teaching and mathematics, but there is little evidence of its application in Modern Language teaching. Could it be applied effectively to MFL teaching? Continue Reading
Why are we Testing? (includes a useful infographic)
This is an idea that I’ve been thinking about for some time, particularly following a talk by Daisy Christodoulou and subsequently reading her book ‘Making Good Progress’. The standout point from both of these was that one test can not (effectively) fulfil multiple functions. We need to decide whether we are aiming to develop learning or to measure it. Continue Reading
Successful Tracking and Interventions
At Thursday’s SSC meeting we discussed Year 11 and 13 interventions: identifying the right pupils, designing effective assessments and implementing strategic interventions. Here is a brief overview of the meeting content. At the bottom is a list of questions, which should act as a checklist for HODs in making sure they are working strategically. Continue Reading
Leaders for the Future
Last year we embarked on a new venture: a leadership programme run in-house for our staff. We are really proud of what our Leaders for the Future have achieved. Read the outcomes here.
I’ve got my Knowledge Organisers – now what?
Practical suggestions for using Knowledge Organisers in the classroom.
This blog is made up of two parts. The first is a little overview of KOs and why they can be so helpful in your medium term planning. I’ll structure this part as an FAQ based on the last year of working with departments. The second is a list of 20 practical lesson planning ideas for using KOs with pupils in which I’ll seek to answer the question at the top of this blog. Continue Reading
