Recent posts
-
This might seem an odd blog title to be written by someone who disagrees with grammar schools. But, if the explosion of edu-blogging has done anything, then it has been to [...] -
I have written about selection at 11 before, and anyone who has spoken with me about this before will know that I am no fan whatsoever of selection at that age. My general [...] -
What follows below is a talk I gave to the British Curriculum Forum event on Saturday 18th June 2016. Generally the talk was well-received, even amongst those who disagreed [...]
Knowledge and curriculum
-
This might seem an odd blog title to be written by someone who disagrees with grammar schools. But, if the explosion of edu-blogging has done anything, then it has been to raise the quality of the debate about education. Arguments about education are these days better informed and more carefully [...]
-
I have written about selection at 11 before, and anyone who has spoken with me about this before will know that I am no fan whatsoever of selection at that age. My general position on secondary education is that all children should receive an academic education up to the age of 16. Claims that [...]
Philosophy of Education
-
This might seem an odd blog title to be written by someone who disagrees with grammar schools. But, if the explosion of edu-blogging has done anything, then it has been to raise the quality of the debate about education. Arguments about education are these days better informed and more carefully [...]
-
What follows below is a talk I gave to the British Curriculum Forum event on Saturday 18th June 2016. Generally the talk was well-received, even amongst those who disagreed with the argument, though I did have one angry response as well! Comments are as ever welcome below. It would be worth [...]
Assessment
-
It is very widely accepted that a teacher ought to know a pupil’s predicted grade. Although I think Ofsted don’t specifically require this, I have heard so many times (from school leaders and inspectors) that a teacher ought to know the predicted grade of every pupil in his or her class. The [...] -
I have over the last half term started teaching a Year 11 class for the first time in a couple of years, and I am reminded of just how much work has to be done on teaching pupils exam technique. I do not actually mind teaching exam technique: things like learning how to pace oneself, how to [...]
Developing Teachers
-
It is widely known (and I think accepted?) that a person’s ability to comprehend something they read is closely tied to their prior knowledge of that subject. This creates problems for using reading to teach new knowledge, because pupils often do not know enough about the topic they are studying [...] -
I have recently been reading Doug Lemov’s various works on teaching teachers. The books and videos will be familiar to many and, although some of the Americanisms jar on my British sensibilities, I nevertheless find the books a persuasive and cohesive whole. What you have in Lemov’s work is a [...]
