The lockdown struggle is real. In between sampling my kids’ baking experiments, bread with no yeast being one such interesting delight, I’ve been trying to teach them at home so that they don’t experience too many gaps as a result of 6 months without formal schooling. This post is inspired by a conversation I had…
Read MoreWhat Makes a Good Teacher?
Like any teacher who cares about their classroom craft, you would have asked yourself this question at some point. I’d even go as far as to say that most teachers ask this of themselves quite often, irrespective of the number of years in service to the profession. It’s a fundamental one which, at its core,…
Read MoreReflective Teachers
“A teacher who has reflective thinking skills is able to identify problems that may occur in the teaching/learning process and to produce solutions for overcoming such problems.” (Shoffner, 2006). During my PGCE year, I can recall having to maintain what seemed like endless sheets of reflection pages. After each lesson I would routinely jot down…
Read MoreThe Importance of Teacher Collaboration.
Collaboration between colleagues isn’t just some feel good moment where we get to have a casual chat about teaching over some biscuits and coffee. It’s where the real work of school improvement begins; the deep evidence driven dialogue that is tightly focused on delivering better outcomes for students. In the field of education research, this…
Read MoreThree non-cognitive skills essential for all teachers.
1. The ability to empathise2. The ability to notice small details3. The ability to be both reflective and reflexive Not for a moment am I suggesting that these traits are inherent and possessed naturally. These abilities can be cultivated with diligent effort and application. In fact, some of the best teachers I have encountered have…
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