All good teaching and good pupil progress is built on strong relationships. That’s a fact. Don’t believe it? Try listening to some advice from a person you really dislike! I am blessed enough to have a number of beautiful and enriching relationships in my life. My wife, children, parents and various friends and colleagues. However,…
Read More10 Things I’ve Learned from Reading Hattie’s Visible Learning for Teachers
As a teacher of 9 years’ experience, I felt I was not as accomplished as I would have liked, and was looking for a good book to support my personal professional development. I first came across Hattie’s Visible Learning for Teachers around three years ago in an academic reading group set up by a senior…
Read MoreReducing Cognitive Load
Recently I’ve become quite interested in the significance of cognitive load for learners and teachers. So what is cognitive load? In simple terms, ‘cognitive load refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.’ (Wikipedia) All new learning requires use of our working memory, but unlike our long term…
Read MoreThe Quantum Nature of Lesson Observations
Quantum particles and teachers share something in common – they both act rather strangely and become unpredictable when observed. One of the laws governing the quantum world says that particles change their nature according to where and when they are being observed and who is doing the observeing. This sounds absurd but it’s true. When…
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