As the summer holidays draw to an end, I’m starting to think about adjusting back to a life of to-do lists. As a teacher, form tutor and Head of Department at a Secondary school, being organised has always been critical for me. There are so many plates to spin as a teacher that I don’t […]
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One of the worst things about being unwell is setting cover. Everyone has those ghastly days of knowing they are too ill to function in the unforgiving environment of a school. This increases at the thought of trying to set meaningful cover work for 5 or 6 classes. There are very few jobs in which […]
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Andy Chandler-Grevatt Back to School. The end of the summer break and the new term. New students, new timetable, new you? What will you do differently this school year? An often neglected part of our ambitions, planning and targets is looking after ourselves. How are you going to look after yourself this year? Teachers are […]
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Professor Chris Kyriacou I have spent more than 30 years teaching about and doing research on what constitutes ‘effective’ teaching. Over the years I have become more and more convinced that the key to being a successful teacher, both in terms of the quality of learning you promote, and in terms of maintaining your own […]
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In November I was in the UK delivering talks on the Singapore approach to teaching secondary mathematics. While I’ve been delighted to share some of the details of our system during these talks, the real pleasure for me has been to interact with UK teachers and to learn how things are done over here. From […]
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GCSE Psychology is changing! Final exams for the current specifications will take place in June 2018. This means that from September 2017, we will all be ‘getting to grips with’ the requirements of the new reformed specifications. ‘So why are we changing?’ I hear you ask! The new GCSE Psychology specifications have come about as […]
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New challenges are coming thick and fast for all of us: getting to grips with new assessment objectives, exam formats and marking systems as well as whole new topics to teach. For those of us planning schemes of work, the linear course gives a welcome flexibility, but this lack of a fixed half-time marker can […]
Read moreLindsay Pickton sets the scene for the debate around the purpose and the value of Guided Reading. He will lead a discussion to address the most common concerns and tease out answers to these questions in an interactive seminar at the Oxford University Press English Conference in London on 16th June . Be honest: Do you look forward to Guided Reading, or does even the thought of it seem wearisome? […]
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We asked Ros Wilson for her top back to school tips, and here’s what she came up with! Greet every member of the staff team warmly (at some point) and take time to ask how their summer was, even though you are desperately busy. Notice public displays around school and thank and praise when changed, […]
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We asked James Clements for his top back to school tips, and here’s what he said. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re an old hand, or you’re getting to know your very first class! Never turn down the opportunity to eat, drink or go to the loo. As a teacher, you never know when you’ll […]
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