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“The kids absolutely love it!” The phrase that launched a thousand gimmicks

I attended a TeachMeet recently where a number of the presenters argued that their teaching strategy of choice was worth trying out because, "The kids absolutely love it!" This seems to me to be a wholly inappropriate reason for teaching something. Then, in a wildly irresponsible fit of despondency, I tweeted the following: Predictably several people saw fit to take me to task, saying variously that I sounded "really boring", was in favour of "dour" lessons, that I judged the success of my teaching on whether kids hated learning, or that I was just indulging in some sort of "bear baiting". [...]

2016-09-18T09:12:05+01:00February 5th, 2014|learning|

Questions that matter: method vs practice

We talk a lot these days about pedagogy, but what do we actually mean? Obviously, we know what the dictionary definition is: the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept, but I think we're far more concerned about methodology than we are about practice. I just came across this list of questions that should preoccupy teachers on Barry Smith's blog and thought they were so useful that they might bear repeating: What do my kids find hard? Why? How can I teach differently so the hard bits become accessible? How can I do that without dumbing down? [...]

2014-02-05T08:51:25+00:00February 4th, 2014|Featured|

Is there a way to avoid teaching rubbish in English?

I’ve had an idea! For a while now I’ve been increasingly disgusted at the way English language has been dumbed down as a GCSE subject. Really, what is the point of asking pupils to analyse leaflets for RNLI or websites about skateboarding? What’s the point of committing so much time and effort to teaching kids how to write like tabloid journalists? I can see an argument for teaching English as a set of ‘functional skills’ but the Language GCSE isn’t even that. Leaflet analysis and persuasive writing are pointless as well as crass. The exam on which thousands of teachers waste [...]

2014-05-27T09:52:15+01:00February 3rd, 2014|English|

Practical differentiation: high expectations and the art of making mistakes

Differentiation? I hate the word as I hate Hell, all ludicrous bureaucracy, and thee! Er... Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Differentiation is one of the darkest arts in teaching. The generally accepted position is that differentiation is wholly good, and this is the cause of the wracking guilt felt by harrowed teachers: it may well be good, but it's bloody hard work. My bottom line is this: any policy predicated on the idea that teachers should work harder is doomed to failure. Thankfully, teaching's enforcement arm seem, at long last, to agree: "It is unrealistic ... for inspectors to necessarily expect that [...]

2014-02-03T20:18:38+00:00February 1st, 2014|Featured, learning|

Is extending school hours really such a vote winner?

This morning saw the world light up with hysterical headlines proclaiming the end of days. School holidays would be slashed from 13 to 7 weeks and kids forced to spend 9 hours a day in school. The Sun: Tories plan to keep kids in school nine hours a day, 45 weeks a year The Mirror: Conservatives mull forcing children to attend school between 9am and 6pm EVERY DAY for 45 weeks a year Daily Mail: Schools could open from 9am to 6pm for 45 weeks a year in move aimed to slash cost of childcare and stop the 'summer slideback' The Guardian: Lengthen school days [...]

2014-01-30T18:10:14+00:00January 30th, 2014|Featured|

An Ofsted inspector reviews The Secret of Literacy

Over the past few weeks I've publicised some of the reviews for my new book. The advance notices I've received have been universally positive and deeply gratifying. The idea that such thinkers and writers as Doug Lemov, Alex Quigley and Tom Sherrington should all be so effusive is something of a relief. But in traditional style, I have left the best (or at least my favourite) review til last. As the count to launch day ticks down, it's finally time to share lead Ofsted Inspector, Mary Myatt's incredibly kind, helpful and specific review.   This book needed writing. Literacy, the quoin [I [...]

2014-01-27T20:31:55+00:00January 27th, 2014|Featured, writing|

Force fed feedback: is less more?

It is commonly and widely accepted that feedback is the best, brightest and shiniest thing we can be doing as teachers, and the more of it the better. Ever since Prof Hattie published Visible Learning in 2009 we have had conclusive proof: according to Hattie's meta-analyses, feedback has the highest effect size of any teacher invention. QED. And this has led, unsurprisingly, to an avalanche of blogs (many of which I've been responsible for) on how to give feedback more efficiently, frequently and effectively. Teachers the world over have rejoiced. But perhaps we've been a little uncritical on just how best we [...]

2014-01-26T20:14:25+00:00January 26th, 2014|Featured, learning|

Old Hat(tie)? Some things you ought to know about effect sizes

Ever since Hattie published Visible Learning back in 2009 the Effect Size has been king. For those of you who don't know, an effect size is a mechanism for comparing the relative merits of different interventions. Hattie pointed out that everything that a teacher does will have some effect but that there will also be an opportunity cost: if you're investing in time in one type of intervention you will be neglecting other types of intervention which might have a greater impact. He therefore used effect sizes to try to establish what has the greatest influence on student learning so that we [...]

2014-05-17T17:39:45+01:00January 24th, 2014|myths|

Who you might like to follow on Twitter

Earlier in the year I made a list of those people on Twitter that I recommended that people interested in education should follow. Since then, two things have happened: 1)    I’ve encountered more people worth following 2)    The original post has gone mad and for some reason fails to display many of the people I intend it to (in some case this has resulted in people feeling a bit miffed.) So, here is the updated list of top education types to follow: @oldandrewuk - for his ceaseless vigilance and tireless campaign against Ofsted's inconsistencies as well as the patience (yes patience!) with [...]

2014-08-02T23:33:19+01:00January 23rd, 2014|blogging|

A tale of two lessons: further thoughts on the Cult of Outstanding

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. . . Since writing last week about the problems with the sorts of lessons which typically [...]

2014-01-20T22:35:38+00:00January 20th, 2014|learning|

Some reviews of The Secret of Literacy

To further whet your appetite for my forthcoming book and in the spirit of shameless self-promotion, I thought I'd share a couple of pre-release reviews. (Just in case you weren't aware, it's out on 31st January, and I'm quite pleased with it!) First of all, there's a very generous review from the headguruteacher himself, Tom Sherrington: The Secrets of Literacy is an essential book for all teachers and school leaders.  It is not just another literacy book. David Didau provides a crystal clear rationale for all teachers taking responsibility for developing literacy in their specialist areas, with lots of very practical ideas, [...]

2014-01-18T14:44:58+00:00January 18th, 2014|literacy|

The Cult of Outstanding™: the problem with 'outstanding' lessons

First of all I need to come clean. Up until pretty recently I was a fully paid up member of the Cult of Outstanding™. Last January I considered myself to be a teacher at the height of my powers. In the spirit of self-congratulation I posted a blog entitled Anatomy of an Outstanding Lesson in which I detailed a lesson which I confidently supposed was the apotheosis of great teaching, and stood back to receive plaudits. And indeed they were forthcoming. I was roundly congratulated and felt myself extraordinarily clever. And then Cristina Milos got in touch to tell me that there was no [...]

2014-01-16T13:26:35+00:00January 16th, 2014|learning, myths|
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