Surfing the ‘Semantic Wave’: Helping beginning teachers to think about tackling the ‘pitch’ of their lesson

This blog is jointly authored by Victoria Crooks and Alex Ford. Check out http://www.andallthat.co.uk/ to read more blogs from Alex. Photo by Vladimir Kudinov on Pexels.com Matthew is a fab beginning teacher. He is highly professional, and his subject knowledge is second to none. Simon, his mentor, is delighted by the deeply informed historical discussions … Continue reading Surfing the ‘Semantic Wave’: Helping beginning teachers to think about tackling the ‘pitch’ of their lesson →

Diagnostic Hooks: Reconceptualising Initial Stimulus Material (ISM) for Eliciting Prior Knowledge

Photo by Rachel Claire on Pexels.com The power of Initial Stimulus Material (ISM) to ‘hook’ pupils into historical learning via an intriguing image, a provocative quote, a story, or even a soundscape that promotes curiosity, has been long established. In his 2001 article, Phillips built a set of principles for using ISM as a gateway … Continue reading Diagnostic Hooks: Reconceptualising Initial Stimulus Material (ISM) for Eliciting Prior Knowledge →

Setting granular targets for beginning teachers

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Saima’s teaching practice placement is well underway, and she is getting used to the pattern of her teaching week and her regular mentor meetings. Things have been going pretty well, but she is gathering rather a formidable list of targets, including: "Improve classroom management around transition points." "Develop subject … Continue reading Setting granular targets for beginning teachers →

Settling into a teaching practice placement – it’s a bit like staying at your Auntie’s house.

Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com Nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of being in, but not of, the school where you on Teaching Practice Placement. But for the majority of beginning teachers this is the reality. So many aspects of the placement school are familiar, but you have entered a new ecosystem with … Continue reading Settling into a teaching practice placement – it’s a bit like staying at your Auntie’s house. →

Recalibrating Your Teacher Identity: When Your Past Success Doesn’t Fit Your Current Experience

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com I feel like a failure At some point every year I will have a conversation with a beginning teacher who confesses that they feel like a total failure. "I just don't think I'm up to the job," they say. “I just don’t seem to be able to do it”. … Continue reading Recalibrating Your Teacher Identity: When Your Past Success Doesn’t Fit Your Current Experience →

Get into teaching: Selecting the teacher training course that is right for you

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com In recent years, the proliferation of initial Teacher Training (ITT) routes has made the landscape baffling for the uninitiated. I am often approached by people who are pondering training to be a teacher but are not quite sure which ITT route will be best for them to pursue. I’ve written … Continue reading Get into teaching: Selecting the teacher training course that is right for you →

Getting email right: Learning to communicate professionally with colleagues in school

Every school has its own culture, ways of being and patterns of interaction and communication. I learnt this sage lesson when starting a new post in my second school. I entered the profession in an age of scribbled notes or printed memos left in pigeon holes to be collected and responded to at the recipient's … Continue reading Getting email right: Learning to communicate professionally with colleagues in school →

You Don’t Have to Be a Natural: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Teaching

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com “Great teachers are born, not made” is one of the great myths of teacher training. Unfortunately, it is also a myth which makes its way into the subconscious of prospective teachers. As we prepare to begin a new academic year in initial teacher education, I know there are soon-to-be beginning … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Be a Natural: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in Teaching →

Sensing a change in the weather: The importance of reading the room to pre-empt behaviour

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com During the past two years I’ve been on a rapid learning curve in my role as a basketball mum. I am still learning the rules of the game so this week, as I found myself watching a professional league basketball match, I was still having to seek clarification about … Continue reading Sensing a change in the weather: The importance of reading the room to pre-empt behaviour →

Unpacking the “Pace” Problem: Moving Beyond a Vague Target

“Pace” is a frequent, yet often nebulous, target beginning teachers are given by their mentors. Mentors readily identify pacing issues, but pinpointing the root cause is challenging. Consequently, mentees struggle to translate "improve your pace" into actionable steps. To truly support their progress, we must define "pace" with precision. What do we mean by "Pace"? … Continue reading Unpacking the “Pace” Problem: Moving Beyond a Vague Target →

Getting a foot in the door: Applying for a teaching job

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com As we enter peak job application season in our secondary schools (I’m aware the application window for primary colleagues is different), I am reminded of the huge amount of time beginning teachers spend on applying for jobs. They often find the process of writing the application, and the … Continue reading Getting a foot in the door: Applying for a teaching job →

Moving Schools: Finding your footing in a new school as a teacher

Photo by Victoria Strelka_ph on Pexels.com One of the first blogs I wrote for the mentors of beginning teachers explored why mentees find changing teaching placements so hard. This blog contextualised the feelings that beginning teachers (although this is also true of more experienced teachers) can have when beginning roles in new school settings. It … Continue reading Moving Schools: Finding your footing in a new school as a teacher →

Festive Countdown: Teacher positives to head off the January blues

Photo by Binti Malu on Pexels.com Every newspaper/ magazine article I read at the moment seems to be a countdown of one sort or another: 10 best fiction books of the year, 20 top gifts for the men in your life, 10 best Christmas movies you should absolutely watch now. Last week, as the first … Continue reading Festive Countdown: Teacher positives to head off the January blues →

What New Teachers Should Know About Professionalism: It’s about more than your shoes.

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com Most beginning teachers are very concerned about what they should wear on their first day at their school placement. Do they need a tie? Are these shoes (imagine a comfy formal shoe with echoes of trainer) ok? Do tattoos need to be covered, and piercings removed? Why is this one … Continue reading What New Teachers Should Know About Professionalism: It’s about more than your shoes. →

Experience and the educational ecosystem: why retention of experienced colleagues matters for beginning teachers

Photo by zhang kaiyv on Pexels.com A little while ago I had the opportunity to chat with a teacher who is 20 odd years into their teaching career. As they spoke about their Trust’s approach to curriculum, the demands being placed upon their department through whole school initiatives and the challenges that come from a … Continue reading Experience and the educational ecosystem: why retention of experienced colleagues matters for beginning teachers →

Get’cha head in the game: Building beginning teacher resilience and ability to act on targets

Photo by Bolarinwa Olasunkanmi on Pexels.com Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about basketball - identifying the potential of a match on the journey to the venue, sat observing on the edge of the court, and analysing the state of play on the way home. In all these conversations I have been … Continue reading Get’cha head in the game: Building beginning teacher resilience and ability to act on targets →