Where Have All the Objectives Gone? Teaching lessons ‘on the system’ and the problem this poses for beginning teacher planning

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Steve is getting increasingly frustrated with Abdul. He feels like he’s running out of options and doesn’t know how else to support him. Abdul’s problem? He doesn’t seem able to plan. “It’s not even like I’ve asked him to plan anything from scratch,” Steve explains on the phone to Abdul’s … Continue reading Where Have All the Objectives Gone? Teaching lessons ‘on the system’ and the problem this poses for beginning teacher planning →

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 →

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 →

Poor Pedagogical Choices: When task design derails your lesson

Seb felt like he had spent all night making the activity the children were about to attempt. He had made source cards he was going to hide under the tables and stick under chairs. He wanted the students to work in pairs or small groups of three to answer questions which would gradually allow them … Continue reading Poor Pedagogical Choices: When task design derails your lesson →