Some thoughts from recent discussions and observations:
1. A lot of teaching is too abstract and out of context for weakest learners. Not enough scene setting - images, videos, real objects, experiences, stories, concrete examples. Make it real, concrete, vivid. Spell it out. 2. Modelling is a process that should only end when everyone can do what you’re modelling. They all need a chance to do it.. so you need to check they all can. Reteach and scaffold as needed - but at least check. Can *everyone* do the equation , paragraph, explanation, skill.?

Thoughts on GCSE Grades. 🧵 In general we're not at peace with the realities of grading. You can't have comparative standards AND have everyone succeed above a certain level. The bell curve is not imposed.. there's no conspiracy. It's an outcome of cohort performance. 25 % of students will always be in the bottom 25%. Only 5 % get to be in the top 5%. Shocking, I know. The arbitrary part is the decision about grade boundaries and notions of pass/fail. As soon as you put lines along the continuum to represent standards, you create cliff edges

After 5 years of @WALKTHRUs_5 Some reflections on CPD and coaching.
1. There are several components needed to translate ideas about teaching and learning into improved practice that can improve learning - and some are often so underdeveloped that change just doesn’t happen … 2. You need a source of ideas.. some schools and teams within them are not switched into a flow of thinking about learning - or only feed on it second hand. Sharing ideas is vital —but obviously books, blogs, conferences, one-pagers etc .. don’t change things in themselves.

I was asked to suggest some key essentials and pitfalls for developing coaching; here' s a short 🧵 of what I gave them.

I divided it into System - for the overall structure - and Coaching - for the sessions themselves. .... System Essentials:
-Create the structures needed: iterative cycles, observation/video; embed the time
- Follow a coaching model that fosters situation assessment; generates agreed action steps.
- Train coaches: build expertise around a shared framework describing great teaching

#EduAdvent 🧵
1. @SCottinghatt 🔥 amazon.co.uk/Ausubels-Meani… #EduAdvent 2
@alomshaha alomshaha.com/books/

Was meaning to blog this but was getting distracted so a rare🧵:
I see 100s of lessons and teachers and it’s clear to me the best teaching appears fluid and artful but is always built on sound techniques deployed with purpose; intentionality; precision.. /n These techniques support ALL students to engage, to listen, think, practise and make sense of the ideas. The techniques provide feedback to the teacher about how students are doing; they check for understanding and respond and adapt. ..

Exploring Barak Rosenshine's seminal Principles of Instruction: Why it is THE must-read for all teachers. .. plus a 🧵of linked posts...teacherhead.com/2018/06/10/exp… Are Rosenshine's Principles "just common sense"? #rED19 ..teacherhead.com/2019/09/08/are…

Short 🧵on my #rED23 talk:
Expert creative pros develop a repertoire of secure techniques through practice that allow them to respond in the moment with flair and precision. Jazz, tennis....
Teaching is the same. The central challenge of teaching is to teach every child at once - each matters as much as any other. It's really hard and inherently flawed .. so our routines and habits need to maximise our chance of success..

Just reflecting on the extraordinary folly that is and was graded lesson observations. I think it’s the most toxicly stupid idea that has ever been foisted on the profession. Far worse than VAK. .. /n It’s depressing that anyone still holds onto the delusion that they can objectively and consistently evaluate the quality of a unit of time in a learning process on a scale .. with the required special powers (and degree of arrogance.. .. )

Celebrating 10 years of blogging, here's a daily countdown to the 10th birthday of teacherhead.com with the 10 most-read posts. In at 10, from November 2012 with 93K views, Making Feedback Count: "Close the Gap" based on a visit to @tweetswchs teacherhead.com/2012/11/10/mak… #10yearsofblogging In at No. 9... From February 2014 with 99.6K views, Meeting OfSTED: The Game has Changed - an account of a crazy meeting and total clarification that lessons should not be graded.
teacherhead.com/2014/02/20/mee…

Five most-read posts in 2021, excluding the new ones (top 5 posted yesterday).
1. Revisiting Dylan Wiliam's Five Brilliant Formative Assessment Strategies. teacherhead.com/2019/01/10/rev… > 51K views this year! 1/5 2. 7 Significant and Common Challenges in Teaching. teacherhead.com/2019/12/10/7-d… > 45K views, mainly since this was put on an Australian university reading list. 2/5

Top 5 most-read new posts in 2021.
No 1: Cold Calling: The #1 strategy for inclusive classrooms - remote and in person. teacherhead.com/2021/02/07/col… 1/5 No. 2: Principles for Remote Instruction: Notes from a #TLAC Masterclass. teacherhead.com/2021/01/21/pri… 2/5

Love checking the family albums on a visit to Mum’s…. Here’s my Dad in ‘67 aged 27.. two-finger typing. In his PJs. Here’s me and Dad playing footie in the garden..’75

Collections of posts about questioning and getting everyone involved thinking and talking….
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼🗣🎙🗣🎙🗣🎙🗣🎙🗣🎙🗣
THREAD. Cold Calling teacherhead.com/2021/02/07/col…

The genius of DT Willingham and WDSLS. teacherhead.com/2021/06/22/the… (a thread of posts about great works!) 1/6 Poor Proxies for Learning. Powerful insights from Prof Coe: teacherhead.com/2021/07/12/poo… 2/6

Variables between/within schools:
Reading:
From extensive reading across subjects, quality texts, established reading routines/norms; high daily volume

To: Reading volume thin, class reading rare outside English except question papers and worksheets. Textbooks rare ...1/n Speaking:
From: Routine paired discussion/talk partners, inclusive questioning, cold call, structured opps for asking questions, sharing ideas

To: Hands up /calling out dominate; possible to be left out/silent all lesson/day. Opps for individual/choral oral rehearsal are rare.