#192 Tools and Tips for Teachers: Episode 13 (with Ollie Lovell)

Jun 25, 2024

Experienced educator Ollie Lovell shares insights on breaking down concepts for effective teaching. Topics include productive struggle, atomization in teaching, benefits of shared curriculum resources, and the importance of balancing curriculum and pedagogy. The conversation also touches on the curse of knowledge, pairing teachers, and the power of storytelling in education.

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ADVICE

Focus on Audience Needs

Share what your audience needs to hear, not just what you know.
Focus on one specific area for improvement at a time to avoid overwhelming them.

INSIGHT

Atomization in Teaching

Breaking down concepts (atomization) is crucial for effective teaching.
It allows you to isolate and address specific areas where students struggle.

ANECDOTE

Influencer Status vs. Speaking Time

Craig Barton shares two contrasting stories about his status as an education influencer.
He was listed in the top 5 but also had his speaking time reduced due to another speaker's presence.

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In this conversation, Craig and Ollie discuss various topics, including their health, their rankings as education influencers, and the importance of breaking down concepts into smaller atoms for effective teaching. They also explore the idea of sharing what students need to hear rather than showing off one's knowledge, and the challenges of atomization in teaching. Ollie shares his experience working with a school and the importance of focusing on specific areas for improvement. Craig highlights the value of breaking down routines and processes in teaching and the need to assess or teach each atom separately. They also discuss the curse of knowledge and the benefits of pairing experienced and less experienced teachers. The conversation explores the idea of productive struggle in education and the importance of curriculum resources. It discusses the benefits of students struggling with tasks and the role of teachers in helping them struggle at a higher level. The conversation also delves into the relationship between curriculum and pedagogy, highlighting the need for both to be addressed in teaching and learning. The importance of shared and prescriptive curriculum resources is emphasized, as well as the need for teachers to see themselves as curriculum designers. The conversation concludes with a discussion on gratitude and the power of storytelling. In this conversation, Craig Barton and Ollie discuss the benefits and drawbacks of discovery-based learning in mathematics. Craig shares his experience observing a teacher who used a discovery approach to teach geometry theorems, which initially made him skeptical. However, he found that the students were engaged and able to explain the theorems effectively. They discuss the importance of efficiency and strategic use of discovery activities in the curriculum. Ollie shares his love for teaching in ways that allow students to make connections on their own. You can view the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/tools-and-tips-for-teachers-13

Tell teachers what they need to hear (08:01)
Breaking things down is the most important thing (13:03)
Choose the level of struggle (24:56)
What should we spend finite CPD time on (30:35)
Dinner table chat (51:44)
Circle Theorems discovery lesson (59:27)