Assessing reading, staffing, technology, research, teacher development and life beyond school...
Aug 19, 2023
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Christopher Such, an expert in primary education, joins the discussion to tackle pressing themes in teaching and assessment. He delves into the nuances of assessing reading comprehension, sharing strategies for effective evaluation. The conversation also highlights the transition from school leadership to teaching, emphasizing continued professional growth. Such offers insights on integrating technology effectively and stresses the importance of thoughtful staffing decisions in schools. Finally, he discusses staying current with educational research to enhance teaching practices.
Effective reading assessment requires a comprehensive understanding of decoding skills and the use of structured assessments like phonics checks.
Transitioning from teaching to other educational roles can provide new insights and flexibility, yet maintaining a connection to classroom challenges is vital.
Integrating technology in the classroom should align with teachers' comfort levels and pedagogical goals, emphasizing the need for practice prior to student use.
Deep dives
Understanding Critical Thinking
A significant discussion revolves around misconceptions related to critical thinking, referencing key research papers that delve into this topic. The exploration of this research highlights the complexity and nuances of comprehension and critical thinking skills, suggesting that educators must move beyond superficial understandings of these concepts. It reinforces the need to engage with scholarly work actively, particularly older papers that still provide valuable insights into effective pedagogical practices. This emphasis on rigorous academic engagement reminds teachers of the importance of grounding their practices in well-researched theories.
Assessing Reading Competency
The podcast delves into the challenges faced by educators in assessing reading comprehension compared to numeracy skills. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of students' decoding abilities and the importance of utilizing structured assessments like phonics checks. By focusing on fluency assessments, such as monitoring words correct per minute, teachers can better gauge students' overall proficiency in reading. Additionally, the conversation underscores the value of standardized comprehension assessments as a tool to provide a broad overview of reading development in the classroom.
Benefits and Challenges of Career Progression
The dialogue includes reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of moving from teaching to other educational roles, highlighting changes in work-life balance and professional development. Authors share experiences of gaining new insights and flexibility in their current roles while recognizing the emotional intensity and demands of teaching. The conversation also touches on the possibility of returning to the classroom, underscoring the idea that effective teaching requires a connection to current classroom experiences and pedagogical challenges. This reflection advocates for ongoing dialogue around how educators navigate career changes while retaining a commitment to quality teaching.
Effective Technology Integration
The discussion on technology integration in the classroom stresses the importance of using tools that align with teachers' comfort levels and pedagogical goals. Suggestions include the use of visualizers for modeling lessons and the consideration of tablets for more dynamic instructional approaches. The hosts emphasize the value of practicing with new technology before introducing it to students to avoid disruptions during lessons. This practical advice encourages teachers to be selective and intentional about their technological choices to enhance their teaching and students' learning experiences.
Common Teaching Challenges
The episode identifies prevailing challenges across different levels of teaching, notably the tendency for new teachers to rely on vague questioning techniques. This often results in ineffective instructional practices that hinder learning progress. For more experienced educators, the conversation highlights a lack of responsiveness during lessons, suggesting that adapting teaching based on real-time student feedback is crucial for engagement and understanding. It asserts that schools excelling in behavior management and teacher responsiveness are likely to foster significantly better educational outcomes.
Episode 138: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Christopher Such as we field questions from from listeners on a range of themes. As part of the chat we discuss...
1. When I assess pupils’ reading what am I looking for and how do I know that I am assessing pupils properly. ?
2. What is the biggest difference working out of schools, having spent so long working in schools?
3. How can I effectively integrate technology into my classroom?
4. Given 3 different teacher profiles, where would you place them in a hypothetical primary school?
5. How can I stay up to date with the latest educational research and trends?
6. What are the most common areas for development amongst teachers?
...and much, much more.
Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one.
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If you would like to submit a question, email us at thinkingdeeplyinfo@gmail.com or join the TDaPE discord, where we have a special channel for unseen question submission!
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