Tom Sherrington, a former headteacher, author, and educational consultant renowned for the WalkThru series, dives into the essence of responsive teaching. He discusses the mindset needed for teachers to adapt flexibly in the classroom. Key strategies emerge for ensuring all students engage critically and understand lessons deeply. Sherrington emphasizes the importance of independent practice and how to make it effective. With a blend of humility and creativity, he also explores innovative teaching techniques and the significance of inclusivity in classrooms.
Responsive teaching requires a reflective mindset and the ability to adapt lesson plans based on real-time student understanding and engagement.
Engaging all students in the learning process through strategies like cold calling and structured discussions is crucial for effective responsive teaching.
Incorporating independent practice reinforces learning and allows educators to assess student comprehension, ensuring mastery of concepts.
Deep dives
The Essence of Education
Education is viewed as a process aimed at developing well-rounded young individuals who can contribute meaningfully to society. This involves not only imparting knowledge but also ensuring students engage with the world around them and are provided with opportunities for personal growth. Currently, there is concern that many educational structures focus too narrowly on academic achievements without adequately fostering the overall development of students. This creates disparities in educational experiences, leaving some children feeling unprepared for adulthood.
Understanding Responsive Teaching
Responsive teaching is defined as the ability to adapt and adjust instruction based on real-time assessments of student understanding and engagement. This approach requires teachers to be dynamically involved in their classes, actively checking in with every student to gauge their grasp of the material and making necessary adjustments throughout the lesson. Effective responsive teaching should involve all students, ensuring that no one is left behind in the learning process. The challenge lies in implementing this responsiveness consistently, as it requires constant monitoring of student progress.
Mindset and Techniques for Responsive Teaching
A crucial mindset for effective responsive teaching includes continuous reflection on student understanding and the willingness to adapt lesson plans accordingly. Teachers are encouraged to implement strategies such as cold calling, whiteboards for quick feedback, and structured think-pair-share activities to engage all students actively. These techniques not only promote student participation but also ensure that everyone has a chance to articulate their understanding. By focusing on developing these habits, teachers can create an environment that fosters deeper learning and responsiveness.
Focus on Meaning Making
Supporting students in making meaning of the material is essential for successful learning outcomes. Effective teaching involves providing clear explanations, modeling connections between ideas, and encouraging students to articulate their understanding in their own words. Ensuring that students engage with the content through structured discussions enhances their grasp of complex concepts, preventing rote learning without comprehension. This process requires a thoughtful approach on the part of teachers to guide students in connecting prior knowledge to new information.
The Role of Practice in Learning
The practice is a vital component of responsive teaching, as it allows students to apply what they have learned actively. Engaging students in rehearsal activities—such as using specific vocabulary or concepts—ensures that they internalize the information rather than simply memorizing definitions. Incorporating opportunities for individual practice, like choral repetition or partner discussions, reinforces understanding and builds confidence in content mastery. This commitment to structured practice helps educators gauge student comprehension in real time and tailor their instruction effectively.
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Tom Sherrington. Tom is an former headteacher, author and educational consultant. He is the author of the WalkThru series. His blog has over ten million views: https://teacherhead.com
In this episode Tom answers the question: what is responsive teaching?
In answering that central question, Tom also answers:
1. What mindset will make teachers more responsive in the classroom?
2. What strategies help to ensure all young people are thinking in a classroom?
3. What helps to support young people in making meaning in lessons?
4. Independent practise is an important part of responsive teaching, how can teachers make it effective in their classrooms?