22 - Emma Turner on Primary Curriculum Design and Cognitive Science
Sep 23, 2023
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Experienced school leader and author Emma Turner discusses primary curriculum design and cognitive science. Topics covered include the challenges of co-headship, principles of cognitive science in teaching young children, building connections in curriculum design, the importance of attention and curriculum development in mathematics, and reinforcing concepts and progression in primary curriculum design.
Creating an interconnected curriculum allows for deep learning by making intentional connections between different subjects and vantage points.
A primary curriculum should go beyond knowledge acquisition and aim to create a playful and engaging environment that fosters positive behaviors and attitudes.
In mathematics, a spiral curriculum that revisits and connects concepts over time promotes deep learning and fluency.
Deep dives
Streamlining and Connecting the Primary Curriculum
In order to create a streamlined and interconnected curriculum, it is crucial to strip out extraneous content and focus on what needs to be taught. This allows for more time and space for deep learning and revisiting of concepts. By deliberately making connections between different subjects and vantage points, students can develop a deeper understanding of the content. This interconnected approach should be flexible, choosing topics that naturally align and provide opportunities for rich connections. It is important to be intentional and purposeful in making these connections, ensuring they enhance and augment academic content across subjects.
Creating a Purposeful Primary Curriculum
When developing a primary curriculum, it is essential to consider the purpose of education and what experiences and attitudes we want students to develop. The primary curriculum should go beyond just filling children with knowledge and aim to create a playful and engaging environment that values childhood and fosters positive behaviors and attitudes. By planning for and mapping out desired behaviors, attitudes, skills, knowledge, experiences, technology, and sustainability, schools can create a curriculum that aligns with their values and goals. By aligning the curriculum with the desired outcomes for students, schools can provide a holistic and meaningful education.
The Importance of Revisiting and Connecting Concepts in Mathematics
In mathematics, revisiting and connecting concepts is essential for deep learning and understanding. A spiral curriculum approach, where concepts are revisited and built upon over time, allows students to consolidate their knowledge and make connections between different areas of mathematics. This approach ensures that learning is not limited to superficial coverage but focuses on developing fluency and automaticity in key mathematical information. Additionally, incorporating daily practice sessions that focus on number fluency and automaticity helps students build a solid foundation in mathematics and acquire the necessary skills for more advanced topics.
Considerations for Mathematics Curriculum Development
When developing a mathematics curriculum, it is important to prioritize revisiting and connecting concepts, rather than focusing solely on coverage. A clear progression model that outlines the core concepts and skills for each year group is key. The curriculum should be structured in a way that allows for multiple engagements with concepts, building upon them over time. Regular daily practice of number fluency and automaticity is also crucial. Teachers should aim to strike a balance between covering new material and reviewing previously learned concepts. By adopting a spiral approach and incorporating daily practice, students can deepen their mathematical understanding and develop fluency in key topics.
Teaching mixed age classes
Emma emphasizes the importance of teaching mixed age classes based on the individual needs and abilities of students. She suggests using a well-planned progression model and teaching the children in front of you, rather than strictly differentiating by year group. She also highlights the importance of knowing your curriculum expectations and considering the experience and expertise of students when designing tasks and providing challenge.
Enacting the curriculum with low variance
Emma discusses the importance of enacting the curriculum with low variance and ensuring that teachers understand and teach the agreed-upon curriculum effectively. This involves aligning the teaching and learning policy with the curriculum, creating a culture of openness and collaboration, and involving subject specialists to develop age and stage-appropriate teaching practices. She also emphasizes the need for regular check-ins, articulating what great teaching looks like, and maximizing time efficiency in professional development and collaboration.
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Emma Turner. She is an experienced school leader, author and co-host of the Mind the Gap podcast with Tom Sherrington. In this conversation, we dig into her recent books:
Simplicitus: The interconnected primary curriculum and effective subject leadership
Initium (released 29 Sep): Cognitive science and research-informed primary practice
Her ability to describe what teachers need to know about curriculum development will leave you scribbling down notes throughout the episode. She also touches on what school leaders need to consider, cognitive science through the lens of a primary teacher and much more!
