Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe Powering Up Pedagogy with Bruce Robertson, Mind the Gap, Ep.101 (S5,E17)
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Jul 4, 2025 Bruce Robertson, a Scottish school leader and author of The Teaching Delusion series, shares his journey from chemistry teacher to educational consultant. He discusses the critical divide between theory and practice in education and emphasizes the need for clear teaching objectives. Bruce introduces the STAR framework for questioning, highlighting how it can boost student engagement. He underscores the importance of ongoing professional development and a culture of collective effort for genuine school improvement, urging educators to focus on evidence-based practices for better outcomes.
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Busy Activities vs Real Learning
- A lesson with students making a Coliseum model showed they learned only superficial things like window cutting is hard.
- Activities that look busy don't always result in meaningful learning about the content taught.
Multiple Thinking Drives Learning
- Thinking is the key to learning and requires multiple exposures to a concept, typically three or more.
- Saying something once or asking a single question rarely leads to genuine learning or retention.
Understand Purpose Behind Techniques
- Teachers often use tools like whiteboards or exit tickets because "that's what's expected," not because they understand the purpose.
- Effective teaching means understanding why and how techniques impact learning, not just following trends.
