#024 Kris Boulton – Part 1: Planning Lessons, Engelmann and Differentiation
Jul 17, 2017
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Former math teacher Kris Boulton shares insights on planning lessons, Siegfried Englemann's influence, successful interleaving, and differentiation. Emphasizing sequences over individual lessons, he discusses strategies for effective teaching methods and the role of cognitive science in enhancing student understanding and knowledge transfer.
Long-term planning is crucial for successful teaching, focusing on sequences over individual lessons.
Explicit instruction from Englemann emphasizes clear, structured methods for optimal learning outcomes.
Empowering students through high expectations and personalized attention leads to transformative learning experiences.
Maximizing student learning requires a shift towards personalized, student-centric education models.
Structured curricula are essential for effective teaching, emphasizing the need for clear plans over trial-and-error.
Deep dives
Importance of Long-Term Planning over Lesson-by-Lesson Approach
Emphasizing the necessity of long-term planning over focusing on daily lessons, the podcast delves into the ineffective nature of approaching lesson planning on a day-to-day basis. It highlights that successful planning stretches over an extended period, even up to 11 years, rather than only aiming for immediate lesson goals. By illustrating the significance of comprehensive planning, the discussion stresses the benefits of long-term structured strategies in achieving educational objectives.
Incorporating Explicit Instruction and Structured Learning
The episode explores the concept of explicit instruction, drawing from the insights of education expert Siegfried Engelman. It emphasizes the importance of implementing clear and structured teaching methods to ensure optimal learning outcomes for students. By advocating for a systematic and direct instructional approach, the podcast underscores the effectiveness of well-defined teaching strategies in facilitating student comprehension and retention.
Empowering Students Through Guaranteed Learning Promises
A compelling narrative unfolds regarding empowering students through a guaranteed promise of learning success. It narrates a transformative classroom experience where a challenging student's engagement shifts positively through a teacher's unwavering commitment to ensuring comprehension for all. By instilling a culture of high expectations and personalized attention, the podcast showcases the transformative impact of creating a supportive learning environment focused on individual student achievement.
Championing a Student-Centric Education System
Advocating for a student-centric education system, the episode navigates through the potential of maximizing student learning through tailored and focused curriculum delivery. It underscores the necessity of moving beyond traditional teaching norms to embrace a holistic approach that prioritizes deep understanding and knowledge retention. By championing a paradigm shift towards personalized and efficient learning models, the podcast highlights the transformative power of student-centered educational practices.
Importance of Creating a Structured Curriculum
Creating a structured curriculum is crucial to effective teaching. The podcast emphasizes the significance of developing a clear teaching plan rather than resorting to trial and error. Addressing the challenge of changing a curriculum, the episode highlights the resistance educators face due to pre-existing paradigms and fear of overwhelming students with information. By advocating for bolder teaching approaches and showcasing successful pioneers, the podcast underscores the necessity of structured and well-thought-out curricula.
Role of Culture and Behavior in Education
The podcast delves into the impact of school culture and student behavior on the effectiveness of teaching methods. It discusses how a conducive culture, focused on discipline and ethos, creates an environment where teaching strategies can flourish. The conversation highlights how behavior management plays a vital role in sustaining students' attention and enabling effective learning. By drawing contrasts between teacher-led approaches in different school settings, the episode underscores the importance of establishing a disciplined and supportive culture for successful pedagogy.
Challenges and Considerations in Differentiation
The episode explores the complexities of differentiation in teaching, particularly in engaging students with varying levels of understanding. It raises questions about the necessity of adapting teaching methods to cater to individual student needs while avoiding potential pitfalls. The discussion navigates the balance between providing personalized learning experiences and maintaining a cohesive classroom dynamic. By addressing concerns around differentiation and its impact on student achievement, the podcast prompts educators to consider strategic approaches to meet diverse learning requirements.
Sequencing Lessons for Effective Learning
The podcast highlights the importance of sequencing lessons to facilitate comprehensive understanding and retention of concepts. It underscores the significance of revisiting and reinforcing prior knowledge before introducing new ideas. The episode presents a strategic approach to instructional planning, focusing on gradual progression and deliberate variation in teaching methods. By structuring lessons with clear objectives and systematically building on foundational concepts, educators can enhance student learning outcomes and promote sustained engagement in the classroom.
The Importance of Planning Sequences of Lessons
Planning sequences of lessons rather than focusing on individual lessons allows for interleaving and strategic revisiting of concepts. Chris's approach to breaking lessons into a sequence and mapping out concepts ensured a more coherent structure and effective teaching. By focusing on the endpoint of the sequence, teachers can better plan and scaffold learning, avoiding the pitfalls of segmented lesson planning.
Effective Direct and Explicit Instruction Beyond Chalk and Talk
Direct or explicit instruction involves meticulous planning, including breaking concepts into small steps, scripting explanations, and selecting appropriate examples. Elements such as modeling, effective questioning, and thoughtful assessment are crucial for successful direct instruction. Balancing these components ensures that direct instruction goes beyond traditional chalk and talk, incorporating cognitive load considerations, assessment for learning, and preparing students for problem-solving.
Kris is, quite possibly, the cleverest person I know. Will Emney describes him as "cerebral". Kris is a former maths teacher who was second in department at King Solomon Academy, where he worked alongside fellow podcast guest Bruno Reddy, achieving incredible GCSE results in challenging circumstances. Kris now works for TeachFirst, where he is Associate Director of Participant Development. We spoke in depth about how Kris plan his lessons, focusing on sequences not individual lessons, the influence of Siegfried Englemann, successful interleaving and the role of differentiation.
