Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Episode 115: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Shannen Doherty, Jonny Hall and Elliot Morgan for an in-depth exploration of task design, including key principles to keep in mind when designing tasks, how to tell they are going as planned, and what to do if they don't. As part of the chat we discuss... What are the features of a well designed task? What about a poorly designed task? How can you tell if something has just been thrown together with little thought? What are you thinking about when you sit down to design a task? How do you know if a task has worked as you’d hoped? And what do you do if not? ...plus much, much more. Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one!

Dan Rosen, a science practical expert, and Elliot Morgan, an insightful educator, dive into the essentials of effective science experiments. They discuss the vital purpose of practicals, emphasizing hands-on experiences that boost engagement and understanding. The duo highlights the importance of clear objectives, careful preparation, and teacher demonstrations to create a productive learning environment. Plus, they explore the challenges of integrating these activities into tight curricula, offering practical advice for educators at all levels.

Lloyd Williams-Jones, an expert in effective communication strategies for educators, teams up with seasoned educator Christopher Such to tackle the nuances of school-parent communication. They delve into why clear communication is crucial and how it can often misfire. The pair emphasize the importance of cultural sensitivity, proactive dialogue, and simplicity in language to foster trust and engagement. They also discuss bridging socioeconomic gaps in parental involvement, showcasing strategies to enhance collaboration and support for all students.

Episode 112: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Lisa Coe, Shannen Doherty and Sarah Farrell for an in-depth exploration of multiplication tables, the fallout from the first official multiplication check in England and how we can support all pupils in developing automaticity and understanding in this area of mathematics. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. With regards to multiplication tables what comes first, knowing or understanding? 2. What systems or approaches should and can we put in place to help pupils learn about multiplication tables? 3. What did you think of the outcomes of the MTC this year (2022) Is there anything you’d change on a school or systemic level as a result? 4. If we imagine that the MTC is a suitable proxy for pupils knowing their times tables, what would you change on a systemic level so that more than 27% can be considered to know their times tables at the end of Year 4? 5. If pupils are struggling to develop quick or even derivative recall of multiplication facts what can we put in place to support them? ...plus much, much more. Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one!

Episode 111: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Chris Such and Neil Almond for an in-depth exploration of teaching writing and how we can support all pupils in becoming proficient, confident writers. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. What are your guiding principles for teaching writing? 2. To what extent does primary teaching of writing match these principles? 3. What role does modelling play in the teaching if writing and what advice would you give in this area? 4. There appears to be a bit of a trend towards a greater focus on sentence construction? What are the advantages and potential pitfalls of this? ...plus much, much more. Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one!

In this engaging discussion, Dave Taylor, an expert in primary education strategies, and Neil Almond, a seasoned professional in educational techniques, dive into the world of Backward Faded Examples. They break down this innovative teaching method, focusing on its benefits for enhancing problem-solving skills in mathematics. The duo emphasizes the delicate balance of cognitive load and the importance of tailored prompts to foster independent reasoning. They also highlight potential pitfalls and share valuable insights on adapting teaching materials to meet diverse student needs.

Episode 109: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Gareth Rein, Stuart Tiffany and Neil Almond for a curriculum conversation covering a range of themes including... How important is the local element of curriculum design? To what extent is it the responsibility of schools to include themes such as financial literacy in their curricula? Can a high quality curriculum support teachers in their development? What are the biggest challenges facing schools in terms of curriculum implementation in 2023? Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one.

Episode 108: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Christopher Such to discuss how we can support pupils who are struggling to learn to read. Drawing on Christopher's vast experience and expertise, we discussed... 1. What do we mean by struggling readers? 2. How can assessment be used to to help us support struggling readers? 3. Interventions naturally involve pupils missing out on other things? How do we balance this with our desire to support children to read proficiently? 4. How does this relate to the idea of dyslexia? 5. What should we do in the classroom to support struggling readers? 6. What role does reading for pleasure play in supporting struggling readers? Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one!

Episode 107: This week on TDaPE, I'm joined by Neil Almond and Matt Swain for an exploration of they have taken steps to improve their planning systems and processes in order to foster greater collaboration, save teachers time, and allow them to focus on fewer things in greater depth during their precious planning time. Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, this episode could provide the key to improving your approach to planning on a class, school, and area level.  Support the podcast at www.ko-fi.com/tdape 

Episode 106: This week on TDaPE I'm joined by Christopher Such for an exploration of the changes Chris would make to his stellar work, The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading. Why does Chris want to make changes to this clearly wonderful book? If he had the chance, what changes would he make? We explore each of these questions and much, much, more; taking a trip through phonics, morphology, definitions, and even finding time to discuss how the structure of a book can have an impact on the reader. And then, as if that wasn't enough, Neil Almond joins me to share his thoughts on the interview and Chris' plans for the second edition of TA&STPR. Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this one. Support the podcast: www.ko-fi.com/tdape Subscribe to the TDaPE YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TDaPE/videos