Jethro Jones, award-winning school leader and host of the Transformative Principal Podcast, is the guest on this episode of Mind the Gap. Jethro is author of the new book SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves. In the interview, Jethro discusses his passion for focusing on the students who often feel “invisible” and shares stories from his school where staff and faculty were able to make this happen. He also explains how he personalizes the learning experience by responding to each student in a unique way rather than individualizing lesson plans, how he brings the design thinking process – including “prototyping” – to school leadership, how to make decisions that are based on the primary goals of your school, and more. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, Learn more about books from Tom, Emma, and many other world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). Available to watch on edCircuit. About the participants: Jethro Jones is author of the new book SchoolX, published by John Catt. Named a Digital Principal of the Year in 2017 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Jethro has served students as a teacher, district coach, media and distance learning specialist, and principal, with experience at every level of public education. He has been hosting the Transformative Principal podcast since 2013. Follow him on Twitter @jethrojones and learn more at www.jethrojones.com Tom Sherrington worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Teaching WalkThrus, Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education from Our Little Learners. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

In this “Tom & Emma” episode of Mind the Gap, the hosts begin by reflecting on their recent interview with Mary Myatt (1:12). In particular, Myatt’s ability to demonstrate and demand excellence in the profession has proven resonant. Next, Tom shares takeaways from the recent “Teaching for Distinction” course he presented (5:40) before sharing some recommended reading, including Daniel Willingham’s Why Don’t Students Like School?, What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology by David Didau and Nick Rose, and Dylan Wiliam’s Embedded Formative Assessment. Tom and Emma then discuss the state of exams in the UK (13:00) before talking about quality assurance in schools (27:46), a topic that invites many perspectives. How is it done well? Should leaders be doing walk-throughs in the age of COVID? The final topic is the pressure on principals and head teachers (39:34). Tom and Emma have an important discussion about the challenges and stresses facing leaders. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more about books from Tom, Emma, and many other world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. About the participants: Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Teaching WalkThrus, Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She is the founder of ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early career teachers’, a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help to retain teachers in post. Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

Mary Myatt, acclaimed adviser, writer and speaker, is the guest on this episode of Mind the Gap. Myatt is author of the new book Back on Track: Fewer things, greater depth. In the interview, Mary discusses her perspective on ensuring we always use the highest-quality materials when teaching our children, and reflects on why so many schools are struggling to straighten out their curriculum. Where are the areas in which schools can “sharpen up” what they’re teaching? She also talks about some of the differences in teaching between the UK and US, how the language we use toward learning affects the experience, what it means to focus on “fewer things in greater depth,” and much more. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational. Learn more at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). Mary Myatt is an education adviser, writer and speaker. She has written extensively about leadership, school improvement and the curriculum in her books Back on Track, High Challenge, Low Threat, Hopeful Schools and The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence.  Follow Mary on Twitter @marymyatt Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. Through his consultancy – teacherhead consulting – he is interested in working with educators to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. She is currently the Research and CPD lead at Discovery Schools Academy Trust. She is an advocate of balance in leadership and family life and regularly speaks at events across the UK on how part-time leadership and flexible working can be a hugely successful model in organizations. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma

In episode 9 of Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe, hosts Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner explore a new, deeper discussion format where they dive into timely topics without a guest. First (1:26), they share takeaways from the previous episode of Mind the Gap, featuring an interview with Mark McCourt, renowned expert on teaching for mastery. They describe not only what viewers and listeners should look out for in the interview, but also what resonates most about Mark’s work overall. Next (10:25), Tom and Emma highlight books they’ve been reading, including Back on Track by Mary Myatt, It Takes 5 Years to Become a Teacher, and Tom Bennett’s Running the Room. The discussion then moves into the three main topics: Problems with school criticism (19:26) - The hosts discuss the criticisms of schools and school systems, including from those who don’t work in education. What criticisms are fair or unfair, and what toll do they take? Do we have our CPD systems right? (29:29) - Discussion of top-heavy systems of continuous professional development (CPD), whether or not they’re working, and how to streamline them. The Early Career Framework rollout (42:48) - The UK’s rollout of the framework for teachers in the early stages of their career. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group, presented by John Catt Educational. Learn more about world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Teaching WalkThrus, Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner spent 20 years as a primary teacher before joining Discovery Schools Academy Trust, where she is currently the Research and CPD lead. She is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

Mark McCourt, the UK’s leading authority on teaching for mastery, is the guest on this episode of Mind the Gap. In the discussion, Mark shares his perspective on mastery and also addresses some of the misconceptions. In particular, he shares that mastery, by definition, means “Bloom’s mastery,” and also explains “Mastery is not a curriculum. It is a model of schooling.” Among other ideas discussed, Mark warns the education community not to equate anecdotal experience with true evidence of efficacy, explains why it should be the norm that schools “try to understand what students know and don’t know, and teach them the stuff they don’t know,” and describes his belief that early grades teachers must be the most skilled. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more from world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International).  About the participants: Mark McCourt is the UK’s leading authority on teaching for mastery. He has trained over 2,000 schools in mastery models for schooling and his latest book is Teaching for Mastery (John Catt Educational). A leading figure in mathematics education, Mark has led many large-scale government education initiatives, both in the UK and overseas. Mark was a Director at the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) and has also been a school leader, an Advanced Skills Teacher, a school inspector and a teacher trainer. He founded and was Chairman of the Teacher Development Trust. Follow Mark on Twitter @EmathsUK Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook.  Tom is a regular contributor to ResearchEd events and other conferences for teachers and policymakers. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner is currently the Research and CPD lead for Discovery Schools Academy Trust, devising and writing training for staff at all career stages, but specializing in continuous professional development (CPD) for early career teachers.  Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. Follow Emma on Twitter

Baruti K. Kafele, principal, educator and best-selling author is the guest on this episode of Mind the Gap, discussing the linking of social justice with school leadership. Kafele points to the early influence of Lewis Lomax's book To Kill a Blackman on the parallels between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X as the inspiration to his teaching and leadership methods. It all comes naturally to Kafele, who makes it a point to tie in the classroom environment to the outside world. He shares pivoting during the aftermath of George Floyd's death and the ensuing civil unrest to message the importance of weaving real-life events into the framework of school culture, including the subject areas of math, science, social studies, and the language arts. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher supporting teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy-to-use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International).  Baruti K. Kafele is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and Milken Award-winning educator who spent nearly 30 years as an urban public school teacher and principal in New Jersey. His books include Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life, Closing the Attitude Gap: How to Fire Up Your Students to Strive for Success, and The Teacher 50: Critical Questions for Inspiring Classroom Excellence. Follow Principal Kafele on Twitter @PrincipalKafele Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner are co-hosts of Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe. Tom has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead After 20 years in primary teaching, Emma joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust where she is currently the Research and CPD lead. She is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education from Our Little Learners. Follow Emma

In this special episode of the Mind the Gap audio podcast, you'll get a flavor of “On Our Minds," a popular segment from the video version of the show, in which co-hosts Tom Sherrington and Emma Turner share their insights on the most timely, pressing issues in education. In this episode, Tom and Emma give their thoughts on determining an approach to the new academic year. They describe ideas for creating a “normal” school environment, adapting to the unique experiences each student has had through the pandemic, setting the right tone for the school year, and more. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more about books from Tom, Emma, and many other world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). About the participants: Tom Sherrington is a co-host of Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe. He has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. Through his consultancy – teacherhead consulting – he is interested in working with educators to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook.  Tom is a regular contributor to ResearchEd events and other conferences for teachers and policymakers. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner is a co-host of Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe. After 20 years in primary teaching, Emma joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust where she is currently the Research and CPD lead, devising and writing training for staff at all career stages, but specializing in continuous professional development (CPD) for early career teachers. She is the founder of ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early career teachers’, a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help to retain teachers in post. Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. She is an advocate of balance in leadership and family life and regularly speaks at events across the UK on how part-time leadership and flexible working can be a hugely successful model in organizations. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

Sonia Thompson, Head Teacher of St. Matthew’s C of E Primary School, is the guest on this episode of Mind the Gap. She talks about the concept of “reading for empathy” and discusses Empathy Lab, an organization whose research demonstrates the benefits of empathy on the brain and learning. Sonia explains how empathy is a concept that can be taught to all students and reinforces that empathy is not about sympathizing; it’s about doing something with those emotions that we feel. She also talks about using challenging content, how students’ increasing skill influences their will, and more.  Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more about books from Tom, Emma, and many other world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International). Available to watch at edCircuit About the participants: Sonia Thompson is Head Teacher of St. Matthew's C of E Primary School in Birmingham, U.K., a vibrant, forward-looking and confident school which aims to meet the future needs of our young people and the world they inhabit. She is a contributor to The ResearchED Guide to the Curriculum: An Evidence-Informed Guide for Teachers. Follow Sonia on Twitter @son1bun Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. Through his consultancy – teacherhead consulting – he is interested in working with educators to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook.  Tom is a regular contributor to ResearchEd events and other conferences for teachers and policymakers. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner After 20 years in primary teaching, Emma joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust where she is currently the Research and CPD lead, devising and writing training for staff at all career stages, but specializing in continuous professional development (CPD) for early career teachers. She is the founder of ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early career teachers’, a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help to retain teachers in post. Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. She is an advocate of balance in leadership and family life and regularly speaks at events across the UK on how part-time leadership and flexible working can be a hugely successful model in organizations. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

Teacher, author and education reformer Starr Sackstein is the guest for this episode of Mind the Gap. She talks about the concept of “gradeless” teaching; what are the shortcomings of traditional grades and how must we change the way we assess student learning? A growing movement of teachers is digging into this question. Starr, Tom and Emma also talk about the important differences between formative and summative assessment and the appropriate uses of each. Starr describes how she prefers to “live in formative assessment” because it’s all about feedback. She also explains her strategies for developing strong, transparent relationships with students and much more. Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. Learn more about books from Tom, Emma, and many other world-class authors at us.johncattbookshop.com (US) or johncattbookshop.com (International).  About the participants: Starr Sackstein is an education reformer focusing on the student experience of learning. She spent many years as a high school English and journalism teacher, is a certified Master Journalism Educator, and is the author of several books, including Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School (Hack Learning) and Teaching Students to Self-Assess: How Do I Help Students Grow as Learners? (ASCD). She has also done a TEDxTalk on giving up grades and hopes to be a part of the change that education needs to see. Follow Starr on Twitter @mssackstein Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. Through his consultancy – teacherhead consulting – he is interested in working with educators to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook.  Tom is a regular contributor to ResearchEd events and other conferences for teachers and policymakers. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner After 20 years in primary teaching, Emma joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust where she is currently the Research and CPD lead, devising and writing training for staff at all career stages, but specializing in continuous professional development (CPD) for early career teachers. She is the founder of ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early career teachers’, a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help to retain teachers in post. Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. She is an advocate of balance in leadership and family life and regularly speaks at events across the UK on how part-time leadership and flexible working can be a hugely successful model in organizations. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75

Dr. Robyn Jackson, award-winning author and CEO of Mindsteps, Inc., is the guest for this episode of Mind the Gap: Making Education Work Across the Globe. She discusses the concept of “buildership,” which distinguishes a typical (or ineffective) leader from those who are effective at charting a course, walking the talk, and bringing people along with them. What are the strategies that spark action instead of “acting” and how do we clear the way to make our vision more likely? She also dives into some of the concepts explored in her best-selling books, Never Work Harder Than Your Students and Never Underestimate Your Teachers, which help teachers learn how to increase rigor, but then also demonstrate to leaders how they need to change approaches to make this possible. Jackson also discusses “context agnostic” teaching, a major topic in current times, and much more.  Visit edCircuit.com to watch this episode. Mind the Gap is produced by MindRocket Media Group and presented by John Catt Educational, a leading independent publisher that has supported teachers and school leaders with research-based, easy to use professional development publications since 1959. \ About the participants: Dr. Robyn Jackson believes that any teacher can become a master teacher with the right kind of support and practice. She is a former high school English teacher and middle school administrator and author of nine books including the best-selling Never Work Harder Than Your Students and the award-winning Never Underestimate Your Teachers. She is the founder and CEO of Mindsteps Inc., a professional development firm that helps educators understand the principles of effective teaching and instructional leadership. Follow here on Twitter @Robyn_Mindsteps Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. Through his consultancy – teacherhead consulting – he is interested in working with educators to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas that deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. His books include Rosenshine’s Principles in Action and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook.  Tom is a regular contributor to ResearchEd events and other conferences for teachers and policymakers. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner After 20 years in primary teaching, Emma joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust where she is currently the Research and CPD lead, devising and writing training for staff at all career stages, but specializing in continuous professional development (CPD) for early career teachers. She is the founder of ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early career teachers’, a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help to retain teachers in post. Turner is author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners. She is an advocate of balance in leadership and family life and regularly speaks at events across the UK on how part-time leadership and flexible working can be a hugely successful model in organizations. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75