Knowledge for Teachers

In this episode, we're focusing on a key element of successful schools: understanding and supporting positive student behaviour. Brendan Lee speaks with Dr. Brandi Simonsen, a professor of special education at the University of Connecticut and co-director of the National Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Brandi shares her practical insights into PBIS, exploring the crucial links between behaviour, attendance, and academic success. We delve into the ABCs of behavior and uncover effective, evidence-based strategies for creating positive classroom environments, from setting clear expectations to the power of specific praise. Whether you're new to teaching or looking to enhance your practice, this episode offers valuable knowledge and actionable takeaways on implementing Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports. Resources mentioned: Brandi Simonsen and Diane Myers: Classwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: A Guide to Proactive Classroom Management Diane Myers, Brandi Simonsen and Jennifer Freeman: Implementing Classwide PBIS: A Guide to Supporting Teachers, which I highly recommend. National Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) You can connect with Brandi: Linkedin   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

Dr. Matthew Burns, a researcher at the University of Florida Literacy Institute, brings his expertise on effective assessment data in education. He discusses the importance of understanding various assessment types and their purposes in driving instruction. Dr. Burns emphasizes aligning data with educational goals and offers practical advice on reducing unnecessary screening. He also covers effective interventions in reading and math, including strategies to enhance fluency and comprehension. His insights are valuable for educators seeking to improve student learning outcomes.

In this episode of Knowledge for Teachers, Brendan Lee speaks with Liana McCurry, a passionate advocate for primary school maths education. Fresh from her Churchill Fellowship, Liana shares findings from her research into mathematical practices across six countries. Listeners will gain insights into the systemic issues contributing to Australia's declining maths performance and discover how to bridge the research-to-practice gap. Liana delves into key topics, including: Mathematical modelling and its surprisingly misunderstood place in the curriculum. The power of multisensory approaches to unlock conceptual understanding. Why fluency in maths is a foundational skill that needs renewed focus. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that equips educators with practical knowledge and strategies to transform maths education in their classrooms. Resources mentioned: Books: Explicit Direct Instruction by Hollingsworth and Ybarra. Explicit Instruction by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes Harnessing the Science of Learning by Nathaniel Swain. Direct Instruction Mathematics by Stein et al Websites: Ochre Science of Math website. Thinking Forward Educators,  Brian Poncy's MIND Steve Wyborney's Esti Mysteries Podcasts: Knowledge for Teachers. Dyscastia, hosted by Bill Hansberry and Michael Shanahan. Craig Barton podcast. Progressively Incorrect, hosted by Zach Groshell Chalk and Talk, hosted by Anna Stokke Training and Conferences: Sharing Best Practice conferences. What Works series in Geelong. Orton Gillingham Math, Multisensory Maths training   You can connect with Liana: Linkedin Email: liana@sol-education.net Website: sol-education.net   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast   A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics - 10 hr Online (Live) Course While there’s been strong momentum for the science of reading, what about maths? In this course, I will explore what the research reveals about effective maths instruction, highlighting the importance of aligning teaching with how learning happens. Across these sessions, I will go beyond summarising research and delve into practical implications, showing teachers how to bring these concepts to life in the classroom. Highly interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of opportunities for teachers to engage, practice, and respond.   REGISTER HERE

This episode features a compelling conversation with Murat Dizdar, the head of the New South Wales Department of Education. Murat shares his inspiring journey from being the son of Turkish immigrants to leading Australia’s largest education system. He discusses the experiences that shaped his vision for public education, his deep passion for the teaching profession, and the key initiatives he’s championing to drive meaningful change. This episode offers valuable insights and inspiration for anyone interested in education and leadership. Resources mentioned: NSW Department of Education Resource Hub Explicit Teaching Statement High Potential and Gifted Education Policy AERO (Australian Education Research Organisation) Grattan Institute: Ending the lesson lottery You can connect with Murat: Twitter/X:  @dizdarm   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast   A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics - 10 hr Online (Live) Course While there’s been strong momentum for the science of reading, what about maths? In this course, I will explore what the research reveals about effective maths instruction, highlighting the importance of aligning teaching with how learning happens. Across these sessions, I will go beyond summarising research and delve into practical implications, showing teachers how to bring these concepts to life in the classroom. Highly interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of opportunities for teachers to engage, practice, and respond.   More info https://www.learnwithlee.net/a-systematic-and-structured-approach-to-teaching-primary-mathematics/ 10% off Discount code: MATESRATES

In this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers podcast, Nick Hart takes us on an inspiring journey from his beginnings in sports science to becoming a school leader in Dubai. A respected voice in educational leadership, Nick shares insights from his blog and books, delving into the evolution of his leadership style. He discusses the critical role of context in decision-making, introduces the concept of the school year’s rhythm for structured improvement and highlights the importance of trust in fostering strong school communities. Tune in for practical advice and thought-provoking ideas on navigating the complexities of educational leadership. Resources mentioned: Nick Hart’s books:  Creating a strong culture and a positive climate in schools  Impact: a five part framework for making a difference in schools Nick Hart’s blog posts discussed in this episode:  Leadership handbook 5.0 School improvement: Rhythm of the year Culture setting | More than words A model for school improvement Vivianne Robinson Mary Kennedy Dr. Neil Gilbride Bryk and Schneider Ambition Institute - The persistent problems of school leadership AERO You can connect with Nick: Twitter: @MrNickHart Linkedin Website: mrnickhart.wordpress.com   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Linkedin: @brendan-lee-kft Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast   A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics - 10 hr Online (Live) Course While there’s been strong momentum for the science of reading, what about maths? In this course, I will explore what the research reveals about effective maths instruction, highlighting the importance of aligning teaching with how learning happens. Across these sessions, I will go beyond summarising research and delve into practical implications, showing teachers how to bring these concepts to life in the classroom. Highly interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of opportunities for teachers to engage, practice, and respond.   More info https://www.learnwithlee.net/a-systematic-and-structured-approach-to-teaching-primary-mathematics/ 10% off Discount code: MATESRATES  

In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Dr. Zach Groshell for the third of their trilogy of conversations together. In their first episode, they unpacked the nuances of teaching effectively. In the second one, they spoke about coaching, culture and change. In today’s podcast, you will hear them discuss the complex world of school leadership! They explore the key elements that contribute to a positive and productive school culture. From going beyond superficial evaluation methods to building a diverse team that leverages everyone's strengths, they cover a range of important topics that will help school leaders create a thriving learning environment for both students and teachers. Zach’s four points were: Leaders need to start minimizing evaluations and start maximizing teacher performance  Leaders should view behavior as a system that involves everyone, including them  Leaders don’t have to be the best teachers on earth, but they do have to know something about instruction  Leaders should move away from one-off PD as the primary means of teacher training.  Brendan’s 4 points were: Leaders need to have their fingers on the pulse Clear Communication is key Leaders need to build a diverse team Good leaders don't care about who is right or wrong Resources mentioned: Zach’s newly released book: Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching Viviane Robinson - Reduce change to increase improvement Daniel Kahnemann - Thinking, Fast and Slow Progressively Incorrect S4E10: Nathaniel Swain, Steven Capp, and Katie Roberts-Hull on Harnessing the Science of Learning You can connect with Zach: Twitter: @mrzachg Podcast: Progressively Incorrect Website: educationrickshaw.com   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast   A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics - 10 hr Online (Live) Course While there’s been strong momentum for the science of reading, what about maths? In this course, I will explore what the research reveals about effective maths instruction, highlighting the importance of aligning teaching with how learning happens. Across these sessions, I will go beyond summarising research and delve into practical implications, showing teachers how to bring these concepts to life in the classroom. Highly interactive, the sessions will offer plenty of opportunities for teachers to engage, practice, and respond.   More info https://www.learnwithlee.net/a-systematic-and-structured-approach-to-teaching-primary-mathematics/ 10% off Discount code: MATESRATES  

Dr. Leslie Laud, Founding Director of ThinkSRSD, brings nearly two decades of experience in writing education. In this engaging conversation, she delves into the transformative Self-Regulated Strategy Development framework, emphasizing effective mnemonics and structured routines. Dr. Laud discusses the pressing need for professional development tailored to teachers' unique contexts and shares strategies for smoothly implementing writing instruction. She also highlights how self-assessment and genre understanding can empower students, paving the way for innovative writing practices across grade levels.

Dr. Nathaniel Swain, author of 'Harnessing the Science of Learning', returns to discuss how to prioritize effective teaching in schools. He advocates for reclaiming instructional time lost to distractions and emphasizes a knowledge-rich curriculum essential for literacy and numeracy. The conversation delves into making learning engaging and fun while maintaining structure. Swain also highlights challenges in implementing change and shares insights on effective math and literacy instruction, urging educators to balance explicit teaching with student engagement.

This is the second conversation between Dr. Zach Groshell and Brendan Lee. For those that don’t know, Zach is the host of the Progressively Incorrect Podcast and also the author of Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching. In this episode, they take a deep dive into some of the key considerations that schools need to take when it comes to instructional coaching.   For this episode, Zach’s four items were: Schools need an instructional focus for coaching to be successful.   Coaching is not only about teaching techniques, but also about fostering teacher judgement.  Relationships with teachers should not overshadow the goal of coaching Coaching cycles and drop ins don’t need to take all that long   Brendan’s four points were: Coaches need to shrink the change Coaching should feel like a development process, rather than a judgemental one Participants need to own the problem Get granular with goal setting   Resources mentioned: Steplab Josh Goodrich - Responsive Coaching Teach Like a Champion Peps Mccrea Jim Knight Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli - Teaching Walkthrus You can connect with Zach: Twitter: @mrzachg Podcast: Progressively Incorrect Website: educationrickshaw.com   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net Implementing the Science of Learning - For School Leaders 10% off Discount code: MATESRATES Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Professor Nancy Jordan. She has been at the forefront of all things to do with early numeracy research including looking at screeners and intervention. Many of you come from the science of reading world and are fans of Scarborough’s Reading Rope, Nancy and colleagues have put together a Number Sense one! I’ve popped the citation in the show notes.    Throughout this conversation she delves into what number sense is, why it’s important, how we can develop it and how to assess it. Nancy also covers the role of manipulatives and the transition to understanding fractions.  Resources mentioned: SENS: Screener for Early Number Sense Number Sense Interventions Jordan, N. C., Devlin, B. L., & Botello, M. (2022). Core foundations of early mathematics: refining the number sense framework. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 46, 101181. ICME Ginsburg, Greenes, & Balfanz - Big Math for Little Kids Bob Siegler Nora Newcomb Chelsea Cutting. What Works Clearinghouse   You can connect with Nancy: Twitter: @Dr_nancyjordan Email: njordan@udel.edu Website: https://sites.google.com/a/udel.edu/nancy-jordan/   You can connect with Brendan: Twitter: @learnwithmrlee Facebook: @learningwithmrlee Website: learnwithlee.net   Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:  https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast