Education On Fire - Sharing creative and inspiring learning in our schools

  Viking history is a passion for my guest Noah Tetzner. His podcast is called The History of Vikings and he interviews some of the worlds leading academics on the subject. We talk about: How he got into podcasting at just 17 years of age. New ways of learning in the digital age through mediums like podcasts & YouTube. His experiences of being inspired by teachers passionate about history. How to focus on your passions while studying all subjects in the curriculum. Homeschooling   Noah describes his show: The Vikings were a truly legendary people. For nearly 300 years they ruled the waves of the Northern Seas and raided peaceful monasteries and towns along the coasts of England, Ireland, Scotland and France. As raiders the Vikings had an infamous and beastly reputation. Pillaging, burning, and killing whatever lay in their path. They would stop at nothing to appease their desire for wealth and glory. But apart from being excellent at raiding, the Vikings established a trading network that stretched from Finland to Newfoundland, successfully besieged the greatest, most heavily defended city in the world, discovered North America, and revolutionized the way that we build ships. Not to mention the vibrant myths and sagas they told that are still capable of inspiring us today. The history of Vikings is a rich one, and I hope you’ll join me in rediscovering it! www.The HistoryOfVikings.com The History of Vikings – YouTube  

Mark Taylor host and creator of Education on Fire discusses his new Primary Music Membership project. Many schools have been asking for help and advice about how to support music in their primary schools. The Primary Music Membership will show teachers the key areas to focus on and how to expand it to embed music at the heart of a school. We will create a community who will share ideas and support each other. Regular live Q&A seasons can answer any questions from the community and we will follow a year of music teaching to see how it can be done. Step by step audio and video content will help you to enable music to thrive. Find out more https://www.educationonfire.com/primary-music  

Jen Lumanlan is the creator and host of the podcast Your Parenting Mojo. When she became a new parent she started searching for information on the best ways to raise a child. This research led to a Master’s degree in Psychology followed by another in Education. Her passion for learning and a desire to share her findings with others led to the launch of Your Parenting Mojo and two courses. One focused on whether to homeschool your child and the other on how to support your child if you choose public school. 1. Research, analysis, and insights to help you decide whether homeschooling is right for you. 2. Want to support your child’s learning in school? Do you want to improve your child’s social, emotional, and academic capabilities to enable school success and a life-long love of learning? Find out more at yourparentingmojo.com Myself and Peter Cansell were interviewed as part of Jen’s research and creation of ‘Want to support your child’s learning in school?’  We had a wonderful conversation about our experience as both parents and educators. This is available to those who enrol in the course. Here is some information from Jen’s website Are you worried about your child starting school? Or has he/she started school and things aren’t going as well as you’d like? This course is for you if: Your child can’t sit still for more than five minutes in a row and you worry that will make him seem disruptive; You’ve taught your child how to count but have no idea where to start teaching anything else related to math; You have a personal goal of developing a lifelong love of learning in your child; You’ve heard that participating in your child’s learning is a key factor in children’s academic success, but you aren’t sure which are the most effective ways of participating; You’d like to move beyond the pretty Pinterest boards and printable worksheets you see online to create extracurricular activities that extend your child’s interests, expand the ways in which they learn and express their learning, and are really fun! I give you the tools and guidance you need to smooth the transition to school and set your child up for success – all in a way that is driven by the child’s interests and provides reassurance – not stress! – for parents. I hope this helps all of those looking for research based insights from someone who really wants to help you. Links mentioned on the podcast 100 languages of children https://reggioemilia2015.weebly.com  

Kim Waldock is Head of National Programmes for the Learning and Participation department at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. We discuss: New projects for schools Free CPD for teachers Royal Opera House Learning Platform – Discover, explore and immerse your classroom in the world of opera, ballet and theatrecraft through the Royal Opera House’s bespoke resource hub for teachers. The Opera Machine School visits to Royal Opera House Open days Live streaming to schools & cinemas How to get involved Primary programmes quick links: Create and Sing: Create and Sing Carmen or for the lesson layout http://www.roh.org.uk/learning/learning-platform/course/create-and-sing-carmen-immersive/   Create and Dance: http://www.roh.org.uk/learning/learning-platform/programme/create-and-dance-nutcracker/   Design and Make: http://www.roh.org.uk/learning/learning-platform/programme/design-and-make-design-challenge-primary/   Learning and Participation Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD Telephone: +442072129441 email – learning@roh.org.uk http://www.roh.org.uk/learning http://www.roh.org.uk/learning/learning-platform Website: www.roh.org.uk YouTube: www.youtube.com/royaloperahouse Facebook: www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse Twitter: @royaloperahouse

On 19th  April 2018 Dr. Tony Eaude gave the Christian Schiller lecture for the National Association for Primary Education at the University of Greenwich. Guest speakers at the annual lectures use the work of Christian Schiller as inspiration for their insights and thoughts about education. Dr. Tony Eaude was a primary class teacher for thirteen years and headteacher of a multicultural first school in Oxford for nine. He then studied for a doctorate and has worked since 2003 as independent research consultant. He has written widely in areas such as spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, values, pedagogy and expertise in relation to young children and their teachers. Details of Dr. Tony Eaude’s work can be seen on www.edperspectives.org.uk and the the text of the 2018 Christian Schiller lecture can be found on http://www.edperspectives.org.uk/page.cfm?pageid=edp-home   A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF CHRISTIAN SCHILLER from the NAPE website CHRISTIAN SCHILLER CBE, MC, MA Christian Schiller was born on the 20th September 1895. He went to a prep school and then to Gresham’s School where he was head boy. Military service in the First World War followed and he was wounded in action. After the war he read mathematics at Cambridge and then studied with Percy Nunn at the London Day Training College before beginning his teaching career. In 1924 he was appointed HMI and then followed a long period of work with the schools in Liverpool where his contact with poor children and their families was a deeply formative experience. He became District Inspector and later filled this role in Worcestershire. In 1946 he became Staff Inspector for Primary Education and his influence, often in partnership with his friend Robin Tanner, HMI and etcher, was strongly felt as elementary schools developed into primary schools with a distinctive child centred approach which drew on children’s innate creativity and which recognised the powerful learning which comes from direct experience. On his retirement in 1955 he began a new career as he created a one year course at the University of London Institute of Education for teachers and heads seconded from their schools. Each course was kept small, no more than 12 people who spent their year visiting schools and in discussion led by Schiller who often remained largely silent until he revealed his vision and optimism about the future in a brief summing up. There were no examinations or required coursework yet, as this writer will testify, everyone worked extremely hard. The course was hugely influential and most of his former students have gone on to hold senior leadership positions in education. Christian Schiller died on the 11th February 1976. The following year the first memorial lecture was presented in London and the annual lectures, now organised by the National Association for Primary Education, continue to the present day. We are pleased to be able to celebrate the work of this great man who contributed so much to the principles and practice of primary education. To those who say look at us, obsessed with children being coached to pass tests, schools competing rather than co-operating, I reply , look more deeply , beyond today’s political froth. Schiller’s work continues and one day, will prevail. ————————————————————————————————————————- ‘Christian Schiller in his own words’ was published by the Association in 1979. The book is available price £5.00 from the national office. The book and all its wisdom about young children and how we can help them learn should find a place on every teacher’s bookshelf .  

Rob Alvarez is an expert, speaker and advocate for the use of gamification in education. He’s the creator and host of Professor Game and works at IE Business School Publishing, with interactive and engaging learning experiences. Professor Game is a weekly podcast where we interview successful practitioners of games, gamification and game thinking that will bring us the best of their experiences to get ideas, insights and will inspire us in the process of getting students or trainees to learn what we teach. On this episode we discuss: How gamification can be used in education to support learning in a way that children do at home. Where trying until you succeed is positively reinforced as part of learning. Learning through play and helping others. Creating an environment where children have the skills to prosper in the modern world. http://www.professorgame.com https://twitter.com/RobAlvarezB Full details about the podcast at www.EducationOnFire.com

Flora Barton is Headteacher at Crowmarsh Gifford CE Primary School. We discuss how they are supporting their pupils to become independent learners, while creating a working environment for the teaching team to thrive, inspire and be creative. Less testing changes the focus of how teachers teach and as you will hear the results are remarkable. They are doing this by: Purple learning for the pupils Increasing educational visit More learning outside of the classroom No formal observations Verbal feedback 2 days a week staff should leave school at 4.15 with nothing in their hands Focus on wellbeing Less Planning No non-statutory testing Growth mindset Being part of the community Broad curriculum “Learning and leadership are central to the ethos of our school, where both adults and children not only always give their very best but go above and beyond what is expected.  We work hard to ensure that the curriculum is exciting and stimulating, where children can utilise all of their talents and inquire about the wider world around them. This is a place where everyone learns, where everyone is challenged and everyone is inspired.” http://crowmarshgiffordprimary.com/   Links to other topics we discussed National Association for Primary Education Keycolab European Project Carol Dweck – mindset works Dame Alison Peacock – Chartered College of Teaching    For more podcast episodes and content about how to support children to be happy, creative and inspired please visit www.EducationOnFire.com

Short intro to the new look Education on Fire, pre season 5. The continuation of themed seasons Wednesday Wisdom New interviews with successful people who are living their dreams. How did school help or hinder them? What are the most important lessons they have learnt in their journey? Who did they meet or what did they read/hear that has made a profound affect on them. Full details coming soon.https://www.educationonfire.com/

Mark takes us through the highlights of season 4 ‘Music and the Arts’. We recap some of the great interviews and Mark shares his thoughts on what we have explored. Check out his personal offer to come and visit your school. Do you want some FREE samba workshops?   www.EducationOnFire.com

Peter Cansell and I discuss what we have learned from the Education on Fire podcast season 4 – Music and the Arts. 20 episodes of great resources. Peter Cansell is my resident education expert. The person who provides the bigger picture and will tell me that you can’t just play music all day at school other subjects are important too! Peter has been in education professionally for 35 years, teaching in middle schools in Oxford, doing advisory work, teaching higher education and as a Primary Headteacher at Harwell Primary School. He retired from that post in September 2014, but has continued as Chair of OPHTA (Oxfordshire Primary Headteachers’ Association), was elected to become Chair of the National Network of Chairs of Headteachers’ Groups in June 2014 and was delighted to have become a NAPE council member this year, serving on the editorial board for Primary First. In January of 2015 he co-founded the Oxford School of Thought, an independent education think tank. He is a trustee and chairs the management committee of another charity, Full Circle, which is well regarded for its ground breaking intergenerational work.   Subscribe to the podcast on your iPhone or iPad at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/education-on-fire/id1185244875 On Android http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=126031&refid=stpr Listen on the website https://www.educationonfire.com Season 4 starts here https://www.educationonfire.com/040-season-4-launch-show-music-arts-schools/