*I originally created these posts for the micro-blogging education site Staffrm, which shut down mid-2017. I wanted to re-share these early forays into the blogging world but have not edited any of these posts from their original form. *
When I was first accepted onto the Teach First programme one of the first things I did was get onto Amazon. What books did I need to read? I was looking for a magic wand; a secret recipe that would make me a fantastic teacher from day one. Of course, no such magic exists, but I bought several which would give me a solid introduction into many of the theories and practices which would be discussed by tutors and mentors throughout my first year. As the year progressed, I began to discover more specific texts which would help develop my repertoire of teaching strategies, not least Pie Corbett’s numerous offerings. But, amongst the pressures of the day to day job, the challenges of my PGCE and attempting to balance my life outside of work, I didn’t read nearly as much as I wanted to do. This year, I have had the good fortune to have been recommended several fantastic books, many of which are listed below and all of which I would recommend. These books have challenged many of the practices and assumptions I developed in my first year of teaching not just within my own teaching but also my thinking about school culture on a wider scale. Alongside academic reading for my Masters study and many of the brilliant blogs out there, these books have have helped to shape and develop my views about education, teaching and learning. Here’s a short selection of just a few of my favourites, in no particular order.:
What do you recommend I read next? *Note: after I tweet about this, none other than Doug Lemov himself replied to recommend Beck et al's Bringing Words to Life. Most of the books I listed above are still ones I value and would recommend to others. If this post interests you, check out my Recommendations tab.*
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*I originally created these posts for the micro-blogging education site Staffrm, which shut down mid-2017. I wanted to re-share these early forays into the blogging world but have not edited any of these posts from their original form. *
“If kids left school at 11, what would we teach them?” This was the final question that Stephen Lockyer posed during his speech at Research Ed’s National Conference in 2015. It’s a question that has stuck with me. Primary schools are based on the levels of their pupils who reach the ‘expected standard’ and whether they have ‘added value’ during their pupil’s time at the school. We often hear the phrase bandied around: ‘secondary ready’. We need to give pupils the best education we can so that they are ‘secondary ready’. Or so we’re told. But we don’t. The clue is in the name. It is Primary education not just because it comes first but because it is most important. Without the basics laid at primary school it would be difficult for many of us to function in society. The basic skills we need to check your change in the shops or write a letter to a friend. Yes, the education we give our pupils is important in ensuring they are ‘secondary ready’, but that is not enough. It is not enough to say that they need to do well so they are ‘secondary ready’, it is our duty to ensure they are ‘world ready’. Now, I’m not suggesting that our pupils are, or should, be ready go out into the big bad world aged 11; there is no doubt that secondary (and tertiary) education are extremely important to the development of our young people. We would certainly hope that our pupils are ‘secondary ready’ by the time they finish Year 6 - especially in areas such as their independence, curiosity and willingness to tackle new problems. I may be alone in this, but to suggest that the aim of primary education is to ensure children are ‘secondary ready’ is just wrong. Then again, maybe I'm misinterpreting the phrase myself. Either way, it brings me back to the question we began with: “If kids left school at 11, what would we teach them?” |
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