Chatting Coaching with Michael Bungay Stanier
Every now and then I come across a book that has a significant impact on me. In this case, the book in question is The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. The Coaching Habit has sold over 400,000 copies and is a Wall Street Journal Best-Seller. This book has informed much of the work my […]
Read More🎶 Tonight I’m gonna email like it’s 1999 🎶
This is an edited version of my latest School of Thought Column in Australian Teacher Magazine. I started teaching in 1999, when within the school, communication was via the morning staff briefing and through memos or the like posted in my pigeonhole, that I might – or more likely might not – get to every […]
Read MoreIs “by teachers for teachers” always a good thing?
This is an excerpt from my latest Australian Teacher Magazine column. In schools it is not uncommon for outside agencies to be brought in to consult on initiatives, but should the consultant lack a background in education they can be quickly dismissed by a less than enthusiastic staffroom. After all, what would they know? Yet […]
Read MoreActing on Evidence
This blog post is in response to a piece written by Dr Deborah Netolicky. It would be worth reading it to give you the context of my response below. But if you want the quick version: Social Ventures Australia, The Commonwealth Bank and the Education Endowment Foundation released the Aussie Teaching & Learning Toolkit that looks […]
Read MoreMaking teachers nervous the key to lifting standards?
Four years ago I wrote a piece for the UK Huffington Post reflecting on the nonsense being espoused by the then head of OFSTED, Sir Michael Wilshaw. Upon his appointment as Chief Inspector of Schools he dispensed this advice to UK headmasters: “A good head would never be loved by his or her staff. If […]
Read More3 things you (probably) didn’t know about Finland
Every couple of years, the OECD publish a report from their Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Their findings are (very helpfully) compiled into league tables, charting the performance of each of the participating countries in maths, literacy and application of scientific knowledge. These tables are then used to fuel media stories like this one, which […]
Read MoreStop Blaming ‘The System’
I often get asked to speak about engagement. I outline that four key considerations are essential if we are to genuinely engage kids (and staff) in our schools. They are: establishing good relationships, developing a sense of autonomy, encouraging mastery and having a bigger purpose than just chasing grades. Sometimes I hear that whilst these ideals are admirable – […]
Read More5 Key Takeaways about Student Wellbeing
A couple of weeks ago the Centre for Education Statistics & Evaluation released their literature review into Student Wellbeing. You can access the entire document here. It clearly and concisely lays out all the considerations important for addressing student wellbeing in your school. It also offers dozens of research papers to explore by way of referencing. Having said that, if […]
Read MoreThe Problem(s) With (most) Professional Learning
A while back I gained accreditation from NSW BOSTES to deliver workshops for which teachers who attended could claim hours against the teaching standards. When I mentioned this to my old man in the UK he said, “Oh no! You’re not one them tossers now are you?” He’s been an accountant for his entire working […]
Read MoreChatting with John Hattie – Pt. 1
Late last year I wrote a blog post called, Is John Talking Through His Hattie? The subject of the post was a series of posts and articles I had come across that called into question the validity of the statistical analysis that is the backbone of John Hattie’s Visible Learning work. To save you the […]
Read More