Now that the summer holidays have started, you’re probably relishing the opportunity to put anything school related to the back of your mind. But in addition to some much needed rest and relaxation, you should also consider reading up on a few education topics that interest you.
That way, when the start of term rolls around again, you’ll be full of fresh ideas and impetus, ready to impress yet another year of school children.
In order to help pupils develop their employability skills, teachers should always be thinking about how to integrate careers advice into the curriculum. However, this is easier said than done…
Thankfully, the research and training charity IGD has a number of free activities available as part of its Educator Hub, which should make it easier to teach pupils about the realities of work, even if your curriculum is becoming increasingly congested.
What would you say is the most important characteristic of a great teacher? Listening skills? Passion for the job? Or perhaps friendliness and approachability?
For many, it is the ability to communicate effectively. But this isn’t limited to the words coming out of your mouth – communication is about about when you say it, how often you say it, who you say it to and what your actions are saying.
So, if you want to communicate better, here’s 4 things you should be saying.
In 2013, the UK government introduced compulsory ‘SPaG’ (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) tests for all state schools in England at the end of Key Stage 2. This was because statistics revealed that children between 7-11 were below their expected level for writing ability.
A further test was also introduced in 2017 for children at the end of Key Stage 1, with the original KS2 test revised according to the National Curriculum. That year, despite arguments against the test, 77% of children reached the expected standard of the SPaG test.
With the end of the school year fast approaching, the mind-set of both teachers and students will soon be fully focused on exam season.
Many choose to go their own way when planning and preparing for exams, especially as advice from teachers on how best to approach revising is rarely welcomed by students. But a lot can be said for looking at the evidence behind favourable strategies employed by schools and providing classes with helpful resources on how to succeed.
Jeremy Corbyn recently pledged that if elected, Labour would scrap formal tests in primary schools in England. Speaking to members of the National Education Union in Liverpool, Corbyn claimed that SATS leave children in floods of tears or vomiting with worry.
He also said that the move would free up schools struggling with funding cuts and congested classrooms, and help teacher recruitment and retention.
Despite the fact that every teacher should have read Ofsted’s school inspection handbook, which goes into detail about things like the evaluation schedule and grade descriptors, several inspection myths still exist.
So, to provide clarification over the facts once and for all, here are 7 Ofsted inspection myths you should pay no attention to whatsoever.
In recent years, an increasing number of teachers and schools have started to adopt research and evidence-based practices.
One notable example is cognitive load theory, which has been described by Dylan William as “the single most important thing for teachers to know.”
But what do we mean by cognitive load theory? And how can it impact the classroom? Here’s what you need to know.
It is fair to say that throughout life, people are measured and judged against certain benchmarks, which don’t always paint true-to-life pictures of character or capability.
The exact same thing can be said for our current examination system, which ignores the individuality of each student – it’s simply the strongest and fittest who survive.
So, does that mean to say we are failing our pupils with school examinations?
Every week, Ofsted carries out hundreds of inspections and regulatory visits of services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
For many years, it has used statistical models to ensure proportionate inspection of maintained schools and academies as well as independent educational institutions and programmes.
But in March 2018, Ofsted released a publication outlining the risk assessment process for good and outstanding maintained schools and academies, which involved individual assessment of published data alongside a more in-depth ‘desk-based’ review of a wider range of available information.