Teaching on purpose – Details, episodes & analysis

In this first episode, host, Adam and Nadine Cotton, Director of Secondary standards and Quality of Education, talk about purpose. What is it that drives teacher decision making in the classroom and how can we make sure that we put those drivers, (our purposes) at the heart of how we talk about teaching...

In this episode, host, Adam and Gavin Ward, Assistant Head at Kempston Academy, dig into securing, maintaining and regaining attention through a 3,2,1 Countdown.

The episode features a conversation between Adam and Nuruddin Mlaouhi, focusing on the purpose of communicating meaning in teaching. Nuruddin shares insights on live modeling as a technique for communicating meaning, the importance of cognitive load, and the use of group work to enhance student understanding. The conversation emphasizes the need for teachers to be responsive and make the right decisions at the right time for the right reason.

Takeaways

• Live modeling is a powerful technique for communicating meaning in teaching.
• Understanding student cognitive load is crucial for adapting teaching techniques.
• Group work can be used to enhance student understanding and encourage learning from peers.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Communicating Meaning
• 10:27 Adapting Live Modeling
• 21:18 Group Work as an Alternative Technique

In this episode, Adam and Yamina discuss the purpose of securing, maintaining, and regaining attention in the classroom. They explore the importance of whole school consistency, the impact of extraneous cognitive load on attention, and the role of attention across all phases of a lesson. They also delve into the difference between visible clues and cognitive attending, as well as the adaptation of a whole school approach to attention techniques. The conversation delves into the importance of securing and maintaining attention in the classroom, the need for adapting techniques for individual students, the significance of consistency in whole school culture, the challenges in leadership of teaching and learning, and the purpose of securing attention in the context of teaching and professional development.

In this episode Adam is joined by Ian Stonnell, Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning at Denbigh High school. Adam and Ian get into the popular technique of SLANT and Ian talks us through when he uses it, when he tweaks it and when he uses a different technique for the same purpose.

The conversation delves into the core teaching technique of I do, we do, you do, its adaptations and variations, and the role of assessment and feedback in teaching. Henry Cross shares insights on the technique's application and the importance of professional judgment in teaching.

Takeaways

• I do, we do, you do - a core teaching technique
• Adaptations and variations of the I do, we do, you do technique
• Assessment and feedback in teaching

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 16:22 Adaptations and Variations of the Technique
• 24:53 Assessment and Feedback in Teaching

The episode features a conversation between Adam and Lauren, focusing on the purpose of communicating meaning in teaching. Lauren introduces the 'whole class feedback slide' technique and discusses its impact on teacher workload, student engagement, and progress. The conversation also delves into adaptation and the interplay between purpose and context in teaching, the importance of teacher belief in a technique, and the role of leadership in fostering collective ethos and mental models of learning and teaching.

Takeaways

• Teacher belief in a technique is crucial for its effectiveness.
• The interplay between purpose and context in teaching is essential for adapting techniques to suit the demands of different situations.

The episode explores the purpose of driving hard thinking and the technique of ThinkPairShare. Hattie shares her teaching journey and experience in Uganda, while Adam discusses the adaptation and application of the ThinkPairShare technique. The conversation emphasizes the importance of decision-making in teaching and the need for adaptability based on the learning context.

Takeaways

• Purposeful adaptation of teaching techniques
• Understanding the cognitive effort required for learning

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Driving Hard Thinking
• 06:00 Memory and Cognitive Effort
• 11:51 Adapting ThinkPairShare Technique
• 18:17 Adapting ThinkPairShare Technique
• 25:37 When ThinkPairShare is Not Suitable

The podcast series explores pertinent educational issues, with a focus on early years education. The first episode features Sarah Armitage, a head teacher with a passion for early years education. Sarah shares her journey from studying early childhood studies to becoming a head teacher, emphasizing the importance of early years principles and inclusive practice. The conversation explores the tension between early identification of developmental needs in children and the labeling of children with special educational needs (SEND). It delves into the importance of high expectations and inclusion, as well as the preservation of agency and resilience in education. The discussion also highlights the need to extend the characteristics of effective learning beyond early years.

Takeaways

• Early years education is a critical foundation for children's development.
• Inclusive practice in early years education is essential and should be integrated into the classroom culture. Early identification of developmental needs is essential, but labeling children with SEND should be approached with caution.
• True inclusion demands high expectations and a commitment to preserving agency and resilience in all children.
• Extending the characteristics of effective learning beyond early years is crucial for fostering autonomy and flexibility in learning.

Chapters

• 00:00 Balancing Early Identification of SEND
• 47:03 Extending Characteristics of Effective Learning

The conversation delves into the purpose of communicating meaning and the prerequisites for effective communication. It explores the challenges faced by teachers in communicating abstract concepts and the importance of clarity in explanations. The discussion also highlights the link between engagement and the way in which meaning is communicated, emphasizing the need for sustained thought and attention. The paradox of flexibility and adaptation is explored, along with the magic of being well-prepared and having solid knowledge. The conversation concludes with a focus on the challenges faced by teachers in communicating meaning effectively. The conversation delves into the challenges of using tangents and personal stories in teaching, the importance of choosing the right examples and stories, the distinction between the features of a story and the actual stories, the abstract vs. concrete challenge, the concept of scaffolding and incremental explanation, the relationship between concrete understanding and the abstract, and the significance of intellectual preparation and top tips for communicating meaning effectively.

Takeaways

• Communicating meaning requires deep understanding of the content being taught
• Flexibility and adaptation are essential for effective communication of meaning
• Engagement is linked to the way in which meaning is communicated Tangents and stories can distract from the key point being communicated.
• Using multiple examples and analogies can help students understand abstract concepts.
• Intellectual preparation and deep subject knowledge are essential for effective explanation.

Chapters

• 00:00 Challenges of Communicating Meaning for Teachers
• 24:35 The Temptation of Tangents and Stories
• 30:13 Abstract vs. Concrete Challenge
• 36:02 Scaffolding and Incremental Explanation
• 43:28 Intellectual Preparation and Top Tips for Communicating Meaning