Head of department notes: who are the key people?

March 28, 2022

Is the most important person in your school or team is the one who has the key to the stationery cupboard?

Toxic leadership

March 17, 2022

It's all very well enjoying power, but ultimately power is only useful if it gets things done without unfortunate side effects.

Preparing for a head of department post doesn’t only involve reading. Picture credit: Reading (cartoon), by Terry Freedman

The benefits of supply teaching...

March 13, 2022

I don’t think I would go so far as to recommend supply teaching as a career option, even temporarily. However…

Open sign — Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay

The benefits of an open door classrooms policy

February 7, 2022

Should classrooms be open, in the sense that anyone might see what's going on, and perhaps even take part in them?

Helping staff to develop and move on

January 28, 2022

You can’t hold on to good teachers forever. They will, at some point, wish to move on and seek positions of influence themselves.

What does a Head of Department do?

January 28, 2022

If you’re the Head of Computing or Education Technology, you may also have a responsibility for the use and possibly even the co-ordination of the use of technology across the whole school.

Recent book reviews

For your Eng Lit colleagues? The Penguin Book of the International Short Story -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote!

Two reviews in one: Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals -- art and history

One for your colleagues, perhaps: art, art history, ploitics with a small ‘p’.

Two reviews in one: State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature -- politics, history, English

One for your colleagues, perhaps. Sperrin has provided a wealth of information that can be used to provide a rich experience for students of politics, history and English literature.

Two reviews in one: A Little History of Mathematics

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

The Learning Rainforest Great Teaching in Real Classrooms Great Teaching in Real Classrooms.jpg

Review: The Learning Rainforest: Great Teaching in Real Classrooms

This is a great book for dipping into in order to read about different teaching and assessment strategies, backed up by research.

Outstanding Formative Assessment Culture and Practice.jpg

Review: Outstanding Formative Assessment: Culture and Practice

This book contains numerous assessment for learning techniques.

New Media in the Classroom Rethinking Primary Literacy.jpg

Review: New Media in the Classroom: Rethinking Primary Literacy

This provides a great deal of information about the different aspects of "literacy” and how digital tools can be brought into the service of literacy in the primary school.