Maths Summer Learning Challenge Launched
Whizz Education, provider of the award-winning virtual tutor Maths-Whizz, has launched an exciting summer learning challenge for all 5–13-year-olds. This new initiative is open to all schools and parents, designed to encourage students to continue ‘doing’ maths whilst having fun over the six-week summer holiday period (mid-July to the end August). The aim of the challenge is to ensure measurable learning gains are made, helping students get ‘back on track’ by September and have fun doing so both on screen and outdoors. Fiona Goddard, Senior Education Consultant explains: “It’s been a hugely stressful year, with teachers facing unprecedented pressure as many students struggle to keep up despite the heroic commitment of staff. The Summer Learning Challenge is being launched as a response to the extraordinarily difficult circumstances faced over the past 12 months and will support our schools, teachers, and parents keeping children’s maths learning simmering whilst away from the classroom. “Our research shows that when students switch off over the summer, they tend to lose around two-three months’ worth of maths knowledge, known as summer learning loss. Yet with just one hour per week of focussed individualised Maths-Whizz instruction, they can expect to move their learning forward by around eight-nine weeks over a six-week summer period. In all gaining a 4-month advantage with just one hour a week; helping to turn learning loss into learning gains. “As a solutions provider accountable for learning outcomes through a holistic approach, we offer a range of services to help pupils achieve learning gains. Therefore, as part of the Summer Challenge, schools will be supported with three learning initiatives: Virtual Tutoring: one hour a week of Maths-Whizz for students and a minimum of three Progressions for six weeks during the summer securing learning gains. Make Maths Stick: a set of recreational outdoor maths activities for children and families. Two activities a week for six weeks. Yes, it involves sticks. And yes, it’s really fun! Daily Challenges: brain-busting maths teasers for students, parents and teachers alike. Five challenges per week for six weeks. The fun maths teasers get children thinking outside the box. There are ‘easier’ or ‘harder’ options to get them reasoning and problem-solving at their level of understanding. A prize will be awarded to the school that achieves the highest number of Progressions per student, which includes an amazing half-day maths enrichment session in the Autumn, delivered by our experts at Whizz Education, in-person or online. A ‘Golden Ticket’ invitation to an online Maths Extravaganza, an hour of fun-filled maths activities with Dr Junaid Mubeen, Director of Education and Fiona Goddard, will also be awarded to individual students who achieve 60 mins and three or more Progressions over the six-week summer period in each of the six weeks. Golden Ticket invitations will also be offered to students who receive a shout-out from our marketing team after sharing an interesting Making Maths Stick activity photo or a solution to the Daily Challenges. Goddard continues: “We understand the summer is an essential time for teachers, parents and students to relax and recharge. Therefore, this initiative is intended to secure learning and engagement with minimal effort and maximum fun! With just 60 minutes per week the potential impact on learning gains is significant.” All activities are fully supported with quality resources including: implementation plan for schools, personalised progress tracker chart with QR codes for easy access to the activities for the students, resource packs, instructional guide, and school and parent webinars all detailing how to participate. Goddard confirms: “We believe that every child deserves a learning experience that caters to their individual needs and pace of learning. Our expertise lies in designing and overseeing implementations that embrace the unique context of each environment. We work in close partnership with schools and parents, to provide engaging and interactive content pitched at the right learning level, so progression can be a positive experience. We are now looking forward to collaborating with more schools, parents and students looking to take up the Maths Summer Learning Challenge!” To find out more about the Whizz Education. Sign up for the Summer Learning Challenge please see https://www.whizz.com/summer-challenge-signup/
The PTI partner with inspirational subject leaders to deliver summer lecture series for teachers
Dan Snow, Simon Schama and Danielle de Niese will join the PTI’s Subject Enrichment Series The PTI has announced a series of online professional development lectures for teachers in June and July 2021 to support teachers to deepen knowledge of their subject areas. The PTI Subject Enrichment Series gives teachers an opportunity to attend lectures by the finest minds in their subject fields including Simon Schama, Lord Martin Rees, Dan Snow, Tracy Borman, Marcus du Sautoy and Danielle de Niese over a two week period. Lectures include: Should history wars be fought in the classroom? with Simon Schama; The changing historical landscape with Dan Snow; The universe with Lord Martin Rees; The power of geography with Tim Marshall; The private lives of Tudors with Tracy Borman and ‘X+Y: A mathematician’s manifesto for rethinking gender with Eugenia Cheng. Dan Snow MBE, Historian and PTI Ambassador, said: “In a year marked by the global pandemic, landmark protests, the climate crisis and political turbulence, it will be fascinating to know how 2020 and 2021 will go down in the history books and what aspects of our society will have changed forever. In my lecture I hope to explore how we broaden the curriculum and rethink what we teach as historians. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is a brilliant space for teachers across the nation to re-ignite their passion and dive deeper their subject field. It is these teachers who will inspire the next generation of historians, writers, scientists and geographers.” Professor Marcus du Sautoy OBE, Mathematician and PTI Ambassador, said: “The power of passion and subject knowledge in teaching is undeniable. At school, my teachers gave me the key that unlocked the door to the magical world of mathematics that I’ve spent my life exploring ever since. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is about giving teachers the chance to connect with their subject and discover new ways to enthuse their students. During my lecture, I hope to remind teachers what an extraordinary subject maths is, so that they can take their enthusiasm and inspire the next generation of mathematicians.” Additional subject expert speakers include, Marcus du Sautoy, Howard Goodall, Michael Wood, Tara Versey, Joelle Taylor, Danny Dorling and Klaus Dodds. The PTI’s lecture series aims to support learning for teachers, develop new ways to enthuse students, reflect on teaching methods and to discuss ways to improve the curricula. Carolyn Roberts, Co-Director of The PTI and Headteacher at Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich, said: “It is no secret that this past year has been a turbulent, challenging time for teachers across the country. Now more than ever, it is essential that teachers are given the chance to briefly step back from the pressures of the classroom and school and immerse themselves in a series which deepens their knowledge and passion for their subject. Our Summer Enrichment Series provides an opportunity for teachers to be inspired by Britain’s leading subject experts connect with like-minded subject leaders and drive long-term department change that will contribute to whole-school improvement and inspire young people, whatever their ability”. Subject Leaders who book events on this series will be able to join the PTI Subject Leadership Programme, a national network of subject leaders who meet annually to share best practice and to work together to improve subject provision. The programme encourages schools to engage in curriculum improvements and other projects that will result in better subject provision, as well as motivating teachers to deepen their subject knowledge. Over 1,000 school departments are members of the Subject Leadership Programme. The Subject Enrichment Series will include lectures and workshops covering Art, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music and Science, is open to teachers at all levels and takes place from 21 June to 2 July 2021. Members of the PTI can attend any event for free. For non-members, this series costs £45 which includes a place on all of the events. To book, please go to: www.ptieducation.org/events
Winners announced for Inaugural Malala Yousafzai secondary school writing competition
A competition for secondary schools, created to help combat severe disruption to learning and isolation that students faced over Covid-19 school closures, saw more than 1500 pupils across the UK submit their written work. Four UK secondary school pupils have been announced as the first-ever winners of a new creative writing competition backed by the world’s youngest Nobel winner, Malala Yousafzai, and the National Literacy Trust. The inaugural 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition was launched in September 2020, asking students to submit their original creative stories. The aim of the competition is to use creative writing to boost the confidence, mental health, and literacy skills of school pupils who have experienced prolonged disruptions to learning and isolation from friends and family over two academic years. The competition has provided a much-needed creative outlet for young people who have been struggling with the impact of the pandemic on their education and mental health. Research by Young Minds found that 80% of young people said that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse, while 87% of respondents said they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period. More than 1500 pupils from around 400 secondary schools submitted pieces of writing or graphic novels, which could be either fiction or non-fiction and in any genre. Amongst the winners was twelve-year-old Katie Barnett, from Bishop Luffa School in Chichester, West Sussex, who entered a short story titled “The Three Little Pigs and Covid-19”. Ada Lovelace Church of England High School in Ealing, London had two winning entries, “A Living Hell” by Mark Robinson, aged 13, and “A Chicken’s Road to Heaven” by Deema Mahmood, aged 11. The creative writing competition was backed by Malala Yousafzai, campaigner for educational equality and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who congratulated the winners. Malala said: “Every child has a story to tell. The Connected Creatives competition sums up exactly why I became an activist in the first place – young voices really do matter, but too often they’re ignored or silenced. “The response to the competition has been inspiring – hundreds of young people took part, and the quality of the writing was impressive. It shows how important the provision of creative outlets like Connected Creatives are, in helping students to improve writing and digital skills, connect with peers, and share their work. Well done to all the pupils, as well as the teachers and schools that supported them. “I’d like to congratulate both Mark and Deema on their winning stories. In writing “ A Chicken’s Road to Heaven”, Deema did a wonderful job of creating an engaging narrative – with a twist – from the point of view of Paprika the chicken. Mark’s story, “A Living Hell”, is a tense read that vividly captured the emotions of a soldier on the battlefield. “I’d also like to say well done to Katie Barnett from Bishop Luffa School. Katie’s entry is a very clever retelling of a children’s story with a topical twist – what if the classic ‘Three Little Pigs’ was set during the Coronavirus pandemic? It’s amusing, but also does a great job in reminding us all of the importance of staying safe. “Writing and storytelling have been essential in my fight to improve educational equality and the rights of girls to learn. Congratulations to the winners, runner up, shortlisted students and everyone that took part in the competition. I hope that you all continue to raise your voice.” The competition took place on Connected Creatives, an EdTech platform that is free to use for schools, teachers, and pupils, in order to encourage diversity of writing and fairness in educational opportunities. Connected Creatives was launched in 2020 by Dr Yasmin Hussain (EdD), an educationalist who won the Queen’s Anniversary Award – the highest national Honour awarded in UK further and higher education – for her work on the development of ‘Mother Tongue, Other Tongue’ with Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE. The Connected Creatives platform can be used for classroom or homework tasks, creative writing clubs, or extracurricular activities. Students have the choice of self-publishing their work – allowing students to consume and comment on content submitted by peers – or keeping pieces of writing private, eliminating the pressure of writing for an audience. Connected Creatives empowers students to retain control over their work and who sees it. All work and comments are moderated by teachers before publication to keep the platform safe and age-appropriate. The platform is also now used internationally; Teachers and pupils at St Francis Catholic College in Sydney, Australia requested access to the tool whilst studying Malala Yousafzai in English lessons, becoming the first users outside of the UK. Dr Hussain has worked with international literacy experts, the National Literacy Trust, and colleagues across the education sector on the development of Connected Creatives. Dr Yasmin Hussain said: “No-one could have foreseen the huge challenges that teachers and students have faced over the previous two academic years. It is more important than ever that young people have access to tools that provide them with a safe creative outlet, new ways to learn, and opportunities to build confidence and improve mental health. “Creative writing is a valuable talent, and vital in building key skills such as literacy, independent thinking, and problem solving. “The quality of entries to the 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition has been phenomenal. It’s so important to celebrate the hard work and talent of young people, especially given the challenges that school pupils have faced recently. I am absolutely thrilled at the positive response we have had from schools. Teachers and pupils alike have really embraced the platform and the competition. “I would also like to thank OrCam Technologies and Proper Goose for their generosity and support in providing prizes for the first-ever 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition. Both organisations share our values of educational fairness, and aim to provide young people with the tools and assistance they need for reading and
ALDI Launches children’s lorry design competition with team GB
With just over two months until the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Aldi is running a nationwide competition with Team GB, calling on budding child artists to submit a design for its latest lorry. The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is inviting school children aged between five and 14 to enter a hand-drawn design by Friday 25th June that celebrates fresh, healthy food. The competition is the next step in Aldi’s longstanding partnership with Team GB, and the shortlisted entries will be judged by Team GB athletes – including the Brownlee brothers, Jade Jones, Lois Toulson, Lutalo Muhammad, Max Whitlock and Shauna Coxsey – who will select one winner for England and Wales, and one for Scotland. This initiative also forms part of Aldi and Team GB’s Get Set to Eat Fresh programme that aims to inspire young people to build their understanding and love of healthy, fresh food. Over the past five years, the programme has reached more than 1.9 million children across the UK. Winners will see their design on an Aldi lorry, which will deliver food and drink products to stores across the country. The supermarket will also reward the winning artists with Aldi vouchers and an exclusive Team GB goody bag. The winners’ schools will receive £1,000 to spend at Aldi. Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “The Design a Lorry competition is the latest in a series of initiatives we’re delivering in partnership with Team GB to encourage young people to think about healthy eating. “We are looking forward to seeing the entries and hope that those taking part will learn about the benefits of choosing to follow a healthy diet along the way.” Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “Throughout our partnership with Aldi on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme they have continuously created new and innovative ideas to engage and inspire young people around the topic of eating fresh and healthy food. “This is a fun opportunity for school pupils to see their creativity rewarded and for their schools to benefit also. We look forward to seeing the end results.” Alongside the Design a Lorry competition, the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme also offers a series of teaching resources, which can be used to educate children about eating well, the skills they need to cook for themselves and how fresh, healthy food powers Team GB’s champion athletes. These can be accessed at getseteatfresh.co.uk/. Schools and parents can sign up to enter at getseteatfresh.co.uk/designalorry.
Morrisons launches Little Library Book Exchange
– Morrisons will be donating 50,000 books to help families in need – – Customers can also bring unwanted books to Morrisons Little Libraries where children and families can pick up a book for free – Morrisons has launched a book donation and exchange station for children – the Morrisons Little Library – in its stores across the UK which aims to promote reading and literacy in children, particularly those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Morrisons Little Library was inspired by Canterbury-based children’s author, Rebecca Smith, who approached Morrisons asking for help to tackle the issues surrounding children’s literacy and the lack of availability of books at home. Morrisons Little Library exchanges will be set up in stores across the UK from this week. Customers can bring along unwanted books to donate and all children, teenagers and parents can pick up a book for free. Books will also be donated through the initiative to local schools and community groups, via Morrisons Community Champions. David Potts, Morrisons CEO, said: “The past year has been extremely difficult for everyone and we want to help as much as we can. We know that our younger customers love reading but some may not have access to books of their own. That’s why we’re launching the Morrisons Little Library – so every child has the chance to enjoy reading and brighten their future.” Rebecca Smith said: “To think that there are children who have never enjoyed a bedtime story is heart-breaking. Stories change lives. Every child and every parent should have access to that experience. The Morrisons Little Library provides that potentially life-changing access.” Research from The Open University, which has been involved in shaping the initiative, shows that reading books helps children to start conversations, spark imagination and support emotional wellbeing. The National Literacy Trust recently reported that children who own books are six times more likely to read above the level expected for their age but that one in 11 disadvantaged children don’t own a single book. Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education Literacy at The Open University, added, “It’s been great working with Morrisons to help make the Little Library idea a reality. Reading benefits children and young people in so many ways and is especially vital after such a difficult and disruptive year, as it creates a safe space to escape and learn.” To continue to support children’s literacy, Morrisons has created a new book – Cedric The Seed – and will be publishing 50,000 copies. The book will be distributed nationwide by Morrisons Community Champions to local community groups and schools to ensure they are reaching those who need them most. Cedric the Seed has been written for Morrisons by Danielle Corrigan from Saddleworth, who began writing children’s books last year whilst she was homeschooling her own children. Danielle began writing positive stories for children to read last year to help them cope with the mental health effects of lockdown. Inspired by the pandemic and how lives were changed in an instant, the book follows Cedric, a small sunflower seed as he is separated from his family and friends. His journey is full of unexpected adventure, friendship and fun as when Cedric begins to grow, he realises his friends and family were there all along. The initiative is the latest from Morrisons which aims to make good things happen and bring hope to the nation. Last month, Morrisons gave away over 2.5 million packets of sunflower seeds to customers to grow at home and half a million postcards for people to send messages to their loved ones who they haven’t been able to see due to lockdown. Morrisons Community Champions have also launched the “Little Sunshine” awards which aim to recognise those who have gone above and beyond to help their community during the pandemic.
UK-wide study reveals reading habits among 1.1 million school pupils during the pandemic
Major study from Renaissance Learning reveals reading skills improved over lockdown periods, with many children picking up longer books of greater difficulty Research from the National Literacy Trust shows lockdown reading helped improve wellbeing of children dealing with the pandemic One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling were favourite books read during lockdown by secondary and primary pupils respectively David Walliams, Julia Donaldson and classics like Roald Dahl are among most-read authors The annual ‘What Kids Are Reading Report’ from learning and assessment provider Renaissance Learning reveals how children reading during the pandemic saw both an improvement in their reading skills and a marked uplift in reading enjoyment levels. The study of over 1.1 million pupils across the UK and Ireland shows reading skills improved over lockdown periods with many children picking up longer books of greater difficulty.* Additionally presented in the report are findings from a survey of 4,141 pupils by the National Literacy Trust** which show three in five children said reading made them feel better during lockdown. 32% also said reading helped them when they felt sad because they could not see friends or family. Better reading While the number of books read overall dropped by 17% compared to the previous year, during school closures reading levels increased. And when they read, children were inclined to pick up more challenging books for their age. The books they chose were longer and read with better comprehension. Primary school children and those up to Year 7 in particular improved on their reading levels by reading more demanding texts. The data on reading habits and activity was complemented by responses from the National Literacy Trust’s Annual Literacy Survey, which found that reading for pleasure dipped at the beginning of 2020, and recorded its lowest level of self-reported reading enjoyment since 2005 (48% of children).** However, the first lockdown also signalled a marked change in this downward trend. During school closures many more pupils began to enjoy reading again with 56% of young people saying they enjoyed reading either very much (24%) or quite a lot (32%). When it comes to reading choices during Covid-19, almost seven in ten children said they had read more fiction either on paper or on-screen during lockdown, with most turning to adventure stories that was by far the most popular fiction genre.** Favourite books and authors During the first lockdown One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling topped the leader boards of the favourite books for secondary and primary school pupils respectively. David Walliams and Julia Donaldson became even more popular. J. K. Rowling made a very substantial re-appearance with 36 mentions as more primary school pupils picked up the Harry Potter series again, while Roald Dahl sustained his popularity. Suzanne Collins showed an increase in popularity. However, Jeff Kinney declined in popularity and Roderick Hunt almost disappeared altogether. This past year also saw more children discover new authors. According to National Literacy Trust data, almost one in two pupils (46%) said they had read new books, while one in seven said they had turned to a book they had read before.** From 2020 to 2021 there was little change in favourite authors overall, Jeff Kinney, David Walliams and Roald Dahl remained popular. J. K. Rowling re-appeared in the 2021 overall list, Jill Murphy was a new entrant, and Roderick Hunt declined in popularity. The ‘What Kids Are Reading Report’ was written using Renaissance data analysed by University of Dundee academic Professor Keith Topping. He comments: “During the lockdown overall, pupils were tending to read longer books of greater difficulty and with greater comprehension. Having more time to read gave children the chance to immerse themselves in literature and schools should encourage more reading time now that they are open again. “It is great to see that primary age children are reading more difficult books and this should be reflected at secondary school age where book difficulty this year plateaued. Secondary schools need to encourage their pupils to attack more difficult books.” Renaissance Director John Moore said: “Lockdown has been difficult for many children, especially when schools were closed and they could not access school libraries or see their friends. At Renaissance we took steps to support teachers during the uncertainty of school closures, so it is pleasing to see this year’s report emphasise the importance and benefit of reading on academic achievement and wellbeing. “Knowing that reading really helped younger children to feel better throughout the pandemic is very encouraging. It’s promising to see that when pupils had a choice of books to hand many chose a more challenging book, and one that perhaps allows for more escapism. “At Renaissance we have long advocated for dedicated time to read, and for the importance of schools to encourage a love of reading among pupils; whether it’s a favourite author recommended by peers, a non-fictional book about a hobby they enjoy or a timeless classic. This report highlights how important it is that everyone has access to books and what schools need to do to re-engage children with reading for enjoyment while giving them space and time to read more.” Dr Christina Clark, Head of Research at the National Literacy Trust, comments: “Our research into reading enjoyment indicates that having more time to read and the increased autonomy of book choice, along with the opportunity to read for its own sake, were key reasons why more young people are enjoying being immersed in stories. Half of the children agreed that at such a time as the lockdown, reading improved their wellbeing and encouraged them to dream about the future, offering a refuge for a source of calm, escapism and relaxation. Schools should be encouraging pupils to read to entertain a variety of purposes not
Charity runs free school workshops for military children this June
Military children’s charity Little Troopers is inviting primary schools and their service children to sign-up to a free virtual workshop this June. The two-hour live workshop is completely free to attend and is part of a virtual roadshow that the charity is undertaking across England from 7th to 18th June for military children aged 4 to 11. Suitable for groups of any size, the workshop will give service children the opportunity to come together with others in a similar situation to explore some of the unique challenges they experience as members of the British Armed Forces community and to celebrate what it means to be a ‘Little Trooper’. The session will be delivered by an experienced team of facilitators using Little Troopers’ primary school resources incorporating storytelling, movement, group discussion and drama. The activities are designed to encourage military children to feel proud of their identity as a forces child and to give schools the tools to help service children navigate any challenges they might face, either now or in the future. Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, comments: “There are estimated to be more than 75,000 military children in UK schools and these children often experience life a bit differently from their civilian peers. Our Little Troopers At School project has been running for four years now and is all about giving schools useful information and resources to help them support their service children in the classroom. “We’re really excited to be able to offer our virtual workshops to primary schools across England this summer – something that we’ve been planning for a long time. Whether a school has two service pupils or two hundred, these workshops are a fun and engaging way to get these children together and focus on their needs and experiences. We can’t wait to meet all of your Little Troopers!” The dates for the Little Troopers virtual roadshow have been organised by county so that pupils will be logging in at the same time as other children in their local area. For more information and to book a space on your nearest workshop visit www.littletroopers.net/littletroopersatschool Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting children who have parents serving in the British Armed Forces. For more information visit www.littletroopers.net
Teachers invited to help shape ‘Compassionate Curriculum’ programme
Teachers are being invited to help shape a ‘Compassionate Curriculum’ schools programme, which allows young people to explore and better understand the symbiotic relationship between understanding dog behaviour and their own mental wellbeing, whilst encouraging the development of empathy, compassion, kindness and understanding. The proposed programme will tie into the compassion, mental health and kindness elements of the curriculum by demonstrating the resilience, trust, forgiveness and loyalty of rescue dogs. It’s the brainchild of dog charity, Wild at Heart Foundation, with the guidance of educators, the charity aims to curate a professionally-approved programme. “We’re the experts in dogs so we’re looking for around 20 educators who can complement our knowledge by advising how best to deliver the programme, based on what students need, as well as assessing our created content.” Says Nikki Tibbles, Founder of Wild at Heart Foundation. Wild at Heart Foundation already runs education programmes with children around the world to help break the cycle of animal cruelty, “We believe that education is key to ending the global stray dog problem. Not only will the Compassionate Curriculum programme encourage empathy and understanding for all areas of life, we hope it will also help prevent animal cruelty”, adds Tibbles. Getting the programme off the ground is Rachel Hudson, an experienced education programme specialist. “Essentially what we’re looking for is a ‘Compassionate Committee’ consisting of individuals within the education sector, who can meet virtually to provide feedback on the programme, and who may be open to piloting the programme within their school before the summer holidays.” Says Hudson, who is leading the programme. Those who sign up will get priority access to the Compassionate Curriculum programme, 1-2-1 support in delivering the programme, access to webinars discussing social action, mental wellbeing and building students’ skills, participation in the public launch, invitations to key events for the school and students, as well as the opportunity to become an ‘ambassador school’. Wild at Heart Foundation has received funding for this programme from its longstanding partnership with dog lover Manolo Blahnik and the Manolo Blahnik brand. “We’re so honoured to be supported by the Manolo Blahnik team, and know that together we can bring about truly lasting and life-changing transformations for children and dogs”, says Tibbles. Educators are being invited to sign up to the programme by 3 May 2021. To find out more and to sign up, visit https://wildatheartfoundation.org/education/
‘Mark, Plan, Teach 2.0 is a must-read for school leaders’
Joanna Rigby from UTC Warrington reviews the new edition of the teacher toolkit bestseller for QA Education… Book review: Mark, Plan, Teach 2.0, by Ross Morrison McGill (Bloomsbury Education, £16.99) Ross M. McGill, also known as @TeacherToolkit, is the founder of one of the most popular education websites in the world, supporting teachers globally. Mark. Plan. Teach 2.0 is an updated version of the bestselling first version. A stalwart of evidence informed practice, McGill delivers hints, tips and most importantly practical strategies that teachers can implement into their practice to improve outcomes for students. As the name suggests, the book is split into three clear sections, Mark, Plan, and Teach. This forms the basis of how McGill mirrors an effective approach to teaching. Each section is divided into 10 tried-and-tested ideas that can be implemented into the classroom. The ideas presented are grounded in research and supported by educational theories. Each chapter concludes with a summary of the key ideas shared. During the first section of the book, McGill seeks to clarify the purpose of assessment and feedback in schools and how inside influences have somewhat distracted us from this. A whole range of evidence is presented to show how cumbersome marking policies in some schools have led to us having the longest working hours of any educators in the world. A number of strategies are then shared with a range of practical tips to help teachers the quality of marking in their schools. The second section, Plan, covers a wide range of strategies to help support effective planning, including behaviour managements and continuing professional development. There is a clear focus on ensuring that as educators we focus on what students can learn and not what we want them to do. In the final section, McGill provides a range of strategies that can help teachers to improve their teaching. Grounded in cognitive science and influenced by the work of Rosenshine and Hattie, clear reference is made to the importance of direct instruction and the essential nature of understating how learning works. Recognising the hectic schedules that teachers endure, the book is accompanied by a visual guide, beautifully illustrated by Oliver Caviglioi. This is a perfect accompaniment to the full text and allows busy teachers to use the visual guide as a signpost to specific areas for development. They are then able to delve deeper into the educational theories and evidence, which is provided in more detail in the full text. This book is a must-read for any teacher or senior leader with a responsibility for improving the quality of teaching and learning in their school.