Class Dismissed…

The First Week Fear… (Ep. 31)

Yes - the first week comes to us all. But if you’re new and this is your first first week… let me offer you some advice for how to get off to a solid start... As Michael Jackson said: I said you wanna be startin' somethin' You got to be startin' somethin' I said you wanna be startin' somethin' You got to be startin' somethin' It's too high to get over (yeah, yeah) Too low to get under (yeah, yeah) You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah) And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

Know More... Remember More... (Ep.30)

That's the catchphrase of the moment... Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge. How can we help and support children to know more and remember more? Let me share a few tips from my classroom to yours.

Improving Children's Responses (Ep. 29)

Sometimes you just want the children to do a little bit more... say more... speak clearly... add detail... Well, what if we insisted that the children ALWAYS give the Full Monty? What if we insisted that they answer in full sentences? What if it was a core expectation that one/two word responses were not enough? Wouldn't that have an impact on oracy, knowledge, retrieval/recall, explanation, communication, understanding, comprehension, vocabulary and so much more? And that would be a really positive outcome wouldn't it? This episode looks at what the impact of adding this to your practice could achieve in the classroom.

Analysing Assessment Data (Ep. 28)

Getting to understand the outcomes of any assessment data that you have created is really important - so here are a few quick tips to support that process. Yeah, if you don't know what you have, how can you know what it tells you? Having a clear understanding of what assessment if for and what you can get out of it is essential - otherwise you really did waste everyone's time - including the children! [A little late due to technical issues]

Ensuring an Inclusive Classroom (Ep. 27)

As we try to cater for all the key groups and the ever increasing range and needs of the children in our classes - how to we really support those children who just need a little bit extra? Noel Gallagher said... You gotta roll with it, You gotta take your time, You gotta say what you say Don't let anybody get in your way, 'Cause it's all too much for me to take Don't ever stand aside Don't ever be denied You wanna be who you'd be If you're coming with me