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Has our system of accountability and quick fixes meant we've lost perspective of what can really improve the quality of education? With a multitude of issues at the heart of some of our more toxic schools, including micro-management, over-complicated policy and the intricate measurement of the wrong foci, it appears that teachers are experiencing a disconnect from the very reason they joined teaching in the first place. With little autonomy over what's important, fewer teachers enter the profession than the monumental amount of teachers that are leaving, and those that do, do so with reluctance and regret. With an astute examination of practice in schools, Claire Hill and Kat Howard take a thoughtful and strategic view of how to ensure a sense of connection and cohesion within schools, to ensure that all feel part of the collective curricular journey towards a gold standard. With a consideration of research-informed practice, this book will provide a series of strategies for curriculum designers at every level, keeping the high quality teachers that we very much need in schools, and providing a better palette to students in the process. At a time where teaching is somewhat politicised, monetised and overcomplicated, Symbiosis: Curriculum and the Classroom sets about the task of refining the way in which we run our schools to improve the quality of our everyday lives in schools.
What Every Teacher Needs to Know is a must-have guide for both primary and secondary teachers that summarises key research papers, offers evidence-informed teaching and learning strategies, and explains how to disseminate this information across departments and schools. There is a growing thirst for evidence-informed teaching in the UK and beyond, in order to help ensure that schools have the biggest impact on student learning. In a concise, accessible manner, this book distils key educational research into clear, precise guidance that can be used immediately. It is ideal for any busy teacher or school leader looking to transform student outcomes through a research-informed approach. What Every Teacher Needs to Know is essential reading for research leads, heads of department, and teaching and learning leads. It offers: - summaries of 20 prominent research papers on effective teaching and learning - key takeaways for classroom practice - evidence-informed teaching and learning strategies - examples across a variety of phases and subjects - insightful case studies from practising teachers.
Teach to the Top is a research-informed guide to aspirational teaching, focusing on how embedding higher-level knowledge in the classroom empowers students to succeed and to enjoy learning. Questioning existing orthodoxies around ability, Teach to the Top sets out a vision for an education system in which pupils of all attainment levels are enabled to make fantastic progress by being exposed to sophisticated concepts, and afforded opportunities to think deeply and grapple with stimulating ideas. Making a convincing case for the centrality of subject knowledge, the book also shows how affording teachers the professional autonomy to participate in continual development of their own knowledge benefits both teachers and students. As well as engaging critically with a wealth of educational research, Teach to the Top outlines a plethora of research-informed strategies for teaching to the top. Topics include embedding advanced knowledge in curriculum planning, approaches to challenging classroom talk, the fundamental importance of increasing learners’ confidence, the dangers of differentiation and grade-focused feedback, and the value of an adaptable approach to planning. Both thoughtful and practical, Teach to the Top develops a persuasive justification for the entitlement of every child to higher-level knowledge, alongside providing teachers with a range of practical suggestions and questions for reflection to enable the application of this philosophy to their own classrooms.
In recent years retrieval practice has continued to grow in prominence and interest – an evidence-informed effective teaching and learning strategy that supports all learners. After extensive reading, engaging with research and working with schools, Kate Jones has written a guide that explores how retrieval practice can work in a primary school context. The book begins with research then focuses on classroom application, covering curriculum design, task and question design with retrieval practice and how to embed retrieval practice as part of the language of learning across the wider school community. This is an essential read for teachers and leaders at all levels looking to effectively embed retrieval practice in their primary classroom.
As every humanities or social science teacher knows, success in exam years relies on pupils’ ability to blend subject knowledge with writing skills. But teachers face two significant problems in developing writing in their classroom: many pupils regard writing practice as a chore or a punishment; and research on writing instruction remains difficult for busy teachers to access. The Writing Game: 50 Evidence-Informed Writing Activities for GCSE and A Level aims to solve these problems by providing a must-read practical toolkit for teachers looking to help their pupils to write their way into the top grades, offering a menu of engaging lesson activities that can be modified to suit any subject context. With activities covering modelling, practice, and feedback, The Writing Game supports teachers to deliver research-informed strategies at every stage of the learning process. Perfect for teachers, middle leaders, and senior leaders, The Writing Game also contains tips on how to incorporate writing practice into regular subject content, formative assessment, and retrieval practice. Each activity is fully explained and accompanied by top tips for maximising effective learning, suggested adaptations, and links to appropriate research. Activities range from rapid five-minute starters and plenaries to whole-lesson extended writing tasks, with plenty in between, and busy teachers will be relieved to hear that many require very little preparation.
How can today's teachers, whose classrooms are more culturally and linguistically diverse than ever before, ensure that their students achieve at high levels? How can they design units and lessons that support English learners in language development and content learning—simultaneously? Authors Amy Heineke and Jay McTighe provide the answers by adding a lens on language to the widely used Understanding by Design® framework (UbD® framework) for curriculum design, which emphasizes teaching for understanding, not rote memorization. Readers will learn the components of the UbD framework; the fundamentals of language and language development; how to use diversity as a valuable resource for instruction by gathering information about students’ background knowledge from home, community, and school; how to design units and lessons that integrate language development with content learning in the form of essential knowledge and skills; and how to assess in ways that enable language learners to reveal their academic knowledge. Student profiles, real-life classroom scenarios, and sample units and lessons provide compelling examples of how teachers in all grade levels and content areas use the UbD framework in their culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. Combining these practical examples with findings from an extensive research base, the authors deliver a useful and authoritative guide for reaching the overarching goal: ensuring that all students have equitable access to high-quality curriculum and instruction.
Study the relationship between living organisms and our place in God's wondrous creation! Learn important words and concepts from different habitats around the world to mutual symbiosis as a product of the relational character of God. Designed with a multi-age level format especially for homeschool educational programs. Examine influential Scientists and their work, more fully understand practical aspects of stewardship, and investigate ecological connections in creation! The best-selling Wonders of Creation series adds a new biology-focused title that unveils the intricate nature of God's world and the harmony that was broken by sin. This educational resource is color-coded with three educational levels in mind: 5th to 6th grades, 7th to 8th grades, and 9th through 11th grades, which can be utilized for the classroom, independent study, or homeschool setting. Whether used as part of our newly developed science curriculum or simply as a unique unit study, the book includes full-color photos, informative illustrations, and meaningful descriptions. The text encourages an understanding of a world designed, not as a series of random evolutionary accidents, but instead as a wondrous, well-designed system of life around the globe created to enrich and support one another.
NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen brings a new dose of adventure and thrills to ancient Rome in the second book of her magical Mark of the Thief trilogy! Nic may have escaped enslavement in the mines outside of Rome, but his troubles are far from over. The Praetor War -- the battle to destroy Rome from within -- is in full force, and Nic is caught in the crossfire. The secretive Praetors are determined to unlock a powerful amulet -- one sure to bring the empire to its knees. Worse, the Praetors believe Nic holds the key to finding this amulet, and they will stop at nothing to steal it, even if that means harming the people Nic holds most dear. When the Praetors capture Nic's mother, Nic knows he must do anything to save her. He challenges the Praetors to a chariot race. If he wins, they will release his mother. But if he loses, he must hand over a magic that will certainly bring about the end of Rome as well as his own life. Can Nic once again harness his magic and gather the strength to defeat his enemies? Or will he lose his mother and bear witness to Rome's destruction?
