Could coaching your teaching teams do more harm than good? It depends on what kind of manager you are…

 There is very little correlation between the time a manager spends coaching an employee and their performance, according to new research. In fact, it's been suggested that some very hands-on managers actually do more harm than good. These surprising findings came from recent research conducted by a research company, Gartner, and are reported ...

Continue reading
  31114 Hits

What is pedagogy and why does it matter?

 The quality of the teaching workforce and the teaching practice in classrooms is one of the biggest levers we have for improving student outcomes. Even after accounting for prior student learning and family background, research suggests that teacher quality is an important factor in student achievement. So, it follows, that energy, resources ...

Continue reading
  18108 Hits

From CVs to interview lessons: 9 top tips for applying for teaching jobs as an NQT

 As the final term of the year gets into full swing, many student teachers will be turning their attentions to job applications for newly-qualified teacher (NQT) roles. Job hunting is stressful enough, but it's especially so for those new to the profession. How can you impress headteachers when you don't have years of experience and results to...

Continue reading
  8963 Hits

Do academy chief executives need to be education experts?

Research shows that in a number of settings – such as hospitals and universities – there is a correlation between the 'expert knowledge' of the leader and organisational performance. In their 2015 paper, A Theory Exploring How Expert Leaders Influence Performance in Knowledge-Intensive Organizations, Amanda Goodall and Agnes Bäker digest research o...

Continue reading
  14490 Hits

Six top tips on how to use retrieval practice in the classroom

Not all revision techniques are equal: one of the most effective methods is retrieval practice, also known as the testing effect. Retrieval practice refers to any activity that forces you to generate an answer to a question. It has consistently been proven to help students improve retention and recall (and subsequently exam performance). So, h...

Continue reading
  14265 Hits