How did the Maya share (and boast about!) their lives?
The Maya liked to boast too. Leaders built stelae (singular: stela) in their cities to celebrate their great victories in a similar way to Trajan's Column. Read More
primary
Striking is as old as the pyramids!
The people of Deir el-Medina were quite well off. Each family had a slave, paid for by the pharaoh, who came twice a week to grind their wheat into flour. They also had a laundry slave once a week, so keeping clothes clean was not a problem. They might keep a few animals for food, and in their spare time they often made items to sell in nearby villages. Perhaps one of the most surprising things about Deir el-Medina is that most of the men – and many of the women – could read and write. This was very unusual in Ancient Egypt where the literacy rate was around 1%! Read More
Are teachers basically magic weavers?
Teachers work their magic everyday and they do that without spells or wands. They don’t possess invisible powers or rely on illusion either. Teachers are true magicians. Dinner-party bores will always manage to define you according to the work you do. When the inevitable question does get sprung, you could… Read More
The Yellow Folder Of Why
Are you surviving or thriving? Every teacher will ask the question “Why am I teaching?” because the going gets tough on a regular basis and our wellbeing takes a hammering. Sometimes everything can seem stacked against… Read More
The Multiplication Tables Check – what do you need to know?
The introduction of the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) means schools and teachers are looking for new ways to develop speed and recall of multiplication facts up to 12 x 12. What is expected of pupils? The incoming MTC is set to be administered online in timed conditions… Read More
Getting the best out of assessment
Susan Thompson What issues should you consider to make sure your investment in assessment delivers for students, teachers and your schools? Assessment is now a routine and essential element of school life. Using classroom activities, homework assignments, periodic testing, or once-a-year summative assessments; teachers constantly monitor and appraise the students… Read More
Asking the question: activity-led or working scientifically?
As we start British Science Week 2019 my Twitter feed is full of images and descriptions of children having a great time doing science. Today I have seen children launching rockets, using shaving foam to model the water cycle, finding out how robots work, observing a wide range of… Read More
Should teachers make things easier for their pupils? Not always, according to psychological research
It is important to do varied and challenging practice tasks when learning to drive or learning a sport, even though these may lead to errors. In a similar way, scientific research has established a set of ‘desirable difficulties’ that apply to classroom teaching — factors which make learning more challenging… Read More
Teaching for mastery: The pros and cons
Written by Jo Lees Jo has taught and led mathematics in primary and secondary settings. She is a former member of ACME and is on the MA committee for CPD. In her current post, apart from co-authoring The Shanghai Maths Project for Collins, Jo leads a large local authority… Read More
Why Outdoor Learning is a Must
Are you an innie or an outie? The problem is most children and their teachers are innies and there’s an outdoor education deficit. According to research, we spend so much time indoors even prison inmates get more fresh air than we do and that’s just #out of order… Read More