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Fullan, M. (2020) Leading in a Culture of Change. 2nd ed.

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Fullan, M. (2020) Leading in a Culture of Change. 2nd ed.

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The first book that explores the theme of leadership as part of the book club series. Summaries of the discussions for each chapter can be found at: https://scottisheducatorsconnect.com/leading-in-a-culture-of-change/

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Treanor, M. (2020) Child Poverty: Aspiring to Survive

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Treanor, M. (2020) Child Poverty: Aspiring to Survive

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Morag Treanor recently spoke on the ScotEdConnect podcast and discussed some of the themes and ideas shared in her book.

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Slow Down: Bring Calm to a Busy World with 50 Nature Stories by Rachel Williams

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Slow Down: Bring Calm to a Busy World with 50 Nature Stories by Rachel Williams

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50 moments in nature are captured in this beautifully illustrated book. Excellent text for exploring sequencing and prompting discussions about the natural world.

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Fisher, J. (2016) Interacting or Interfering? 

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Fisher, J. (2016) Interacting or Interfering? 

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A text that explores the role of the adult in play through high quality interactions/observations. A good read for those currently looking at ways to put Realising the Ambition into practice.

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Hattie, J. (2012) Visible Learning  for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning 

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Hattie, J. (2012) Visible Learning  for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning 

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Hattie's work is often referenced during ScotEdConnect book discussions around what is effective learning and what this means for teachers.

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Kirschner, P. & Hendrick, C. (2020) How Learning Happens

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Kirschner, P. & Hendrick, C. (2020) How Learning Happens

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The book that started it all and a catalyst for Anita and James starting Scottish Educators Connect. Often referenced by members as part of our book discussions around "Why Students Don't like School". In particular, conversations related to the concept of deep learning and application/transfer of knowledge.

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Key Messages from Sue Ellis about Attainment & Equity in Literacy and English

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Key Messages from Sue Ellis about Attainment & Equity in Literacy and English

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Professor Sue Ellis, University of Strathclyde, addressed the Education Scotland National Literacy Network audience with a seminar entitled “What should we think about for equitable literacy teaching?

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Professor Sue Ellis, University of Strathclyde, addressed the Education Scotland National Literacy Network audience with a seminar entitled " What should we think about for equitable literacy teaching? Click here to find out more about Sue & her research, and here to see her presentation.Yvonne McBlain has summarised her key points below:

Why is Literacy teaching so hard to get right? Two problematic areas - each with implications:
* Literacy is a social practice and reading is a habit of mind and language, not just autonomous knowledge and skills
* In progressing learning, teachers work to a broad horizon, not a linear track so pathways to progression vary - children will get there in different ways.

Literacy as a social practice:

Literacy and numeracy - all learning - is shaped by families and communities

What we learn depends on what we think something is for - is it about pleasure & relaxation, work, or just irrelevant?

How we engage depends on how familiar or unfamiliar something appears

How quickly we 'learn' depends on how we engage & on how well the differences between the familiar and unfamiliar are bridged - this is intellectual, social & emotional

Schools make assumptions and often need stronger and more careful bridge-building

For many children from low literacy backgrounds school is their main literacy experience: they learn what we teach.

So what do we teach? Is reading about pleasure & relaxation? About 'having a go and being
adventurous?' About making different meanings & thinking new thoughts? About connecting reading to life? Or is it about worksheets & getting it right? Reading texts only if you know all the words and the sounds? Does the way we teach reading define & grade, or does it create friendships & laughter?

Schools can make assumptions and can also skew the focus (Ellis 2018)

Language as a habit of mind/ the pedagogy of poverty

Sue suggested that some phonetic approaches might present literacy/reading as a right/wrong or isolated and disconnected activity which lacks relevance and seems confusing to children. She encouraged consideration of teaching approaches which help children "think across the text". Sue described how important being read to was, and advocated the use of good picture books (particularly with early readers), listening and talking about texts and reading beyond the current capability of the child.

Sue quoted Martin Haberman:
"Bef ore we can make workers, we must first make people, but people are not made - they are conserved and grown" "The pedagogy of poverty does not work. Youngsters achieve neither a minimum level of life skills nor what they are capable of learning. The classroom atmosphere created by constant teacher direction and student compliance seethes with passive resentment that sometimes bubbles up into overt resistance. Teachers burn out because of the emotional and physical energy that they must expend to maintain their authority every hour of everyday."
This quote fits well with Sue/Strathclyde University development of the "3 domain model" - to help educators recognise the interdependence of each domain, and to demonstrate that focusing on any one alone in our teaching of literacy is not enough.

What intrinsic messages does our current curriculum send about literacy - might we have overlooked negative messages for pupils which do not fit their cultural context? Have we considered how to bridge the intellectual, social and emotional domains for pupils? Are we using the flexibility of Curriculum for Excellence to reflect upon and choose the best literacy approaches for our pupils?

Sue powerfully promoted reading to secondary pupils daily also - particularly so that they become familiar with the different types and conventions of each subject's texts and social practices.
"There is no "one" literacy but many disciplinary literacies." (Ellis 2018)
Would adopting a less generic literacy approach across secondary departments strengthen pupil understanding of literacy as a social practice which is essential to all aspects of their lives now and in the future regardless of the discipline they opt to follow?

How to effectively bridge between life and school?

1. Values around books & reading - beliefs about why we read; ideas of what's reading about.

2. Show don't tell: spaces to learn that books are relaxing, social, good fun.

3. Use what children know about the world- the kinds of knowledge they have to bring, and ensure the bookstock embraces it, attend to how it makes them feel

4. Knowledge/skills and experiences for reading: the 'reading scheme' is not enough!

Sue challenged current practice by exploring the ethics of differentiation, including the use of broad banding or setting pupils for literacy. If the pathway to impact is best coming from (or being bridged by) the cultural and personal domains, then we should not talk/think about able/less able readers - but about experienced and inexperienced readers. She agreed that data is needed to inform the most valuable interventions, but proposed careful consideration and "problematization" of what sort might be best - proposing that SNSA data is valuable when combined with teacher judgement and other evidence to inform the best next steps for learners.

Sue then asked us to question how we use this data - to what extent does it actually predict future achievements? She emphasised that pupil progress is not linear & shared research which suggests that teachers tend to teach to predictions - thereby imposing a ceiling on pupils' learning. The slide above shows the percentage of pupils (England) whose test scores accurately reflected actual future achievements! Across all levels, 91% of pupils under or over-shot their predicted attainment score. (Becky Allen: Datalab) Sue expressed doubts about the predictive capacity of testing, suggesting that longer term studies are required but in the meantime, we should strive to do no further harm - but take time to consider current policy and practice regarding setting, streaming, grouping and whether traditional differentiation actually limits and constrains rather than supports and helps learners grow.

Returning to the 3 domains, Sue concluded with the bullet list in the slide below.

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Key Messages from Sue Ellis about Attainment & Equity in Literacy and English

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Professor Sue Ellis, University of Strathclyde, addressed the Education Scotland National Literacy Network audience with a seminar entitled " What should we think about for equitable literacy teaching? Click here to find out more about Sue & her research, and here to see her presentation.Yvonne McBlain has summarised her key points below: Why is Literacy teaching so hard to get right?

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Resources and guidance to support practitioners with taking a developmental approach to literacy learning

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When beginning to take a developmental approach to literacy, where do you begin?

Click on the image above to access a document that captures the Emerging Literacy support materials on one page. The succinct guidance and hyperlinks aim to support practitioners across Highland to access the resources.

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When beginning to take a developmental approach to literacy, where do you begin? Click on the image above to access a document that captures the Emerging Literacy support materials on one page. The succinct guidance and hyperlinks aim to support practitioners across Highland to access the resources. CLICK HERE - 'Where to Begin?'

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Bloomberg & Pitchford, Leading Impact Teams: Building a Culture of Efficacy

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Bloomberg & Pitchford, Leading Impact Teams: Building a Culture of Efficacy

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"Guides teacher teams through a journey to maximum effectiveness that results in extraordinary gains in teacher learning and student achievement."

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Sinclair, A. (2018) Right from the Start: Investing in Parents and Babies (Postcards from Scotland)

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Sinclair, A. (2018) Right from the Start: Investing in Parents and Babies (Postcards from Scotland)

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This book explores challenges and barriers faced by the youngest members of society in today's Scotland. "He [author] explores the latest science which lays bare the traumas that babies can suffer from their parents’ behaviours and habits, even while still in the womb."

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Highland Literacy - Concrete to Abstract Thinking 

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Highland Literacy - Concrete to Abstract Thinking 

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Resources and guidance to support practitioners with taking a developmental approach to literacy learning

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Concrete to Abstract Thinking (Blank Language)

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The Concrete to Abstract Thinking (Blank Language) section aims to develop a whole-school understanding and approach to developmentally appropriate questioning to support thinking through verbal reasoning and abstract thinking as part of oral language and reading comprehension. The professional learning is in two parts, designed so that schools would begin with Part 1, providing time...

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Quigley, A. (2018) Closing the Vocabulary Gap

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Quigley, A. (2018) Closing the Vocabulary Gap

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Recommended reading following discussions around knowledge and vocab in Chapter 4 of "Why Don't Students Like School?" A teacher has used this book to restructure her approach to vocab and literacy teaching.

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Fullan, M. (2005) 8 Forces for Leaders of Change

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Fullan, M. (2005) 8 Forces for Leaders of Change

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An article that explores the role of an effective leader.

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Davies, B. (2011) Leading the Strategically Focused School: Success And Sustainability

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Davies, B. (2011) Leading the Strategically Focused School: Success And Sustainability

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"Davies talks about is the correlation between control and consistency, and that of collective growth and cohesion." A text for understanding how change happens and leading change in education settings.

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Priestly, M. (2019) Curriculum: Concepts and Approaches 

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Priestly, M. (2019) Curriculum: Concepts and Approaches 

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A blog post unpacking the term "curriculum" and how it relates to pupil learning.

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Brown has created a website that curates a lot of her work around leadership and self-belief. A really useful site for school leaders at all levels.

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Teachers from all over the country, representing every type of school, have helped us build Dare to Lead #daringclassrooms. Below are Learning Lab videos of educators asking their toughest questions about applying this work in classrooms, and sharing their wisdom about what works and what doesn't.

11 min watch
How do you become open to this work when instinctually you want to shut it down?

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Teachers from all over the country, representing every type of school, have helped us build Dare to Lead #daringclassrooms. Below are Learning Lab videos of educators asking their toughest questions about applying this work in classrooms, and sharing their wisdom about what works and what doesn't.

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Posters and tools to upskill practitioners on their knowledge of working memory and how learning can be scaffolded with this knowledge in mind.

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Working memory covers a cluster of skills that are important to consider when planning for learning and teaching. The following resources have been developed to support practitioners in developing a working memory friendly classroom. CLICK HERE - Working Memory Poster CLICK HERE - Working Memory Overload Observations CLICK HERE - Working Memory and Reading Poster...

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Fullan, M. (2001) Leading in a Culture of Change

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Fullan, M. (2001) Leading in a Culture of Change

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A great text that provides a detailed account on the role of the effective leader that can bring about lasting change. Recommended during discussions about the challenges of bringing about change in our schools and settings.

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Teacherhead (2019) Sherrington, T. Myth: Teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning opposites.

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Teacherhead (2019) Sherrington, T. Myth: Teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning opposites.

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A blog post centered in the debate around "discovery learning". A hot topic following discussions around Chapter 3 of "Why Don't Students Like School?"

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The blog is a copy of my essay in Education Myths edited by Craig Barton for ResearchEd, published by John Catt Ltd, reproduced here with permission.

Teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning are opposites.

Is it a myth or a straw man?

I think this is an important question to ask at the outset. There's not much value in making a case for a set of ideas representing a myth if hardly anyone holds those views. But what level of evidence is needed to support the assertion that something is a myth? Does it have to be a widely held set of ideas? Do a few examples provide enough proof? It seems to me that we could expend a lot of energy seeking to prove that something is a myth rather than exploring the more interesting and important ideas that emerge from examining the myth itself.

For this chapter, I am simply going to satisfy myself - and hopefully the majority of readers - that, based on my experience of engaging with the education world, this myth is real enough, reasonably common and is, therefore, worthy of exploration:

teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning are opposites; they are in opposition; this has implications for the way teachers teach and the way they enact the curriculum.

It's also my view that there are plenty of people on both sides of this opposition; it's not all coming from one side. Examples are easy to find. Exhibit A - perhaps the purest expression of the myth I have found - is a poster produced by a US company called Epiphany Learning . Their evangelism is embedded in the 'epiphany' branding; these are not just ideas to share - they represent some kind of revelation; an awakening. The poster I have in mind is readily available online; it sets out the difference between observations of Teacher-led and Student-led learning environments.

On the Teacher-led side, we have the subheading: Command and Control. On the Student-led side we have: Engage and Empower. Already, this is the myth writ large and their stand-point is clear. This is then followed by a set of opposing descriptions such as:

Classrooms are quiet and controlled

Classrooms may appear busy and chaotic

Teacher are responsible for what students need

Learners are self-aware and can advocate for their own needs.

Teachers focus on subject level content

Teachers lead, coach and inspire learners to find passion on subject matter

Failure is perceived as bad

Failure is recognised as a powerful teaching moment

Learning is shallow and memorised

Learning is deep and passionate.

In this poster, the opposition is explicit; unequivocal. And utterly ludicrous. I don't know about you, but if you've ever worked in a regular comprehensive school and you want students to learn something really well, 'quiet and controlled' sounds pretty good! And yes, I am largely responsible for what students need. That's my job. And, of course, as someone who believes that my subjects (physics, science, maths) have inherent value, I'm not going to accept for a second that my passionate teacher-led instruction is anything less than straight-out awe-inspiring and secures deep learning that students will remember.

Of course, this poster is an extreme case bordering on self-parody. But it's not the only example by a long way; student-centred 'engage and empower' language crops up all the time. A quick browse through the output of Edutopia.com would reinforce the view that this side of the myth is prevalent.

On the other side, it is not difficult to find strong advocates of teacher-led instruction as a superior form of teaching to student-led processes that are variously called discovery learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning and inquiry learning. Different people will be at pains to define these things as distinct modes of learning where others will lump them all together. Some opponents of student-centred approaches are so absolute in their position, they appear not to be able to countenance the notion that students can reasonably be said to lead their learning at all. In this case, I don't have one neat example but I would argue that it's reasonably common to encounter arguments made in blogs and on social media such as:

Students don't know enough about the curriculum to make good choices about what to learn

Inquiry Learning and Problem-Based Learning should have no place in the curriculum because direct instruction will always work better so the opportunity cost can't be justified.

Student agency is not necessary or relevant in the classroom.

Groupwork, projects and forms of discovery learning are inherently low-level and/or ineffective and lead to low standards.

So, on the surface at least, I'd say that this myth is certainly 'out there'. But why is it a myth? My contention is that the opposition is largely misplaced, with the true level of disagreement exaggerated by poorly defined concepts and de-contextualised generalisations. In reality, in a school curriculum that is rich and broad, leading to deep learning, both teacher-led learning and student-centeredness will we woven together; blended and sequenced; integrated in a proportionate manner.

I'll address this through three different lines of argument:

1.The 'Minimally guided instruction' debate.

Aspects of this discussion are played out in a fascinating manner in the publication of and responses to the famous 2006 paper by Kirschner, Sweller and Clark: Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching . For some people, this paper represents the cornerstone for their staunch support for teacher-led instruction.

In their conclusion, Kirschner et al suggest that:

In so far as there is any evidence from controlled studies, it almost uniformly supports direct, strong instructional guidance rather than constructivist-based minimal guidance during the instruction of novice to intermediate learners. Even for students with considerable prior knowledge, strong guidance while learning is most often found to be equally effective as un-guided approaches. Not only is unguided instruction normally less effective; there is also evidence that it may have negative results when students acquire misconceptions or incomplete or disorganized knowledge.

However, in their 2007 response to this paper, Hmelo-Silver et al argue that Kirschner et al have wrongly blurred the lines between discovery learning and the more structured approaches of problem-based learning (PBL) and inquiry learning (IL). They argue that:

It is clear that the claim that PBL and IL "does not work" is not well supported, and, in fact, there is support for the alternative.

As a non-expert in the field of education research - along with most teachers - it can be confusing and frustrating to be presented with opposing cases that include catch-all statements like 'it is clear that....' or 'the evidence....almost uniformly supports' as if both sets of researchers are claiming victory in a right-wrong debate. I have met a teacher who argues that Kirschner et al 'demolish discovery learning' and another very recently who suggested the Hmelo-Silver paper represents a 'total take-down of the ludicrous Kirschner paper'. Surely both of these people can't be right?

However, on closer reading, the arguments are much more subtle. Kirschner et al present their case most strongly for novice and intermediate learners but they appear to concede that for students approaching a more expert position, the different approaches are at least 'equally effective' which means the debate is more about sequencing approaches appropriately in the learning journey; students will reach a point where these approaches represent a genuine choice. Hmelo-Silver et al seem to agree:

We would argue that "Does it work?" is the wrong question. The more important questions to ask are under what circumstances do these guided inquiry approaches work, what are the kinds of outcomes for which they are effective, what kinds of valued practices do they promote, and what kinds of support and scaffolding are needed for different populations and learning goals?

They suggest that, rather than a crude advocacy for IL and PBL as effective strategies, a different line of reasoning is needed:

While we are not arguing against various forms of direct and more heavily guided instruction, of the sort that Kirschner et al advocate, it is still unclear how to balance IL and PBL (which are more constructivist and experiential) with direct instructional guidance. We believe that more directed guidance needs to build on student thinking. As a field we need to develop deeper and more detailed understandings of the interrelationships between the various instructional approaches and their impact on learning outcomes in different contexts.

Here is a welcome acknowledgement of a grey area; a lack of clarity and the need for more detailed understanding. Hmelo-Silver et al are not actually supporting the myth of opposition; it's more that they are protesting at the mischaracterisation of student-centred approaches as being 'minimally guided' and are at pains to stress the extent to which teacher instruction plays a role. Seizing this as an opportunity to reinforce their argument and its basis in cognitive load theory, in a response to the response, Kirschner et al argue the following:

In many ways, both Schmidt et al. (2007) and Hmelo-Silver et al. (2007) support our argument that direct instructional guidance is of the ultimate importance. Both papers stress that modern PBL/IL are very structured with strong scaffolding and as we understand their argument, that the more structured they are, the better they work. If there is a disagreement, it is that both commentaries stop short of what we see as the ultimate conclusion, namely, a need for the major instructional emphasis to be on direct, explicit instruction such as worked examples, case studies as modeling examples, or just tuition. Weak guidance forces learners to rely on weak problem-solving strategies and for at least two decades, weak problem-solving strategies have been known to impose a heavy, extraneous cognitive load.

My take on this, taking the research debate and referencing my own experience, is that we would most certainly be unwise to down-grade teacher-led instruction. It is the bedrock of ensuring that learning happens successfully. However, that does not mean that we can't conceive of more expansive long-term processes such that teacher-led instruction is part and parcel of a wider approach; an approach where, over time, students begin learning in problem-based contexts or use the knowledge they acquire to pursue a form of inquiry.

2. Successful learning is inherently student-centred even if teacher-led:

After reading and distilling the key findings from the research cited in Graham Nuthall's Hidden Lives of Learners, Dan Willingham's Why Don't Students Like School, Dylan Wiliam's Embedding Formative Assessment, Barak Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction, or Arthur Shimamura's MARGE, I would argue that teacher-led instruction cannot reasonably be framed in opposition to student-centred learning because successful learning is always inherently student-centred. Teachers cannot be said to have undertaken successful instruction unless their students, as individuals, have secured successful learning - and this requires their active involvement, their mental engagement, their conscious effort and active schema-building.

Let me give some specific examples:

Both Wiliam in his ideas about responsive teaching and Rosenshine , with his strong emphasis on checking for understanding, suggest that, in order to conduct effective instructional interactions, the teaching needs to be highly interactive. In order to plan the next steps in the process, teachers need feedback from their students that indicates the level of confidence, fluency, accuracy individuals are developing. Essentially, effective instruction depends on teachers being guided by their students' responses; they will adapt, adjust, push on, re-teach, provide more supports, take scaffolds away, give more or less feedback, follow different lines of reasoning - all driven by the students. How can we ensure our students are forming secure schema for the ideas in hand if we do not engage them in processes that reveal how their learning is progressing? To me, this is what student-centredness is about: it puts the emphasis on the learning that is taking place, not the activities or tasks teachers are engaging in.

In the five strategies for effective formative assessment developed by Wiliam and colleagues , two of them explicitly place students at the centre of the process: Activate students as owners of their learning Activate students are resources for each other.

Not only is it more time efficient for teachers to harness students to check the quality or accuracy of their own responses - magnifying the frequency and quantity of feedback they receive - it can also lead to a much stronger impact on outcomes. If students generate their own feedback, comparing their work to exemplars or seeing correct solutions, they can often internalise and respond to the feedback more successfully than with teacher-generated feedback. In this context, responsive teaching that generates effective feedback, is likely to be highly student-centred in the approaches used.

It's been identified in various broad analyses of learning approaches including by John Hattie and the Education Endowment Foundation , that metacognitive strategies have a strong relative effect suggesting metacognition plays an important role in successful learning. Nuthall describes how students engage in self-talk, narrating their thinking, with important positive effects. Whilst teachers play an important role in modelling these metacognitive strategies, ultimately, students must learn to use them themselves. This extends to the wider notion of self-regulation, where students plan, monitor and evaluate their progress through a given task. This can only be enacted by students themselves so, where instruction has been successful, it can only be so if teachers have succeeded in developing students' capacity to lead their own learning at various levels, from problem-solving to longer-term task completion. Students have to make sense of any set of ideas for themselves; they have to write, speak and perform themselves; they have to form successful study habits and pass exams themselves. Unless teachers are consciously fostering these strongly student-centred elements of the learning process, sometimes referred to as independent learning, they're much less likely to happen.

The myth is that these student-centred elements of successful learning can be fostered without being teacher-led; that they somehow come into being. However, whilst some students might develop these characteristics more independently, our goals as teachers are for everyone to succeed and we cannot simply leave this to chance. Supporting students to be successful as independent learners is part and parcel of instructional teaching. They are not opposites; they're actually inseparable.

I find Clark et al's American Educator article incredibly helpful in this area as they explain the confusion over the meaning and implications of 'constructivism'. Citing Mayer, they suggest that people have confused the sound theory of constructivism, whereby learning occurs through the construction of knowledge, with 'a prescription for how to teach'. They argue that knowledge construction happens through reading, listening to a lecture, watching a teacher demonstration; the students don't need to enact a process of constructing the knowledge first hand; it's a mental process; not a behavioural process. In the context of this myth-busting chapter, I'm arguing that student-centredness is inherent in the need for students to construct knowledge themselves but this is about how they think; not about how they are required to behave in a lesson. Teacher-led instruction, formulated with student thinking at its core, is vital to the process; not exclusively - but often, predominantly.

3. Education is always a blend of values and evidence. The case for mode B

My final line of reasoning is that a great education is not purely about the knowledge content that is accumulated; it is also about the enacted experience; the process of learning. In my view, there are many aspects of student activity and teacher-student engagement that are desirable simply because we value them as social constructs or because they enable teachers to be more expansive in the range of knowledge and experiences students encounter. I think is what Hmelo-Silver et al. refer to as valued practices. In my book The Learning Rainforest , I refer to this set of learning activities as Mode B teaching, contrasting it with the mainstay of teacher-led instruction that I call Mode A teaching.

Over time, within a sequence of learning spanning weeks or even a whole school year, it's entirely legitimate to suggest that there is a balance to be found between Mode A and Mode B activities in order to provide the optimum curriculum diet, informed both by ideas about effective evidence-informed teaching and our values system. What might this include?

As described by Robert Slavin and others, collaborative learning that is structured appropriately can yield significant learning gains. The gains can be explained in terms of the goal-setting aspect of the process whereby participants are motivated to ensure everyone in a collaborative group gains the knowledge needed to succeed in the task. They can also be explained in terms of cognitive load theory where, in some situations, cognitive load for individuals can be reduced because it is shared between those involved.

If we're clear to include pair-work under the umbrella of collaborative learning, then I would suggest that it's hard to separate from instructional teaching because engaging students in paired discussions - airing their ideas, testing out hypotheses, engaging in peer assessment - is a highly valuable element in the repertoire of questioning techniques teachers can deploy during instruction.

This is before we consider the social dimension and the broader dynamics of school life. It seems entirely uncontroversial that, as social beings, we should be setting up opportunities for students to work together in the pursuit of learning. Of course this will vary across different subject disciplines but it is surely more a question of how often and how well we harness cooperative learning and for what purpose - rather than whether we do it or not?

Kirschner et al acknowledge this in their 2012 American Educator article: "[Explicit guidance] does not mean direct expository instruction all day every day. Small group and independent problems and projects can be effective - not as vehicles for making discoveries , but as a means of practicing recently learned content and skills."

There are numerous ways in which students can benefit from undertaking extended learning tasks where the form of response or the precise content is not predetermined; where students learn to make good choices about their learning. At a small scale this can start with the goal-free problem-solving approach described by John Sweller within his cognitive load theory . Goal-free problems invite students to explore a scenario in a range of ways until various solutions are found and conceptual connections reinforced.

Going beyond this, the act of producing any form of extended writing involves making numerous decisions - form, content, line of argument, use of language. This can lead into much larger-scale projects where students engage in research, inquiry or investigative processes leading to them acquiring knowledge that they can then express in a range of forms. In completing a successful project to a high standard, students will be making lots of choices; the entire process is highly student-centred. However, at the same time, through modelling certain elements, determining the success criteria and giving feedback, teacher instruction is also close at hand. Across a year, a student may only engage in a handful of these activities but I have always found that, if expectations are set high, the outcomes can be phenomenal across a range of subjects.

It is my experience that, given the right conditions, students can contribute valuable and valid ideas about their learning. When I hear teachers suggest that students can't really guide their learning - because how could they know enough? - I almost feel sorry for them because it suggests they've never met the kind of students that I have who most certainly could. You only have to reflect on your own education to consider when, as a teenager growing up, you started to form legitimate academic interests and preferences; you started asking questions that you wanted answers to; you felt ready to make choices about what to study. Of course there are risks here - students left to their own devices might make terrible choices that cut off whole areas of study or lead to soft low quality comes and shallow thinking. But, with teacher guidance - setting standards, guiding, nudging, directing - surely we have to concede that involving students in shaping their learning is not only possible but is desirable. This is the essence of co-construction.

Of course, this isn't going to be relevant when students are in a novice phase - it might not be appropriate or be very extensive until much later in a student's school life. However, they will never learn to make good learning choices if they're never given the chance to make them. It's not something you can suddenly switch on; it has to be nurtured over time.

The final example I'll offer is around the idea that citizenship is something you do; it's not just something you learn about. How do we educate children to become engaged citizens? For sure, there will be the need for teacher-led instruction to ensure that key concepts are understood and remembered. However, if we're committed to teaching for citizenship, surely we need to include elements of the curriculum where students are required to gain knowledge and experience through more student-centred activities: debating; expressing opinions; organising themselves and others to present ideas. If students don't develop the sense that their voice matters at school, how are they going to find their voice as citizens in the wider world where the stakes are much higher? Citizenship isn't hypothetical, emanating from a knowledge base derived from instruction; it's lived; experienced. Student-centredness needs to be woven in.

Conclusion

My sense is that many people will read this and conclude that the myth isn't really a myth; that sensible teachers have always understood the value of teacher instruction and how this blends with notions of student-centredness. As ever, a myth isn't a myth to those who don't believe it. However, I am sure that out there in the world of education there are plenty of people advocating strongly for student-centredness almost as the antidote to the 'command and control' of teacher-led instruction. Similarly there are people who readily dismiss out of hand ideas about group work, projects and other expressions of student-centredness.

My view is that the opposition is false and I have presented the case via three lines of argument:

The debate around minimally guided instruction, gives prime importance to the need for teacher guidance, whist acknowledging that for more expert learners and as a form of practice, elements of small group and independent work can play a valuable role.

Successful responsive teaching is inherently student-centred if teachers are checking for understanding sufficiently, are ensuring that all students are constructing knowledge securely, and that they are engaged in metacognitive thinking.

Alongside Mode A instructional teaching, there is a world of valued possibilities in Mode B teaching that, when woven together, create a curriculum and a learning experience over time that is deeper, richer than we'd achieve through instructional teaching alone.

References

Clark, R. ,Kirschner, P., & Sweller, J. (2012). Putting students on the path to learning: The case for fully guided instruction. American Educator. 36. 6-11.

Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Duncan, R. G., & Chinn, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in problem-based and inquiry learning: A response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006). Educational Psychologist, 42, 99- 107.

Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: An analysis of the failure of construc- tivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41, 75-86.

Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. ( 2008) Why Minimally Guided Teaching Techniques Do Not Work: A Reply to Commentaries Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 115-121

Kirschner, Paul & Sweller, John & Kirschner, Femke & Zambrano R., Jimmy. (2018). From Cognitive Load Theory to Collaborative Cognitive Load Theory. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning. 13. 10.1007/s11412-018-9277-y.

Nuthall, G (2007) The Hidden Lives of Learners, NZCER Press, Wellington NZ

Rosenshine, B. (2012) 'Principles of Instruction: Research-based Strategies that all Teachers Should Know', American Educator Spring. 2012

Sherrington, T. (2017) The Learning Rainforest: Great Teaching in Real Classroom. John Catt Ltd.

Shimamura, A. (2018) MARGE A Whole-Brain Learning Approach for Students and Teachers. PDF available from http://www.bit.ly/2UEi1IB

Slavin, R. (2010), "Co-operative learning: what makes group-work work?", in Dumont, H., D. Istance and F. Benavides (eds.), The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice , OECD Publishing, Paris

Sweller, J., Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning, Cognitive Science , 12, 257-285 (1988)

Wiliam, D. (2011) Embedded Formative Assessment Solution Tree Press

Willingham, D. (2009) Why don't students like school? Jossey-Bass

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Myth: Teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning are opposites.

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The blog is a copy of my essay in Education Myths edited by Craig Barton for ResearchEd, published by John Catt Ltd, reproduced here with permission. https://www.amazon.co.uk/researchED-Guide-Education-Myths-evidence-informed/dp/1912906392 Teacher-led instruction and student-centred learning are opposites. Is it a myth or a straw man? I think this is an important question to ask at the outset.

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Teacher Head (2018) What is a knowledge-rich curriculum? Principles and Practice

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Teacher Head (2018) What is a knowledge-rich curriculum? Principles and Practice

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A blog post that explores the definition of knowledge, what knowledge means for learning and what this means for the curriculum. Recommended following discussions around "Why Don't Students Like School?"

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I have found recent discussions and debates about the concept of a 'knowledge-rich curriculum' - or knowledge-led; knowledge-based - fascinating. Some of this has been explored brilliantly in various blogs. Here is a selection:

There are also numerous blogs from Michael Fordham ( Knowledge and curriculum - Clio et cetera), Clare Sealy ( Memory not memories - teaching for long term learning - primarytimerydotcom) or Christine Counsell: the dignity of the thing

Along with plenty of others, I initially struggled to get my ahead around this idea. As a science teacher I've always felt my curriculum was packed with knowledge and, without question, I've seen numerous cohorts sit lots of GCSE exams year after year, each requiring significant knowledge. However, having engaged in the debate, read Martin Robinson's Trivium 21c and Dan Willingham's work, I'm increasingly convinced that a knowledge-rich/focused/led/based curriculum is an important concept that we ought to embrace.

Based on my work with lots of schools in varying circumstances over the last few years, I would say that not only is this approach often different to the default practice, it offers a secure route to the rising standards that we're continually seeking.

What is a knowledge-rich curriculum in principle?

Based on various ideas pulled from the blogs and books cited above, I would suggest there are four components:

Knowledge provides a driving, underpinning philosophy: The grammar of each subject is given high status; the specifics of what we want students to learn matter and the traditions of subject disciplines are respected. Skills and understanding are seen as forms of knowledge and it is understood that there are no real generic skills that can be taught outside of specific knowledge domains. Acquiring powerful knowledge is seen as an end itself; there is a belief that we are all empowered through knowing things and that this cannot be left to chance. There is also a sense that the creative, 'rounded and grounded' citizens we all want to develop - with a host of strong character traits - will emerge through being immersed in a knowledge-rich curriculum.

The knowledge content is specified in detail: Units of work are supported by statements that detail the knowledge to be learned - something that can be written down. We do not merely want to 'do the Romans'; we want children to gain some specified knowledge of the Romans as well as a broad overview. We want children to know specific things about plants and about The Amazon Rainforest, WWII, Romeo and Juliet and Climate Change. We want children to have more than a general sense of things through vaguely remembered knowledge encounters; in addition to a range of experiences from which important tacit knowledge is gained, we want them to amass a specific body of declarative and procedural knowledge that is planned. This runs through every phase of school: units of work are not defined by headings but by details: eg beyond 'environmental impact of fossil fuels', the specific impacts are detailed; beyond 'changes to transport in Victorian Britain', specific changes are listed.

Knowledge is taught to be remembered, not merely encountered: A good knowledge-rich curriculum embraces learning from cognitive science about memory, forgetting and the power of retrieval practice. Our curriculum is not simply a set of encounters from which children form ad hoc memories; it is designed to be remembered in detail; to be stored in our students' long-term memories so that they can later build on it forming ever wider and deeper schema. This requires approaches to curriculum planning and delivery that build in spaced retrieval practice, formative low-stakes testing and plenty of repeated practice for automaticity and fluency.

Knowledge is sequenced and mapped deliberately and coherently: Beyond the knowledge specified for each unit, a knowledge-rich curriculum is planned vertically and horizontally giving thought to the optimum knowledge sequence for building secure schema - a kinetic model for materials; a timeline for historical events; a sense of the canon in literature; a sense of place; a framework for understanding cultural diversity and human development and evolution. Attention is also given to known misconceptions and there is an understanding of the instructional tools needed to move students from novice to expert in various subject domains.

What is a knowledge-rich curriculum in practice?

The best way to attack this is through some examples:
Exhibit A: The Romans
If you imagine some Year 8s looking back to their time in Year 4, when they 'did the Romans', what would we want them to remember? They might remember their trip to the ruins or the museum, the video of the gladiators and something about togas and what the soldiers looked like. They might have a general sense that Romans had an empire and that they were around a long time ago. In a knowledge-rich curriculum they would remember all of this but would also be expected to know the terms empire, emperor, centurion, amphitheatre, aqueduct. They would know who Julius Caesar was; they would know a set of dates, placing the Romans in time in relation to Jesus and 1066 and be able to identify the location of key Roman sites in the UK and Europe.

All of the teaching could be supported by giving students a knowledge organiser with all the key facts on it from which various quizzes and tests are derived to support their retrieval practice. This would be part of a long-term plan that ensured students returned to Roman history beyond Year 4; there would be an expectation that their knowledge would be built on, not left behind.
Exhibit B: Parliament Hill Science
At this Camden school, the science department has developed a superb set of resources to support students with learning. This is linked to their FACE It approach described in this post: FACE It. A formula for learning. The idea is that students need to master the recall of basic science facts and concepts on the road to deep understanding and the ability to apply knowledge to problem solving. They are provided with excellent study guides; more detailed than a knowledge organiser but stripped down from what might be in a text-book. Here's a sample from the GCSE unit on genetics and selection.

Significantly, students are shown the quizzes that will be used to test them on their knowledge. They are embedded in the books. They are seen in advance so that students can learn the form in which knowledge is sometimes expressed. It guides their learning. Students are asked to learn the material after being taught it and then take the quizzes without any study aids. The aim is that all students get all the questions right. That's the point. Their theory is that, if students can't get the simple factual recall questions right, they have no chance of then getting the 'application to new contexts' questions right.

This embedded quizzing teachers lower attaining students to build confidence, gaining important study skills and has paid dividends. It also helps a team of teachers to focus their energies and to plan collaboratively. It's a Godsend for any new or non-specialist teachers too.
Exhibit C: Trial by Ordeal
If you were teaching the GCSE History theme study on Crime and Punishment, you might show this BBC Bitesize video: https://www.bbc.com/education/clips/zrtk2hv. It's a great colourful story full of information, examples, facts, concepts, gory details. You could watch it and have a wonderful engaging discussion during a lesson. But.... some days and weeks later, what would students remember? If you hoped students would recall as much as possible simply through absorbing information or by making their own notes, you're going to get a wide range of responses - and for certain, the weakest students will have the worst notes and, in all likelihood, the lowest level of recall. It's not enough.

In a knowledge-rich approach, we don't leave this to chance. We spell it all out. Alongside watching the video and having the discussion, we make the note-making absolutely explicit. These are the key facts; this what everyone must know; this is what you must all remember. Not only this, but at least all of this:

You might choose to train students to produce their own structured notes in a quizzable format or you might just give them the notes and focus on the retrieval practice and application. But what you won't do is all students to scrabble around dredging memories for half-remembered titbits of facts in the hope that they have a coherent picture of the idea of trial by ordeal. You control it; you are precise about it.
Exhibit D: Sequenced knowledge of Motors.
This is my favourite bit of teaching physics - one of them at least. If I teach this through a knowledge-rich approach I want to make sure that the knowledge builds securely. Firstly, say in Year 8, through demos and practicals, I want students to build their tacit knowledge of the key phenomena: magnetism, magnetic fields, attraction and repulsion, the idea of 'strength' of a magnet; forces; current in circuits - each with direction and magnitude; the idea that phenomena interact. All of this can be highly qualitative - simply focusing on changes of direction and the simple awe and wonder thing that motors work at all in our universe. I will also secure recall and understanding of some key terminology.

Later, as part of a spiral curriculum, avoiding cognitive overload and building on prior knowledge, I need students to understand and use F = BIL and Fleming's left hand rule. I need them to know the terms, that magnetic flux density more or less means 'strength', has a symbol B and units Teslas. I need them to learn the equation by heart and practise using it and manipulating it. All of that needs focus - so that they think about the equation away from the buzzy distraction of a sparking, whizzing motor. I build the sequence carefully, deliberately with a focus on practice and recall and schema-building.

Is this new? Well, yes I think it is to many teachers and in many schools - especially once the cogscience combines with the idea of subject grammar. It's way beyond some reductive idea of rote learning and regurgitating facts for no purpose. It's about ensuring students always have a secure knowledge platform allowing them to reach the next level. But it's not too important (is it?) whether we did this before... some of us will; some won't and that will depend on context, subject, phase... The point is that we do it now. It's actually rather exciting....
Update:
Since posting this, Debra Kidd has extended/deepened the ideas here in this superb post. Knowledge is just the start.... https://debrakidd.wordpress.com/2018/06/11/a-rich-curriculum/. Read together, I think we've nailed it!
Another Update
This post by Michael Fordham makes perfect sense to me: https://clioetcetera.com/2018/06/12/is-it-more-important-to-understand-than-to-know/ Understanding is really about what we know... the knowledge. Now we've nailed it.

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What is a knowledge-rich curriculum? Principle and Practice.

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I have found recent discussions and debates about the concept of a 'knowledge-rich curriculum' - or knowledge-led; knowledge-based - fascinating. Some of this has been explored brilliantly in various blogs. Here is a selection: Summer Turner https://ragazzainglese.wordpress.com/2018/02/14/pub-quiz-or-published-what-are-the-aims-of-a-knowledge-rich-curriculum/ Jon Brunskill I'm bringing knowledge back. | Pedfed which is worth reading along with his school's website info on...

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Hamilton, L. Implicit Theories of Ability: Teacher Constructs and Classroom Consequences

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Hamilton, L. Implicit Theories of Ability: Teacher Constructs and Classroom Consequences

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Research exploring teacher ideas of ability and how this has an impact on child, learning and assessment.

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Case Study: STEM through the eyes of a child at Sunflower Family Nurture Centre – Lochgelly, Fife

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Case Study: STEM through the eyes of a child at Sunflower Family Nurture Centre – Lochgelly, Fife

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A great document created by Education Scotland describing the fantastic STEM development work carried out in an early years setting.

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Moorhouse, P. (2018) Learning Through Woodwork: Introducing Creative Woodwork in the Early Years

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Moorhouse, P. (2018) Learning Through Woodwork: Introducing Creative Woodwork in the Early Years

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Recommended by several practitioners for providing rich creative, challenging experiences in your setting. Play is also about taking risks!

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Lee, T. (2015) Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories : Storytelling and Story Acting in the Early Years

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Lee, T. (2015) Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories : Storytelling and Story Acting in the Early Years

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A "user guide" for supporting young children in the creation of their own texts. A great text for understanding literacy, social and emotional development in the early years.

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A member recommended this book for your daily dose of positive play affirmations and inspiration!

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Willingham, D. (2009) Why Don't Students Like School?:A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom

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Willingham, D. (2009) Why Don't Students Like School?:A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom

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Book number four! This links cognitive science to classroom practice to give teachers the tools they need to make teaching and learning effective. Summaries will be captured on our blog: https://scottisheducatorsconnect.com/
You can also engage with discussion on Twitter:#scottisheducatorsconnect

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Tovey, H. (2016) Bringing the Froebel Approach to Your Early Years Practice

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Tovey, H. (2016) Bringing the Froebel Approach to Your Early Years Practice

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A recommended text for exploring Froebelian practice and what this looks like in early years settings.

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Bruce, T. (2012) Early Childhood Practice: Froebel Today

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Bruce, T. (2012) Early Childhood Practice: Froebel Today

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Recommended text for members wanting to learn more about Froebel theories and approach to childhood development.

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Bottrill, G. (2018) Can I Go and Play Now?: Rethinking the Early Years

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Bottrill, G. (2018) Can I Go and Play Now?: Rethinking the Early Years

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A text for all those who have the "faith" in play and are striving for magic in the classroom. Bottrill explores the why, what and how of play in the primary school. Featured in Moray Council's #weeplaypedagogy book discussions.

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Ephgrave, A. (2017) Year One in Action: A Month-by-Month Guide to to Taking Early Years Pedagogy into P1

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Ephgrave, A. (2017) Year One in Action: A Month-by-Month Guide to to Taking Early Years Pedagogy into P1

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Recommended for classroom-based practitioners who would like to learn more about play pedagogy in the classroom. Featured in Moray Council's #weeplaypedagogy book discussions.

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The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel Van Dee Kolk

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The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel Van Dee Kolk

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Recommended during a discussion linked to “The Whole Brain Child” and for those wanting to learn more about trauma and the brain.

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A magical tale about a child who finds an umbrella that can spread kindness. Short and sweet, but illustrates the message of helping and forgiving others perfectly. Great text for developing a sense of classroom community.

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Highland Council - Promoting Positive Relationships Framework and Guidance

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Highland Council - Promoting Positive Relationships Framework and Guidance

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A document that is useful for exploring the development of positive relationships linked to child development and nurture. Nurture wheel and associated processes: p.18 and teaching styles table p.28

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Carr, W. & Lee, W. (2019) Learning Stories in Practice

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Carr, W. & Lee, W. (2019) Learning Stories in Practice

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Arshad, R. (2012) Social Justice Re-Examined: Dilemmas and Solutions for the Classroom Teacher

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Arshad, R. (2012) Social Justice Re-Examined: Dilemmas and Solutions for the Classroom Teacher

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A book used by members to explore gender bias and for deeper reflection on equality in the classroom.

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A beautifully written and illustrated story that describes the complexities of the healing process following trauma. A book that I think both children and adults will find comfort in. Key messages of kindness, compassion, patience and positive relationships are at the heart of the story.

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The Lost Words: Spell Songs by Robert Macfarlane

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The Lost Words: Spell Songs by Robert Macfarlane

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Described as a "musical companion" to its big brother, "The Lost Words" by Robert Macfarlane, "Spell Songs" is a collection of songs and poems with folk music roots. Would be great for older pupils (second level and beyond) who are looking at poetry and verse.

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Bubble Trouble - Margaret Mohy and Polly Dunbar

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Bubble Trouble - Margaret Mohy and Polly Dunbar

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A book that explores friendships through the fun and whimsy of bubbles. A potentially relevant book when considering some pupils may be returning in "bubbles" after the summer...

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A book that explores community and celebrates diversity. Useful for developing a positive classroom culture that values the uniqueness of the individual. Particularly, recommended during the climate of COVID restrictions.

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A story that explores feelings that is beautifully illustrated both in picture and in use of descriptive language.

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The Story of the Kindness Elves by Anna Ranson and Benjamin Byrne

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The Story of the Kindness Elves by Anna Ranson and Benjamin Byrne

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Recommended text for developing a community within your classroom through making acts of kindness.

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A Volcano in My Tummy by Elaine Whitehouse

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A Volcano in My Tummy by Elaine Whitehouse

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This book was recommended by practitioners when discussing the "name it, tame it" approach detailed in Chapter 2. of The Whole Brain Child. Useful for helping children express their feeling and understand why they feel this way.

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Mat Tobin: English and Children's Literature: Exploring Pictures in Picturebooks
A thought provoking blog that challenges you to think deeper about your book choices! 

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First, let me apologise for the length of this post. It is definitely a 'dip in' read in which you might want to stop and return to in...

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An approach developed by Highland speech and language therapists to support adults in their interactions with children.

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Words Up Early (Level 1) - Key Messages Training

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The Words Up: Early (Level 1) Key Messages for Adult/ Child Interaction training has been developed by speech and language therapists in Highland for adults to support their interactions with children, leading to improved speech, language and communication for children. The online training is an alternative to the face to face Level 1 training.

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Dyregrov, A. Family Recovery from Terror, Grief and Trauma

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Dyregrov, A. Family Recovery from Terror, Grief and Trauma

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Shared as recommended further reading, during professional reading discussion on Chap 1. of "The Whole Brain Child".
"protecting children with the truth as opposed to from the truth"

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Recommended by members of our group and approved by kids! Useful for talking about the current situation in a way that is easy for all ages to understand.

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A Froebelian Approach to Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays

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A Froebelian Approach to Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays

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Froebel published a book titled "Mother Songs" in 1844. Songs, rhymes and finger plays are still integral to the approach today. This pamphlet provides more history, theory and examples of good practice.

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FT Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays Pamphlet

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Want to know more about the Froebel approach? Start here!

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FT Froebel's principles and practice today

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Recommended for developing understanding of taking a Froebel approach in your outdoor play provision!

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A heart-warming story that shares the process of grief when their friend Fox dies and the animals try to find ways to comfort each other.

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A lovely book for exploring emotions with simple messages for all ages

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Always be proud of what you create and sign it! A story about encouraging confidence, self-believe and the creativity we all have inside ourselves.
Lesson plan: https://highlandliteracy.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/bgelesson-plan_the-dot.pdf

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A lovely wee book celebrating the wonderfulness of ish rather than getting everything right!

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Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak 

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Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak 

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Thought this was a really relevant book to post after today’s discussion. A great growth mindset book for children and adults about how we can stretch and grow our fantastic, elastic brains 🧠

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A short, but perfect book about emotions and feelings through colour - and what it might look like when you don't know how you feel! Useful for talking about well-being during lock-down measures.

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This book explores the amazing connections between ourselves and nature. Sparking our imagination and revealing the remarkable ties that link us to our planet

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Girls Love to Fart by Alice Clover and Cheryl Lucas

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Girls Love to Fart by Alice Clover and Cheryl Lucas

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In our society we expect girls to be all fluffy and pink and nice, but they fart and make all sorts of horrid smells. This book is about celebrating the stinkiness of girls

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What do you do with an idea? Kobi Yamada

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What do you do with an idea? Kobi Yamada

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This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child’s confidence grows, so doe the idea and then something amazing happens.

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A book exploring family equalities and diversity form and LGBTQ perspective.

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One of the six political books for kids you should definitely read according to Zoe Williams in the Guardian , November 2018!

Roy and Silo are just like the other penguin couples at the zoo - they bow to each other, walk together and swim together. But Roy and Silo are a little bit different - they're both boys.

Then, one day, when Mr Gramzay the zookeeper finds them trying to hatch a stone, he realises that it may be time for Roy and Silo to become parents for real.

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Buy And Tango Makes Three by Richardson, Justin, Parnell, Peter, Cole, Henry (ISBN: 8601406117426) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

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A nostalgic story of three baby owls waiting for their mother to arrive. Pupils engage with the family connection and the repetitive structure.
A good starting point for practitioners wanting to include more story-telling and explore Pie Corbet's Talk for Writing approaches in their setting.

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Tomlinson, C. (2017) How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms

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Tomlinson, C. (2017) How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms

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Recommended during professional reading discussion for practitioners who want to learn more about meeting pupils' needs.

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Siegel, D & Bryson, T. (2012) The Whole-Brain Child

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Siegel, D & Bryson, T. (2012) The Whole-Brain Child

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The third book in our professional reading series. Summaries will be captured on our blog: https://scottisheducatorsconnect.com/
You can also engage with discussion on Twitter:#scottisheducatorsconnect

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Traditional characters are woven into a book full of rhythm and rhyme which young children have enjoyed for many years. A true classic.
Great for playing with narrative structures, rhyme and familiar characters.

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A simple text that young children can engage with to fuel their imagination. Simple, repetitive and engaging.
Professional reading members spoke positively of using this story in an outdoor learning context.

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A book about big worries and small worries and the impact they can have on our feelings and behavior. It focuses around the positive message of talking to others: 'But now that she knew how to get rid of them, they never hung around for long'
A fantastic tool for describing the feeling of "worry" that all ages could relate too.

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A moving story about Sofia who loses her teddy at the beach, but one day it is returned to her. "Nothing is truly lost if you keep it in your heart"
A wonderful book for discussing change and loss with young children.

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Louis,S., Beswick, C., Magraw, L. & Hayes, L. (2013) Understanding Schemas in Young Children: Again! Again!

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Louis,S., Beswick, C., Magraw, L. & Hayes, L. (2013) Understanding Schemas in Young Children: Again! Again!

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Recommended by several members of the professional reading group - for deepening your understanding of play and early childhood development

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Cherry Blossom and Paper Planes by Jef Aerts & Sanne te Loo

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Cherry Blossom and Paper Planes by Jef Aerts & Sanne te Loo

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"Some friends are more than friends. They grow like twin cherries from the same stem. A touching story of true friendship, resilience, belief - and a little bit of magic"
A beautifully illustrated book which I think would engage older readers. to talk about loss, change and friendship. Useful for conversations about lock-down measures and long distance friendships.

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Briggs, M. (2012)Play-Based Learning in the Primary School

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Briggs, M. (2012)Play-Based Learning in the Primary School

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Our first text for our professional reading discussions which led to many discussions to types of play. Chapter summaries can be found at: https://scottisheducatorsconnect.com/play-based-learning-in-the-primary-school/

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A beautifully illustrated story that reminds us that we are all loved - wherever we are or how far away our loved ones are...
I have had wonderful, engaging responses from P1 pupils when discussing the story in the context of lock-down measures.

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Bruce, T., McNair, L. & Whinnett, J. (2020) Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice 

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Bruce, T., McNair, L. & Whinnett, J. (2020) Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice 

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Our second text for discussion. Made richer by involving some of the authors in our video meets. A text which takes a Froebellian approach to children's narrative and story-telling in play-based settings. Chapter summaries can be found at: https://scottisheducatorsconnect.com/putting-storytelling-at-the-heart-of-early-childhood-practice/

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A charming story filled with repetition and rhyme about a child who explores what he can do when he grows up...
Useful for conversations about diversity; skills, life and work and child-centered conversations.