EdBlogs

"Frankly, I question your sanity going into teaching," a former boss said, in response to my request for a reference for my part-time PGCE application. I can't say I blame him. On my first day as teaching assistant (TA) at a local primary school (a job I have taken to complement my PGCE and bring in a little cash) I encountered two news reports abo...

We were delivering a CPD session for teachers recently, and a storm started as we were leaving. While we were waiting for the rain to pass, one of the teachers commented that her students had a curious relationship with umbrellas. She noted that Year 7 students used them, as did sixth-form students, but those in the inbetween years often refused. W...

Common sense suggests, scientific research tells you, and Pisa proves it; what makes the biggest difference to student outcomes is the teacher in front of the class. That means if you really want to improve the school system, you need to focus on teacher training and professional development. Teachers need the core knowledge to plan, deve...

"Let down your buckets!" Mr Wilkes shouts at window-shaking volume. It's 1993 or 1994 and I am in my earth science class, a subject I think would be called geography today. Mr Wilkes paces the front of the room, red-faced and miming semaphore. "The becalmed ship flagged back its reply. We need fresh water! We need to drink!" We all lean forward, th...

 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...