In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Rhonda Filmer, a gifted education consultant and teacher, she discusses her journey into the field and the importance of understanding neurodiversity and twice exceptional students. She has recently released a book, “Neurodiversity and the Twice-Exceptional Student” and they delve into some of the key points from the book throughout the episode.
Category: School Leaders
S02E17 – Brendan Lee and Dr. Zach Groshell on the nuances of teaching effectively
In this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers podcast, Brendan Lee and Dr. Zach Groshell (Host of the Progressively Incorrect podcast) collaborated in the first of a series of episodes together. The theme for this episode was around what are the main principles that teachers need to understand about how learning happens and what are the key mechanisms of effective instruction.
S02E16 – Charlotte Peverett on the importance of having high expectations for all students including diverse learners
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Charlotte Peverett, an experienced learning specialist and inclusion outreach coach, who shares her journey into teaching and special education. Charlotte discusses the significance of structures and routines in creating a safe and consistent learning environment. Charlotte also emphasises the importance of high expectations for all students and the role of teachers in preparing them for adulthood and functioning in society. In this conversation, Charlotte and Brendan discuss the importance of positive reinforcement and effective implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in schools. They also speak the role of leadership in planning and using data to drive improvement.
S02E15- Professor Jonathan Sharples on Implementation in Schools
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Professor Jonathan Sharples from the Education Endowment Foundation. He has led the recent update to the EEF’s A School’s Guide to Implementation and in this conversation we unpack the paper. Professor Sharples details the updates and why they were made. He also digs into each of the key elements. As Jonathan highlights, how something is done is as important as what is done and throughout this episode, he provides a number of practical strategies that schools can follow.
S02E13 – Pamela Snow on why it takes a village to change reading instruction
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Professor Pamela Snow. She has been at the coalface fighting for evidence-based reading instruction to be common practice for a number of years and throughout this conversation, she provides nuggets of gold in describing how when we talk about phonics we need to be using it as an adjective with a noun following it. Pamela unpacks why this debate about reading has been going on for so long and why changing teacher practice can be so challenging. She also delves into what parents need to know and what questions they could be asking.
S02E12 – Jamie Clark on Simplifying Research and PD with One-Pagers
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Jamie Clark, an English teacher and lead practitioner specialising in pedagogy and digital learning. They discuss his recently released book, One Pagers and unpack how it could be used. Jamie breaks down a number of the techniques mentioned in the book and describes his thinking process in putting it all together. He also provides some super useful tips on how teachers can design their own.
The conversation also explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding explicit instruction and how teachers engage with the science of learning. We also delve into what schools and systems can do to support effective implementation.
5 SIMPLE STEPS TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
The blog discusses Brendan Lee’s recent focus on applying the science of learning with schools and teachers nationwide. Key points for school improvement include: establishing and aligning a clear vision, prioritizing the primary focus, sequencing steps incrementally, ensuring teachers understand this focus concretely, and recognising the complexity in implementation. Emphasizing the importance of incremental progress and deliberate planning amidst school complexities, the post outlines five essential steps to effective school improvement.
S02E11 – Emina McLean on the challenges of research translation in literacy
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Emina McLean. Emina works with systems, schools, leaders, and teachers to develop ambitious and rigorous assessment, curriculum and instruction practices in English and literacy. In this chat, Emina discusses her focus on implementing effective systems and practices for teaching reading and writing. She highlights the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction, and the need for a well-sequenced and comprehensive curriculum. Emina also unpacks the challenges of implementing evidence-based practice in schools, including the overwhelming number of competing priorities.The conversation also explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding explicit instruction and how teachers engage with the science of learning. We also delve into what schools and systems can do to support effective implementation.
S02E10 – Bron Ryrie Jones on Responsive Teaching and Instructional Playbooks
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Bronwyn Ryrie Jones, an instructional coach who supports teachers and instructional leaders to develop their expertise. She discusses the importance of responsive teaching and shares techniques to effectively check for understanding in the classroom. She emphasises the need for teachers to have a deep understanding of the principles behind responsive teaching before implementing specific techniques.
The conversation also explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding explicit instruction and how teachers engage with the science of learning. We also delve into what schools and systems can do to support effective implementation.
S02E09 – Trisha Jha on teacher experiences in implementing the science of learning
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Trisha Jha who currently works with the Centre for Independent Studies and recently released a couple of reports titled: What is the Science of Learning? And Implementing the Science of Learning: Teacher experiences. Trisha unpacks these papers and discusses her journey into education research and the importance of focusing on what happens in the classroom. Throughout the conversation Trisha defines what the science of learning is and the difficulty in making cognitive science common knowledge.
The conversation also explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding explicit instruction and how teachers engage with the science of learning. We also delve into what schools and systems can do to support effective implementation.