Listen Now

In this episode, I reflect on some of the key learnings that came during the Effective Teaching Conference from the likes of John Larmer, Suzie Boss, Jay McTighe, Alice Kim, Kasey Bell, Kelly Bell, Brendan Lee, Jen Giffen, John Hattie and many more. Get access to the recordings for just $97

It's time to round up the year, reflect and set goals. This is the last episode for the year. I look forward to talking with you in 2023. Register for the effective teaching conference Reflect on your year. Gather some evidence (survey your kids, ask others to give feedback, use some sort of criteria such as the teaching standards in AUS) Identify how you will use your strengths to help others around you. Maybe volunteer to run some PD at school, for your teachers association, or your local network. Identify how you plan on improving your weaknesses. What books will you read? Who do you know whom you can learn form? Can you find some focused PL such as a workshop, online course or something that will help you strengthen this area.

Discover the joy that comes with lots of short breaks, both for you and your students. There are plenty of great benefits. Research indicates that multiple 5 min breaks are better than a larger single break. so… Give students regular short breaks… every 45-90 min provide 5 min (used to do brain breaks at SEDA) Give yourself regular short breaks… time them and don’t allow them to interrupt your flow. If you are scheduling meetings make them 25 or 50 min instead of 30 and 1 hr so incorporate some form of a break between activities.   Learn more about the Conference here

Discover 3 things that can destroy your mojo and have a negative impact on you and your students. We all need to avoid these. Learn more about the conference at https://www.teacherspd.net/conference

Dan interviews Stephanie Howell and Tara Ruckman to discuss their new #1 Amazon best-selling book "Control the Choas". Discover how you can help control your blended classroom by developing student executive skills. Get a copy of the book Get a copy of the book Control the Chaos: What it takes to create order in the classroom and teach executive functioning skills on Amazon AU Get a copy of the book Control the Chaos: What it takes to create order in the classroom and teach executive functioning skills on Amazon US Links mentioned in the Episode You can get the form discussed by going here If you are keen to register or learn more about the Effective Teaching conference here *The transcript below is automated and may have some errors

Discover how to save time as you write your reports and mark tasks with this simple hack   Parkinson's law - work expands to fulfil the time allowed for its completion. We prioritise and get work done by their due dates eg) report writing or mark submissions We can benefit from this by creating our own deadlines etc to get things complete. Simple as doing the task in a shorter time limit than normal. Eg) mark papers in 2 hrs instead of allowing yourself all night. Set a timer. It helps you focus and do a single task at a time. OR plan your lesson in 40 min instead of an hour. If things don't have deadlines or time limits they expand massively.  You see it in the classroom as well. If you give kids 5 or 10 min to get something done with a visible timer they are better at keeping on task, but if you just ask them to get it done that lesson they get distracted until the end when you might say it has to be done before they can leave….  Take advantage of this simple hack and set timers for your tasks and then stick to them. It may not always work in terms of being finished, especially when you push yourself, but it will always speed you up.

I really enjoyed interviewing Jon Bergmann (flipped learning pioneer and author of multiple books including recently "The Mastery Learning Handbook". Here Jon lays out what mastery learning is, how to plan for it, and how to manage it in the classroom. Jon Bergmann Jon Bergmann is one of the pioneers of the Flipped Class Movement. He has coordinated and guided Flipped Learning programs around the globe. He is the author of ten books, including the bestselling book Flip Your Classroom, which has been translated into 10 languages as well as his recently released Amazon best seller The Mastery Learning Handbook. Jon Bergmann has been an educator since 1986. He has served as a middle and high school science teacher, lead technology facilitator, consultant/public speaker, and is now back in the classroom working with his amazing students. Learn more about the Effective Teaching Conference   Please note the transcript is automated.

In this interview with Brendan Lee (former Assistant Principal and classroom teacher in both primary school and high school) Dan and Brendan discuss explicit instruction. Brendan explains exactly what explicit instruction is and isn't before we go on to explain when it should be used.   Here are some links Barak Rosenshine’s original Principles of Instruction Rosenshine's Principles in Action by Tom Sherrington Blog article from Tom Sherrington Exploring Barak Rosenshine’s seminal Principles of Instruction: Why it is THE must-read for all teachers.   Hollingsworth and Ybarra's Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI): The Power of the Well-Crafted, Well-Taught Lesson   If you want to get into the Science of Learning more, here are some good overviews: Ambition Institute: LEARNING: WHAT IS IT, AND HOW MIGHT WE CATALYSE IT? - provides a coherent, high-level overview of the domain – organised around nine insights, with a taste of what the implications of these insights are for our classrooms. Deans for Impact: The Science of Learning - The purpose of The Science of Learning is to summarize the existing research from cognitive science related to how students learn, and connect this research to its practical implications for teaching and learning Ambition Institute: The Learning Curriculum 3.0 - This handbook is targeted at teacher educators as a guide to help explain the science of learning to teachers.

These 5 ideas will help you stand out from other lessons to classes and get your students engaged in learning right from the beginning. Notes Purple cow classroom.   Lessons are all the same and can get boring… be the different teacher Create a new world  Decorations Dress up Start with the problem and don't provide solutions Use music to set the tone for the lesson (eye of the tiger, Chopin or something) entering, exiting, transitions,  Start with something fun and exciting eg) make something from balloons, get some craft stuff and set a challenge bonus points if a struggling student will be successful Give some out-of-this-world rules to change things up… eg) have to put a hand on your nose all lesson, if you have a question you sit down on the ground instead of raising your hand…

Discover 2 simple strategies you can apply to your calendar to save you time and increase your energy levels, enthusiasm and passion for teaching again.

Discover a simple feedback process you can use to get great results from your students, but also that energizes you as a teacher.

Learn how to enjoy life after work by enabling your brain to be free of the worries and thoughts of school life. Use these 3 steps to switch your brain off from work. You can get a free copy of the book Work Less, Teach More at https://www.teacherspd.net/freewltm

It's time to reduce your meetings and save yourself some time. If you are a school leader, let's stop having regular recurring meetings just because. Reduce your workload further by getting s copy of my book at teacherspd.net     Notes Delete all your meetings all and email the organiser to ask: What is your role and contribution to the meeting? You won't be attending but will send someone else in your place. You won't be attending the meeting as it has no purpose for you and you won't be contributing anything. You may even suggest that the meeting doesn't need to exist. Keep meetings short (30 min max) only 5 people max, Replace meetings with videos

Discover the keys to improving your students' motivation levels in your classroom. There are plenty of great tips in this episode to help get students interested and motivated to learn. Join the Effective Teaching Series

Learn how to help your students analyse, evaluate and create as I look at the top of Bloom's taxonomy.   Register for the Free Effective Teacher Series here

The bottom of Bloom's pyramid is often neglected and I want to give you some tips to help students to remember, understand and apply content. The basis from which, higher order thinking can happen.   Register for the effective teaching series

There is a culture in teaching, which promotes the concept of being "busy". In the wider culture, it is #hustle and it is creating workaholics. It's time for us to be more counter-cultural and focus on effectiveness instead of busyness. Register for the 3 part video series at https://www.teacherspd.net/etseries

Feedback can take a lot of time, but this simple 3 step method is simple, fast, and effective.

Flipped learning can save you time, improve your differentiation and a whole lot more. Listen to this episode where I talk about the benefits of flipping your classroom and how to deal with students who don't do their homework. Free 10-Step guide to help you flip your first lesson at https://www.teacherspd.net/10stepflip

Research tells us that the teacher's voice dominates discussion in the classroom and boredom kills learning. Let's look at 4 things you can do instead of giving presentations and lectures to your students.