How can schools support teachers with keeping up to date with children's literature? Is time prioritised for it and, if so, how? Or is it left for people to do in their own time? I understand the challenges around fitting it in, but it's valuable CPD and needs to be recognised as such.
I'm running a webinar on Wed 25 Feb, 4-4.45pm exploring what it takes to reclaim the purpose of KS3.
Register here (live and recorded):
films.myattandco.com/programs/rec...
The evidence keeps pointing in the same direction.
The problem isn't that pupils can't handle rich, challenging material. The problem is we keep assuming they can't.
What if the real risk isn't expecting too much of our pupils?
What if it's expecting too little?
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Then something happened. The pupils didn't just cope. They engaged and discussed. They rose to the challenge.
This echoes what we know from the University of Sussex 'Faster Read' research: struggling readers' comprehension improved by 16 months after just 12 weeks with demanding novels.
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"Will they cope with demanding texts?"
This is the question I hear most often when colleagues first encounter our KS3 materials.
A MAT recently introduced our humanities resources. Staff were sceptical. The texts felt too demanding for their pupils.
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BABS!!
WE’RE BACK ON 28TH FEB!! FEW TIX STILL AVAILABLE. COME ALONG AND HEAR FROM ACE PEOPLE INCLUDING @carlhendrick.substack.com @daisychristo.bsky.social @didau.bsky.social @jonhutchinson.bsky.social @marymyatt.bsky.social @alexjquigley.bsky.social
#rEDBRUM
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/researched...
This is an incredibly important blog by my colleague Lucy Hinchliffe on behalf of @engmediacentre.bsky.social All English teachers should take a look & DfE should definitely be talking to us about this. If they get this wrong, nothing else will go right in the Nat Curric for English.
I've just reviewed my 51st Sticky Toffee Pudding. But what did it get out of 10?
New post: Essentialism: keeping the main thing the main thing open.substack.com/pub/marymyat...
What a fabulous experience for the young musicians! Inspiring a love of classical music by watching highly skilled artists perform #artsmatter #lovestc @marymyatt.bsky.social @royalphilsoc.bsky.social @royalphilorchestra.bsky.social
The huge difference in reading outcomes, described by @stevewillshaw.bsky.social in conversation with @lambhearttea.bsky.social and me on the KS3 webinar
Currently around 40 teachers attending my first in-person CPD session of this kind in Shrewsbury! Huge thanks to
Wilfred Owen School and the Empower MAT for hosting me.
Everyone who is booked has been sent attendee instructions for the day..
The implications for raising the game at KS3 are significant. If we want our pupils knowing more, remembering more and being able to do more, then underpinning some of the content with a high-quality text, must make sense!
“Cognitive psychology has shown that the mind best understands facts when they are woven into a conceptual fabric, such as a narrative, mental map, or intuitive theory. Disconnected facts in the mind are like unlinked pages on the Web: They might as well not exist.”
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We have Daniel Willingham, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia saying that ‘our brains privilege story’, and we also have this from Steven Pinker
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From power points to proper texts
While there’s a place for power points, pupils need more.
And if we’re interested in providing them with content that’s more likely to stick, then we have some hefty backup from the research.
So good to have you involved in this project!
If you haven’t read @ilankelman.bsky.social’s “Disaster By Choice” yet, now’s the time. And if you are a KS3 #GeographyTeacher, check out the upcoming ‘The Ambitious Years’ resource that I proudly wrote for @marymyatt.bsky.social based on his amazing book.
New post with insights from @lambhearttea.bsky.social Fairlamb on the rationale for teaching about the kingdom of Benin at KS3 as part of The Ambitious Years
marymyatt.substack.com/p/key-stage-...
New post with insights from Alex Fairlamb on the rationale for teaching about the kingdom of Benin at KS3 as part of The Ambitious Years marymyatt.substack.com/p/key-stage-...
Here's the link, would be good to have your thoughts! films.myattandco.com/programs/web...
Will get over to you tomorrow!
🚨12 DAYS TO GO🚨
Today's post for the upcoming Leading Secondary English @bloomsburyed.bsky.social is a soundbite I heard from @adamboxereducation.bsky.social about TTA:
Do We Do What We Say We Do?
This thinking influenced everything that went into this - authentic, concrete examples throughout!
Key Stage 3 is promising when...
Thank you to all those primary teachers filling this in for us! If you are involved with KS2, we'd love to hear from you! Please share @ruthswailes.bsky.social @uklitassociation.bsky.social @teresacremin.bsky.social @writingrocks.bsky.social
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazis, as well as countless other victims.
We honor their lives by rejecting the evils of antisemitism, dehumanization, and authoritarian violence wherever they appear.
Never again means never again for anyone.
Are you a KS2 teacher? We're adding an extra dimension to our survey of poetry at KS3 by asking some KS2 teachers to respond to one question. Please could you take 2 mins to click this link & answer the question? Huge thanks! www.surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Coll...
This is so good
Class 2 have been fascinated learning about Mary Seacole. They were saddened by how she was treated, yet inspired by her determination to help soldiers in need. We explored why she is famous, remarkable, and remembered. #historystc #unitystc #ks1stc @marymyatt.bsky.social
Over 150 colleagues signed up for the KS3 Ambitious Years webinar with @stevewillshaw.bsky.social @lambhearttea.bsky.social & me.
Alex, on the difference scholarly, but accessible texts make to learning. I love that she talked about them not being 'gobbetised'!
DM for a link to the recording
