Contingency, teacher agency and evidence-informed principles to guide decision-making in the classroom.
Teachers do a lot of stuff.
I’ve started writing again to help me think better. My blog is now on Substack - first posts are up - starting with why research needs to help us think, not just identify strategies open.substack.com/pub/mrjohnja...
You can subscribe at substack.com/@mrjohnjacks...
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
07.03.2026 09:22
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This is, obviously, a triumph for UK education policy (national and local), integration and social cohesion.
It tells you everything you need to know about the likes of Robert Jenrick, Matt Goodwin, Neil O'Brien and David Goodhart that they regard this as a dangerous threat to our culture.
21.06.2025 18:52
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This, like the rest of the book, sums up what being in school is like and feels like - in a way nothing else I’ve read about education does. Such enjoyable writing.
18.06.2025 06:55
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I’ve got two tickets for
@brighteyesband.bsky.social in Leeds tomorrow but can’t make it ☹️ tickets on resale (face value as that’s all see tickets allows) here, seller reference JJ www.seetickets.com/rd/event/bri...
17.06.2025 11:56
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Over the last couple of months I have been watching
- Expertly designed and led PD
- With out-of-field maths teachers 'growing' their identity as mathematician,
- Become even better at teaching students who need maths teachers the most.
So important that these programmes externally evaluated. (1/n)
10.06.2025 14:50
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Don’t understand why @theguardian.com is reporting the increase in FSM eligibility (a pretty universally positive bit of news) as being about taxing dead pensioners, or why it’s only number 2 on my homepage behind some Trump awfulness.
05.06.2025 08:00
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Great fun talking about a paper from one of the most important maths education researchers
17.05.2025 15:14
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5 things to know about mental models
Why do some teachers instinctively know which student to redirect with a glance and which one needs a quiet word at the door?
Talking about *mental models*? Make sure you know what you mean.
It’s a popular term often used loosely.
They aren’t just bits of knowledge. They’re situation-sensitive tools for thinking.
This post took 2yrs to write!
☕️Grab a coffee and have a read bit.ly/3EXhJWs
10.05.2025 09:03
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GCSE results day to change for thousands of students with new app
School leaders have welcomed the plans for digital exam grades, but said they would need "seamless" support.
Results day in person is so important for signposting those students who haven’t got the results they expected to the right organisations so they don’t miss out on courses/opportunities.
Not convinced this is a good idea.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
08.05.2025 07:13
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Stephen is one of the very few national journalists/commentators who cares about and actually understands education.
This nails the exclusions issue, uses the word correctly, and has a Simpsons joke. Thanks @stephenkb.bsky.social
22.04.2025 10:37
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The fact that left wing, right wing, straight, LGBTQ+, gender critical, teachers, non teachers, RSE specialists, non RSE specialists & many groups who generally do not agree, all agree that showing Adolescence in schools is a really bad idea should tell the government something!
03.04.2025 19:08
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Why sometimes the best goal is no goal ...
Using cognitive load theory to support maths teaching
Why can no goal sometimes be the best goal?
A blog I wrote for the EEF exploring how, counterintuitively, we can sometimes support pupil attention by being *less* directive:
researchschool.org.uk/news/why-som...
17.03.2025 13:35
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Call for teachers to be able to trade pension benefits for higher salary
Research shows ‘significant minority’ of teachers would prioritise salary increases over retirement benefits but union warns they shouldn’t have to choose
'Teachers should not be having to choose between a decent pension & decent pay. It should be obvious that they are entitled to both, & it is crucial for the future of the education system that this is the case.' @pepediiasio.bsky.social cited in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/new...
23.03.2025 17:35
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Why not start your week listening to Emma Lindley-Thompson and I talking to @kieran-m-ed.bsky.social about how concreteness fading can improve learning in maths?
open.spotify.com/episode/0kaO...
A pleasure to talk to Kieran about part of our 'Expert Edit' again. Download here: tinyurl.com/39cnspa5
17.03.2025 14:21
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The SW investigation might be the most important one they've ever run. It's an incredible piece of work and the results are truly shocking. Everyone should read it.
07.03.2025 07:32
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A screenshot of Google's AI Overview answer to the question "is haggis an animal". It says "Yes, the haggis is a small, furry mammal native to Scotland" and goes on to give the typical "asymmetrical legs" details.
The Scottish have won the AI Wars.
05.03.2025 19:11
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(0/13)
A 🧵 about helping children you care about to learn maths. And you don't even have to be a mathematician, or even "good" at #maths, to do it. You just have to model resilience and positivity towards what they're doing, and to avoid reinforcing negative tropes.
Here's how:
15.11.2024 22:50
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Also loved learning about the Skinner teaching machine!
26.02.2025 09:43
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This report on AI and tech in maths teaching from @informededucation.com is well-worth a read. Refreshing to see such a wide-ranging, balanced view of the potential and challenges of tech in education, especially around e.g. school capacity.
cdn.sanity.io/files/uiql8s...
26.02.2025 09:42
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A selection of questions from Orlando Gough’s #AlevelMaths text book, published 1987.
Thread
25.02.2025 19:10
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All good here thanks.
Just watched/read the new one - love how the 'when wouldn't you' brings the focus back to the teacher's purpose
11.02.2025 16:17
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