Practical Teaching Tips with Richard James Rogers

Metacognition is often described simply as 'thinking about thinking'. However, it's actually more than just that, and involves the delivery of a wide array of effective strategies that have been proven time and again to boost attainment and progress. In today's episode I talk with Corinna Graham, Head of Science at Garden International School, Rayong, to find out how how she uses metacognitive str...

In today's episode, I describe the things that actually make a difference when it comes to effective and excellent teaching. No wishy-washy academic intangibles here - just the raw, blunt truth about the day-to-day stuff that WILL actually improve your students' attainment and progress. Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High...

Tiredness on-the-job is inevitable as a teacher; no matter how well-prepared you are. In today's episode I describe some effective, practical things you can do in real-time when you feel tired at school, along with some strategies to prevent tiredness from happening in the first place.  Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All...

From the duties she fulfilled during her National Service way back in the 1940s, to her most recent engagement on September 6th 2022 (in which she appointed the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, to her role), Queen Elizabeth’s life has been filled to the brim with duties, public service projects and a clear devotion to bettering the welfare of others. As a humble tribute to Queen Elizabeth II...

As our students' high school careers near their end, achieving good grades becomes ever-more important. There’s a lot at stake, in particular, the range of colleges from which they can choose after graduation. And with the cost of a college education being so high, excellent grades could be worth money in the form of bursaries and sponsorships. Even kids that don’t want to study further need to wo...

Reintegrating our students into physical classrooms after so much pandemic-driven upheaval is going to be a challenge for us all. We must focus on building our students physical awareness and manual dexterity, confidence, interpersonal skills and problem-solving capabilities. I believe I've developed an easy-to-remember system that we can all use within every lesson going forward to keep the impor...

Pausing is a very powerful instructional technique when it is used properly. In today's episode, I describe how pausing can be used for behaviour management, increasing lesson clarity, eliciting responses and even reinforcing key words.  This episode is accompanied by a blog post: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2018/12/09/the-power-of-pausing/ The episode is also accompanied by a YouTube vide...

The first few weeks of a new academic year can be really challenging, not least because you’ll have a lot of new names and faces to remember! Whether you’re a new teacher working in a completely new school, or whether you’re simply rolling into a new academic year with new classes to teach, this episode will help you. This episode is accompanied by a blog post: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2017/...

This was a topic requested by my good friend, Craig Scott, who is a teacher in the UK. In today's episode I describe my journey from being a PGCE qualified high-school teacher in the UK to teaching at some of Thailand's best international schools (which is what I am doing today). I hope today's episode is both interesting and informative. Please do not hesitate to contact me at info@richardjamesro...

Teaching is an amazing and inspirational vocation. Just think: every single day we get the opportunity to literally help, inspire, motivate, coach and train young people. All of our learners are special and unique, but I’ve found that working with students that have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can be the most rewarding part of the job. In today's episode I describe the most e...

Private tutoring can become a very lucrative side-hustle for those teachers wanting to earn some extra money. Most teachers, however, are not business people, and it takes a special set of skills to turn a little additional income into a successful and highly profitable enterprise. Today, I've invited Ash Bignall, owner of the British Learning Centre in Pattaya and Learntey.com , to share his exce...

High-achieving students face unique challenges on a day-to-basis that many teachers may be unaware of. Today, I have invited a gifted and talented final year high school student to give her take on what matters when it comes to inspiring and helping learners like her. Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Ne...

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global virtual reality in education market is booming, and is projected to grow by an average of 45.2%, every year, between now and 2029. Teachers everywhere would be wise to skill-up and take courses in Virtual Reality EdTech in order to get prepared for the exciting changes we will soon see in our classrooms. Today, I'll be exploring the six main ways...

Hands-on, practical activities offer many students the opportunity to collaborate, be creative and have fun! In addition to this, you don't have to be a Science, Design & Technology or Electronics teacher to do kinaesthetic activities with your students: they can be utilised in any subject area. In today's episode I break down the why, what and how of doing hands-on activities with your studen...

Cognitive Load Theory is a research-based tool for assessing the difficulty and pace of the tasks, assignments and instructions we deliver in-class to our students. In essence, when difficulty is high and pace is fast, then the cognitive load is high. When difficulty is low, and the pace is slow, then the cognitive load is also low. In today's episode, I describe the things teachers should do to c...

End of Year exams and high-stakes assessments demand a high-amount time from teachers during the creation and marking processes. They often cannot be marked via peer-assessment, self-assessment or other time-saving methods and must instead be marked traditionally - i.e. by the teacher going through the papers individually. In today's episode, I share my top tips for marking high-stakes assessments...

It is no hidden fact that teaching is a stressful profession. From managing students to maintaining multiple records, teachers have a lot to deal with on a daily basis. Dealing with everything available on a plate at once often leads to stress. Moreover, if stress remains unmanaged and unnoticed for a long time, it can even lead to serious burnout. In modern times, where digitalization was suppose...

Do you know what the differences are between deep and surface learning? Do you know how to encourage deep learning in your classroom? In today's episode I will explore both of these questions.  Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVCWFZ4 Check out my blog for...

Careers’ guidance counsellors – start telling high school students the TRUTH – that if they go to university they’ll probably amass a ton of debt that they’ll be paying off for decades, whilst probably not earning that much money afterwards. Tell them that there’s ANOTHER WAY – that there are jobs that do not require such a massive monetary and time-investment, but which pay a lot!

Our students' emotional maturity, key skills and knowledge and understanding may not be as developed as we think. Teacher vigilance is key! Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVCWFZ4 Men's Health Article: People's Brains Don't Reach Adulthood Until Age 30, Study...

One thing that is almost NEVER covered on teacher training courses is the importance of personal health and suitable routines that maximise energy levels. Good sleep, good diet and good mental health are all extremely important for the modern practitioner to function optimally. A teacher with such credentials as a master's degree or even a PhD in education from a top university will soon find them...

Are you a moody moaner? If you are, then join the club because schools all over the world; no matter what the ethos or demographic, all contain their fair-share of moaners. But what do teachers moan about and is it justified? This episode explores that. Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know: htt...

The 94th Academy Awards will forever be known as the night when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock: be that staged or not as the case may be. In today's episode, I go through some things that teachers and schools can take from this situation when designing curricula, preparing young people for the future and discussing this issue if and when it arises in our conversations with students. Check out my aw...

Past-exam papers provide teachers with the opportunity to train students in time-management, exam-technique and key skills.  Check out my award-winning book for teachers - The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TVCWFZ4 Check out my blog for teachers: https://richardjamesrogers.com/ Share a voice message with...

Children love competition – be that through sports, online gaming, traditional learning games, puzzles or even the drive to acquire more house points/plus points than their peers. Quiz-based apps, however, are unique in that they have finally allowed teachers to bring a healthy level of technology-driven rivalry into the remote, hybrid and traditional classrooms. This episode is accompanied by a b...