The School of School

Table arrangements, Fluid movement, and more. In this episode, Robin and Adam are joined by Roger Hitchin - Singapore Maths Lead and Section Head of Year 5 and 6 at Wellington Prep School in Somerset, UK to discuss the classroom environment. How should pupils be placed? What has to be considered with arrangements? Plus, hear the differences of old-school seating arrangements versus the new.

Child-parent conflicts, Self discipline, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam take on the potentially touchy subject of homework. Can we define its purpose? Or is it an unnecessary obstacle? Plus, find out if our Podcasters avoided their homework back in the day.

Bus numbers, Early language, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined again by Assistant Headteacher and Literacy Consultant, Katy Reeve, to discuss pre-number on children’s mathematical development. What impact will early number work have? Does a child’s later-year struggle trace back to reception? Plus, Andy explains why the types of numbers; Cardinal, Ordinal, Nominal will be so conf...

Kitchen flooring, Poor training courses, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam discuss the difficulty of selecting the best teacher training programme. Are there too many options? How does a teacher know where to start looking? Plus, what can we learn from Singapore’s teacher training model?

Historic conflicts, Job hirings, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam are joined again by Katriona Lord-Levins, Chief Success Officer at Bentley Systems to discuss diversity of thoughts and our unconscious bias. What is diversity of thought? Can you undo an unconscious bias? Plus, Adam relates the unconscious bias to a maths skill that’s simply embedded in our nature.

Grade confusion, Booster groups, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam discuss all things grading. Who are the grades for? Pupils or teachers? How can parents better understand what things mean? Plus, Andy explains how there’s no such thing as ‘average’.

Moon-shots, The Industrial Revolution, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam are joined by Katriona Lord-Levins, Chief Success Officer at Bentley Systems to discuss the importance of goal setting, both for adults and children. What do we need goal setting for? Purpose? Development? Plus, Andy shares a situation in which you can observe who are good and bad decision makers.

Restricting WiFi, Gangster Families, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam discuss the importance of setting boundaries in the classroom and at home. How impactful can a chaotic home life be? What structures can be set at school that would benefit children? Plus, Andy and Adam share stories of pupils they’ve experienced that have had tough backgrounds.

Benjamin Bloom, Surface learning, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam are joined by Craig Parkinson, a Maths — No Problem! Trainer, to discuss SOLO Taxonomy. What does SOLO stand for? Clue: It’s not Chewbacca’s best friend! Plus, how many theorists were mentioned? Were you counting?

Radicalised elders, Influencers, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined again by Justin Bullard, Founder and CEO of MPath Productions, to talk about the impact of social media and bullying in schools. Is there a danger with children wanting to mirror celebrity lifestyles? Is it the government’s job to make school teach pupils more about social media dangers? Plus, find out who wanted...

Curriculum confusion, Unclear guidance, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam discuss statutory requirements and misleading government documents. With lots of guidance out there, what’s helpful? What guidance is confusing for schools? Plus, hear why it’s important to be slightly sceptical when a new idea or approach is being presented.

Twisting Tuesdays, Bare-foot Kiwis, and more. In this episode, Andy, Robin and Adam discuss the importance of helping students focus with physical activities. What activities can teachers do with their class? How beneficial can they be? Plus, hear about the strange objects Adam would ‘throw’ at his class to keep them alert and moving!

Greek alphabet, White space, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined again by Assistant Headteacher and Literacy Consultant, Katy Reeve, to discuss decodable books. What are decodable books and phonics? Are they more important than other books that potentially present richer learning experiences? Plus, hear Adam writhe at his decodable book sentence attempt!

Upside down Fractions, The learning buzz, and more. In this episode, Andy, Emily and Adam are joined again by Researcher, Teacher and Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub Lead, Andy Ash to discuss the role of the Maths textbook in the classroom. How does a textbook support both teacher and learner? How can schools tell the difference between a good or bad book? Plus, find out who gets frustrated when the...

Perfect students, Hostile parents, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam discuss ways the communication can be improved between parents and teachers. What’s the goal of parent-teacher meetings? What feedback is most valuable to hear? Plus, Adam shares what teachers shouldn’t say to parents at Parent’s Evening.

Entrance exams, Basketball abilities, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam question all things tests. What are we testing for? What dangers can arise from exams and re-takes? Plus, listen to why a 100% score on a test wasn’t much use to Adam as a teacher.

Digital jewels, Interactive whiteboard haters, and more. In this episode, Andy, Emily and Adam are joined again by Researcher, Teacher and Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub Lead, Andy Ash to continue the conversation about the impact the use of technology has on student’s mental health. What does this impact look like in school? Where will technology go in the future? Plus, find out which social media...

Electronic cocaine, Instagram falseness, and more. In this episode, Andy, Emily and Adam are joined again by Researcher, Teacher and Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub Lead, Andy Ash to discuss the impact the use of technology has on student’s mental health. Are attention spans shortening? Plus, talk on the shift of control - do the devices now control us?

Forest Bathing, Stinging Beasts, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined by The School of School Producer Robin, to discuss the benefits of exploring the outdoors and being amongst nature. Should field trips have less restrictions and tasks for pupils? What can inner-city schools do to explore nature? Plus, find out how to boost your creativity by 50%.

Master Yoda, Bill Campbell, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam discuss the topic of professional development for teachers and leaders. Who teaches the people at the top? How can Headteachers get help? Plus, find out what lessons can be taken from the Singaporean system.

Totem Poles, Oysters in June, and more. In this episode, Andy, Emily and Adam are joined again by Fiona Smith - Product Manager at Maths — No Problem! to discuss the impact of learning through storytelling. Do we need to hear more maths storytelling in class? Does it already exist through explorative learning on the carpet listening to the teacher? Plus, hear about the amazing life and work of Ala...

Technology changes, maths lessons for parents, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined again by Assistant Headteacher and Literacy Consultant, Katy Reeve, to discuss the relationship between school and parents. In what ways can schools build a stronger connection to parents? Do parents have anxiety with the way maths is now taught? Plus, Adam talks about managing a parent’s concerns an...

Music theory, framing the focus, and more. In this mountainous episode of the podcast we have two Andes! — terrible pun, apologies — Andy Psarianos, CEO at Maths — No Problem! and Andy Ash, a researcher, teacher and Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub Lead. They’re joined by regular hosts Emily and Adam to discuss the false argument between cognitive load theory and teaching through problem solving. Plu...

The 3-ness of 3, mandarins, and more. In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined by  Assistant Headteacher and Literacy Consultant, Katy Reeve, to discuss the connections between reading and maths. Do we need to emphasise more that maths word problems are just a reading exercise? Are quadratic equations useful at all in real life? Plus, Adam makes a maths sentence out of Andy’s breakfast.

Alien characters, self awareness, and more.  In this episode, Andy and Adam are joined again by Justin Bullard, Founder and CEO of MPath Productions, to discuss the value of developing empathy skills and emotional intelligence in children. What’s the value of monster or alien characters in terms of connecting with kids? Plus, hear what are the emotional differences between kids and adults......