Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Episode 167: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Elliot Morgan for an exploration of how and when we can make learning more challenging. As part of the chat we discuss... What challenge is The conditions surrounding learning Sustaining challenge over time ...and much, much more. If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing to our YouTube channel,...

Episode 166: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by primary mathematics specialist Kate Frood for an in-depth exploration of some key themes in the world of primary mathematics. As part of the chat we discuss... Kate's principles for effective teaching What these principles might look like in the classroom The importance of fluency Ways to support teachers in b...

Episode 165: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Lydia Grove, an editor at Teach Primary. We sit down to explore the nuts and bolts of becoming a published teacher. As part of the chat we discuss... How teachers can get their writing published The kind of articles magazines are looking for Pitfalls new authors can fall into The hallmarks of a well-crafted teachi...

Episode 164: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Leisa Grace Wilson, a Languages Teacher, school leader and (currently) Editorial Director of Teach Middle East. We sit down to explore the importance of teachers writing about their craft and how they can get their work published in magazines and periodicals. As part of the chat we discuss... How teachers can get...

Episode 163: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Aimee Tinkler as we explore life in small schools; covering everything from leadership and curriculum to budgets and pedagogy. Whether you are new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won't want to miss this episode.  If you enjoy this podcast, please support us by subscribing to our YouTube...

Episode 162: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Neil Almond as we explore the application of variation theory and the potential overlap with different areas/fields of education research.  As part of the chat we discuss... what variation theory is whether it is possible to consider variation theory in isolation,  where any potential overlap might occur ...and mu...

Episode 161: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Reid Smith and Christopher Such as we explore the role of background knowledge in reading comprehension and the research Reid has conducted over the better part of the last decade. As part of the chat we discuss... the key research takeaways, the limitations placed on anyone studying or interpreting research into...

Episode 160: Counting is fundamental to mathematics, but how much do we really know about it? In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we explore the principles of counting and the ways we can support all pupils in developing confidence with number during their formative school years. As part of the chat we discuss... What are the principles of counting? When should students lea...

Episode 159: This week on the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education podcast, I'm joined by Sarah Larsen and Tom Brassington for a thorough exploration of geography teaching. As part of the episode we discuss... 1. The importance of language in geography lessons 2. The fundamentals of comparative studies 3. The use of images in the geography classroom ...and much, much more. Whether you'r...

Episode 158: This week on the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education podcast, I'm joined by Shannen Doherty and Neil Almond to kick off 2024 with some unseen questions and much opinion based frivolity. As part of the episode we discuss... ...the point of using cursive writing on displays ...how to approach teaching in small schools ...what we should keep in subject leader folders... ...and mu...

Episode 157: This week on the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education podcast, I'm joined by Christopher Such for an exploration of nine common misconceptions which surround the teaching of phonics. As part of the chat we explore all nine misconceptions and discuss... ...the purpose of phonics, the origin of these common misconceptions, how prevalent they are and how important it is to try and...

Episode 156: This week on the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education podcast, I'm joined by Shannen Doherty and Lod Will Jon for an exploration of the ways we can engage parents/carers with mathematics. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. Why should we try to engage parents with mathematics? 2. In an ideal world, what would this engagement look like? 3. What mathematical games can we play at...

Episode 155: Join us for this special episode of "Thinking Deeply about Primary Education" as we continue on a fascinating journey into the world of early math research and pedagogy. In this in-depth analysis, we delve into the 2023 paper "Research and Pedagogies for Early Math" by esteemed researchers, Douglas Clements, Renee Lizcano and Julie Sarama. What does the research sa...

Episode 154: This week on the Thinking Deeply about Primary Education podcast, we take a deep dive into the essence of middle leadership in schools. Stuart Welsh shares his invaluable insights on the  importance of middle leadership , the  guiding principles  that underpin effective leadership at this level, and how these principles translate into  tangible actions in the classroom . This episode...

Episode 153: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Kate Jones and Shannen Doherty to discuss the themes in Kate’s new book, Smashing Glass Ceilings: Empowering Women in Education, which explores the challenges and opportunities for female teachers and leaders in schools. As part of the chat we discuss… 1. What inspired Kate to write this book and what are the main mes...

Episode 152: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we conclude our conversation with Dr Robert Sharples (Episode 151), a senior lecturer in language and education at the University of Bristol, about the challenges and opportunities of supporting pupils who use English as an additional language (EAL). As part of the chat we discuss... 1. Are there any common misconceptions you encou...

Episode 151: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we speak to Dr Robert Sharples, a senior lecturer in language and education at the University of Bristol, about the challenges and opportunities of supporting pupils who use English as an additional language (EAL). Whether you’re new to the profession or an experienced senior leader, you won’t want to miss this one! Support the pod...

Episode 150: Join us for this special episode of "Thinking Deeply about Primary Education" as we embark on a fascinating journey into the world of early math research and pedagogy. In this in-depth analysis, we delve into the 2023 paper "Research and Pedagogies for Early Math" by esteemed researchers, Douglas Clements, Renee Lizcano and Julie Sarama. What role should play have...

Episode 149: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Neil Almond, a teacher, leader, and co-creator of AI Education newsletter, Teacher Prompts, for a fascinating discussion about the role of artificial intelligence in education. As part of the chat we discuss… What is Artificial Intelligence? Is it likely to change the way teachers work? What are the chances it’s all s...

Episode 148: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Lloyd Williams-Jones for an exploration of his implementation of an approach to the teaching of reading. As part of the chat we discuss.... 1. What have you done? 2. How have you done it? 3. What has been the impact? 4. What challenges have you had to overcome?   5. What improvements would you like to make? ...plu...

Episode 147: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Christopher Such and Neil Almond sit down with Professor Kathy Rastle for an in-depth exploration of morphology, early literacy instruction, phonics and much, much more. It's the finale of Season 6 and, once you've listened, I'm sure you'll agree it is the perfect way to end another wonderful season of TDaPE. But do...

Episode 146: In this episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, we speak to Neil Gorton, a senior leader at BIS Vietnam, about the importance of teachers taking control of their own professional development. We discuss Neil's own motivation for self-guided CPD, his guiding principles, and how he balances the time demands of school and family life. We also talk about Neil's approac...

Episode 145: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by Jonny Hall for a thorough exploration of www.mathsbot.com and how teachers can get the most from the superb resources available on the site . As part of the chat we discuss... 1. Where did the idea for MathsBot come from and which came first, you learning to code or the idea? 2. What do you think are the three mos...

Episode 144: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by the inimitable Sarah Larsen for an exploration of geography. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. What is geography? 2. What are your guiding principles for the teaching of geography? 3. …and what role does cognitive science have in this respect? 4. What is field-work? 5. How can we design effective/impactful fiel...

Episode 143: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I'm joined by the wonderful Rachel Ball for an exploration of how we might develop and engage with an evidence-informed culture of school leadership. As part of the chat we discuss... 1. What are your guiding principles for developing an evidence-informed and responsive CPD culture in school?  2. Research comes in many shapes a...