No School is Better Than its Teachers
(Liar, liar, pants on fire!)
It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that no school can be better than the sum of the skills of its teachers.
This is how the Great Teaching Toolkit explains it:
“Teachers matter more to student achievement than any other aspect of schooling.
Raising the quality of teaching within schools is likely the single most effective method we have for improving student attainment and equity.
But how can you prioritise professional development in a way that is evidence-based and gives you a clear structure?
Our Model for Great Teaching is a summary of the best available research evidence on the things teachers do, know and believe that has the biggest impact on student learning.
The Model is freely available for you and your colleagues to use.”
But I would just like to respond, “liar, liar, pants on fire”.
Maybe that is a bit harsh. I don’t think so, though.
If we are training teachers, we have a pretty strong and vested interest in suggesting teacher training is the magic pill we should all swallow.
But what if it isn’t?
What if the cure is just curriculum design. And BOOKLETS!
Let’s take a look at the Model:
The design of the curriculum, and the written notes which go with it.
The design and sequence of the curriculum and the tasks students need to undertake.
The curriculum design of booklets, model answers, also in booklets, explanations - yes, in booklets, and tasks and activities (yes, of course in booklets!) and the assessments.
Common misconceptions addressed in advance. Oh, yes, you know where. In the booklets, in your carefully planned curriculum.
Sounds like a massive skill. Let’s say the curriculum involves cold call, random selection of student work to place under the visualiser, and whole class feedback. Everyone contributes. Everyone makes mistakes. All mistakes are valued. All students are valued.
Sure, you can bring an even better version of yourself to this - but these principles determine what students do. They are therefore the curriculum.
See one. Nothing is personal. Respect at all times.
See one. All mistakes are useful. Everyone gets feedback. Everyone improves.
Enough said. It’s the curriculum.
Booklets with suggested timings. Give each teacher a timer. Use it.
Ok, you got me. Nothing to do with the curriculum.
As two. But, all that cold calling, visualiser feedback and use of the timer will minimise a lot of misbehaviour, heading it off before it happens.
Oh, the beauty of a carefully designed booklet.
Yes, as I keep saying. The booklets!
Assessment tasks and knowledge recall. Application tasks. Where might these be found? In the curriculum, obviously. And where will be most efficient? The LetBook!
The visualiser. Whole class feedback. Although these are teaching techniques, once they are expected in the curriculum, they are the curriculum.
Where will this sequence of brilliant tasks be found? Like you don’t know. The LookBet.
League tabling, self reflection tasks, setting next steps. In the curriculum. Don’t leave it to the teacher to make these up for each class.
An English Department
Imagine there are 8 of you.
Your head of department might give you the best CPD available, and follow it up with brilliantly nuanced lesson observation and feedback. They might have astonishing results with 4 of you.
The Reality
Now imagine your head of department is not the best teacher, or motivator, or leader in the school. Imagine they are just average at each of these.
Instead, they try to improve everything you all do through the curriculum and booklets. Now all 8 of you improve, some of you with astonishing results.
It isn’t just inevitable, it is easy.
Everyone might improve through CPD. But everyone will improve, every time, through the curriculum.