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Isabella Wallace

The Best of the Best series brings together for the first time the most influential voices in education in a format that is concise, insightful and accessible for teachers. Keeping up with the latest and best ideas in education can be a challenge as can putting them into practice but this highly acclaimed series is here to help. Each title features a comprehensive collection of brief and accessible contributions from some of the most eminent names in education from around the world.
In this third volume, Wallace and Kirkman explore the core concept of engagement an essential facet of effective learning both for learners and for teachers and share practical, realistic, cross-curricular and cross-phase strategies to make the most of these important insights.
Engagement, whether of the teacher or the learners, can't be compelled and will always be contingent on the complexities of motivation. Indeed, it could be argued that it is teacher engagement which is the key to successful learning. Such engagement can be facilitated by encouraging professional dialogue between staff, or it may be that the school's high expectations alone could encourage in its teachers a sense of professional empowerment. But how do we recognise learner engagement, and what can we do to encourage it? From this compendium of expert voices emerge three important themes: that teachers' engagement and positive example should be seen as a prerequisite for establishing learner motivation; that learners' interest needs to be actively engaged, whether by meaningful challenge or by tapping into their natural curiosity; and that an expectation of appropriate behaviour must precede expectations of engagement. In this volume you will find many practical suggestions of ways to apply these ideas both in the classroom and in the staffroom.
Each contributor has provided a list of further reading so you can dig deeper into the topic and, in addition, the Teacher Development Trust offer their advice on how to plan effective CPD and responsive changes to practice based on the contributors' suggestions.
Contributions include:
Sir Tim Brighouse argues that it is teacher engagement specifically their collaborative evaluation, dialogue and planning which is the key to successful learning.
Dr Bill Rogers advocates a non-confrontational approach and illustrates how the teacher's verbal communications can be more effective when they are descriptive and assertive rather than imperative and confrontational.
Vic Goddard suggests that a bottom-up, staff-led approach to CPD can be a more motivating catalyst for teacher engagement than that which is top-down and senior leadership team-led.
Sue Cowley urges teachers to be responsive, adaptable, creative and flexible in the classroom and, instead of focusing on what students need to change, to take control of their teaching and decide what they need to change about themselves.
Richard Gerver discusses his passionate belief that teachers and school leaders should trust in their profession and their children more and build a culture that shouts about an assumption of excellence.
Andy Cope advises that teachers should focus on how they wish 'to be' in order to achieve the energy and empowerment to engage more effectively with their 'to do' list.
Professor Bill Lucas focuses on the numerous ways that schools can encourage parental engagement in their children's learning.
Ian Gilbert points out that in order to encourage engaged behaviour we need first to banish classroom boredom, and that the opposite of 'boring' in a learning context should be 'challenging'.
Professor Susan Wallace focuses on teacher behaviour, suggesting that one of the most powerful ways of encouraging engagement is for the teacher to model the desired attitude by presenting themselves as enthusiastic and highly motivated.

Crown House Publishing

Best of the Best

Best of the Best: Engagement (Best of the Best series)

In Feedback, Isabella Wallace and Leah Kirkman explore our understanding of what is often cited as one of the most powerful tools for enhancing learning, drawing together ideas from leading international thinkers and practical strategies for busy teachers. The Best of the Best series brings together for the first time the most influential voices in education in a format that is concise, insightful and accessible for teachers. Keeping up with the latest and best ideas in education can be a challenge as can putting them into practice but this new series is here to help. Each title features a comprehensive collection of brief and accessible contributions from some of the most eminent names in education from around the world. In this second volume in the series, Wallace and Kirkman have curated a collection of inspiring contributions on the theme of feedback and have developed practical, realistic, cross-curricular and cross-phase strategies to make the most of these important insights in the classroom. Feedback can be understood and implemented in the classroom in a whole range of ways, as Wallace and Kirkman's practical strategies based on the contributors' expert insights demonstrate. From these contributions, each unique and enlightening in its own right, a number of key themes emerge. One is the need to get the balance right between praise and constructive critique by keeping feedback specific, detailed and firmly referenced to clearly explained criteria. Another is that these same principles should be applied whether the feedback is from teacher to student, teacher to colleague, student to teacher or student to student. Response to feedback is critical: the need to give students the time to reflect on it, to question it, to act on it. Also important is the manner in which feedback is given: kindly, constructively, in a timely way and in an atmosphere of trust. Above all, whether written or oral, effective feedback is primarily about is clear, constructive and specific communication. Each expert has provided a list of further reading so you can dig deeper into the topic. In addition, the Teacher Development Trust has offered more useful ideas for embedding these insights as part of CPD. Suitable for all educationalists, including teachers and school leaders. Contributions include: Professor Dylan Wiliam Formative assessment: the bridge between teaching and learning; Arthur L. Costa and Robert J. Garmston A feedback perspective; Professor Bill Lucas Feedback or feedforward?; Diana Laufenberg Finding time for feedback; Paul Dix Wristband peer feedback; Taylor Mali The sound of silent tears of pride; Ron Berger Critique and feedback; Andy Griffith Receiving feedback; Professor Barry Hymer Praise and rewards: danger handle with care; Jackie Beere OBE How can failure help you grow?; Mike Gershon Target implementation time; Professor Mick Waters Reward points for teachers; Geoff Petty The quality learning cycle: feedback for significant progress; Shirley Clarke Getting underneath the understanding and acting on it; Seth Godin The four rules of peer feedback; Phil Beadle Shut up, coach!; Teacher Development Trust Next steps

Best of the Best: Feedback (Best of the Best series)

In Progress, Isabella Wallace and Leah Kirkman explore our understanding of this core educational concept, drawing together ideas from leading international thinkers and practical strategies for busy teachers. The Best of the Best series brings together for the first time the most influential voices in education in a format that is concise, insightful and accessible for teachers. Keeping up with the latest and best ideas in education can be a challenge as can putting them into practice but this new series is here to help. Each title features a comprehensive collection of brief and accessible contributions from some of the most eminent names in education from around the world. In this exciting first volume, Isabella Wallace and Leah Kirkman have curated a collection of inspiring contributions on the theme of progress and have developed practical, realistic, cross-curricular and cross-phase strategies to make the most of these important insights in the classroom. Each expert has provided a list of further reading so you can dig deeper as you see fit. In addition, the Teacher Development Trust has outlined ideas for embedding these insights as part of CPD. Suitable for all educationalists, including teachers and school leaders. Many myths abound about progress. We have to show that learners are making progress, but what do we really mean by the term? Who decides what constitutes progress? Who should set targets, and why? How do we measure progress? How do we know when pupils are demonstrating it? How do we differentiate and allow for learners' different starting points? Should we be measuring everyone against the average or should we be looking at ipsative progress, where achievement is relative only to the pupil's personal best? Indeed, if everyone is making expected progress, is that really progress or just doing as expected? Do we need to rethink assessment? Does meta-cognition hold the answer? What about other approaches like SOLO taxonomy or Building Learning Power? If progress isn't linear, what kind of shape does it have? What implicit value judgements may we be making when applying the term uncritically and unthinkingly? How do we ensure that funding, including the Pupil Premium, is having a tangible effect on progress? Can we make learning and progress visible? What does the evidence base the research studies and meta-analyses have to say? Will that be applicable in all contexts? These are just some of the questions that the educational experts delve into in this first volume in the Best of the Best series. The practical strategies offered by Isabella Wallace and Leah Kirkman demonstrate how teachers can immediately use these ideas in the classroom. Advice from the Teacher Development Trust demonstrates how to plan sustained and responsive changes to practice based on the book's key insights. Contributions include: Professor John Hattie Pupil premium monitoring what works. Geoff Petty Improving progress by learning from the best research. Sir John Jones Demographics, destiny and the magic-weaving business. Sugata Mitra Schools in the Internet age. David Didau The real shape of progress. Professor Mick Waters Doing well for your age? Will Ord What is progress? Claire Gadsby A climate for learning. Professor Robert Bjork Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. Professor John West-Burnham Progress and practice. Professor Guy Claxton Building Learning Power: finding your own sweet spot. James Nottingham Progress, progress, progress. Mark Burns Learning without limits. Martin Robinson The pupil's progress. Mike Gershon Exemplar work. Pam Hook On making progress visible with SOLO. Andy Hargreaves Uplifting colleagues. Teacher Development Trust Next steps