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Writer’s Blog
How learning by mistakes
gives you the confi dence
to improve your teaching
By Lynn Senior
88 Ideas to Teach More Effectively: Forget being
the favourite!
By Tim Bowman (foreword by John Hattie)
Routledge: paperback 978-1-1386-7542-1
At first glance this book looks sparse, with lots of pictures, devoid
of useful information and printed the wrong way round – it’s in a
landscape, rather than portrait format, unlike most publications.
However, this is a false impression. It is full of information, tips, hints and
advice, is written succinctly, and makes you feel that making a mistake
in the classroom is absolutely fine and should be a way of life.
The fact the author cites his own mistakes (and successes!), and does
this in an honest way, helps give teachers the confidence that in order to
improve you have to sometimes have a bad day at the off ice.
It doesn’t claim to work miracles, but it does support teachers to take
a step back and reflect on their practice in the classroom. Although
there are several references to teaching ‘kids’ throughout the book,
the ideas could be easily adapted for adults.
The author reminds us of Albert Einstein’s quote: “Insanity: doing the
same thing over and over again and expecting diff erent results.” This
is pertinent. The emphasis needs to be on creativity and thinking
outside the box. It also shows that there is more than one way to
approach teaching – the ‘one size fits all’ strategy does not exist and
you can grow more confident in your teaching by being creative,
daring and trying something new.
As a CPD tool, this book is invaluable and there should be a copy in
every classroom! However, the challenge is to create the space and
time needed to develop resources and implement this sound advice.
Reviewer: Catherine Cox ls Functional Skills co-ordinator and
Karen Glencross ls quality and standards manager, both at
CableCom Training.
makers might do well to heed)
are that education should not
be motivated by short-sighted
gains or political agendas,
and that good teachers are a
strategic advantage for the
entire nation.
If you are interested in
gaining an insight into the
educational powerhouse that is
Singapore, this book is a must.
2. The Artful Educator.
Creative, Imaginative and
Innovative Approaches
to Teaching
By Sue Cowley
Crown House Publishing:
paperback
978-1-7858-3115-7
This book’s proposition is that
instead of measuring education
and reducing everything to
data, we might instead improve
teaching and learning by
BOOK OFFER
A 20 per cent
discount is
available currently
on this title when
ordering from
Routledge at
goo.gl/VLgshz
Use discount code
INT26. Off er is
valid until
9 August 2017.
looking at it through the lens of
the arts.
Sue Cowley draws on the
arts to show teachers and
trainers how they can be more
creative, experimental, playful
and imaginative in the methods
they use. Examples are drawn
from early years education to
further education.
An interesting perspective
on teaching and learning.
Following the general election,
my thoughts turn to what changes
the incoming government will
make to the 14-19 age phase.
There has been much debate in
recent decades over 14-19 education
in the UK, but I am more concerned
about the practice and the pedagogy.
A young person at the age of 16 can
choose to leave school, go to a college
or an independent training provider,
take up an apprenticeship, undertake
home education, or go into full-time
employment, with training.
But how do we, as practitioners,
cater for the diff erent qualifi cations
and settings of learning?
For me, many of the latest
educational off erings appear to
provide the learner with the skills and
competencies required to work in a
particular vocational area or industry.
So it follows that what we are
teaching, and ultimately assessing,
is their ability to complete tasks
eff ectively, whether in a workplace or
a work-related training environment.
Is there scope for us to provide the
deeper understanding and learning
that underpins education? I would love
to hear your views on this L.Senior@
derby.ac.uk
Lynn Senior is dean of the Institute
of Education, University of Derby. Her
books include: A Teacher’s Guide to
14-19 Policy and Practice and
Continuing Professional Development
in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
MEMBER OFFERS
1 A 20 per cent discount is available
currently on this title when ordering
from Routledge at goo.gl/WCmCi0
Use discount code INT26. Off er is
valid until 9 August 2017.
2 SET members can claim a 20 per
cent discount on this title when
ordering from Crown House
Publishing at goo.gl/R7qSNz
Discount code Artful20.
Valid until 31 July 2017.
INTUITION ISSUE 28 • SUMMER 2017 33