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What I wish I knew as an NQT/ECT

What I wish I knew as an NQT/ECT

Jeremy Crook

Jeremy has always had a passion for developing primary pedagogy to improve children’s learning. As a trainee he was told “The children love being taught by you, now make sure they all learn something!” So began his quest for excellence. Since that day he has been judged by Ofsted to be an outstanding teacher and an inspirational school leader. He has been Commended in the Headteacher of the Year Awards and he is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching. On his journey he has been helped by numerous outstanding teachers and this podcast is a way of helping teachers learn from the wisdom of others, just as he did.

40 - Changing Perceptions with Graham Chatterley
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  • 40 - Changing Perceptions with Graham Chatterley

    You know those moments when suddenly everything makes sense? That was the feeling I had when I read Graham's new book 'Changing Perceptions'. Why? Because the book unpicks challenging behaviour. Not only what causes it and motivates it, but how best to respond in a difficult situation whatever the problem is. When I was a teacher and headteacher I did lots of things instinctively, as there was little research into how the human brain works. Graham's book has enabled me to understand why the approaches I developed during my career often worked much better than the more authoritarian teacher approach I started with. It is the first book I have read that truly demystifies the complex business of working with children. It explains how we must teach children how to behave so that they can get the most from their learning and we can get the most from your teaching. This is a must listen! In this podcast we discuss ... The 2 key components we need for young children to achieve to their potential in school - love and safety. Children must feel safe in order to access their thinking brain - they won't learn successfully if they can't do this. Love is essential - children must know they are loved. The importance of nurturing children at the start of school ... and after break ... and after lunch. This gets them in the right mental space to learn. What do most parents want for their children? To be emotionally and physically safe. This is not always a school's priority as academic progress, tests and league tables often come first. But it should be at the top of the list if schools are to achieve the highest standards possible. The 'catch up' narrative post Covid is troublesome. How does doing more English and Maths help if children's brains aren't in the right place to learn. Its like trying to fill a cup with the lid on. Nothing goes in; it just pours all over the floor. Pressure for academic progress is misplaced until children's brains are ready to process learning. Ask a group of people, 'What do you fight fire with?' They will often reply, 'Fire!' But then you've got more fire haven't you? Is that the best way to manage an angry child? Is the authority teacher figure important? Essential? The importance of not ignoring low level behaviour for those children who present challenging behaviour. This could lead to a crisis. Most children can self-regulate but those who can't do this must be co-regulated by an adult. But can all adults self-regulate? The thinking part of the brain is often under-developed in children with the most challenging behaviour. We must recognise this when a child is in crisis. When a child is in crisis they can't process language. Therefore the use of appropriate body language is essential. Think what you do with a crying baby - be calm, soothe, smile. Do angry, abusive, awkward children also need soothing? Yes they do! All this and more in this podcast. You won't regret listening. Changing Perceptions by Graham Chatterley - Crown House Publishing - ISBN: 978-178583675-6

    Thu, 03 Aug 2023 - 37min
  • 39 - What I wish I knew with Marna Earle

    For the last episode of the school year I am speaking to the most enthusiastic teacher (no, that should be the most enthusiastic person), I have ever met. Marna is an absolute breath of fresh air, and by golly we need that now with the current heatwave making us weary at the end of a long term. She said her mum taught her as a little girl to 'Choose joy' and she is the very embodiment of that approach to life. So, if you need a pick me up, listen to Marna; her enthusiasm is infectious. In this podcast we discuss ... How positive, smiling people make a real difference to people's lives. Saying hello and reaching out to people creates a great working environment. Why adults should look like they are having fun as it gives children a reason to want to grow up. The importance of looking for awe and wonder and joy in everyday life. It's good for you and it's good for everyone you share it with. Why you should never give up on what you want to do. Ever! Even when it looks like the way ahead is blocked, there is always a path that will lead you to where you want to go. It's never too late to do something. Remember, the price of success is a lot less than the price of regret. The importance of being teachable if you are a teacher because only then can we reach our full potential. To continually improve is not because you are not good enough, but because being better at what you do benefits you as much as those you work with and it feels good. How authentic praise for children and adults can impact on everything they do. Celebrate genuine achievements, however small. Why you must find time to do your work, but also find quality time for yourself and your family. It's not selfish because having time for your life outside school will make you a better teacher. The fact that all teachers can make a significant difference to the lives of the children they teach. Remember, 'If you can't do great things, do small things in a great way.' That is more than good enough. The reason why metacognition is so powerful for teachers and pupils, even though it wasn't called that when Jeremy started teaching! Why caring matters so much. If children know you really do care then teachers can demand extraordinary things from them and they will achieve more than they ever thought possible. The value of becoming a truly reflective teacher cannot be overestimated. What can I improve? What can I be really proud of? Everything matters, but make sure you always focus on the things you should be proud of as well the aspects you want to get better at. Make sure you spend time finding out what each child needs to be a great learner in your class so they can be as good as they can be. Don't let rules or conventions get in the way of doing the right thing. Have a great summer break everyone (well everyone who has now got a few weeks off school) and I'll be back chatting again in September. I hope you can join me!

    Wed, 20 Jul 2022 - 51min
  • 38 - What I wish I knew with Jane Clapp

    Jane Clapp has to be one of the most perceptive teachers I have ever spoken to. She has the ability to cut through all the chaff that litters education, all the fads, all the pointless ideas that add little to the quality of a child's experience at school. Listening to Jane is truly inspiring; she just gets what great education is about. She has so many thoughts about how to create a wonderful learning environment that I know she will be coming back another day as we only scratched the surface of what makes her such a good teacher. In this podcast we discuss ... How tiring the end of the summer term can be, but how being inspired by the children is the thing that keeps you crawling to the finish line. The importance of the teacher believing that every child can learn successfully. If you don't believe, they won't. Asking children to do scary things is fine, as long as you have provided a truly safe classroom environment for them. Why children struggle when adults are inconsistent. All children can flourish when they know what is expected of them. The importance of having an authentic positive relationship with your class. How appropriate routines are essential to create high expectations. So you have to pick what is most  important  for you and set up routines that children understand. Tell them what you expect, rehearse it endlessly and keep going until they meet it. Don't lower the bar ... ever! The fact that rehearsal leads to fluency, so make sure you do this enough for everything! How contextual learning makes activities more meaningful to children, but each new context may need revision of key learning. Meaningful contexts provide a real purpose for learning that children enjoy. The need to keep learning in each lesson clear. It's easy to overcomplicate teaching, so focus on the building blocks that are essential for each lesson and go deeper rather than endlessly extending tasks. Overcomplicating is rarely beneficial to teachers or pupils. Why the tick box approach to writing (such as the endless list of success criteria) actually diminishes the quality of children's work. It can be so exciting for all children to write when they are inspired; sometimes our teaching approach takes away this joy and removes the life from the children's words. How using the National Curriculum helps to make learning more straightforward. Activities often morph into to something quite different that children can't understand (studying phases of the moon is one of these). The most important thing is to enjoy your class. Don't get het up by all the things you have to do, as some are not of any value. Enjoying your teaching is always important, as is keeping your teaching simple and practising your routines over and over again.

    Wed, 13 Jul 2022 - 40min
  • 37 - What I wish I knew with Paul Sully

    Paul Sully is an exceptional headteacher, who really understands learning and how to develop a school community so that everyone is focused on ensuring the children have the very best education it is possible to have. After his school's second successive Outstanding Ofsted judgement (even though the HMI called his school scruffy!), Paul really knows what makes a wonderful school and he shares his thoughts on this during the podcast. It's a fascinating listen. In this podcast we discuss ... Why 3 levels of differentiation fail some children, particularly the lower attainers, as it puts an adult imposed glass ceiling on children's progress. The importance of convincing children that the sky's the limit. How skilful feedback in the moment, based on highly accurate AfL, is a game changer. Why children's success as learners raises self-esteem and makes the difference, much more than a self-esteem happy group session out of class. It's all about achievement. The fact that children feel success in multiple ways - singing a song, saying a line in a school play, giving a presentation, making a model and so much more, so the school must prioritise these things. Understanding that adults in school need to feel the same way too. We're just like children and need to taste success. Planning for children to have regular opportunities to apply their learning and accepting they will fail at times. Don't be interested in children getting the right answer; the full focus must be on children getting better at things. How becoming resilient is achieved by small steps of success after failing at something. It is the teacher's job to ensure children understand this. Why there is great power in teachers watching each other teach, then coaching and mentoring to drive improvement. The only thing that matters is passionately wanting every child to do as well as they possibly can. The rest is just wind! Every child gets one go at primary school and we have to do the very best we can to make it a success for each one of them. Why no child must pass through the school unnoticed. It is the teacher's duty to find out what makes them excited to learn, so all children achieve the very best they can. How fads can become commonplace but have no impact on a child's learning, such as the peculiar strategy of 'phone a friend' when a child doesn't know something. Why SEND children must stay in the classroom and must work with the teacher, as s/he is the person who is best placed to skilfully adapt work in the moment so everyone achieves. Having a relentless focus on clear learning, what exactly you want children to learn and having high expectations. The children will always amaze you.

    Wed, 06 Jul 2022 - 45min
  • 36 - What I wish I knew with Vicky Kendell

    Vicky Kendell has done it all in primary education, including being a headteacher. But when she realised that she wasn't loving the job she was doing, she went back to a role that gave her the best of both worlds. She is now an Assistant Headteacher working with the children every day and loving it! Vicky is a person who has the courage of her convictions and she is never afraid to do the right thing, even when it may seem surprising to some people. Her passion for being a teacher comes through loud and clear in this inspiring podcast. In this episode we discuss ... How getting children excited about their learning can feel daunting when you are an inexperienced teacher and you think you won't be able to get them calm again. Why it is important to bounce questions back to children when they are capable of answering for themselves if they think hard. The importance of developing lessons by following children's interest so the learning is made more meaningful and memorable, but realising this is a difficult skill that comes with experience. The value of weaving when managing behaviour so you match the strategy to the child's needs at any particular time. Why having a network of supportive professionals is so important. How humble it makes you feel when children will do anything to help you and look after you because that's what you do for them. Why laughter is so important in class, especially when the children come from challenging backgrounds. In one class Vicky taught the children refused to leave the classroom at the end of the year, so strong was the bond between her and the children. The importance of verbalising to children that you really care about them. One way you can show this is by sharing a bit of yourself with them to show you empathise with how they are feeling, because you've been where they are now. How singing the Abba song Chiquitita in a guest appearance in a Year 6 musical raised her credibility enormously, even though the boys tried to make her laugh by singing chicken tikka as she performed. Being surprised by a parent reaction to a class assembly when developing words to describe the giant in Jack and the beanstalk. Making a real difference for all the children in her care, especially the SEN children and their families. The importance of asking for help. It is a real strength to seek advice so you can improve your practice; it is never a weakness. The pride you feel when a parent says they want you to lead her child's appeal for more SEN support as she trusts you more than anyone else, including the specialist appeals person. The joy of being told that you have a wonderful reputation with parents and other professionals because of the way you stick up for the rights of the child and make sure they get the very best education possible. Why you must remember to put on your own oxygen mask first! If you collapse through overwork whilst trying to please everyone then you will be no use to anyone. Use the phrase, 'I'm afraid I can't do that right now'. The need to balance the tough moments in teaching (because there are some) with the numerous wonderful moments so you keep in perspective the balance of good and not so good.

    Wed, 29 Jun 2022 - 42min
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