Classroom Teacher

Activities for developing skills

This series of classroom activities will be useful for SENCOs, teachers, assistants and mentors. Each page focuses on a different skill set – from spatial awareness to visual discrimination to semantic knowledge

Developing Citizenship: about the project

Global citizenship and critical thinking were key elements of this three-year collaborative project

Start the new school year with an effective communication system

September doesn’t just mark the beginning of a new school year: it also means the start of new working relationships, new environments and new challenges. Clear communication between colleagues and students can provide a strong basis for effective behaviour management and proactive teaching, explains Dave Stott

Sharing good teaching practice

Coaching is falling short of its potential but is at its best when it is a two-way process. Rachel Lofthouse and David Leat as they describe the findings of their research

New team at the Department for Education

The new Department for Education demonstrates the unfamiliar look of coalition politics with Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather taking on the role of Minister of State for Children and Families under the new Conservative Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove

Inclusion Development Programme

Deborah Michel investigates a new web-based staff-development resource to support children and young people with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties

Primary Assembly: Wonder Woman!

This assembly follows the inspiring story of Wanda Summers − her recovery from a serious accident, and her determination to complete an ultra-marathon across the Gobi desert

Sharing vision and implementing change

Subject development tasks for subject leaders and their teams, to help ensure successful sharing and implementation of a subject vision

Relax, recharge and organise for next term

The beginning of the summer break can often mean one thing: forgetting all about school until September. But if you can learn to manage your own behaviour effectively during this time, you will be better prepared to manage students’ behaviour next term

Secondary Assembly: Where do we make the cuts?

In this assembly, Brian Radcliffe invites students, in light of the Government’s proposed spending cuts, to consider the way they prioritise their time, money and energy

Developing programmes to support the emotional well-being of teenage boys: part 2

Part one of this e-bulletin focused on why it is important to focus on the development of boys’ emotional literacy , while in this issue Tina Rae focuses upon some general group approaches to ensure the inclusion of boys and young men within such programmes of support

Secondary Assembly: Really, truly, sorry?

This assembly begins by considering the numerous apologies which have been made in connection with the football World Cup. It goes on to discuss the difference between a qualified apology and a true expression of regret

Primary Assembly: Man and horse

On 11 June this year, the hills around Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales saw the thirtieth Man versus Horse Marathon. The assembly tells the story of the race, and along the way reflects on the long story of the close relationship between humans and horses

Secondary Assembly: Only human

This week’s assembly considers the extent to which we might expect too much of people and reminds us that we’re only human. It challenges listeners to show a little more compassion in their lives

Developing ‘effective participators’ using Open Space Technology

This issue we look at a technique known as Open Space Technology – another form of cooperative investigation that can be used to encourage students to engage actively with the issues that effect them

Developing programmes to support the emotional well-being of teenage boys

Tina Rae considers the unique and often troublesome position of boys within today’s complex society, and the need to promote their emotional literacy within the learning context. Next issue will provide some practical ideas as to how to promote their emotional literacy

Secondary Assembly: Meanwhile…

This week’s assembly challenges listeners not to lose sight of the important issues, even when only certain ones seem to be in the public eye

Primary Assembly: Scary moments

This assembly discusses being scared when students are lost, and offers advice as to what they should do when they are

Supporting the emotional well-being of teenage girls

Unfortunately, in the move through adolescence towards adulthood, many teenage girls encounter significant difficulties in terms of loss of self-esteem and identity. This ebulletin focuses on how to develop effective programmes to support and maintain the emotional well-being of teenage girls

Secondary Assembly: Chariots of Danger

This assembly, coinciding with the start of the World Cup in South Africa, looks back to the sport of chariot racing in ancient Rome. It asks questions about the pros and cons of professional sport – then as now

Primary Assembly: It might seem a small thing to you, but to me…

This primary assembly looks at personal injury and disappointment, and how to make the most of a bad situation

How is appropriate behaviour taught in your school?

This issue of Behaviour Matters looks at the benefits of the specific teaching of behaviour, using the same approaches as for any other area of the school curriculum

Developing ‘effective participators’ using the World Café

In this series looking at 'effective participators', in this issue we look at a technique known as the World Café – another form of cooperative investigation that can be used to encourage students to engage actively with the issues that affect them

Secondary Assembly: For those who are left behind

This week’s assembly challenges listeners to remember those who are left behind in one way or another, and asks listeners to question the extent to which they are inclusive in their thoughts and actions

Primary Assembly: No stereotypes here!

In this assembly, children will learn about Doug Gregory – the 87 year old RAF pilot who is still flying and performing stunts. Children will be invited to confront stereotypes about older people

Secondary Assembly: A rainbow people

In this assembly students are encouraged to consider the balance of rivalry and unity that is exemplified by the World Cup

Primary Assembly: The Queen’s Speech

This assembly looks at the history of the Queen’s Speech and what her latest speech will mean for the UK

Not disruptive, but not on task

How can you make positive changes to the behaviour of pupils who are not disruptive but are not engaged with the learning process?

Secondary Assembly: ‘Not Angles, but angels’

This assembly uses the theme of puns and similar wordplay. It looks at many definitions of the word pun, such as in the form of a corny joke and a way to highlight tragedy, and also explores the idea of the visual pun (the ‘rebus’) with reference to the prisoner Thomas Abel’s carving in the Tower of London

Developing ‘effective participators’ using Appreciative Inquiry

This week we will look at an approach known as Appreciative Inquiry – another form of cooperative investigation that can be used to encourage students to engage actively with the issues that affect them

Using motivational interviewing techniques to promote behaviour change

Tina Rae discusses how to use the technique of motivational interviewing (MI) to trigger behaviour change in students. MI accepts that students may not always be ready or willing to modify their behaviour, so focuses on exploring ambivalence before change

Primary Assembly: Looking East

This assembly looks at the importance of technology and wonders where science will take us in the next few decades

Are your school’s pupils safe online?

The internet is a vital learning resource, but its use comes with a number of legal risks. Following the Byron Review in 2008, the delivery of e-safety in schools has come under greater scrutiny. Rebecca Taylor-Onion looks at schools’ legal duties to ensure the online safety of their pupils and how they can manage the risks effectively

Secondary Assembly: Team Earth

This week’s assembly challenges listeners to imagine a world where we’re all in the same ’team’, and reflect upon how their own actions might start to bring this dream about

Developing ‘effective participators’ using Narrative Enquiry

This e-bulletin continues our focus on developing 'effective participators'. This issue we look at Narrative Enquiry – a form of cooperative investigation that can be used with students, staff, parents, governors to encourage active exploration of the issues that affect them

Primary Assembly: Trying to do the right thing

As recent political events have shown, sometimes you’re in a position where whatever you choose to do is going to upset someone. This assembly keeps away from the political issue, but presents the dilemma in familiar terms

Dealing with the ‘significant minority’ of poorly-behaved students

‘Significant minority’ is an often-used phrase describing small groups of student who have negative influences on the behaviour of others. How can schools prevent this occurring, and how can they prevent the minority becoming a majority?

Secondary Assembly: A PC world

In this assembly Brian Radcliffe invites students to consider the addictive effects of video games and suggests some relational strategies to address them

Primary Assembly: The fools that we were then

This assembly reflects on spring and memories, using a poem written by A. E. Housman

Secondary Assembly: The Many Meanings of X

This assembly considers the significance of the letter X, which voters use to mark their ballot papers in the general election. Thinking about the many meanings of X can help us to understand ourselves and others

Primary Assembly: Cheating

The assembly helps children to understand that fairness is an intrinsic quality of all sport – that cheating damages the sport as well as taking away from the achievements of the cheat

Helping young people to become ‘effective participators’

This e-bulletin continues our exploration of how the QCDA personal, learning and thinking skills framework can be put into practice. For the summer term, our focus is on the final key competence of the framework: that of 'effective participators'

How to improve behaviour during lunch break

Lunch breaks can be a source of conflict and behaviour problems, which often spill over and disrupt the classroom during the afternoon sessions. How effective are your routines and systems for a successful midday break, asks Dave Stott

Secondary Assembly: Rescue me!

This assembly challenges listeners to think about the rescue services available to us, suggesting that perhaps we take such things for granted especially in more economically developed countries such as our own

Primary Assembly: Coming home

This assembly discusses British citizens stuck abroad due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland and subsequent flight ban

Helping students to manage stress

Defining stress is quite a difficult and complex process as it can mean different things to different people. Here, Tina Rae gives advice on how to recognise stress in your students, as well as detailing practical approaches at tackling it

A quick roundup of the main political parties’ school manifesto points

What do the four main parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green) have to say about education?

Secondary Assembly: Listen to me!

In this assembly Brian Radcliffe invites students to consider how they might influence the upcoming general election, despite their young age

Dealing with students who answer back

The Easter break from school and the change of circumstances can mean, for many students, problems in settling back in to the expectations of the classroom. Dave Stott takes a close look at teaching techniques to reduce the incidence of answering back and arguing

Primary Assembly: Thirteen year old attempts Everest

This assembly looks at the sport of mountain climbing and the huge challenge that awaits the boy who wants to be the youngest person to conquer Everest

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