Classroom Teacher - Teaching Expertise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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?

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

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

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

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

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'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are currently looking at the crucial role of metacognitive plenaries in helping our students to develop a more reflective mindset. Last time we looked at some activities designed to introduce the concept of metacognition – or 'thinking about thinking' – to young learners. In this bulletin we will look further at the idea of helping students to 'learn for transfer'

In this assembly Brian Radcliffe invites students to consider the possibility that increased wealth may not lead to increased happiness

This assembly looks at what it means to footballers to represent their country in the World Cup and the meaning of national pride

The assembly sets out some of the facts about Down’s syndrome. It includes the story of Dr Down, and mentions some famous people with Down’s. The theme throughout is that of attitudes to people with learning difficulties

This assembly, timed to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, takes the form of a Time Travel Interview with Ireland’s Patron Saint. It disentangles fact from legend and shows that Patrick’s story is relevant today, giving opportunity for discussion at key stages 3, 4 and 5

This e-bulletin and the next will be looking at the crucial role of metacognitive plenaries in helping our students 'learn for transfer'

‘Time out’ should be more than just a sanction. How can we help students who are required to spend periods outside the classroom use this time to make positive changes in their behaviour? Dave Stott looks at the systems schools need to have in place

This assembly asks children to think about the challenges faced by deaf musicians and mentions both Beethoven and Dame Evelyn Glennie

In this assembly, students are invited to consider the cost of bringing up a child in the UK, and to think about whether they personally are offering good value for the money that has been spent on them

We can have a positive effect on students’ behaviour by demonstrating a sense of fairness and consistency and taking time to chat to them outside the classroom, says Dave Stott

This assembly tells the story of a bomb-sniffing dog called Treo, an Army dog who did work in Afghanistan, became the 63rd animal to be awarded the ’Animals’ VC‘ – the Dickin Medal.

Without a system to identify G&T potential, it can take up to two years international new arrivals's language to develop enough to surface in formal written English. This issue, part of our occasional series on inclusion, shows how you can tell an EAL G&T student within six weeks of their arrival

This assembly examines these first signs of spring and also discusses why new potatoes in the UK are now grown under swathes of plastic. It asks children to consider where their food comes from – and the price the countryside pays for it

Primary Headship looks at those key ingredients that make the experience of school worthwhile, and asks why we don’t always seem carry through those values which make the Early Years Foundation Stage so positive for children

This bulletin provides an overview of what is meant by effective ‘debriefing’ – an essential skill for any practitioner who wishes to generate conversations about learning in their classroom

This assembly considers attitudes to cheating in the light of the news that more pupils are using new ‘technological’ methods in order to cheat in examinations. It considers the pressures that may drive us to cheat and asks questions about the role of conscience

They’re often the cause of argument, disruption and off-task behaviour. So how can you reduce the negative impact of mobile phones and MP3 players in the teaching and learning environment?

Reginald Earnshaw, killed at 14 years and 152 days, was belatedly recognised recently as the youngest serving casualty of World War Two

On the general subject of climate change, this assembly invites students to consider how easily we become sceptical, and the effect this might have on the world’s poorest people

In this third e-bulletin, Tina Rae considers the use of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), which encouragestudents to consider how positive change can be brought about via the principles of 'solution building' as opposed to 'problem solving'

This week begins a series on how to help young people develop as ‘Reflective Learners’

This week’s copy offers tips on raising teachers’ awareness of the amount of time they spend on behaviour management as opposed to teaching, so that they can readjust the balance in favour of more teaching time if necessary

This assembly reflects on the idea of hope, challenging listeners to engage in hopeful thinking for the future. It refers to the recent events in Haiti, as well as the memorial services recently held to remember the victims of the Holocaust

This assembly discusses seven year old Charlie’s remarkable fundraising effort for Haiti, highlighting the concerns and efforts of all young fundraisers. It contains a Christian message and a short story from the Bible

This assembly for secondary school pupils looks at the tradition of Groundhog Day, considers why we get bored of routine, and why we should think twice about it

The Haitian earthquake of 12th January has been a highly featured issue on every news channel and in every newspaper. This assembly helps teachers explain to children what has happened, why it won’t happen in Britain, and that there are things that are being done to help

Tips on how to solicit and apply feedback/evaluation from pupils to improve behaviour management