Teaching Tip #43: The Biscuit Gamble

Here is an excellent way to create a greater sense of engagement in lesson, particular when revising or quizzing. The principle is simple; after answering the first question correctly (make this an easy one so that they all achieve a sense of success) students have the chance to gamble the amount of biscuits they have …

Teaching Tip #42: Getting Boys and Middle to Lower Attainers to Revise

You've spent at least the last two years planning, marking, teaching, making phone calls home, having the motivational conversations and whatever else your school requires you to do but essentially, it all comes down to how much work the students are prepared to put in if they are to at least avoid abject failure. Revision …

Teaching Tip #41: Modelling a Full Mark Exam response

I'm not sure whether you agree, but I believe my primary function as a year 11, 12 and 13 teacher is to ensure my students understand and can achieve full marks in their exams. Of course I think it's imperative they love the subject and have developed life-long skills but if they don't do well …

Teaching Tip #40 Do it Now/ Low Stakes Quizzing

The fear which keeps me up most nights the closer I get to exam season is; 'Do they remember what they've been taught?' In a traditional teaching model, we teach a unit, sit assessments to check knowledge at certain points and then tend to recap that knowledge again during mocks or once the course is …