How do I banish “semi-focus” from my lessons?

It’s the last episode of Season 2 and we’re discussing “semi-focus”. Can we banish it completely and where do we start? We look into the research for you and chat to Australian teachers about their experiences.

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You can hear more of Staś over at his podcast, Education Bookcast or learn more here.

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Show notes: 

• Rogers, William A.  (2011).  You know the fair rule : strategies for positive and effective behaviour management and discipline in schools.  Camberwell, Vic :  ACER Press
• How to become a Straight-A student by Cal Newport (2006).
• “Long term” & “Working memory” definitions
  • Why Don’t Students Like School? By Dan Willingham (2021)
• “Learning is the residue of thought” actually “memory is the residue of thought” quote - Daniel Willingham.
  • Why Don’t Students Like School? By Dan Willingham (2021)
• “Marva Collins” info
  • Marva Collins’ Way by Marva Collins and Civia Tamarkin (1990)
• “John Wooden” info
  • You Haven’t Taught Until They Have Learned by Swen Nater and Ronald Gallimore (2010)
• “Deliberate practice” (work hard, but then deliberately rest - “100% on + 100% off”)
  • Ericsson, K. A. (2008) Deliberate practice and acquisition of expert performance: a general overview. Academic Emergency Medicine.
  • Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (2018)
• Doug Lemov: “rehearsing different things that could happen in the classroom” inc classroom management (and using gestures). Be clear in your instructions 
  • Teach Like a Champion 3.0 by Doug Lemov (2021)
• Bill RogerS INFO (Anecdote - it’s important to have plan for behavioural management, visual indicator of what the rules are “right now” in the classroom (3 boxes and a magnet would move between the boxes - silent listening, silent working, quiet working)
• “Direct Instruction”
  • Engelmann, S., Becker, W. C., Carnine, D. W., & Gersten, R. (1988). The Direct Instruction Follow Through Model: Design and outcomes. Education and Treatment of Children, 11(4), 303–317.
  • One Million Children: Success for All by Robert Slavin and Nancy Madden (2000)
  • Theory of Instruction by Siegfried Engelmann and Douglas Carmine (1982)
• “Montessori Method”
• Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard (2016)

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You can hear more of Staś over at his podcast, Education Bookcast

The Pedagogue-cast is proudly powered by Maths Pathway