And off we go again. I do hope you all managed to get some peace and relaxation over the holidays.
In this issue we’re in a techy sort of mood, with a preview of Bett 2024 (p68) and a STEM special. On page 60, Laura Di Pasquale takes a (very entertaining) look at what the BBC micro:bit could do for you, while on page 58 there’s a useful deep dive into the EEF’s new science recommendations.
Thomas Bernard’s interesting KS1 lesson on renewable energy (p74) is well worth a look, and Abby Ball’s six-week plan to make an electric buzzer game (p24) is super fun. On a seasonal note, Adele Darlington’s snowflake activity (p31) brings science, maths and art together in a very charming way.
As usual, we’ve got lots of literacy ideas for you. Jon Biddle has had real success in the classroom with Gill Lewis’ A Street Dog Named Pup, and on page 47 he shares his ideas for how you can use the book for topic work. Stuart Rathe offers some encouraging advice on how to teach Shakespeare (p52) and Lucy Starbuck Braidley explores the versatility of comics as a teaching tool (p50).
I really enjoyed reading about the pastoral strategies that some of our contributors have implemented, and the changes they still seek to make. Sue Cowley and her colleagues have been thinking laterally about how they can tweak the curriculum to tackle ‘problem’ behaviour, and their solutions have really paid off (p12). Stuart Guest’s thoughtful piece on using a trauma-informed approach to create classrooms that make care-experienced children feel safe and confident is full of invaluable advice too (p20).
Finally, Jeffrey Boakye’s letter to white educators on the everyday things they can do to tackle systemic inequality (p17) was a real highlight for me this issue, and provides much food for thought.
Wishing you lots of sunny days this January.
Lydia Grove – Editor
Don’t miss our next issue, out 23 February 2024!
