3-Read Friday #32

Mini-whiteboards, mind-wandering, and ineffective CPD

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Here are three blog posts that I found interesting this week.

1. Using mini whiteboards to optimise ratio and make thinking visible in GCSE Economics by Mason Davies

You know by now that I am a sucker for a post about mini-whiteboards, and this one by Mason is really nice. He takes us through every step of his routine, including how he designs his questions, providing justifications for each step. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s even a FAQs section at the bottom.

2. Does Mind-Wandering Harm Learning? by Andrew Watson

Andrew takes one of his customary deep dives into a piece of research - this time on a recent study into the prevalence and impact of student mind-wandering. The results are scary (but maybe unsurprising), and the implications for the classroom are profound.

3. Where most CPD goes wrong: Priorities and timescales by Adam Robbins

In the next few weeks, I will write a newsletter about a charter I now get all Headteachers to sign up to before I agree to support their maths department. The reason is precisely as Adam points out in this post - if we are not careful, most CPD will have little long-term benefit. This is a necessary cautionary tale for all senior leaders.

If you found this edition of 3-Read Friday useful, feel free to share it with colleagues. You can also check out all the back issues of my Eedi newsletter and Tips for Teachers newsletter here. But most importantly, have a great weekend.

Craig