Books to Inspire Debate

    May 2021 Edition

Made to Stick: Why some ideas take hold and others come unstuck by Chip and Dan Heath

Why do disproved urban legends persist? Why do you remember complicated stories but not complicated facts? Over ten years of study, Chip and Dan Heath have discovered how we latch on to information hooks. Made to Stick uses cutting-edge insight to help you ensure that what you say is understood, remembered and, most importantly, acted upon.

The Future of Teaching: And the Myths That Hold It Back by Guy Claxton

Drawing on recent experience in the UK, North America and Australasia Guy Claxton’s new book clears away this logjam of bad science and slack thinking and frees up the stream of much-needed innovation. The book aims to banish arguments based on false claims about the brain and poor understanding of cognitive science.

Restorative Practice: Building relationships, improving behaviour and creating stronger communities by Mark Finnis

Drawing on his many years’ experience working with schools, social services and local governments across the country, Mark shares all you need to know about what restorative practice is, how it works, where to start and the many benefits of embedding a relational approach into any educational organisation that genuinely has people at its heart.

    March 2021 Edition

Rosenshine’s Principles in Action by Tom Sherrington

Sherrington’s book is perfect reading for busy teachers. Whilst it is short and concise (80 pages in total), it is nevertheless an incisive and a fully comprehensive guide to Rosenshine’s ‘Principles of Instruction”.

Sherrington gives context to the Principles in the introduction to his book, suggesting that they are worthy of our time because: (1) they bridge the gap between research and practice; (2) they are trustworthy because they have stood the test of time; and (3) they are recognisably authentic and will therefore appeal to busy teachers.

Cognitive Load Theory: A handbook for teachers by Steve Garnett

Cognitive load theory is a hot topic in education at the moment – but, as with so much that gets introduced to teachers, there is a risk of it being misunderstood and then becoming mutated into something it was never meant to be. Steve Garnett’s book should ensure that cognitive load theory is fully understood by busy teachers. It brings a great deal of clarity to a complex area of research and shows how it can be applied in the classroom to help teachers make informed decisions about the way they design their lessons.

Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn by John Hattie and Gregory C. R. Yates

Hattie’s original book called ‘Visible Learning’ (2009) attempted to illuminate the science of pedagogy through the meta-analysis of hundreds of studies. In this book, Hattie teams up with cognitive psychologist Gregory Yates to provide another highly practical overview of how lessons from cognitive science can be useful in a range of different contexts. An indispensable reference guide for busy teachers.

The Hidden Lives of Learners Paperback by Graham Nuthall

For Nuthall, three worlds exist in the classroom. First, the public world that is largely managed by the teacher and features easily-visible lesson activities and routines. Second, there is the “semi-private world of ongoing peer relationships” in which students foster and maintain social roles in the classroom. Last, there is the private world of the student’s own mind where learning actually takes. This book peels back the layers of those worlds and reveals many surprising findings.

Making good progress by Daisy Christodoulou

Assessment is a vital part of education, but done badly it can lead to distortions of classroom practice. Making Good Progress outlines the difference between formative and summative assessment and evaluates the effectiveness of a range of different assessment techniques and systems.

    February 2021 Edition

Teach like a Champion 2.0 by Doug Lemov

Over 1.3 million teachers around the world already know how the techniques in this book turn educators into classroom champions. With ideas for everything from boosting academic rigor, to improving classroom management, and inspiring student engagement, you will be able to strengthen your teaching practice right away.

The Truth about Teaching by Greg Ashman

Greg’s blog has long been a prolific resource for anyone wondering about the research basis of a particular educational strategies. This book gives a concise summary of what we do and don’t know about teaching, with the focus on how this can practically help in the classroom.