For many years my lesson planning was poor. I would start by trying to find a nice, shiny bright activity (ideally involving cutting and sticking) and go from there. In this course, I describe what I do now. It starts with a discussion of what makes a good scheme of work. Then we turn our attention to the planning process, thinking about sequences of lessons, considering what our students are thinking about, the importance of writing out student responses, and how to anticipate the mistakes our students may make. Finally, we take a look at how we can create an environment conducive to deep work.
See the bottom of this page for FAQs.
Course overview
Making the most of this course
Tip 1. Seven ideas to improve a scheme of work
Tip 2. Six ideas to help start the planning process
Tip 3. Plan to do less, but better
Tip 4. Ask yourself: “what are my students likely to be thinking about?”
Tip 5. Write out ideal student responses
Tip 6. Four ideas to help you plan for and respond to errors
Tip 7. Two ideas to help teachers engage in Deep Work
Tip 8. Aim to close the loop when sending an email
Going forward
Contents
How to make the most of this course
The issue with FOMO
Two questions to consider
Two types of tips to look for
The issue with good intentions
Two questions to consider
Implementation intentions
Tip 1 - Seven ideas to improve a scheme of work
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Idea 1 - Watch your least-experienced members of staff use your scheme work
Idea 2 - Don’t have lesson-by-lesson breakdowns
Idea 3 - Make relevant prior knowledge explicit
Idea 4 - Have example questions alongside objectives
Idea 5 - Have a careful curation of high-quality tasks
Idea 6 - Appreciate that less really is more with schemes of work
Idea 7 - Support colleagues with the enactment of the scheme of work
Reflection on scheme of work ideas
Image of all 7 ideas
Implementation intention
Tip 2 - Six ideas to help start the planning process
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Idea 1 - Plan sequences before lessons
Idea 2 - Don’t be afraid to tell your own story
Idea 3 - Don’t be beholden to the bell
Idea 4 - Reflect after each lesson
Idea 5 - Plan the start of the next lesson based on the previous lesson
Idea 6 - Plan questions before activities
Reflection on planning ideas
Image of all 6 ideas
Implementation intention
Tip 3 - Plan to do less, but better
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Inspiration
Idea 1 - Plan to do less, but better... Explanations
Idea 2 - Plan to do less, but better… Worked examples
Idea 3 - Plan to do less, but better…Tasks
Idea 4 - Plan to do less, but better… Checks for understanding
Reflection on planning less, but better
Image of all 4 ideas
Implementation intention
Tip 4 - Ask yourself: “What are my students likely to be thinking about?”
Where we are at
The story of the orange
The story of the indices lesson
Two questions to consider
Willingham's first insight
Willingham's second insight
Willingham reflection
The story of the orange - reflection
The story of the indices lesson - reflection
Where is the fun?
Implementation intention
Tip 5 - Write down ideal student responses
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Idea 1 - Write the working out, not just the answer
Idea 2 - Carry the responses around with you in the lesson
Idea 3 - Use the same format as the students
Idea 4 - Write down ideal responses for oral as well as written responses
Idea 5 - Use written ideal responses to stretch students’ answers
Idea 6 - Plan ideal responses with a colleague
Reflection on writing down ideal student responses
Image of all 6 ideas
Surely I don’t have to do this for every question????
Implementation intention
Tip 6 - Four ideas to help you plan for and respond to errors
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Idea 1 - Anticipate student errors by writing out ideal student responses
Idea 2 - Anticipate student errors by planning diagnostic questions
Idea 3 - Identify student errors by using your written notes
Idea 4 - Respond to student errors
Reflection on planning for error
Image of the 4 ideas
Implementation intention
Tip 7 - Two ideas to help teachers engage in Deep Work
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
Introduction to Deep Work
Idea 1 - Schedule in time for Deep Work
Idea 2 - Create the conditions to allow for Deep Work
Implementation intention
Tip 8 - Aim to close the loop when sending an email
Where we are at
What is the problem?
Two questions to consider
What is the solution?
Implementation intention
Going forward
Reflection on the course
Image of what we have covered
Goodbye!
Links to my other work
My books
My podcasts
My websites
FAQs
Is this course suitable for primary school teachers?
I am a secondary school maths teacher by training, and I make no claim whatsoever to have any expertise in the domain of primary teaching. However, I have been lucky enough to run this course lots of times with primary colleagues, and it seems to go down well. The key ideas concerning planning should transfer to different phases.
Is this course suitable for non-maths teachers?
I think so. I am always reluctant to offer any kind of insight to my non-maths colleagues, but I have been lucky enough to run this workshop for whole school INSET training a number of times, and it seems to go down well. Whilst the specific examples used are mainly from the world of maths, the focus is on improving planning in any classroom.
Is this course suitable for non-UK teachers?
Yes! I have been lucky enough to work with teachers all around the world, and I ensure wherever possible that my courses are not tied to any specific curriculum or specification. I am confident that aside form my weird accent, teachers from other countries will find most of the ideas relevant and transferable.
How long does it take to do the course
You could whizz through all the videos in an hour. But the idea is you watch the video where I present a problem, reflect where you are at, listen to my proposed solution, reflect upon that, and consider what you would need to change to make it work for you.
Therefore, a half-day is probably suitable to do the course.
Even better if you can do a section of the course, try some ideas in your classroom, reflect on what worked and what didn't, and then move on to the next section of the course.
How long can I access the course content for?
As long as this platform exists! That is one of the key advantages of an online course - you can go back over the content again and again.
If, for whatever reason, the platform shuts down or I need to remove content, I will give you as much notice as possible (I will aim for at least 6 months) so you can complete the courses.
Can I pay with an invoice instead of online?
The easiest way to pay is online. The service accepts all major cards as well as PayPal. Paying this way gives you immediate access to the course.
But if you need to pay via invoice, then no problem! Just send an email to mrbartonmaths@gmail.com with details of:
1. The email addresses of the delegates taking the course
2. Your school name and address
3. Who to email to invoice to
Then I will send you an invoice and register your colleagues on the course.
Can I get a VAT receipt?
Of course!
If you have paid online, just login, click on the drop-down menu next to your picture on the top-right of the screen, select Billing and you can print off your VAT receipt(s) there.
If you pay-offline (by emailing me as described above) then I will email you an invoice which will serve as your VAT receipt.
Can I buy one pass and then share it with my colleagues?
I am afraid not. The price of each course is per person.
Each person who pays for the course has their own log-in details, so the platform can keep track of their individual progress. This allows you to log back on using any device and pick up where you left off.
Are there discounts available?
If you want to purchase a bundle of passes for the courses - perhaps you have a large department or you are part of an Academy chain - send me an email telling me what you have in mind, and hopefully we can reach a deal!
