Group Rehearsal

Hey 👋

It’s almost solstice… time for things to tilt again. This week, a final snack in this effective teacher development series.

Big idea 🍉

The end goal of teacher learning is a change in practice. It is for this reason that ideas are not enough. We can’t just present to teachers and expect them to improve. We can’t just tell them into being better.

If we’re serious about helping teachers improve, we must also support them to engage in rehearsal. Like learning to drive a car or conduct a triple heart bypass, teaching requires repeated, deliberate practice.

Rehearsal works well in 1-to-1 settings, as with instructional coaching. Partly because it offers highly personalised development, grounded in the realities of the classroom. BUT... it can also be just as powerful when done in a group. Such as with a department or even all staff. For example:

1. All staff come together weekly, on a Wednesday morning for 15min group rehearsal.

2. The focus each week is one small thing that every teacher stands to get better at (eg. ‘calling for silence’).

3. A model is provided of what good looks like (via video or live demo), broken down into key features (aka ‘success criteria’).

4. And then everyone engages in multiple rounds of planning & rehearsal, with feedback from a partner.

When we rehearse in a group like this, several benefits emerge:

• We overcome the resistance to rehearsal felt by some teachers. Like doing exercise together, it’s just easier and more fun.

• It builds a sense of camaraderie and belonging. We’re working on ‘core practices’ together.

• It drives alignment in staff practice, which helps with norms, routines, and workload.

• And finally: it’s a highly efficient way to build teacher expertise (alongside instructional coaching and departmental co-planning).

🍿 For an example of what all this can look like, check out this clip of group rehearsal in action at the amazing Reach Academy Feltham.

🎓 And for more on the theory side of things, check out this handbook on teacher deliberate practice.

Summary

• If we’re serious about improving teaching, then we need to engage in rehearsal.

• Rehearsal works well when done in a group, focussing on ‘core practices’ for all staff (alongside instructional coaching).

• When we get it right, group rehearsal can overcome resistance, build camaraderie, and drive alignment.

Little updates 🥕

• Study using random test centre assignment in high-stakes exams → finds testing away from home school lowers scores and deepens inequality.

• Study examining how peers influence learning goals → suggests both cooperation and competition positively boost students’ drive to improve.

• Meta-analysis of evidence-based music teaching & learning activities → go music teachers.

• Study exploring how tech use affects learning → finds that relying on AI tools weakens memory and deep understanding.

• Bonus: I was recently interviewed by my colleague Zach Groshell for his podcast, on all things great teaching & human flourishing.

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