Planning expertise

Hey 👋

How’s things? Today, we’re taking a tour of the knowledge required for effective planning (and teaching)…

Big idea 🍉

Getting the process of lesson planning right is important when it comes to optimising student learning and teacher workload. However, it's only a small part of what’s required to actually produce a highly effective plan (and lesson).

We also need significant amounts of domain-specific knowledge, including:

• Path Knowledge: of our curricula and the best routes through it.

• Pedagogy Knowledge: of how to help students learn our curricula (and be motivated to do so).

• Pupil knowledge: of what our students know and don't know, what makes them tick etc.

The value of Path and related Pedagogical knowledge is fairly well recognised across our profession. However, Pupil knowledge doesn’t always get the same acknowledgement, despite being of similar importance. These three domains of knowledge are developed in different ways:

Path knowledge often accrues via planning (ideally collaboratively) or intellectual preparation (when working with collectively planned lessons). Note: primary teachers typically need Path knowledge of multiple subjects.

Pedagogical knowledge tends to accrue through evidence-informed training (because the best methods are not always intuitive).

Pupil knowledge typically develops via valid, efficient, and regular formative assessment. Note: secondary teachers often need to hold the status of between 100-200 Pupils in their head at any one time.

Combined, this is a colossal ask. It’s why training should be a evergreen entitlement for teachers, why retaining teachers is so valuable, and why, as a profession, we should be thinking hard about how we can plan intelligently as a collective (which is what we'll be exploring next week).

🎓 For more, check out this paper on the dimensions of Teacher Expertise, by Yours Truly.

Summary

• The process of planning is only a small part of the equation, alongside domain-specific knowledge.

• Planning and teaching effectively require the deployment of Path, Pedagogy, and Pupil knowledge.

• These domains are developed in different ways, and together: are a huge ask of mere mortals.

Little updates 🥕

• Analysis of strategies to improve school attendance → finds that early intervention, fostering belonging, and community engagement are key factors in reducing absenteeism and enhancing engagement.

• Commentary on state of evidence around achievement inequality → including factors that contribute to it, interventions that alleviate it, and future directions for social and behavioural research.

• Study exploring the impact of AI on skill retention → suggests that reliance on AI can lead to accelerated skill decay and hinder development.

• Paper examining the prevalence and impact of #cogsci techniques by students → finds such techniques are infrequently used, even though they are linked with higher achievement and more positive attitudes towards learning.

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