Publisher: Independent Thinking Press an imprint of Crown House Publishing
Publication Date: 29 Jun. 2012
Language: English
Print length: 160 pages
ISBN-10: 1781350523
ISBN-13: 9781781350522
Book Description
Another from Jackie Beere’s ‘Perfect’ stable, this simple but effective little book is designed to help bring the best out of all English departments during that all-important Ofsted visit. It is written by David Didau, a highly effective and innovative head of English at a school where Independent Thinking is a trustee. He has been instrumental in overseeing an enviable rise in A* to C results over the last few years to 84% in 2011. His inspirational little book is packed full of ideas, strategies and simple yet effective innovations. This book is an essential tool in the toolkit of every English department – and not just for the inspection either! With topics including assessment for learning, progress, the learning environment and planning outstanding lessons, this is the book for every English teacher’s desk drawer.
Editorial Reviews
Review
The Perfect Ofsted English Lesson is designed to help bring out the best in all English departments during that all-important Ofsted visit. Packed full of ideas, strategies and simple yet effective innovations, this book is an essential part of the toolkit of every English department – and not just for the inspection either! “The techniques and strategies that you will read in this book will help teachers of English reflect on what really matters when they teach the subject.” David Carter, Executive Principal, Cabot Learning Federation “Provides a range of ideas and approaches that aren’t just outstanding against some Ofsted ticklist, but genuinely outstanding.” Geoff Barton, Headteacher, King Edward VI School “This book is an encouraging reminder that, with hard work, effort and an understanding of the fundamental pedagogies of our classrooms, we too can achieve perfection in our lessons.” Lisa-Jane Ashes, (AST), Author and Creator of Reflections of a Learning Geek “If you are a teacher – not just an English teacher – you need to read this book.” Dave Rees, Principal of Erne Integrated College “There’s a wealth of experience within these pages, but also love, joy, and compassion from a classroom practitioner on whom we should all model ourselves.” Kenny Pieper, English teacher in a Scottish Secondary School “I’d recommend this book heartily to every teacher (NOT just English teachers) and encourage them to try out the tips within. They work … I know … I’ve tried many myself to great effect!” David Doherty, Assistant Principal & Teacher of English, Cowes Enterprise College David Didau has been teaching since 2000, has lead a successful English faculty and has just taken up a new post as Director of English and Literacy. He blogs about learning at learningspy.co.uk and writes irregularly for the Guardian Teacher Network. –From the Back Cover
Using his own love of teaching as fuel, Didau aims to reignite the enthusiasm of English teachers everywhere; his belief that every English lesson can be outstanding is inspiring. This book is an encouraging reminder that, with hard work, effort and an understanding of the fundamental pedagogies of our classrooms, we too can achieve perfection in our lessons. He provides English teachers with a wealth of ideas, techniques, hints and tips which have all been tried and tested in his own classroom. Being a current Head of English, he is well aware of the pressures which everyday teachers face. In short, this book is not merely wishful thinking but a realistic interpretation of what needs to be done to achieve perfection. Following the typical format of a lesson, the chapters are user friendly and brimming with adaptable ideas. The text is easily accessible and can be either followed directly or used to harvest ideas for upcoming lesson observations. As well as interesting tips for classroom tasks, Didau also offers a range of strategies to encourage deep thinking as well as demonstrating how excellent assessment for learning can lead to perfect English lessons every time. –Lisa-Jane Ashes (AST) Author and Creator of Reflections of a Learning Geek
In an age when there`s a tendency to clutch after ready-made gimmicks for every lesson, there`s something hugely invigorating about David Didau`s book. He reminds us that great English lessons are about relationships as well as content, but that they need to demonstrate our students’ progress. He provides a range of ideas and approaches which can be customised to our own personalities and style to help us to teach lessons that aren`t just outstanding against some Ofsted tick list, but genuinely outstanding. Recommended. –Geoff Barton, Headteacher, King Edward VI School
From the Back Cover
The Perfect Ofsted English Lesson is designed to help bring out the best in all English departments during that all-important Ofsted visit. Packed full of ideas, strategies and simple yet effective innovations, this book is an essential part of the toolkit of every English department – and not just for the inspection either! “The techniques and strategies that you will read in this book will help teachers of English reflect on what really matters when they teach the subject.” David Carter, Executive Principal, Cabot Learning Federation “Provides a range of ideas and approaches that aren’t just outstanding against some Ofsted ticklist, but genuinely outstanding.” Geoff Barton, Headteacher, King Edward VI School “This book is an encouraging reminder that, with hard work, effort and an understanding of the fundamental pedagogies of our classrooms, we too can achieve perfection in our lessons.” Lisa-Jane Ashes, (AST), Author and Creator of Reflections of a Learning Geek “If you are a teacher – not just an English teacher – you need to read this book.” Dave Rees, Principal of Erne Integrated College “There’s a wealth of experience within these pages, but also love, joy, and compassion from a classroom practitioner on whom we should all model ourselves.” Kenny Pieper, English teacher in a Scottish Secondary School “I’d recommend this book heartily to every teacher (NOT just English teachers) and encourage them to try out the tips within. They work … I know … I’ve tried many myself to great effect!” David Doherty, Assistant Principal & Teacher of English, Cowes Enterprise College David Didau has been teaching since 2000, has lead a successful English faculty and has just taken up a new post as Director of English and Literacy. He blogs about learning at learningspy.co.uk and writes irregularly for the Guardian Teacher Network.
About the Author
David Didau is a freelance writer, blogger, speaker, trainer and author. He started his award-winning blog, The Learning Spy, in 2011 to express the constraints and irritations of ordinary teachers, detail the successes and failures within his own classroom, and synthesise his years of teaching experience through the lens of educational research and cognitive psychology. Since then he has spoken at various national conferences, has directly influenced Ofsted and has worked with the Department for Education to consider ways in which teachers workload could be reduced.
He is the author of the hugely successful titles ‘The Secret of Literacy’, in which he urges teachers to make the implicit explicit , and ‘What If Everything You Knew About Education Was Wrong?’, in which he turns his attention to the myriad unexamined assumptions that underlie education and explores how schools might realign their practices with how children actually learn.