Three steps to an inclusive classroom in the IB Diploma

As educators we know that each student has a unique profile of strengths and needs and will approach learning in a diverse range of ways. In its broadest sense, inclusion is about improving the participation and outcomes for all students by looking at school based processes including pedagogy, assessment, curriculum alongside additional support and physical …

Looking for Learning as a Middle Leader

As a Head of Department, your days can be filled with unexpected tasks and last minute requests. Whilst the operational side of managing your subject can fill your days, you still need to have an eye on the quality of learning that is happening across your subject. The primary job of any Head of Department …

New to Middle Leadership? Welcome to the balancing act

Much is written about the idealised virtues and skills of senior leaders in education but the role of middle leadership seldom receives the same spotlight and attention. Middle Leaders, particular in larger schools have immense influence on teachers and learning, but also over the success or otherwise of change initiatives and the wider organisational culture. …

Textbooks and Kognity: resources for a new Economics Curriculum

A new IB Economics curriculum for August 2020 has prompted a flurry of discussion in our office about the new changes; what are the implications of new topics, what do the changes to assessments mean but also more pragmatic questions about resources and textbooks. I will try write a bit more about the curriculum changes …

What makes a good Extended Essay question in Economics?

This series of posts will breakdown the six different components of the Extended Essay in Economics. This first post provides a little guidance on finding a good question and helps you reflection on three key questions... is your topic viable, feasible and personally desirable? Find a topic that sparks a passion Choosing a topic that …

Leading effective meetings

Meetings get such a bad rap in most organisations. They can be painful, directionless talkfests which everyone dreads attending. Yet as a middle leader a core part of your role to bring your team together to inform them, discuss contentious issues, or to make collective decisions. In stepping into leading a team, I had to …

Crafting the perfect Economics Commentary

Over the past few weeks I have been working with my Economics colleagues to moderate and mark our Internal Assessment for the IB Economics. We have over 100 students in each grade completing the course work so I am lucky (or maybe unlucky) to see lots of great examples. This blog post tries to highlight …

Super easy PDF commenting for better collaborative reading and comprehension

In recent years lots of teachers would have spotted students developing the habit and tendency to skim read online and the shallow comprehension skills that follow. In Economics we constantly give students resources to read over to supporting their thinking and their understanding of case studies, yet many students will read too quickly and superficially …

EdPuzzle: video questions for formative assessment

Like all teachers, we see our face-to-face time with my classes as incredibly valuable and precious. I want to spend as much of this time as possible checking for understanding, exploring key questions and helping student grapple with complex ideas where I can coach, probe and support. When introducing a new concept we often default …

Why inquiry is central to concept based teaching and learning

In the two subjects that I have always loved and taught, Geography and Economics illustrative examples and case studies are the tools that every teachers uses to bring the subject to life. Real world examples such as those connected to earthquakes, recessions or endemic unemployment help students grapple with and contextualise otherwise abstract concepts. My …