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Articles by Alex Fairlamb
Back to School in September
As the September term begins, it's the perfect time to refresh your teaching toolkit. This curated collection features practical, research-informed titles to support classroom management, inclusive practices, and cognitive science-based strategies for learning.
The Scaffolding Effect: Supporting All Students to Succeed
Scaffolding is the support teachers provide students so they can successfully progress from novice to expert and is a crucial part of teaching and classroom management. This exciting book explores the research behind scaffolding and adaptive teaching whilst also debunking the myths and misconceptions behind this approach. Drawing on evidence from cognitive science, it brings together best practice of tried and tested methods of effective scaffolding across different settings and disciplines.
Scaffolding Students to Success
Alex Fairlamb and Rachel Ball An in-depth look at scaffolding, highlighting its benefits over differentiation and offering practical techniques for classroom success. In 2017, in response to the news that a snap election had been announced, Brenda from Bristol stole the heart of the nation when she gasped “You’re joking! Not another one!” What Brenda was expressing was her fatigue with a constant carousel of political developments which were preventing her from going about her daily business.
Scaffolding Students to Success
Alex Fairlamb and Rachel Ball An in-depth look at scaffolding, highlighting its benefits over differentiation and offering practical techniques for classroom success. In 2017, in response to the news that a snap election had been announced, Brenda from Bristol stole the heart of the nation when she gasped “You’re joking! Not another one!” What Brenda was expressing was her fatigue with a constant carousel of political developments which were preventing her from going about her daily business.
What is History Teaching, Now? A practical handbook for all history teachers and educators
Product Description What is History Teaching, Now? is a research-informed handbook designed to provide practical guidance for history teachers and educators with differing levels of experience. Drawing upon the classroom practice and experience of a range of practitioners, the book focuses upon key areas such as curriculum and assessment, pedagogy, communicating history and resources that support effective teaching and learning.
Revolutionaries you need to know
At a time when curriculum development is having a much needed revamp, where architects of curriculums are moving towards a progression model that focus on a domain of knowledge, rather than what will be on terminal examinations, it is now that we can really evaluate what we choose to include (and not include) in our everyday teaching and learning. For me, this presents real opportunities.
Adventures in coded marking
The infamous saying “tax shouldn’t be taxing” is something that I feel rings true for its synonym, to assess. Assessment is a key element of teaching and learning, both in its summative and formative forms, and enables for a review of progress. Assessment is most valuable when it translates into effective feedback which supports bespoke, personalised future-learning, both empowering students to take ownership for development and equipping teachers with the ability to facilitate this.
Practical Pedagogies! - List of Speakers
Finding (free) quality images and media resources for teaching and learningTeachers often ask where can they get really good free images and media content that they can use in their lessons, without infringing copyright? A growing number of museums, libraries, and archives around the world are digitising their collections and making them freely available. Similarly, the quality and availability of copyright free "stock" media continues to improve.
Energise your school community with Advent Angels!
Christmas is a great opportunity to take the time to be thankful for those who are part of our learning community, and to channel our festive spirit and cheer into contributing to a positive environment full of thought and goodwill. At our school, all of our members of staff (teaching and non-teaching) are invited to take part in our ‘Advent Angel’ initiative. After signing up, volunteers are secretly and randomly given the name of another member of staff who is also taking part.
A History Teaching Toolbox
A History Teaching Toolbox Volume 1 and Volume 2 are the perfect handbooks for busy classroom teachers eager to try out some new strategies with their students. In each volume, more than 60 tried and tested activities and approaches are organised into helpful categories and explained with step-by-step instructions and topic-specific examples to illustrate how they can be immediately employed.
Reshaping school dynamics to get first-rate results
It could perhaps be tempting to fall into a trap of repetitive teaching and learning; using tried and tested strategies that we know have helped students to be successful in the past. Whilst this has its positives, and often offers reassurance, the beauty of being in this profession is the organic nature that is teaching and learning. You’ve got to love how new topics, skills and emerging student needs can create opportunities to adapt or rethink the resources or strategies that we use.
2 creative methods for avoiding classroom boredom
With many of the new specifications and examinations focussing on a greater volume of content, the challenge for some teachers is how to engage students and ensure deep learning. This is especially the case when curriculum time constraints play their role. One method to support deep learning, as well as engage lower ability, SEND or hard-to-reach students, can be using immersive and experiential learning experiences.
Combining PBL and fiction books to bring the past to life
As a child, I was actively encouraged to read. I’d spend evenings going to bed reading about the Mary Lennox, the isolated and closed off child sent to live in a remote manor on the desolate moors of Yorkshire, or about Carrie, the evacuee who embarks on a new adventure to Wales to escape the bombing of London. The skill of the authors hooked me into reading further about their experiences.
History and women's equality
Standing in the street as a costumed Suffragette throwing reasoned arguments during a ‘Votes for Women’ dramatization, I remember encountering a curious mix of responses. A melting pot of confusion (understandably, it’s not often a Suffragette march passes you by in 2013), interest and awe, but also criticism; “What are you complaining about?
‘History Mysteries’: How not knowing leads to great knowing!
One thing that always interested me about History was the growing realisation that even the supposedly simplest and most straightforward facts are quite often shrouded in a mystifying narrative; a trail of sources that leaves the true story open to a range of opposing interpretations and outcomes.
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