Keep it simple, stupid

Do less to be a better teacher.

#digimeet

To be highly effective, keep what you do simple.

Every lesson of mine looks like this. Recap. I tell them something new. Check whether they got it. They practise it.

You certainly couldn’t say that at the beginning of my career. I’d throw in a diamond nine here, a treasure hunt there, a collective memory activity, a game of bingo, a team relay, an interactive whiteboard tool, a YouTube video clip and finish off with the newest tech engagement strategy I’d found through Twitter.

Highly effective? No chance. If we want to be great, we need to keep it simple.

Mastering the art and craft of explaining, checking, and setting practice

With deliberate, focused practice over many years, I hope I have the potential to become masterful at explaining, checking and setting effective practice. My laser like focus on these areas means I stand a much greater chance of mastery than if I bounced from fad to fad.

It’s like the difference between competing in javelin and the decathlon. No ones saying it’s easy to win a gold medal in either. But the best javelin throwers in the world are the ones who just do javelin – not 9 other disciplines too. The less our attention is split, the better. As Dylan Wiliam puts it: stop doing so many good things.

Surface level versus deep level

If we constantly change the surface level features of our teaching, it’s difficult to focus on the deeper elements. It’s like playing “spot the difference” where the size, colour and of the cartoon has changed, as well as the extra button on the man’s jacket.

Keeping almost everything constant means I can isolate the variables and reflect effectively. My reflections move beyond comments on the nature of the activity. I drill down to the nitty gritty. Did adding that analogy add value or confusion to my explanation? Should I have addressed that misconception explicitly?

Children like consistency

Won’t the children be unengaged? Won’t they get bored?

We can forget that a child’s school day is far more varied than our own. While our timetable looks like maths, maths, maths, free, maths, theirs has a smorgasbord of subjects. Even when every teacher teaches the same way every lesson, they experience 6 different things that day. It’s inevitable, just from the differences in subject content. More discussion in English; maps out in Geography; sketching in Art.

When we’re constantly trying new things, we make it harder for children to master our subject. Not only do they need to wrap their head round simultaneous equations, but also the rules of the snazzy new maths Articulate-cum-Pictionary group activity. It’s like the teacher isolating the variables when reflecting. The less that changes, the easier it is to focus on what matters.

Whatever your foci are, just have some. Decide what makes great teaching for you, in your context, with your content. And focus on that. Repeat it. Reflect on it. Refine it. Master it.

Keep it simple, stupid.


Comments

Annie Black Annie Black @annieblack01 9 months ago
Well said! I've worked hard on slowing things down and keeping it simple this year.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
What sort of things would you stop doing? I agree that it's about high quality learning right from lesson one of Year 7 (I'm a 2ry teacher) and simple things are better.
Ben Ward Ben Ward @mrbenward 9 months ago
Completely agree... Get the fundamentals right and students learn and make progress... And students generally speaking love lessons where they feel successful! A more sustainable way to get engagement and great outcomes too... Thanks for the post
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Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
Back to basics approach working well for me - I have made MTPs that are now aspirational but accept that not all of the children will get there. Revolutionised my thinking as I was a slave to the MTP, particularly in maths. Took me a while to realise that not all the children were still with me!
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B Yusuf B Yusuf @byusuf 9 months ago
Hear! Hear! This is what I am now focusing upon. I like your term 'laser like focus' in these areas. I think this level of focus is key.
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Hannah Wilson Hannah Wilson @misswilsey 9 months ago
I wholeheartedly agree @bodiluk - too many teachers try to be showmen/ women and throw in every technique they know. I see the students' eyes glaze over. The teachers are hot, sweaty, harassed from running around the room whilst the students have not worked half as hard! I have simplified my teaching over the years though - it comes with confidence and dare I say it lack of time. I can plan a Good lesson in about 10 minutes now. I aim for paper/ hand out free ones as I do not have time for printing/ copying before lessons around my duties. I also hate books with loads of worksheet stuck in!
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Simon Green Simon Green @mrsgreen 9 months ago
I've tried to cut out pointless activities that don't really achieve anything. Card sorts for example. A lot of my lessons are quite 'simple' now - and kids haven't seemed any leS engaged.
[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
What are the specifics of the fundamentals I wonder?
J Cunningham J Cunningham @misscbio 9 months ago
LOVE IT! And a really good reminder to me... and something I've been finding out as I go. Still room for fun and games sometimes though ;) if it challenges understanding in the right way!
Kimberley Constable Kimberley Constable @hecticteacher 9 months ago
Brilliant, teaching multiple subjects throughout the day means I have to keep it simple to save my own sanity. I do not have the energy to do 5 all singing all dancing lessons in 5 different subjects.
Some of best lessons have been based around a single question and a youtube clip.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
I do agree that it is important not to jump on fads too often, but it's a balance between that and fossilisation of the subject in terms of both content and pedagogy. Technology is the prime example I feel - too many new tools that don'r really add too much confuse staff and students alike?
Bruno Reddy Bruno Reddy @brunoreddy 9 months ago
"Articulate-cum-Pictionary group activity"... love it! (Red wine in response to the headline questions of the night.)
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Dawn German Dawn German @germanprof 9 months ago
Agreed! Although, I also find that asking students which "tools" or tasks they find most useful helps too. They like the repetition/consistency.
Julie Hunter Julie Hunter @mshmfl 9 months ago
Always give this advice to NQTs but sometimes they need to discover it for themselves
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Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
@hecticteacher If only we were allowed YouTube in school - spend countless hours trying to convert clips online at home!
Toby French Toby French @mrhistoire 9 months ago
@bodiluk

"Did adding that analogy add value or confusion to my explanation? Should I have addressed that misconception explicitly?"

I ask myself this every day, but like you I haven't always.

Essential advice!
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Amjad Ali Amjad Ali @astsupportaali 9 months ago
I really like this concept, but I think in order for teachers to find their KISS mentality, they must be able to Try, Review and Ditch ideas. We are creatures of habits and routine so stripping away unnecessary things are important, but labelling them as fads, because they are not the norm or new, I am not so sure about.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
@colingrimes we have YouTube - cracking resource
Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
David: I'd stop thinking about making things jazzy, pretty or fun if it doesn't add to the learning.
Tim Head Tim Head @mrheadcomputing 9 months ago
As I say to my kids. I want quality (beefy). Not always wuabtity. Do less but better!
Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
@mshmfl Is that because of the way ITT drills us to be the "all-singing, all-dancing" teacher all of the time?
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Bryn Davis Bryn Davis @mrbdavis 9 months ago
I like this. I always feel that my most successful lessons are those that have been most simple, with, as you describe it, a 'laser like focus' on specific outcomes. I also agree that introducing new whizzy activities often takes away from the desired outcomes too much, and instead of engaging pupils with learning, distracts them with something else entirely. We shouldn't try to hide learning behind 'fun', it should be front and centre
[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
@bodiluk totally agree with you there - start with there long term learning then the lessons. Whizz Bang : Humdrum ratio
Emma Hawkley Emma Hawkley @mssuperscience 9 months ago
You're right about the day from their perspective. I do find myself now introducing new, snazzy things only if I think I can keep them up on a regular basis; just the quick fixes. They need routine.
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Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
@daviderogers tech can still be part of it. If tech helps you get better at your laser focus, then include it. But include it for the right reasons
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
@colingrimes ha ha! All about trusting teachers - kids can't get access
Kate Sowter Kate Sowter @katesowter 9 months ago
I think sometimes we are focused on wanting pupil enjoyment in equal measure to progress and it is easy to forget that planning tasks where children feel achievement through clear shared by understanding
Peps McCrea Peps McCrea @pepsmccrea 9 months ago
@bodiluk >> if you want folks to know that you've commented at them you need to use the '@' like this: @daviderogers
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Jonathan Bailley Jonathan Bailley @captainfantastic 9 months ago
Agree with @astsupportaali slightly in that you have to be able to change and adapt with time. Having your favourite way is a good starting point; but I find that my way of teaching changes depending on the group I teach and so not only how I teach, but how I teach the 'children'
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Emma Mc Cartan Emma Mc Cartan @missmcc 9 months ago
Doing things well is key in any lesson but with the dynamic nature of some subjects it is important to use new tools to increase engagement. It's a balancing act introducing new ideas to complement the pedagogy.
Lesley Munro Lesley Munro @lesleymunro 9 months ago
@astsupportaali I agree I think I have tried and tested strategies I rely on and know work. I like to try something new sometimes though.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
@bodiluk totally, technology is fully embedded in what I do, but it is the main example of mixed up teaching. @astsupportaali agree with your point there
Sharon Angland Sharon Angland @angelsoft 9 months ago
@bodiluk Absolutely! As Head of CS I find it ironic I spend so much time arguing we don't always need the tech - message first; medium after
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Martyn Nesbitt Martyn Nesbitt @mnesbitt 9 months ago
Most things I have tried recently have been paper activities that can be replicated in any classroom without technology - I love new tech but it can get in the way in the classroom and it takes too much time to master when I could be doing other things.
Kate Sowter Kate Sowter @katesowter 9 months ago
... Meaning they are engaged by feeling success!
Laura braun Laura braun @braunteaches 9 months ago
You are so right @bodil for years in oservations i would pull out every stop, all singing all dancing, got great observatio results but personally wasnt convinced that the kids were any better off, this year ive fociussed more keenly on simple activities where kids can really show mastery if at that level and those who aren't can learn and practise new skills. KISS is it! although i am trying out @kahoot this week :)
Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
@davidrogers - no trust from my LA! No YouTube, no social media - no forum like sites
Helena Marsh Helena Marsh @helenamarsh 9 months ago
This is why I think that a simple 4/5 point lesson plan is really helpful. Not as a straight-jacket but as a reminder of the fundamentals of a teaching/learning cycle. I agree that an overly complicated and bloated lesson plan with an unwieldy amount of resources usually ends with students not actually learning as much - the 'stuff' can be a distraction. I'm all for the odd fascinator/hook to engage and stimulate students but classrooms shouldn't be a psychedelic menu of resources. It's also worth remembering the smorgasbord point (great word). The variety in a school day of an average secondary student can be pretty exhausting.
Mark Pritchard Mark Pritchard @map 9 months ago
I mentioned this in a previous comment but I really like Doug Lemov's summary for planning and lesson delivery: I-do, We-do, You-do. This focuses a lesson on explaining, modelling and giving time for students to practice independently.

Keeping it simple means that teachers' planning time is much more efficient, meaning you don't have to reinvent the wheel every lesson. Students work well with routine and can see their own progress much more clearly if the goalposts aren't in constant flux.

The only caveat I might add is that teachers should find routines and techniques that suit their style and have shown to deliver impact.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
@katesowter sometimes learning needs to be difficult
Kimberley Constable Kimberley Constable @hecticteacher 9 months ago
@colingrimes teachers have access but not the kids.
I have found in PSHE particularly that when I don't have the "laser focus" I get the better lessons but I think that is more to do with the nature of the subject itself. I like to let the kids lead as much as possible especially in the more "controversial" topics.
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Julie Hunter Julie Hunter @mshmfl 9 months ago
@colingrimes ITT students often don't believe KISS either and put too much into a lesson. Also in some interview lessons too
Hannah Grant Hannah Grant @hannahgrant 9 months ago
I still think it is important not to get stuck in a rut though, for me as much as for the children I teach
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Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
@braunteaches But Kahoot is simplistic to use and provides realtime feedback that you can then analyse rather than trying to remember who put their thumbs up!
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Bryn Davis Bryn Davis @mrbdavis 9 months ago
@captainfantastic agree that my 'way' changes regularly. It is different with each group, different with each unit. Different aims require different strategies and these will obviously change and adapt
Emma Mc Cartan Emma Mc Cartan @missmcc 9 months ago
A consistent whole-school approach when using technology is really useful, introducing core apps and mastering those, whilst enhancing the teaching and learning.
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Simon Green Simon Green @mrsgreen 9 months ago
I've found that in observation lessons my more simple lessons have been better than 'all singing all dancing' ones.
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Leah Sharp Leah Sharp @leahmoo 9 months ago
Firstly, smorgasbord is an amazing word. I haven't read it in ages. Happy days.
Secondly, 'Repeat it. Reflect on it. Refine it. Master it.' Yes. The key things all teachers (and in fact learners) need to remember.
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[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
Totally @helenamarsh - I'm always gutted when I see a brilliant learning opportunity missed because the teacher stuck to the plan - love a good tangent and strong teacher subject knowledge allowed them to be exploited.
Colin Grimes Colin Grimes @colingrimes 9 months ago
@mshmfl is that what they are being told to do though?
Amjad Ali Amjad Ali @astsupportaali 9 months ago
I also hate the idea that All Singing All Dancing lessons and the teachers that deliver them are now 'bad!' Or 'wrong' for being like that. If thats the way the students learn for those teachers, then let them be!! Know YOUR students, not just STUDENTS.
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Jo Debens Jo Debens @jodebens 9 months ago
It makes sense to only change a limited number of variables at a time so that you can identify and isolate what works and what doesn't. It's important to challenge ourselves and try something / learn something every now and then to avoid stagnation but also to model that learning is for life. But I agree consistency is important. Fads have to be evaluated!
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Simon Green Simon Green @mrsgreen 9 months ago
I think as long as trying new things is for the benefit of the kids and not simply to make a lesson more 'jazzy'. Slow writing again is an example of this - it's simple but it works.
Olivia Dyer Olivia Dyer @olivia 9 months ago
Definitely agree with @bodiluk - teacher instruction, reading, comprehension questions and self-assessment. Every lesson looks like this, because it works every time.
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Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
@astsupportaali I'm more for iterative, gradual improvements based on reflection, thought, reading, research than picking up new ideas because they seem good
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Kate Sowter Kate Sowter @katesowter 9 months ago
@daviderogers I think I was a poor communicator- learning should be difficult at the right pitch of challenge not frustration- if there is no challenge there is little point-
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Claire Chalcraft Claire Chalcraft @cmc 9 months ago
poor you @hecticteacher ! Have you tried using google presentations - so easy at home to just drag and drop a youtube clip into a presentation. I am not a techie by any means, but maybe it might help you ?
Thanks @bodiluk - good to remind myself to stop trying to achieve too many complicated things in too short a time. My problem is that i love learning so much I am always drawn to trying new things - I find the best thing is to ask the students how they think they would learn best .... they often come up with fantastic ways of learning - that's how I learned about kahoot (from a year 7 girl who offered to show me how it works!)
[Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] [Retired Colleague] 9 months ago
I like the thrust of this thread, but is it a little vague? What works for people to make teaching high impact?
Hannah Grant Hannah Grant @hannahgrant 9 months ago
@mrhistoire if I try something and it is not as successful, I won't do it again! At least I know!
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Dave Bartram Dave Bartram @davejb 9 months ago
I've certainly been guilty of including too much, particularly in interview lessons. Stripping it down to what's important is key. That said, I do think there's something to be said for variety as well as consistency. I don't use lots of card sorts, for example, most of them are just textbook questions in fancy dress, but there are a few really good ones that I use. Competitions are another one - I do them only occasionally, and you can actually see the students slightly uncomfortable because it's not the routine, but there can be good outcomes. But that's just the point, isn't it? Looking at the outcomes rather than at how "cool" the lesson looks....
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Gillian Mathewson Gillian Mathewson @gmathewson 9 months ago
@missmcc Totally agree with you on the use of technology - use a few simple apps, and build on it from there.
Simon Johnson Simon Johnson @clcsimon 9 months ago
I agree with @astsupportaali on this one! There needs to be a balance but there also needs to be flexibly. As teachers, we must continue to be reflective - If it works, great do it agin. If it doesn't, ask yourself why didn't it work and what can you do differently. At the end of the day, you do what works for your students.
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Martyn Nesbitt Martyn Nesbitt @mnesbitt 9 months ago
@jodebens action plans for my department have only 3 objectives per year and in different curriculum areas so we can tell what actually works and what doesn't
Kimberley Constable Kimberley Constable @hecticteacher 9 months ago
@hannahgrant @mrhistoire I tell the students when I am trying somthing new and then get their feedback on it, then try it again with that feedback in mind. My PGCE lecturer used to tell me that you should try something 3 times before sacking it or embedding it.
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Amjad Ali Amjad Ali @astsupportaali 9 months ago
@bodiluk I like that too. However, I am also about risk taking and dynamism in the classroom!
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Helena Marsh Helena Marsh @helenamarsh 9 months ago
@astsupportaali @daviderogers I don't think it's either KISS or innovative and engaging, I think that a simple planning approach helps teachers to be more judicious about the activities and tasks that they choose to include to review/introduce/reflect on content rather than the ITT danger of haphazardly including activities because they seem shiny? @pepsmccrea talks a lot of sense on this subject in 'Lean Lesson Planning' (not on commission, honest).
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Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
@davejb I agree - textbook Qs in fancy dress that take far too much teacher time/lesson time/faff! Kids don't NEED fancy dress.
Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
@astsupportaali As long as you're considering the opportunity cost... there is such a thing as TOO much risk!
Helena Marsh Helena Marsh @helenamarsh 9 months ago
A good example of The Banarama Principle: it ain't what you do it's the way that you do it. I've seen many examples of the same lesson plan and resources being delivered very differently. Hopefully a good quality SOL will provide the benchmark standard and simple structure but it's the effectiveness of the teacher's explanation/exposition that brings that content to life. One man's KISS could be another man's tedium?
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Bodil Isaksen Bodil Isaksen @bodiluk 9 months ago
@helenamarsh much truth to that. Another reason to strip back, so we can practise & perfect exposition rather than resourcing crazily
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Rebecca Taylor Rebecca Taylor @englishhod 9 months ago
I like the fact that there is no set way of teaching anymore. It means that you can use what works best for your students and your style of teaching. I think a combination of 'whizzy' activities and simple approaches which focus on mastery of subject, based on outcomes, can avoid complacency and can be purposeful.
Jo Debens Jo Debens @jodebens 9 months ago
Sorry @mnesbitt can you explain your point more? I don't follow.
Martyn Nesbitt Martyn Nesbitt @mnesbitt 9 months ago
@jodebens sorry think part of my comment went missing. I agree "It makes sense to only change a limited number of variables at a time so that you can identify and isolate what works and what doesn't." So we limit new things tried each year. Hope that makes sense now.
Ali Messer Ali Messer @alimesser 9 months ago
@olivia except that sometimes a form of direct instruction you have been doing for years, (I am talking about myself here), turns out to to reinforce a misconception. Then as @astsupportaali says, you have to try something new. In my case it was reinforcing misconceptions about the reliability of evidence in History. Since I realised where I had gone wrong, I have been like a smoker who has given up. evangelical ensuring that others don't make the mistakes I did...
Ali Messer Ali Messer @alimesser 9 months ago
Apologies the grammar in my last post is terrible. Screen refreshed when new comments came in!
Claire Lotriet Claire Lotriet @ohlottie 9 months ago
This is very interesting. I think (and I may be wrong) that many teachers are worried, or perhaps cautious, about the 'recap' part. I mentioned it in a previous comments, but my maths sets over the past two years have absolutely needed recap and recall many times over, in different forms, of key facts they just need to know. It's what they need, so it's what they do. In fact, it's been needed even more this year so I've built it into lessons more. Ultimately, I suspect the Ofsted obsession with 'new learning,' 'pace' and progress within a lesson is what made many cautious about this. Thoughts?
Bruno Reddy Bruno Reddy @brunoreddy 9 months ago
@ohlottie It may well have come from a historic obsession of Ofsted's but Ofsted now understands that progress takes place across multiple lessons. People shouldn't worry about Ofsted's view of progress in a single lesson.
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Kate Jones Kate Jones @lovetoteach 5 months ago
Really interesting post thank you for sharing! I agree with @astsupportaali I do enjoy creating fun & engaging lessons but learning and achievement don't take a back seat, they are priority. All teachers have different methods/styles & we have to adapt to our classes & students too. I sometimes think teachers who put a lot of effort into lessons are accussed of trying to be "all singing & all dancing" which isn't true either. I agree keep it simple in terms of we shouldn't let lesson planning take over our lives or workload get out of hand! I've tried lots of new strategies, obviously some working better than others, not because they are fads or I'm trying to be flash for a lesson obs but I think all teachers try new ideas, technology etc throughout their career.
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