Brian's Blog

Effective teaching hinges on educators having a clear vision of student achievement. Backward design, a method pioneered by Wiggins and McTighe (2005), facilitates this clarity. It prompts educators to begin with the end in mind, identifying desired learning outcomes before crafting lesson plans, assessments, and activities. By prioritising the destination of student learning, educators can strategically shine a light on and illuminate a map of the journey to get there, ensuring each step contributes meaningfully to student growth (Grant, 2002; Fullan & Langworthy, 2014) . In this blog post, I will explore how backward design can transform learning experiences. By starting with the end goal, educators can pinpoint what students should Know, Understand, and Do (KUDo’s). This deliberate approach not only fosters engagement but also cultivates essential skills such as understanding one's learning preferences (Fink, 2003) . By equipping students with the tools to comprehend their l

As I write this post on creating safe learning spaces and behavioural management, I want to acknowledge that this topic has come at a personally challenging time for me. This week, I've experienced a wide range of emotions, from celebrating my daughter's 18th birthday to mourning the passing of my wife's grandmother and attending my brother-in-law's wedding. These personal experiences have highlighted the wide spectrum of emotions that life brings, giving me a deeper understanding of the joys, struggles and challenges many of our students face daily. It reinforces for me the critical importance of effective understanding, practicing empathy, displaying an attitude of patience and support within our school communities as we develop safe learning spaces and behavioural management practices. In schools, creating a safe and secure learning environment is not just an optional add on, it's the very foundation upon which the educational trust rests. As educators, we unders