In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Trisha Jha who currently works with the Centre for Independent Studies and recently released a couple of reports titled: What is the Science of Learning? And Implementing the Science of Learning: Teacher experiences. Trisha unpacks these papers and discusses her journey into education research and the importance of focusing on what happens in the classroom. Throughout the conversation Trisha defines what the science of learning is and the difficulty in making cognitive science common knowledge.

The conversation also explores the challenges and misconceptions surrounding explicit instruction and how teachers engage with the science of learning. We also delve into what schools and systems can do to support effective implementation.

Resources mentioned:

• What is the Science of Learning? https://www.cis.org.au/publication/what-is-the-science-of-learning/
• Implementing the Science of Learning: Teacher experiences https://www.cis.org.au/publication/implementing-the-science-of-learning-teacher-experiences/
• Greg Ashman
• Jennifer Buckingham
• Five from Five
• Why Jaydon Can’t Read: A Forum on Fixing Literacy
• Kevin Knight
• Education Endowment Foundation
• 24 – Jessica Del Rio on solving illiteracy in Australia
• Daniel Willingham: Why don’t students like school
• Hollingsworth and Ybarra: Explicit Direct Instruction
• Daisy Christodoulou: 7 Myths about Education
• E.D. Hirsch: Why knowledge matters
• David Diddau and Nick Rose: What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology
• Zac Groshell: Progressively Incorrect
• Anna Stokke: Chalk and Talk
• Ollie Lovell: ERRR Podcast

You can connect with:

Twitter: @themetresgained

Linkedin: Trisha Jha

You can connect with Brendan:

Twitter: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Website: learnwithlee.net

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

Trisha Jha is a Research Fellow in the Education program, working on projects relating to the science of learning, improvement of initial teacher education and overall school quality.

Prior to rejoining CIS, Trisha had roles as a secondary teacher, including through the Teach for Australia program, in state and independent schools in regional Victoria. She has also worked as a senior policy adviser to opposition leaders in Victoria. She holds a Masters of Teaching with a specialisation in Research from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Australian National University.

In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Dr. Mark Dowley (Associate Head – Staff Development at the Crowther Centre for Applied Educational Research) who has recently released the book, “The Classroom Management Handbook” that he co-authored with Ollie Lovell. In this chat, they unpack the book and how it’s what Mark and Ollie wish they had when they started teaching. They also discuss ten important principles for classroom management, including the idea that behavior is a curriculum and the importance of mastering one's own behavior to influence others. The conversation also explores the use of scripts and tools to support effective behavior management.

Resources mentioned:

https://classroommanagementhandbook.com/

Bill Rogers - Know the fair rules

Mastery Schools Australia

Marsden Road PS

Tom Bennett

Michael Fullan - Six Secrets of Change

You can connect with Mark:

Twitter: @coachdowley

Linkedin

Website: classroommanagementhandbook.com

You can connect with Brendan:

Twitter: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Website: learnwithlee.net

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Rebecca Birch, a teacher of English and the Director of Research and Practice at a top 50 independent school in Sydney, Australia. She shares her journey from a career in fashion and advertising to becoming an English teacher. Rebecca emphasises the importance of evidence-based practice and the need for teachers to be sceptical and critical of educational trends. She also highlights the challenges of implementing explicit instruction and the need for standardised teacher preparation programs. Rebecca calls for a clear hierarchy of importance within teacher standards and the role of teacher preparation in reinforcing those standards. The conversation also touches on strategies for schools to drive improvement without waiting for systemic changes.

Resources mentioned:

• Reimagining Teacher Professionalism. Why standards must be part of ITE reform
• Knowledge Society - Elena Douglas
• Trisha Jha
  • What is the Science of Learning? https://www.cis.org.au/publication/what-is-the-science-of-learning/
  • Implementing the Science of Learning: Teacher experiences https://www.cis.org.au/publication/implementing-the-science-of-learning-teacher-experiences/
• Strong Beginnings: Report of the Teacher Education Expert Panel
• Andrew Martin
• Kate Jones
• ResearchEd
• Alex Quigley: https://www.theconfidentteacher.com/
• Anita Archer
• Hollingsworth and Ybarra - Explicit Direct Instruction

Twitter: @msrebeccabirch

Linkedin: @rebeccabirch

Website: https://rebeccabirch.au/

Substack: https://rebeccabirch.substack.com/

Twitter: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Website: learnwithlee.net

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

Rebecca Birch is a teacher of English and the Director of Research and Practice at a top 50 independent school in Sydney, Australia. She worked as a learning support officer in diverse settings while she undertook her teacher training after a successful career in advertising and fashion.

Rebecca has provided consultation and content services for Ochre Education and Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn, and has appeared on panels for ResearchED and the Gonski Institute for Education. Her current research interest is the link between explicit instruction and student wellbeing. She writes for publication and through her newsletter (rebeccabirch.substack.com/).