Category Archives: Teaching and learning

London’s francophone refugees

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

We are roughly at the mid point of our commemoration of the First World War. Let’s look back just over a hundred years. London before the outbreak of war in 1914 was the greatest industrial city in the world and … Continue reading →

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Thinking students and student research.

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

In his excellent book Think Again (2012), John Taylor makes a strong case for putting philosophy at the centre of our teaching in order to develop students’ ability to think. As he says in his introduction: “Education should be all about … Continue reading →

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The social origins of human thinking.

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

What is thinking? Where does human thought come from? How did it evolve? These are important questions for us if we want to understand what makes humans different from other living things and to make the most of our abilities both as … Continue reading →

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Learning by walking about.

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

It was just a walk; teachers and students following a circular 20 mile route around central London. It was also a personal challenge for each of us; to keep going, to keep up, to map-read, to learn new things and … Continue reading →

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A Circle Line Quiz.

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

On a recent overground walk of the Circle Line route with a group of students, we asked them one question at each stop. A simple quiz like this can help students get more from an urban trail by encouraging observation, … Continue reading →

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The outstanding lesson

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

We were lucky enough to have Harriet Harper deliver a NewVIc lecture at Newham Sixth Form College on 14th October. Harriet is a former HMI and now helps to train teachers for the post-compulsory sector. We were delighted to be … Continue reading →

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Seeking refuge in poetry

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

I am So I have left everything But I am something. I have left everyone But I am someone. I have left there But I am here. Something, someone, here, now. September 2015   Links to poems about the refugee … Continue reading →

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Enrolment: where aspiration meets reality

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

It’s a crazy way to start the year; enrolling all our students over a few days in late August before we can start teaching them. Enrolment is a major cross-college team effort which requires every member of staff to do something different … Continue reading →

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Results Day: best of days, worst of days.

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

It’s a love / hate thing. On the one hand results day is a wonderful moment of celebration when all the hard work put in by students and staff is publicly celebrated, a moment when young people can reflect on … Continue reading →

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Embracing the canon, resisting the canon

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The BBC’s Ten pieces is a brilliant music education resource for primary schools based on a selection of 10 pieces which introduce children to classical music with a range of associated materials for schools to use. Although there is nothing specifically ‘primary’ about … Continue reading →

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Reading dystopias

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Reading dystopias Utopia: an imagined society or state of things in which everything is perfect or close to perfect. Dystopia: an imagined society or state of things in which things are very far from perfect to a frightening extent. An … Continue reading →

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20 questions to ask about a book you’ve read

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

A starting point for discussion in reading groups or for students doing reading assignments (fiction). Explain the title. What category or genre do you think it fits into? What do you think the author’s purpose was? Something you liked about … Continue reading →

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The skilled learner DOES

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Our mission at Newham Sixth Form College is ‘to create a successful learning community’. Each of the three ideas; success, learning and community are important to us and we make sure we define what each one means for all our … Continue reading →

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Science in Society: what you need to know.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

  AS Science in Society (AQA) A very condensed list of the key science concepts you need to understand well.         Infectious disease, medicines and the germ theory of disease: All living things (organisms) are composed of … Continue reading →

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Roberto Unger on school as the ‘voice of the future’

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

In his excellent book ‘The Left Alternative’ the Brazilian philosopher and politician Roberto Unger proposes a new way for progressives to think about the future and start creating the good society. Unger suggests we should not give up on the central promise … Continue reading →

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