This week, we welcome back Lee (better known as Mr. P) who chats to us about all things AI. Lee chats about exactly what AI is, including language models and how to train them, as well as how his platform (TeachMateAI) has been specifically designed to help teachers tackle workload and be as reliable as possible.

We also chatted about the long-lasting effect of austerity and budget cuts on the world of teaching and how teachers are being expected to do more with less.

We each also bring our own story about the brutal but hilarious honesty of children and how teachers really do have to quickly develop thick skin!

Over the years, the narrative has changed as more and more research became available.

The overarching thought now is that setting in primary schools is not the way forward and that instead we should teach mixed-ability classes across the board.

But does this work in reality?

What are the drawbacks?

What is the ultimate best way to teach children?

We talk about the evidence, the lived experience, and all the possible options in detail during this episode.

Let us know what you think.

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Key Ideas

Taking care of one's health is crucial for teachers to perform their best.

Handwriting is an important skill that should be given dedicated time and attention in the curriculum.

Teaching foundational skills in math, such as time-telling and mental arithmetic, is essential for students' overall mathematical understanding.

Certain areas of the curriculum, such as time-telling skills and reading time, are often disregarded but are important life skills.

The priorities in the curriculum should be re-evaluated to focus on skills that are relevant and beneficial for students' future.

Research suggests that setting in maths can have a marginal impact on attainment, with higher ability students benefiting more.

Teacher opinion is valuable in the decision-making process for setting, and tests can be used to support or inform decisions.

An ideal school system for setting involves considering the needs of individual students and using a combination of teacher opinion and empirical data.

An individualized approach to education is crucial, taking into account each student's needs and abilities.

School culture plays a significant role in creating a positive learning environment.

Sets should be fluid and based on ongoing assessment rather than predetermined.

Differentiation by outcome and support are important strategies for meeting students' needs.

Both mixed ability and setting have benefits and challenges, and a hybrid approach may be most effective.

Real-world skills and experiences should be incorporated into education.

00:00 Introduction and Hayden's Illness

00:39 The Importance of Handwriting

03:23 Teaching Foundational Skills

05:19 Disregarded Areas of the Curriculum

06:36 Differences in Pronunciation

08:49 Teaching Small Goals and Celebrating Progress

09:31 Finding Time for Handwriting

10:00 Explaining the Purpose of Handwriting

11:26 The Impact of Laser-Focused Teaching

13:37 Disregarded Foundational Math Skills

16:09 The Importance of Time-Telling Skills

19:09 Re-evaluating the Curriculum Priorities

21:28 Future Episode on SATs and School Struggles

22:28 Instagram poll

24:04 Setting in primary schools

27:01 Takeaways from the Instagram poll

28:29 The debate on setting in maths and English

30:01 The impact of setting on attainment

32:25 The benefits of setting in maths

34:36 The challenges of mixed ability in maths

38:16 The benefits of mixed ability in English

41:23 The challenges of mixed ability in English

43:10 The dilemma of setting and the role of teacher opinion

45:05 The decision-making process for setting

47:07 Setting in an ideal school system

47:55 Mixed Ability vs. Setting

48:29 Individualized Approach

48:56 Importance of School Culture

49:24 Fluidity of Sets

50:20 Realistic Approach

51:15 Negative Effects of Mixed Ability

52:07 Differentiation

53:25 Differentiation by Outcome

54:10 Differentiation by Support

55:08 Limitations of Differentiation

56:07 Benefits and Challenges of Setting

59:19 Differentiation in the Past

01:00:17 Differentiation by Size

01:00:38 Differentiation by Support

01:01:50 Limitations of Differentiation by Support

01:06:01 Realism vs. Idealism

01:10:38 Example of Effective Streaming

01:11:46 Reacting to Children's Needs

01:12:36 Importance of Support in Education

01:13:06 Broadening Horizons

01:14:22 Importance of Real-World Skills

01:15:20 Summary and Call for Stories