The Study Sessions: from The Study Buddy

“Could try harder.” “See me after class.” These kinds of phrases epitomised school for a great number of us. And that’s not to say that it was all red pen and crosses because, at the other end of the spectrum, there was always “well done”. It could just be me, but I don’t remember there being an awful lot of degrees in between these two options. Now, teachers seem to operate within a more nuanced world. Filled with “What Went Well”s, and “Even Better If”s. So given there’s a new approach to providing feedback in the classroom, relatively speaking, are we parents missing a trick in how we encourage and support our teens at home?

This week's episode looks at feedback, what it’s for and, importantly how to provide it well. 

Nathan McGurl, Founder of The Study Buddy is joined by Michael Chiles.  Michael is currently Head of Department for a secondary school in the North West, having started his career as a Geography. He has also spent time developing and delivering teacher training, both nationally and internationally. Michael is also the author of the best selling “The CRAFT of Assessment” and the recently published “The Feedback Pendulum”. 

We explore what makes good feedback, the importance of relationship in providing feedback and also the critical element of timing.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

It’s quite incredible how quickly our teens adapt to their environment. And it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they can cotton on to a great excuse – sorry, my laptop is glitching. I’m not sure that’s much of a technical term, but it seems to cover all manner of ills to justify not putting the camera or mic on. But beneath the cunning is there a more serious issue? Is it a symptom of the fact that our children are disengaging from learning? And will this perhaps more passive role harm their prospects in the future?

This week's episode is looking at remote learning and how our young people can get the most out of schooling at home.

Nathan McGurl, founder of The Study Buddy is joined by Tom Rose. Tom is currently the Programme Director at Oak National Academy. The National Academy is an initiative set up by teachers to provide high quality pre-recorded video lessons for pupils Early Years to Yr 11. Before joining Oak, Tom worked in teacher training and development with Teach First, and Curriculum development with the multi-academy Trust Ark schools. 

The episode looks at the issues involved in remote learning and how it has evolved since the first lockdown. We discuss the role of teachers and also what parents can do to support. We also consider the broader impact of creative subjects and the need for a balanced schedule.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions. 

Who knew unprecedented times could still give you a sense of deja vu? The cancellation of GCSE and A Level exams in the summer 2021 sitting has divided people: those who think the exams should have gone ahead as the fairest way to grade students; and those who have long held that exams should have been cancelled due to the significant disruption students have faced and for many the startling disparity in access to education and schooling. Whichever side you come down a fairly crucial question remains: what does this mean for student’s courses and their final grades?

This episode looks at the impact that the exam cancellations have had and, importantly, what it means for the students due to take exams in 2021.

Nathan McGurl, founder of The Study Buddy is joined by Zoe Enser. Having spent more than 20 years in teacher roles, including as Head of English, Zoe is currently a Specialist English Advisor with The Education People. As well as writing many pieces for education publications, including The Times Education Supplement, and actively blogging, Zoe has also co-authored “Generative Learning In Action” which looks at the activities students can do to learn.

In this week's episode, Zoe and Nathan discuss the decision to cancel the summer 2021 exams and what that means. Touching on wellbeing, we explore whether too much emphasis has been placed on terminal exams while also considering the need for students to continue with their studies. Drawing on her book, Generative Learning in Action, Zoe talks about how students can positively influence their own learning, and why that must continue to avoid harming further and higher education ambitions.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

Remote learning isn’t a phrase we used very much before 2020. It was either classwork or it was homework. Of course, Covid-19 and lockdown brought with it the need to adapt. Fortunately, we have the technology nowadays to deliver classroom content to pupils in their homes. But it can all be a bit bewildering, can’t it? I remember it used to be, when we were children, that we were the masters of technology. How to work the video player or set the clock on the microwave. Now many of us can feel left behind with this “new way”. Just how different is digital learning from in-person learning? And is it simply a matter of getting used to a new way of delivering learning?

This week we are looking at technology and the role it plays in education and studying at home.

Nathan McGurl, Founder of The Study Buddy is talking to Jane Basnett. Jane is the Head of Modern Languages & Director of Digital Learning at Downe House School in Newbury. She has a Masters in Digital Technology in Teaching and is a Microsoft Certified Educator. Jane is an active blogger on the use of technology in education and especially in modern language learning.

In this episode, Jane talks about how technology is helping to carry on delivering schooling and education to children. She also considers some of the pitfalls. We focus too on how parents can get to grips with what could otherwise be a bewildering array of technologies.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

All too often when faced with a studying teen we’re reminded just how long ago our own school days were! Not only can the content hazy at best, but the texts, technology and even approaches have changed considerably. How many parents in our generation looked perplexed when we were told there was a new way of doing subtraction! Do we need to take some sort of crash course in teacher basics to help our children get the most out of themselves?

This week we are looking at the teachers and whether there’s something in it that we parents can learn.

Nathan McGurl, Founder of The Study Buddy, is joined by Professor Samantha Twisleton OBE. Sam is the Director of Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University - a national centre of education research and practice, recognised for its excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. With experience in teacher education, curriculum development and language and literacy, Sam has been heavily involved in influencing Government policy on teacher education and has been on numerous expert and advisory committees. She received her OBE in 2018 in the Queen's birthday honours for services to Higher Education. Sam is also the Deputy Chair of the Doncaster Opportunity Area, a government initiative to address disadvantage and inequality in children.

Throughout this episode, Sam explores the roles that parents play in education, with insights into the highly instinctive role they play in the early and most significant developments. Drawing on researching showing that support at home is the largest determiner of school success, it is more important than ever that we do what we can to support their potential.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

We want our children to do well. Naturally. We parents have been through school, done homework and revised for exams.  Although that can feel like a dim and distant lifetime ago. But you'd think we'd be amply qualified to do our bit and help our children through this stage. Afterall the human brain and learning haven't changed in the last couple of decades.  

In this week's episode we looking at the science of learning and what we parents can do to help our teens be better at it.

Nathan McGurl, Founder of The Study Buddy, is joined by Patrice Bain. Patrice is an educator, speaker and author. She is regularly featured in international press and articles as well talking at events all over the world. Patrice has spent more than 15 years working with cognitive scientists turning academic research into meaningful approaches to be adopted by teachers and now us parents, thanks to her recently published “Powerful Teaching: A guide for Parents”.

Over the course of this episode, Patrice explains the power of Retrieval Practice over alternative "go-to" approaches. She goes on to give practical tips and guidance that parents can readily apply at home. 

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

Hardly a fortnight goes by without some stone being thrown into the 2020 pond to causes ripples. And few have felt it more than those students taking their exams in 2021. In addition to fairly significant disruption to schooling and probable isolation and remote learning, there have been regular questions over whether exams will take place. While the Government is determined that exams will take places, we have seen their cancellation in Scotland and Wales. Add to this the moving goalposts of exam content and you can only imagine that and already tricky time for our teens might feel like it’s spiralling. So, just how can we help rally them to find – or retain - their mojo and continue to prepare as best they can? 

In this week's episode, we're looking at motivation, goal setting and adopting a winning mindset.

Nathan McGurl, the founder of The Study Buddy, is joined by Professor Damian Hughes. Damian is an international speaker and best-selling author who combines his practical and academic background within sport, organisational development and change psychology, to help organisations and teams to create a high performing culture. His 8 best-selling books include “The Five STEPS to a Winning Mindset” and “How To Change Absolutely Anything”.  Damian also is the co-host of the hugely popular, entertaining and informative “High Performance Podcast”.

Drawing on his years of experience working with elite athletes and businesses, Damian explains the importance of being motivated by inspiration, rather than rational or desperation. He also talks about the role of outcome, performance and process goals. Damian also explores the role of accountability and responsibility. And. importantly, ends by describing the 5 STEPS he's identified to use coaching to create a winning mindset. This is a positive and constructive episode that will help parents and teachers to frame motivation as something that teens control, rather than feeling like a victim of their circumstance.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

It’s not unusual for students to wait until exams are almost upon them before revising. "Don’t stress, there’s loads of time” is certainly something I heard a lot – and probably said a fair amount too. For generations, teens have seen revision as that thing you do in the run-up to a test. It seems somehow baked into the word: Revising isn’t just the act of studying what you’ve learnt, but some ill-defined period of time.  But is this the best approach for teens? Does it give them the best chance of showing off what they’re capable of? 

This episode looks at revision and specifically challenge the idea that is a discreet part of learning that happens before a test or exam.

This week, Nathan McGurl, Founder of The Study Buddy, is talking to Dawn Cox. Dawn is Head of Religious Studies is an Essex secondary school. Dawn is also a blogger covering not just RE topics, but teaching and learning in general. She has a particular interest in effective exam preparation.

Dawn looks at the problems caused by viewing revision as that thing you do to get ready for an exam. She talks frankly about why the idea of revision should be ditched and spaced retrieval practise should be the norm. In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the problem of language around exam preparation and what parents can do to support their teens.

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

Could Maths be the Marmite of the Education world? Students seem to either love it or loathe it. They get it or they struggle. Quite often you’ll hear students who don’t enjoy it say: “I don’t know why I’m bothering, it’s not like I’m ever going to need to know the quadratic formula after GCSEs”. 

Many parents will sympathise! After all, there comes a point in secondary school where a lot of us reach the limits of being able to help out with homework - the vast majority of us won’t have tackled things like simultaneous equations since our own school days. But Maths is a subject like any other, so surely it can’t be down to some quirk in genetic make-up that makes some students succeed while others flounder.  

In this episode, we are looking at Maths, why it seems to polarise students and what can be done to help them.

This week, The Study Buddy's founder, Nathan McGurl is joined by Dani Quinn. Dani is the Network Lead for Secondary Maths at the Ark Schools – a network of 38 schools across the UK. And previously head of Maths at Michaela for 5 years, the school made the best progress in Maths GCSE results in the country. As an educator, she says she has an unfettered enthusiasm for teaching maths to teenagers. Dani also blogs about techniques and approaches to teaching maths in the classroom.

Dani explores the role of motivation and the impact that parents can have on developing a student's intrinsic desire to push ahead. She also shares many practical and easy-to-follow tips to help support teens approaching exams. Importantly these are ways of supporting that allow for the fact that most of us haven't factorised anything for years!

For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.

There's some poetically ironic about calling these dry run exams "mocks".  For many parents, this is the time when our children make a mockery of revising. Or perhaps it’s more like they’re mocking us for our frequent, if not futile, attempts to get them to study. Ironic naming aside, these dress rehearsals can take up a lot of energy and be a source of anxiety for students and parents alike. Are they simply there to help acclimatise students to working in exam conditions?

In this episode we look at the point of these mock exams and how can we make sure that our young people are getting the most out of them. 

The Study Buddy founder, Nathan McGurl talks with Adam Boxer. Adam is a Head of Science, at a North London school, a blogger, author and speaker about chemistry, cognitive science and retrieval practice. Adam also created “Retrieval Roulette” – an excel spreadsheet that generates random questions. He has evolved this fantastic idea and has now gone on to co-found “Carousel”, which he describes as a “massively pimped up version” of the original.

This period after the winter half term is the season for mock exams. Schools up and down the country have been running them. Certainly, most of our students have been doing them. Many of these young people see them as vitally important this year: after the cancellation of summer 2020 GCSEs mock exam results became a feature of how teachers could evidence a predicted grade. But, of course, they were never intended to actually form part of the formal assessment.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Adam explores the role of mock exams for students and the impact of and on motivation. He touches on retrieval practice and also spaced learning. We discuss the approaches that parents can take in talking through results and the dangers inherent in using this form of assessment as a way of informing future study.


For more information about The Study Buddy's approach to time management and study skills visit thestudybuddy.com 
Produced by Pineapple Audio Productions.