Wilson Waffling

This week's waffle is slightly off the usual subject of teaching or technology and is is covering the twaddle part of the site's tagline. The most popular question I get asked at university is "Why did you leave teaching?" - so I thought this week I thought I would try to eliminate any rumours that might be circulating and let you know! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Many of you will be busy planning for the spring term or your second/third placement. Although there is some time before the start of the second semester, I am busy planning what I want to achieve during 2014. My last waffle was about what Achievements for 2013…I felt I had achieved last year so now, let's have a look at 2014! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

With Christmas out of the way and me being one year older, it is time to sit back and see what I have achieved this year and what I am going to achieve in 2014. A common post for most bloggers this time of the year - so I thought I would join them! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/IRne5D Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I've already mentioned that I used to love teaching during the Christmas period - the decorations, the pop corn on the last day and the excitement of the children. However, there was one more thing that I really enjoyed about Christmas. It was the one thing that brought a huge amount of work, stress and arguments but one that definitely brought the biggest rewards. What was it? Well the Christmas Pantomime! Oh yes it is!..... The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Christmas comes but once a year but when it comes it comes with vigour! I must say that Christmas is one of my favourite times in a primary school - Christmas and Children just go together. But just like you prepare for Christmas at home you need to get organised at school as well. So here is how I used to prepare! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

In my 'Tid Bits' for teaching, I said that working with adult support was one of the important pieces of advice. For today's waffle I thought I would concentrate on working with adults within the classroom and detail some of the ways I promoted working in an effective partnership. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below.Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

So here is something for you to listen to over the weekend. I've decided to interview various people from the university and this week it is the turn of....well watch the video and find out :)

I remember that on my first day in a new school at age eight, there was a spelling test and a times table test. During the former, never really my strongest subject, I was kindly supported by the girl sat next to me who pointed at her answer for question five 'wur' after the teacher had asked for 'were'. The latter, the times table test, consisted of random facts from all the tables, including up to 12x12. Throughout this I had a tear in my eye as I realised that I knew nothing save 2x4 (I was 8 remember). From that point on I was determined to learn and remember my times tables. But what options do we have for supporting the children in the learning of these facts. Well this is what this week's waffle is all about. So mouths shut, number one to ten down the left hand side of your paper and we will begin! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - ht

There is a shop near my place of work that I hear so much about and have of yet, not frequented. Its name, 'Tarts and Tidbits' conjures up a wealth of images, although it made me think of today's Waffle. With trainees about to start their placements I thought I would present my 'tidbits' of advice for teaching. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

With the main focus of all teaching being on the progression of children's learning, establishing targets for the children to work towards helps to provide and recognise this progression. But how can this be achieved within the classroom? Well this week's waffle aims to help. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

his week I have just completed sessions within university on planning for mathematics within primary schools. However, the process of producing a weekly or session plan is to me only one part of the process. There exists a more hidden part of planning, what I call 'invisible planning'! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

A while back I waffled about displays. While gaining an hour today I thought it was time for a follow up. In the last waffle I looked at the planning and preparation part of my displays. In this waffle we grab the scissors and the staple gun and set to work! The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Last week when I was waffling about techniques for giving instructions, I realised that a follow on post could be to do with questions and questioning. Now before you start to look through the waffle for Bloom's taxonomy and DeBoo's enquiry mind, can I tell you that you won't find them. Why? well I thought I would focus more on the practical application of questioning within the classroom and detail the techniques I used and continue to use when promoting learning and teaching. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

I once read an article that claimed that everyone can only remember 7 +/- 2 things in their head at any one time. This would mean, if you were one of the lucky people who could remember 9 things, that once one more event/task/memo came into your head, one would leave and you would forget to complete it. I think children can remember even less, mainly because they are remember more important facts like the lastest football scores, the tour dates for One Direction and the latest cheats for Pokemon. So here are two techniques which I used in the classroom that helped the children remember instructions. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

n this week's waffle I'm going to attempt to do something I haven't done before - although people often ask me about it. Whenever I go into school to observe a student teacher teaching, I always look for two things - their rapport/relationship with the kids and their behaviour management. I consider that if these two are in place, then anything else can be worked on. The latter of these two is definitely something that can be learnt and, through my very first initial teaching practice, I was lucky to work with an excellent practitioner who demonstrated effective behavioural management techniques which I have successfully adopted throughout my career. This waffle is about the techniques I use. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF

When I was working within the primary sector I had the privilege to work with a steering group for able, gifted and talented pupils. This became a focus of mine and continues to be so even into higher education. What follows is an idea which I 'magpied' - yes a nice work for nicked - from a colleague at one of the steering group meetings. Here is how to create and the concept behind the purple book.

With everyone starting something new, whether that's a new job, a new year or even a new university, you might find yourself with either more or less available time on your hands. The demands on this time may also have increased and I was reminded, by a recent article I read, that long hours can not be sustained .So this week I'm going to waffle about working with time. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

Last Monday, I attended the Westminster Education Forum seminar on the emerging new technologies in education, including primary, secondary and higher education. I have decided to base this waffle on the discussions from this seminar but also to link these to my own thoughts about the use of technology within education. With this in mind, I would like to reinforce that this waffle represents my own personal opinions and views. So...lets waffle about technology. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

This week's waffle is all about staying creative and using the outdoors for mathematics. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!

This is a waffle about using KWL sheets to help make your topic planning more personalised for the children within your class. The complete transcript and links can be found by following the link to my Wilson Waffling blog below. Remember keep up to date with my waffles by subscribing to; Twitter- http://goo.gl/FcZaz Blog - http://goo.gl/JEH8F Youtube - http://goo.gl/ssxQNw Facebook - http://goo.gl/lDp6B Podcasts - http://goo.gl/NeEWjF Have fun and catch you later!