There are a few things that I will not use this blog to do: a) Advertise for money. I’ve had a few request to advertise as I have some traffic. Nope, will no do. b) Politicise about teaching. There are many blogs that do this well, often humorously. But that isn’t what this is about.
APP has been spoken about in negative terms. I have seen an Outstanding school in Yorkshire require its teachers to record an extraordinary amount of data (up to 30-50 ticks per term per student) in order to satisfy perceived APP demands. Like Dylan Williams says, though, this is both time-consuming and missing point. It needs to be discussed and adapted to current demands both in and outside the classroom.
However, there is a politicisation to APP (as there are to almost every initiative it seems). People happily comment as if their experience is indicative of most/all other teachers. And perhaps they might be. But my experience is what I make of it.
This blog has but one purpose: to make the quantum leap between evidenced-based theory, and how it might actually see some light of day in the classroom. And in the mainstream classroom, there are certain demands that need consideration. It is those demands that I seek to satisfy in the most efficient manner possible, leaving a life for all.
That is not to say that there is not suitable space and need for blogs that politicise teaching. I read two blogs on a regular basis, one of which has developed from ranting to perhaps the most important and influential blog on British teaching. But that is not what I am interest in.
