Innovate My School - Ideas, Practices & Personal Insights

21st Century Skills… Soft Skills? Say WHAAAT? - Part 3

Here is an example of our first grade 3-5 STEAM challenge to intentionally use the Makerspace and teach students important 21st-century “c words” skills.

21st Century Skills… Soft Skills? Say WHAAAT? - Part 2

So… how does one shift students from continual summer mode to 21st-century learning mode? How does a school create problem solvers and students who embrace a challenge? Why does the old way of teaching need to be re-examined? How does a school reinvent its purpose? (Cacth part 1 here!)

We’re all ‘digital natives’

I am a Head of Modern Languages, leading a large department. I use technology in my everyday teaching and I am an MIEExpert. That said, I do not claim to be some kind of guru who knows all the answers on how we can thoroughly prepare our students in 21st Century Learning Skills. And I’m not about to overload you with research. What follows is an opinion piece backed ...

The headteacher who made getting active a mission for the whole school

The benefits of physical activity are well known to teachers. Being physically active can lead to improvements in the classroom, such as increased self-esteem and better concentration levels, which then contribute to greater academic achievement. Yet, even with so many positive benefits, it can be a big challenge for teachers to prioritise physical activity every day. I’ve seen first-hand the benefits for my pupils, so I’ve made getting ...

21st Century Skills… Soft Skills? Say WHAAAT? - Part 1

This article is brought to you by the letter C. As I started drafting out how I would tackle writing about 21st Century Learning Skills (often referred to as the ‘5 Cs’ or ‘soft skills’), at the same time I am starting my summer holidays, (my last day of teaching was June 28th), Sesame Street popped into my head. I noticed that my summer mode was significantly different than my teaching ...

10 Nordic EdTech Stars

Nordic companies have exploded onto the global EdTech scene in recent years. The two inspiration articles accompanying this EdTech Guide seek to explore why Nordic EdTech companies are so innovative, and why Nordic schools are implementing EdTech so successfully. What is crystal clear is that there are so many Nordic EdTech stars. Here are ten that we keep hearing about for lots of exciting reasons.

Successful Edtech Usage in Finland – What’s the secret?

Finnish education and EdTech has always been an area of great interest to me. Of late, it has greatly influenced my professional journey - I’ve been doing a Masters in Education Entrepreneurship with a Finnish university for the last year, and I very recently moved to Finland to work in the education space. So, when Edtech Impact asked me for my reflections and views on why and how EdTech ...

A History of EdTech in Finland

In 2018 there were over 80 EdTech startups and 150 established EdTech related companies in Finland, a significant achievement from small beginnings in 2013. This article unpacks the factors behind this success story and how a country of 5.5 million people is able to punch well above its weight globally.

Prioritising mental wellbeing among pupils

Now, more than ever before, young people are highly prone to experiencing a mental health disorder, a statement that was confirmed by a recent NHS digital report into the mental health of young people in the UK. Katharine Sadler, Director at the National Centre for Social Research and contributor to the report, has also commented on the prevalence of mental health challenges in youth, describing the statistics as “significant.”

Is your music curriculum fit for the 21st century?

Music education often doesn’t reflect the reality of how young people are engaging with music in their spare time. 97% of young people listen to music every week; and two-thirds say they’re regularly making music. Despite this, around 93% of students in KS3 don’t choose music as a GCSE. These statistics say that classroom music isn’t resonating with many young musical people. We need to look for new ...

Journey for Social Change with STEAM

I have lived an incredible journey becoming an engineer for Rolls-Royce, street-dancer, and a public speaker. My journey wasn’t always smooth though, and at one point I failed every examination at university because of the problems in my life. That’s when I decided to go totally out of the box and learned to dance.

Eliminate Muda in your school

Teaching is one of the most noble, rewarding and gratifying professions you can choose, with an impact on our society that is immeasurable in its reach; however all of this has come with some small print in recent years.