Inquiry-based Learning

April 16, 2018

The MYP is all about inquiry-based learning but how much of it goes on in your diploma chemistry. ‘I don’t have enough time’ is a commonly heard sentence in workshops. ‘I can only just cover the content in the time I had, let alone fit in...

Concept-based Learning (CBL)

March 28, 2018

CBL or concept-based learning is (and has been) a real buzz word in IB circles. But what is concept-based learning and how can you bring it into the classroom? I am hoping that this month’s blog post will give you some ideas that will motivate you to find out more...

Visible Thinking Routines

February 26, 2018

We have just had some great INSET on ‘Visible Thinking Routines’.  To be honest, I thought this was going to be some complicated and difficult ‘new’ way of teaching things (apologies for my skepticism) but as the session went on I came to...

Differentiating Your Lessons

January 22, 2018

When I started teaching (22 years ago) differentiation was the buzz word. We had extensive lectures on it in my teacher training qualification, and the schools I carried out my teaching practice in were ensuring that all of their lessons were ‘fully differentiated’....

Teaching the Halogens: Some Ideas

January 1, 2018

How do you teach about the halogens? I am in the middle of teaching about them and thought it was worth telling you how I introduce the topic. I do like this topic as it provides lots of opportunities to link together parts of the course. Firstly, I will start with...

Teaching Equilibrium

December 6, 2017

I’ve just taught this topic and thought it was worth sharing my ideas as to how I introduced the topic and concept of equilibrium. Firstly, something worth considering before you launch into the topic is when do you teach it? In my opinion it needs to go after...