In the Zone: Helping children rise to the challenge of learning [Paperback]

Mike Lansdown is a PGCE tutor and MA in education supervisor with the University of Buckinghams education department, a position he has held since retiring from his second headship in 2015. Prior to completing 18 years as a headteacher, he worked in London teaching in both the primary and secondary sectors. Before this, he taught English as a foreign language (EFL) in London and in Sweden, but started life as a teacher of geography, geology and PE.?He believes that engagement and enjoyment, mixed with creativity, inquisitiveness and a willingness to take risks, underpin great teaching and learning.

In the Zone?argues that challenge is an essential element of true learning, without which there can be no progress. It brings together supportive materials to encourage teachers to reflect on their present practice, take sensible risks with their teaching and understand the importance of enjoyment and engagement for both teachers and pupils.

Introduction 1. What is learning? 2. The zone and the importance of challenge 3. Attitudes to learning 4. Formative assessment 5. Memory and the learning brain 6. The terror of error 7. The hook 8. Creativity 9. Flow in learning 10. Questioning 11. Challenge and positive mental health

Easy to read, gripping and thoroughly thought provoking. In The Zone is not just a guide to teaching and learning, it comprehensively explores the pedagogy and theory behind specific ideas, with appropriate links to educational advice given today. Lansdown quite simply gets modern-day challenges in education. He does not preach, he inspires and encourages investigation into ones own practise. From personal experience he imparts tips and tricks for teachers at any stage  whether it be for modernising and refreshing teaching styles, or motivating trainees early in their teaching careers like myself.

The chapters are well lcM