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"A tenacious idea isn't always a good idea!"
Watson, Fran Lewis, Simon
Watson, Fran
Lewis, Simon
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Authors
Editors
Date
2025
Educational Level
ISCED Level 0 Early childhood education
Curriculum Area
Geographical Setting
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Denmark
Denmark
Abstract
Context: This podcast episode, produced by Cambridge Mathematics, features a conversation with Simon Lewis, a nursery teacher and head of Early Years at a primary school in South London. The conversation delves into educational practices, the role of research in teaching, and reflections on early years education.
Aims: The episode aims to explore the meaning of educational research as interpreted by practitioners and discuss how it shapes their classroom practices. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding why certain methods or curricular elements are employed in Early Years education.
Methods: In this conversation, Simon shares personal insights, anecdotes and reflections on his experiences. He includes references to educational materials, statistical research findings and practices used in various teaching environments, including some from Scandinavian models such as Forest Schools.
Findings: Simon states that continuous reflection on educational practices is crucial, emphasising that traditional routines, such as compiling children's 'learning journeys', may cause unnecessary teacher stress while not effectively supporting learning. He reports that through conversations with peers and engagement with research, he challenged the status quo and identified practices that foster positive attitudes towards mathematics, resulting in greater enjoyment of maths lessons by both teachers and students.
Implications: Other educators might glean from this discussion the value of questioning established practices and employing research-based evidence to re-evaluate teaching methods. Simon's experience underlines the importance of adapting practices based on a collaborative dialogue among peers and integrating innovative approaches, which can lead to broader educational improvements in Early Years settings and enhance children's learning and practitioners' teaching experiences.
Description
Keywords
early years mathematics, educational research, teacher practice, curriculum development, classroom engagement, Forest Schools, evidence-informed teaching, professional curiosity, practitioner research