181: Challenging Learning with James Nottingham

James Nottingham is best-known for creating the Learning Pit, a world-renowned model for enhancing curiosity, determination and strategic thinking. He has been a teaching assistant, teacher and leader in schools across the 3-19 age range as well as founder of a multi-million-pound, award-winning social regeneration project to raise the aspirations and achievements of young people in north east England. In 2006, he created the company Challenging Learning, now employing 25 staff in six countries. He is author of 10 books for teachers, leaders and parents; is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an award granted for making outstanding achievements to social progress and development; and is included in the Future 500, a “definitive list of the UK’s most forward thinking and creative innovators”.

Om Podcasten

Do you feel the education system is sucking the life out of you and the pupils you serve? I think many of us wish we could click our fingers and make it fit for purpose. A place of growth with shared learning that empowers pupils to be their best selves, so they can create a world they want to inhabit now and in the future. While a magic wand or a visionary politician might sound like the answer I believe change is already happening. Educators are changing futures one conversation at a time. New technology and the environments where we learn are beginning to look different both in and out of the classroom. I hope you are seeing this first hand and are excited about what you can share with your pupils. We are having conversations, sharing organisations and communities that are supporting education in a way that you may have not experienced. Educational change will come from us all working in way that supports the best interests of each of our pupils, personalised learning. Governments and policy makers will follow when they see fully how it can be different. So let us teach, coach, mentor and create an environment that fuels every child with feedback, inspiration, resilience and empowerment. The Education on Fire community is shining the torch, so no matter where you are in the world or how you are supporting children this podcast is here for you. ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’