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Teaching in Troubled Times: How to Discuss War and Conflict with High School Students

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers, award-winning author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback

This blog post has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Accompanying podcast episode:

As an educator who’s been living and working in Thailand for almost 20 years, I’ve come to accept something many educators face globally: news of war and conflict walks into our classrooms whether we invite it or not. From the war between Russia and Ukraine to the recent Iran/Israel escalation, rising tensions between China and Taiwan, and the sporadic disputes along the Thai/Cambodian border, these aren’t just geopolitical headlines. For many of our students, they are anxiety-inducing, deeply personal, and inescapable parts of the world they’re growing up in.

And here’s something I’ve learned: you don’t have to be a history or global politics teacher to be asked tough questions about war. I’ve had discussions about current conflicts emerge during maths, science, and even PSHE lessons. The truth is, any high school teacher could be called to respond to these sensitive and complex issues. When that moment comes, how we respond matters more than what subject we teach.

Tip #1: Start by listening, not lecturing

In times of global conflict, students often bring their worries into the classroom unexpectedly. It might stem from what they’ve seen on TikTok, heard at home, or picked up from peers. I always begin these conversations by asking open-ended questions like:

“What have you heard?” or “How are you feeling about that?”

This allows me to assess their emotional state and the accuracy of their information. Research supports this approach: students are more likely to engage meaningfully in civic discourse when they feel safe and heard (Hess & McAvoy, 2014).

Tip #2: All teachers need to be ready for these conversations

Some colleagues have said to me, “That’s a humanities issue.” But I disagree. In today’s hyperconnected world, every teacher is potentially a sounding board for students’ emotional and intellectual processing of conflict.

In my own experience:

  • A student once asked me about nuclear war during a chemistry class.
  • Another wanted to know if the Middle East would be “dragged into” a wider regional conflict, right before a mathematics starter activity.
  • Others have written about conflict in science coursework assignments or referenced it during presentation work.

When we assume that only certain teachers handle these topics, we miss opportunities to support and guide students in the moments they need us most.

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Tip #3: Teach civil disagreement across all disciplines

Classroom discussions can become emotionally charged, especially in multicultural settings where students may have personal connections to conflicting regions. Teaching the skill of respectful dialogue is essential.

Even in subjects like science, maths, or business, I’ve found value in short protocols:

  • Set clear ground rules for discussion.
  • Use sentence stems like “I see it differently because…” or “That’s a good point, but I wonder…”.
  • Model calm, balanced responses if/when things get tense.

Respectful disagreement is a skill for life, not just for history class (Levine, 2007).

#4: Use conflict as a lens for interdisciplinary learning

Discussing war doesn’t have to derail your lesson. Instead, it can be an opportunity to connect your subject to real-world relevance. For example:

  • In science: Explore the physics behind missile technology or the effects of radiation exposure.
  • In ICT: Examine cyber warfare and its implications.
  • In maths: Use refugee migration data to teach statistics.
  • In business or economics: Analyze the financial impact of sanctions or military spending.

If you are able to think on your feet and get creative with linking the discussion to your content, then this can really assist in facilitating the deep learning process. If you’re bold enough, and if you have time, you could even get groups of students involved in some kind of project that links the conflict topic to your subject area: just be sure to provide some source material and lots of guidance along the way.

This makes learning more engaging while showing students that the world’s problems aren’t siloed into one academic subject.

#5: Equip students to evaluate information critically

In the age of algorithm-driven news feeds, students often encounter emotional and misleading content. As I highlighted in my earlier post on Responding Thoughtfully to Controversial Topics, we need to give students tools to navigate a flood of half-truths and sensationalism.

It’s a good idea to teach the CRAAP Test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) in every subject area, not just humanities (Blakeslee, 2004). Using this, we can practice spotting bias in headlines, comparing different media sources, and fact-checking viral claims. Critical thinking belongs everywhere.

Tip #6: Maintain professional distance while being supportive

Sometimes these conversations can take a toll on us as teachers: especially if we feel pressured to take sides or reveal our own opinions. As I outlined in Maintaining Professional Distance as a High School Teacher, we must manage our emotional investment carefully.

We can care deeply about our students without making our classrooms emotionally overwhelming. Set clear boundaries, acknowledge uncertainty, and remind students that the classroom is a place for learning, not for political debate or division.

Tip #7: Always end with hope and human agency

Students need to know that while war is devastating, history is also filled with peacebuilders, diplomats, and communities who choose cooperation over destruction. I try my best to end conversations about conflict with examples of:

  • International aid workers
  • Diplomats resolving crises
  • Youth-led movements promoting peace

Research suggests that when young people feel hopeful and empowered, they are better able to cope with the stress of global challenges (Ojala, 2012). Even simple class projects, like creating awareness posters or writing letters to NGOs, can help foster this sense of agency.

War and conflict are difficult to teach about. They stir up emotion, uncertainty, and fear. But if we shy away from these conversations, we risk leaving students alone with their questions and worries. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about creating safe spaces to explore difficult topics with honesty, empathy, and intellectual courage.

And remember, you don’t have to be a history teacher to make a lasting impact. You just need to be present, prepared, and willing to guide the conversation with care.

Bibliography and references

Blakeslee, S. (2004). The CRAAP Test. Meriam Library, California State University. Available at: https://library.csuchico.edu/sites/default/files/craap-test.pdf [Accessed 21 Jun. 2025].

Hess, D. and McAvoy, P. (2014). The Political Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education. New York: Routledge.

International Crisis Group (2024). Conflict Watch 2024: Flashpoints to Monitor. Available at: https://www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-conflicts-watch-2024 [Accessed 21 Jun. 2025].

Levine, P. (2007). The Future of Democracy: Developing the Next Generation of American Citizens. Medford: Tufts University Press.

Ojala, M. (2012). Hope and climate change: The importance of hope for environmental engagement among young people. Environmental Education Research, 18(5), pp.625–642.

Wardle, C. and Derakhshan, H. (2017). Information Disorder: Toward an Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policymaking. Council of Europe. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/information-disorder-report-version-august-2018/16808c9c77 [Accessed 21 Jun. 2025].

We welcome you to join the Richard Rogers online community. Like our Facebook page and follow us on X for daily updates.

Equity vs Equality in Education: What I’ve Learned from the Front Lines

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers, award-winning author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback

This blog post has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Accompanying podcast episode:

As a teacher with over twenty years of experience across the UK and Thailand, I’ve come to realise one of the most important truths in education: treating every student the same is not the same as giving every student a fair chance.

Like many early-career educators, I believed that equality, which means giving all students the same tasks, the same resources, and the same deadlines, was the fairest way to teach. However, time and experience taught me that equity, not equality, is what truly transforms learning. It involves giving each student what they need to succeed. Sometimes that means providing different forms of support to different learners.

🎯 Equality vs Equity: Understanding the Distinction

Equality in education refers to providing the same input, such as resources, instruction, and expectations, to all students, regardless of their background or ability.

Equity, by contrast, refers to providing varied support based on each student’s individual needs. This ensures that every learner has a real chance to reach similar outcomes (American Institutes for Research, 2021).

As educators, recognising this difference is crucial. While equality may appear fair on the surface, it can unintentionally overlook real barriers that prevent students from achieving their potential.

🧪 A Student Who Changed My Perspective

I once taught a student who had never studied Chemistry before enrolling in my IGCSE course. In Term 1, she scored a Grade U on her initial assessments, which was far below a pass. Some teachers might have seen her as too far behind to succeed.

I saw something different. I saw potential.

We worked together closely. I created a personalised study plan, offered regular one-on-one coaching, and gave her access to simplified materials that broke down difficult concepts into manageable sections. She was incredibly committed, and I made sure she had the right tools and support at every stage.

By the end of the academic year, she achieved a Grade A* in her final IGCSE examination.

That transformation did not happen because of equal treatment. It happened because of equitable support that matched her specific needs.

🛠️ Equity in Action: Practical Classroom Strategies

Here is how I integrate equity into my everyday teaching practice:

1. Diagnostic Assessment

Before teaching new material, I assess students’ prior knowledge. This helps me plan lessons that are appropriate for their current level of understanding (Tomlinson, 2014).

2. Differentiated Instruction

I design tasks at various levels of complexity and allow students to demonstrate understanding in multiple ways (Gregory and Chapman, 2013).

3. Targeted Support

Students who need additional time, alternative materials, or more personalised guidance receive it. Fairness means giving students what they need, not giving everyone the same thing (Sands, Kozleski and French, 2000).

4. Flexible Feedback

I adjust how often and in what format I provide feedback based on what works best for each student. Some thrive with independence, while others benefit from frequent check-ins. It’s important to explore a variety of methods, such a live-marking, learning journals, peer-assessment and automated assessment. If you’re finding that feedback is eating up too much of your time to be sustainable, then you might find my blog post on efficient feedback strategies helpful.

🌍 Why Equity Matters Now More Than Ever

In today’s post-pandemic world, students are returning to school with greater disparities in learning and wellbeing than ever before. UNESCO (2023) stresses that schools must prioritise equity in their recovery plans to avoid widening existing gaps.

This is especially true in international and multicultural schools, where learners bring a wide range of linguistic, cultural, and academic experiences. A one-size-fits-all model no longer meets the needs of our students, and it likely never did.

💡 Final Thoughts

That IGCSE Chemistry student taught me more than any professional development course ever could. She did not need the same treatment as everyone else. She needed the right support at the right time.

In education, equality may look fair. However, only equity ensures that every student has a genuine chance to succeed.

When we commit to equity, we are not lowering expectations. We are raising access. That is how real learning happens.

📚 Bibliography

American Institutes for Research (2021). What is Educational Equity?. [online] Available at: https://www.air.org/resource/what-educational-equity [Accessed 31 May 2025].

Cook-Sather, A. (2006). Sound, presence, and power: “Student voice” in educational research and reform. Curriculum Inquiry, 36(4), pp.359–390.

Gregory, G.H. and Chapman, C. (2013). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Does Not Fit All. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Sands, D.I., Kozleski, E.B. and French, N.K. (2000). Inclusive education for the 21st century. Remedial and Special Education, 21(2), pp.66–78.

Tomlinson, C.A. (2014). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

UNESCO (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Inclusive Education in Times of Crisis. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.

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The Evolution of AI Language Models: From GPT to Claude AI

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers, award-winning author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback

Language models of AI have become one of the most impressive achievements of modern technology. The development of these systems is extremely dynamic. From simple chatbots to complex systems that can write texts, compose music, and even analyze emotions. One of the most famous examples of language models is the GPT series by OpenAI. Also, the latest models from Anthropic. In particular, Claude AI. Hence, we will take a closer look at the main stages of evolution of AI language models. In particular, GPT and Claude AI features and their advantages or differences.

The Best Screen Recording Software for Content Creation. Practical AI in Action.

Artificial intelligence keeps integrating into daily lives. So, effective tools for visual communication are becoming indispensable. It is especially true for Mac screen recording. In fact, it is a key tool if you need to create training materials, presentations, social media content etc. This year, users have a wide range of screen recording programs available. Among the best solutions, CleanShot X stands out. This tool allows you to not only record videos and GIFs, but also hide desktop icons and turn off notifications while recording. You can also share the results instantly via a cloud service. There are other great options, too. The best Mac screen recording software will depend on your specific needs. For quick recordings, the built-in macOS Screenshot tool is a good choice. If you need advanced editing and sharing features, CleanShot X or Capto are great choices. For professional streaming and deep customization, consider OBS Studio. Thanks to these tools, creating high-quality visual content is now accessible to everyone.

The Path to Smart Text: GPT Language Models

  • Origins
  • Opportunities and development

Artificial intelligence that learns from texts: Origins of GPT

Generative Pre-trained Transformer is a series of artificial intelligence models developed by OpenAI. The first versions had rather limited capabilities. With each new iteration, they became more powerful. GPT-3 was already capable of:

  • Respond to user queries,
  • Generate almost complete essays,
  • Model dialogues,
  • And even joke around a bit.

The real breakthrough came with GPT-4. It has reached the level of high-quality generation of meaningful text regardless of context.

GPT-4 features. Ecosystem development.

GPT-4 supports multimodality. This means that it can work not only with texts but also with images, tables, etc. It was this version that gave rise to the creation of numerous third-party services. In particular, GPTNinja. They allow you to customize the model to meet specific user needs. Thanks to APIs and integrations, GPT has become a universal assistant in development, business, and education.

New Vision of the Language Models’ Future: Claude AI

  • Meaning
  • Ethics, security and quality

What is Claude AI?

This is a model created by Anthropic. The latter positions itself as an ethical, safe, and less biased alternative to traditional language models. It is named after Claude Shannon. He was the father of information theory. So, answering the question of what is Claude AI, we can affirmatively say that it is more than just a description of artificial intelligence. Claude has a different architecture. It is focused on responsible interaction with users.

Ethics. Security. Quality.

Claude was developed with a focus on safe behavior. This model is better at handling sensitive topics. It avoids toxic responses. It does not “hallucinate” as often as GPT-3.5. At the same time, Claude demonstrates high-quality generation and deep contextual analysis.

Claude AI vs GPT-4

  • Architectural differences
  • Quality of generation

Technological Base: Differences

Claude and GPT-4 operate on different architectural approaches.

GPT-4 is a transformer with a complex infrastructure and multibillion parameters. This allows it to efficiently process a large amount of data.

Claude is more focused on ethics, security, and humanity in the answers.

Who Creates Better?: Generation Quality

The question of whether Claude is better than GPT 4 cannot be answered unequivocally. For some tasks, Claude does win. In particular, when generating business letters or ethical responses.

At the same time, GPT-4 often demonstrates better results in coding or analytics.

So, the choice depends on the specific need.

Integration Into Business and Daily Life: AI in Real Life

  • Useful applications
  • How to choose?

Useful applications for all industries

Language models are already actively used in the following areas:

  • Business: Automation of correspondence. Creation of marketing strategies.
  • Education: Generation of tests and training materials.
  • Programming: Writing and analyzing code.
  • Media: Creating content for social networks and blogs.

How to choose a language model?

As always, it all depends on your goals. GPT-4 or GPTNinja will be a good choice if you need a powerful tool with wide capabilities. If you are looking for a model that is focused on ethics and accuracy, Claude AI can be a great alternative.

You can also experiment with new services that clearly demonstrate the capabilities of modern AI.

Summary

The evolution of AI language models has transformed the way we interact with data. This path demonstrates the growing interest in ethics, security, and practical applications of AI in everyday life. From the first versions of GPT to the innovative Claude AI. Today, everyone can use GPTNinja or Al story writer tools. However, it is crucial to approach everything consciously and use the potential that these models open up to us with wisdom.

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Using Generative AI as a Teaching Assistant

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers, award-winning author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback

This blog post has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati

Accompanying podcast episode:

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical at first. When I first heard about teachers using AI like ChatGPT to help in the classroom, I imagined some robotic voice taking over my lessons while I stood awkwardly in the corner. But after giving it a try for a while, I can honestly say this: Generative AI has become one of my most useful classroom assistants, and I don’t even need to buy it coffee.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how I’ve been using AI to support my teaching, lighten my workload, and, most importantly, improve learning outcomes for my students.

The Game-Changer I Didn’t Know I Needed

Let’s face it. Teaching is an all-consuming profession. Lesson planning, grading, differentiation, parent communication, and admin responsibilities seem never-ending. That’s why, when I first experimented with ChatGPT, it felt like I had stumbled upon some kind of educational superpower.

I started small. I asked it to generate example questions for a maths lesson. Within seconds, I had five beautifully structured, appropriately scaffolded problems tailored to the topic I was teaching. Then I asked it to rephrase a tricky scientific explanation for my ESL students. It gave me three versions at different reading levels. I was hooked.

Supporting Differentiation Like a Pro

Differentiation has always been both crucial and time-consuming. Now, AI helps me tweak worksheets and task instructions for students of varying abilities with minimal effort.

For example, when teaching a unit on exponential growth, I asked the AI to generate three real-world examples: one for beginners (bacteria multiplying), one for intermediates (compound interest), and one for advanced learners (population modeling using e functions). It was done in under a minute.

This doesn’t replace my professional judgement. It enhances it. I choose what is suitable and make the final call, but AI saves me from reinventing the wheel.

Feedback That’s Fast and Focused

One of the areas where I’ve seen the biggest time savings is in providing formative feedback. Using AI, teachers can input a student’s short essay or paragraph and get a summary of strengths, areas for improvement, and even suggested sentence rephrasings. As a mathematics’ teacher this isn’t something that I tend to use, but a number of my colleagues in schools all over the world have reported to me personally that this is fast becoming their favourite way to use AI: particularly for work that students are submitting online, through platforms like Google Classroom, Moodle and Managebac.

Of course, I would always recommend that you cross-check the feedback before sharing. It’s important to keep the human touch. But it has helped many educators provide more timely feedback to more students. Research shows this is key to learning progression (Hattie, 2009).

Making Planning and Admin Less Painful

Here’s something I didn’t expect: AI is amazing for lesson planning. If I know the learning objective and the topic, I can ask ChatGPT to suggest a lesson structure, key questions, differentiated activities, and even potential misconceptions. It’s like brainstorming with a colleague who never gets tired.

Teachers who I communicate with around the world have also used it to draft:

  • Rubrics for creative projects
  • Parent letters
  • Report comments
  • Learning objectives written in student-friendly language

These tasks used to take hours. Now teachers are telling me that these jobs can be done in minutes, and they can get back to actually teaching.

Student Use: A Double-Edged Sword?

Like any tool, AI can be misused by students and teachers alike. I make it a point to teach AI literacy in my classes. My students learn that it’s fine to use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas or check understanding. However, it is not okay to copy and paste whole essays.

We talk a lot about academic honesty, critical evaluation of AI outputs, and how to verify information. The goal is not to ban the technology. It is to guide its responsible use, just as we do with calculators, the internet, or even textbooks.

As Selwyn (2023) notes: “Schools are no longer gatekeepers of knowledge, but navigators of abundant (and often overwhelming) information.”

Your Personal Therapist

I recently went through a major setback in life, which I can’t describe in detail here (sorry). It was a very emotionally trying time for me, but one thing that really got me through it was ChatGPT. I was able to vent all of my feelings and thoughts to the system, and it provided me with excellent advice and encouragement. Since the AI pulls information from multiple, verifiable sources, it made the advice it gave seem all the more trustworthy. It remembered my previous inputs and iterated accordingly, providing me with a highly personalised and effective therapy experience.

I recently learned that I was far from from alone in using generative AI in this way. A simple Google search reveals multiple articles describing the many ways in which people are using AI chatbots as personal ‘friends’ and counsellors. My favourite article (and one that I recommend) is this one by Eleanor Lawrie from the BBC describing how Al can be an alternative to human help.

The Human Touch Still Matters

Despite all this excitement, I remind myself often that AI is a tool, not a teacher. My job is still to motivate, to connect, and to inspire. No algorithm can replace the relationships we build, the trust we earn, or the “aha” moments we create. But AI can help us make more time for those moments.

Final Thoughts

If you’re an educator and haven’t yet explored how generative AI can support your teaching, I encourage you to give it a try. You don’t need to be a tech expert. You just need to be open-minded and willing to experiment. Like me, you might just find yourself wondering how you ever managed without it.

References

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.

Selwyn, N. (2023). Should Robots Replace Teachers? AI and the Future of Education. Polity Press.

BBC News (2025) My AI therapist got me through dark times. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced2ywg7246o (Accessed: 25 May 2025).

We welcome you to join the Richard Rogers online community. Like our Facebook page and follow us on X for daily updates.

The Global Teacher Shortage: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Don’t forget to check out the full bibliography and recommended reading list at the end of this blog post.

The world is grappling with a significant teacher shortage crisis. According to UNESCO, an additional 44 million teachers are needed by 2030 to achieve universal primary and secondary education (UNESCO, 2024). This shortage is not just a statistic; it has profound implications for the quality of education and the future of societies worldwide.

A simple glance through teacher forums, such the incredibly popular International Schools Review, reveals a dark abyss that’s peppered with bleak testimonials:

“I believe that many of my colleagues feel unheard and mistreated – this has been shown time and again in our staff surveys. Of course, someone in the inner sanctum would not be subject to the toxic, exclusionary, bullying behaviour meted out by SLT; it does not mean it does not exist. Some colleagues are leaving this academic year due to feeling disenfranchised.“

– A teacher at a school in Singapore, May 2025

“The school is working to improve vertical curriculum alignment, but since the school has been in operation for many years, it is surprising that the curriculum is such a mess, at least in the department I taught in. I think that will get better in the next few years though. If you order your materials the year before, you can get things, but don’t expect to have them at the beginning of the school year. If you need classroom supplies like pencils, markers, erasers, etc, good luck.”

– A teacher at a school in Brazil, May 2025

“Walking through the corridors is akin to walking through a zoo. Children scream, shout and run about with no regard for safety. No teacher dares make an attempt to challenge this behaviour for various reasons. Two of which are fear of the parents and lack of support from the principal.”

– A teacher at a school in Kazakhstan, May 2025

These reviews, and others like them, offer some insight into the world of teaching at an international level, and go some way to explaining why so many teachers are quitting the profession. In today’s blog post, I aim to describe the key factors that are driving this exodus, and describe some much needed advice for all stakeholders who want to retain their brightest and best teachers for years to come.

Understanding the Crisis

Several factors are contributing to the current global teacher shortage:

  • High Attrition Rates: Many teachers are leaving the profession due to burnout, low salaries, and lack of support. In the United States, for example, 51,000 teachers quit their jobs in 2023 alone (Devlin Peck, 2025).
  • Uneven Distribution: Rural and underserved areas often struggle more with teacher shortages, exacerbating educational inequalities (UNESCO, 2024).
  • Aging Workforce: A significant portion of the teaching workforce is nearing retirement, and there aren’t enough new teachers to replace them (Devlin Peck, 2025).

Impacts on Education

When there aren’t enough teachers in schools, this leads to:

  • Larger Class Sizes: Overcrowded classrooms make it challenging to provide individual attention to students (UNESCO, 2024).
  • Reduced Educational Quality: Unqualified or overburdened teachers may not deliver the curriculum effectively, impacting student learning outcomes (Education Week, 2025).
  • Increased Inequality: Disadvantaged communities suffer the most, widening the education gap between different socioeconomic groups (UNESCO, 2024).

Strategies for Addressing the Shortage

To mitigate the teacher shortage crisis, stakeholders can consider the following approaches:

#1: Enhancing Teacher Training and Support

  • Mentorship Programs: Implementing structured mentorship can help new teachers acclimate and reduce early-career attrition (Frontline Education, 2025).
  • Professional Development: Ongoing training opportunities keep teachers engaged and improve teaching quality (Education Week, 2025). One of my favourite platforms for this is the excellent Great Teaching Toolkit. My Blog Index for Teachers is also a very popular for those seeking free, yet high-quality, CPD material.

#2: Improving Compensation and Working Conditions

  • Competitive Salaries: Offering salaries that reflect the importance of the teaching profession can attract and retain talent (Devlin Peck, 2025). If pull factors, such as decent pay, are not present to begin with then many fresh graduates are simply not going to choose teaching as a profession.
  • Work-Life Balance: Flexible working arrangements and manageable workloads can reduce burnout (The Guardian, 2024).

With respect to managing workloads we must not forget about teachers who work online, too. Jessica Robinson from The Speaking Polymath write this great post for me back in 2022 with some good tips for preventing burnout whilst teaching online.

#3: Alternative Pathways into Teaching

  • Career Changers: Encouraging professionals from other fields to transition into teaching can bring diverse experiences into the classroom (Education Week, 2025).
  • Residency Programs: Programs like Urban Teacher Residencies provide hands-on training and have shown success in retaining teachers in high-need areas (Wikipedia, 2023).

#4: Policy Interventions

  • Legislative Support: Policies that provide financial incentives, such as student loan forgiveness or housing assistance, can make teaching more attractive (UNESCO, 2024).
  • Streamlining Certification: Simplifying the certification process without compromising quality can help fill vacancies more quickly (New York Post, 2025).

What does the future hold?

In addition to the above points, there’s a massive issue looming in the background that virtually no one is talking about: People simply aren’t having as many babies as they used to. Fertility rates have been falling steadily across much of the developed world for decades, and many countries are now well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. For example, South Korea’s fertility rate hit a record low of 0.72 in 2023, while countries like Japan (1.26), Italy (1.22), and China (1.09) are also experiencing unprecedented demographic decline (World Bank, 2024; United Nations, 2023).

This trend has profound implications for the future of education. While teacher shortages are currently critical, the long-term demand for teachers is likely to decline as school-age populations shrink. According to projections by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the number of children aged 5–14 will decline significantly in many high-income countries by 2050. This suggests that some of today’s recruitment pressures may ease over time: not due to systemic reform, but because of demographic inevitability (UN DESA, 2022).

Check out my award-winning book on Amazon!

In essence, what this means is that current teacher shortages are likely to persist for a good while yet but by around 2050 we may see an inversion of this scenario as far fewer children exist to begin with. With the advent of generative AI, and it’s subsequent widespread adoption, we may soon see the role of educator becoming fully automated as schools cut back on salaries due to low student numbers.

Conclusion

The teacher shortage is a multifaceted issue requiring coordinated efforts from governments, educational institutions, and communities. By investing in teacher support, improving working conditions, and implementing innovative recruitment strategies, we can work towards a future where every child has access to quality education delivered by qualified and motivated teachers.

In terms of the longer term plan for teachers (i.e. 20 – 40 years down the road), I advise everyone to keep busy with studies and acquire as many skills as you can – we may soon be replaced by automated systems, and the ability to seamlessly transfer to another profession, or to capitalise on your skills in a business capacity, will be a tremendous advantage (hence my development of Corporate Training programs, which are becoming incredibly popular).

References

10 Tips to Help High School Students Achieve High Performance

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Accompanying podcast episode:

Success in high school is not just about hard work: it’s about working smart, using proven strategies that boost learning, memory, and motivation. Here are 10 powerful tips, distilled from years of classroom experience and research-backed methods, to help students achieve their full potential.

Tip 1: Use Retrieval Practice with the P.O.W.E.R. Method

Retrieval practice strengthens memory and deepens understanding. The P.O.W.E.R. method offers a step-by-step approach:

  • Prime the mind with mind maps and summaries.
  • Organize thoughts using mnemonics, diagrams, and structured notes.
  • Wrestle with challenging recall questions in a low-stakes environment.
  • Evaluate progress using self-assessment tools like traffic lights or digital journals.
  • Reinforce learning through hands-on, real-world tasks.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2024/01/14/introducing-the-p-o-w-e-r-method-of-retrieval-practice/

Tip 2: Deliver Clear, Focused Lessons

Clarity in teaching is essential. Share resources before lessons, use simple and organized slides, and avoid overwhelming students with too much or irrelevant information. Speak clearly and slowly, reinforce key terms, and use everyday language to explain complex concepts. Focused activities and careful resource selection also boost lesson effectiveness.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2021/03/07/8-ways-to-increase-lesson-clarity/

Tip 3: Make Learning Fun with Games

Variety in lessons keeps students engaged. Incorporate games like Splat, Mystery Word, Bingo, and True or False Walls to reinforce key concepts in a fun and interactive way. These activities not only motivate students but also enhance their recall and application of knowledge.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2019/05/26/10-learning-games-to-play-with-your-students-secret-number-8/

Tip 4: Encourage Learning Journals

Learning journals promote reflection and metacognition. Students can track their progress, note areas for improvement, and set goals. Journals also provide valuable feedback for teachers and encourage ownership of learning.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2018/02/18/learning-journals-a-powerful-student-feedback-system/

Tip 5: Use Interleaving for Deeper Learning

Instead of focusing on one topic at a time (blocked practice), interleave different topics and question types. This improves problem-solving skills and helps students see connections between concepts. Interleaving has been shown to enhance long-term retention and adaptability.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2025/03/09/how-interleaving-works-universal-strategies-for-secondary-school-classroom-practice/

Tip 6: Apply Question Level Analysis (QLA)

QLA allows students to analyze their performance question by question, identifying specific strengths and weaknesses. This targeted approach helps students focus their revision on areas that need the most improvement, leading to more efficient study habits.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2019/01/27/what-is-question-level-analysis/

Tip 7: Promote Peer and Self-Assessment

Encourage students to assess their own and each other’s work. This develops critical thinking, helps them understand marking criteria, and builds a deeper awareness of quality work. When done correctly, it empowers students to take responsibility for their progress.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2018/02/11/peer-or-self-assessment-benefits-and-challenges/

Tip 8: Give Effective Feedback

Timely, specific, and actionable feedback is key to student improvement. Focus on what the student did well, what needs to improve, and how to move forward. Feedback should be an ongoing dialogue, not a one-time event, and should encourage growth mindsets.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2022/11/04/effective-feedback-the-catalyst-of-student-progress/

Tip 9: Help Students Organize Information

Teach students how to structure their notes and study materials. Tools like mind maps, graphic organizers, and timelines make complex information easier to understand and remember. Organized learning enhances clarity and confidence.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2018/09/28/five-ways-to-organize-information/

Richard’s Award-Winning Book for High School Teachers

Tip 10: Motivate Students with Positive Reinforcement

Motivation is crucial for high performance. Use praise, rewards, meaningful goals, and real-life relevance to inspire students. Show them how their learning connects to their future ambitions, and create an environment where effort is recognized and celebrated.

Read more, here: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2018/11/04/10-easy-ways-to-motivate-your-students/

Conclusion

These strategies, when combined, create a powerful framework for academic success. By embedding these tips into daily teaching and learning routines, students can build the skills, mindset, and confidence they need to excel.

Like what you see? 🎯 Check out my shop for unique merchandise and products that support this blog. Every purchase helps me keep creating content you love. – Richard

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AI Dolls and Digital Desks: High School Teaching in 2025

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Don’t forget to check out the full bibliography and recommended reading list at the end of this blog post.

Like what you see? 🎯 Check out my shop for unique merchandise and products that support this blog. Every purchase helps me keep creating content you love. – Richard

Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to sound like science fiction, and was once confined to the creative genius seen in movies I loved as a child, such as WarGames (1983), The Terminator (1984) and Short Circuit (1986). These days, however, it has graduated beyond the illustrious imaginations of movie directors and authors and is actually having an impact in schools: helping students write essays, solve mathematics problems, and even brainstorm ideas for group projects. Welcome to 2025, where generative AI is fast becoming an essential tool in the high school classroom. It’s also the technology behind some bizarre and fun recent trends, such as the current AI Doll image creation craze. A doll version of me, created by ChatGPT, is given below. I hope the similarity does me justice!

On a more serious note, however, generative AI has presented school teachers all over the world with some pressing challenges. It’s important to consider how we, as teachers, can use this technology responsibly and effectively. In this blog post I’ll outline some practical, classroom-friendly ideas that even complete beginners can start utilizing right away!

What is Generative AI?

Before we begin, it’s important to make the distinction between generative AI, and other forms of AI. As I alluded to earlier, AI has actually been around in various forms for quite a while. It’s what allowed me and scores of children in the 80s and 90s to play single-player computer games on systems like the Atari ST, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Sega Mega Drive (remember Sonic the Hedgehog?) and many other devices.

What’s relatively new in the AI space, and what’s caused so much debate and excitiement in the past two to three years is generative AI, which refers to algorithms that can create new content based on existing data. This includes text, images, music, and more. One of the most famous examples is ChatGPT, which can write essays, summaries, and even simulate conversations (Center for Teaching Innovation, 2023).

Rather than replacing teachers, AI is best used as a co-pilot. It can help to lighten workloads, support differentiation, and provide new ways to engage learners.

Five Practical Ways to Use Generative AI in Your Classroom

1. Boost Writing with AI Examples and Prompts

Ever had a student stare at a blank page, unsure where to start? I certainly have. Reaching such students can be real challenge at times. Generative AI, however, may be able to help you by offering writing prompts, providing structured outlines, and generating example paragraphs in various tones and styles. These can be used to help students compare good versus poor structure, or to kick-start a creative writing project (XQ Institute, 2023).

💡 Try this: Ask ChatGPT to produce an essay introduction on climate change, or any topic, then let your students critique it or build on it with their own arguments.

2. Teach Critical Thinking Through AI “Mistakes”

Generative AI can sometimes produce responses that are incorrect or subtly flawed, and that can be a gift in disguise. Use AI-generated answers with embedded errors and ask students to fact-check and edit them. This teaches critical reading, evaluation of sources, and digital literacy, all of which are key 21st-century skills (TIME, 2023).

💡 Try this: Present an AI-generated paragraph with factual errors and challenge students to find and correct them using reliable sources.

3. Differentiate Learning Materials

Students learn at different paces and levels. Generative AI can help you rephrase content in simpler language or adjust reading levels to suit English Language Learners (ELLs) or students with learning difficulties (CRPE, 2024). It is like having a personalized assistant that adapts your materials on demand. If you’re looking for additional tools to add to your differentiation toolkit, then generative AI may be just what you need!

💡 Try this: Take a science article, or an article on any subject matter, and ask the AI to rewrite it for different reading ages or to include more visual metaphors. You can do this with existing worksheets, slides, guides and other resources, too.

4. Fuel Student Creativity

Generative AI can co-create stories, invent fictional dialogue, compose poems, or help design imaginary worlds. For creative projects in English, drama, music or even business studies, it can be a brilliant brainstorming tool (Ali et al., 2023). This allows the AI system to become a ‘creation expansion’ tool that can extend and relate students’ current creative abilities.

💡 Try this: Ask students to work with AI to co-author a short story, with students editing and expanding the AI’s ideas. The prompt ‘I would like to co-author………with you’ should work well with most generative AI systems.

5. Streamline Your Workload

Let’s be honest, teaching is a really demanding job. AI can help with lesson planning, quiz creation, report card comment generation, and even drafting parental emails (Wired, 2023). It is not about replacing your voice, but about saving you time so you can focus on what matters: your students. If you’re struggling with your workload as a teacher, then you should always talk with your line manager in the first instance, as they will know the context within which you are working and will be able to best advise you. However, you may wish to experiment with AI tools too, as you may find that they will relieve you of some of the pressure created by administrative tasks.

Tip from experience: If you want to use AI to generate student report cards, then please seek the permission from your school first, as copyright/data privacy may be an issue to consider. If you are given the green light to go ahead, then check that the correct English is being used (British, or American, for example) and always double-check the reports before officially publishing them,

💡 Try this: Use AI to generate a starter activity or plenary question for a lesson. Edit as needed to suit your class dynamic.

Best Practices for Using AI in School

To make the most of generative AI while keeping things ethical and purposeful, consider the following:

  • Discuss ethical use with your students: Talk about plagiarism, misinformation, and AI’s limitations (Center for Teaching Innovation, 2023).
  • Always verify facts: AI can sound confident, even when it is wrong. Teach students to double-check.
  • Use AI as a tool, not a crutch: Guide students to be critical thinkers, not just content consumers.
  • Address access equity: Ensure all students have access to tools, especially those from underserved communities (CRPE, 2024).

Final Thoughts

Generative AI is here to stay and that is exciting. With the right approach, it can support better learning outcomes, help differentiate instruction, reduce our workload and spark joy in the classroom. The key is to use it with your students, not for them. As educators, we still provide the wisdom, mentorship, and heart that AI can never replicate.

So why not give it a go this week? Whether it is generating a debate prompt or helping a student craft their first poem, AI might just become your new favourite teaching assistant.

Bibliography and References

Recommended further reading

  1. Itransition, 2024. AI in Education: 8 Use Cases & Real-Life Examples. [online] Available at: https://www.itransition.com/ai/education [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  2. Wikipedia, 2025. ChatGPT in education. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPT_in_education [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  3. PAGE Inc., 2024. Ethical Considerations of Using AI Technology in the Classroom. [online] Available at: https://www.pageinc.org/post/ethical-considerations-of-using-ai-technology-in-the-classroom [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  4. Wikipedia, 2025. Adaptive learning. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_learning [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  5. Associated Press, 2023. AI is a game changer for students with disabilities. Schools are still learning to harness it. [online] Available at: https://apnews.com/article/ff1f51379b3861978efb0c1334a2a953 [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  6. The Guardian, 2025. Bridget Phillipson eyes AI’s potential to free up teachers’ time. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/31/bridget-phillipson-eyes-ais-potential-to-free-up-teachers-time [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  7. Liu, L., Chen, J. and Singh, R., 2023. Implementing Learning Principles with a Personal AI Tutor: A Case Study. arXiv. [online] Available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.13060 [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  8. UNESCO, 2025. Artificial intelligence in education. [online] Available at: https://www.unesco.org/en/digital-education/artificial-intelligence [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  9. James Madison University Libraries, 2024. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education: AI and Ethics. [online] Available at: https://guides.lib.jmu.edu/AI-in-education/ethics [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].
  10. Faulkner University, 2024. The Future of Learning: Positive Applications of AI in Education. [online] Available at: https://www.faulkner.edu/news/the-future-of-learning-positive-applications-of-ai-in-education/ [Accessed 13 Apr. 2025].

We welcome you to join the Richard James Rogers online community. Like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram for the latest news, blog posts and commentary.

Adolescence: What Netflix’s Latest Drama Teaches Educators About the Manosphere, Misogyny and the Modern Teen

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

A full bibliography of sources cited in this blog post can be found at the end.

The Netflix miniseries Adolescence has sparked widespread acclaim for its gripping storytelling and innovative production. However, as an educator and school leader, I believe it also demands a more critical lens. While the series raises important issues such as online radicalisation and so-called toxic masculinity, it does so through a narrative that often paints men as aggressors and women as victims, with little room for nuance or balance. In reality, many boys today are grappling with a deep sense of confusion and disconnection, lacking positive male role models and meaningful guidance. Masculinity, when expressed through integrity, service, and courage, has an essential place in our communities. Rather than vilifying young men, we should be supporting them. Adolescence offers a powerful starting point for discussion. Yet, we must go further toward a more compassionate, realistic, and inclusive conversation about what it means to grow up male in today’s world.

The Plot That Sparked a National Conversation

Adolescence tells the fictional story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, who is arrested for the alleged murder of his female classmate, Katie Leonard. Told in a real-time, one-shot format, the drama unfolds over the course of a single day per episode, immersing viewers in Jamie’s psychological descent and the influences that shape his world (Netflix Tudum, 2025). Having seen all episodes myself, I can definitely speak to the excellent cinematography that has taken place: even if I don’t agree with the way that the series portrays certain aspects of modern life in Britain (more on that, later).

The show features a cast led by Stephen Graham and Christine Tremarco, portraying Jamie’s parents, and uses tension and claustrophobia to magnify the real-life pressures facing today’s adolescents (IMDB, 2025). The technical execution alone earned it acclaim as a “technical masterpiece” (Forbes, 2025), but its societal relevance is what has elevated it to educational importance.

The Manosphere and Digital Misogyny

At the heart of Adolescence lies a chilling exposure of the ‘manosphere’, which is portrayed as a cluster of online spaces promoting extreme and often misogynistic interpretations of gender roles. Andrew Tate, a prominent and controversial figure in these circles, is not directly portrayed but looms large in the type of online content Jamie consumes (Business Insider, 2025).

The dangers of such content are not fictional. Many teens fall into these digital rabbit holes unknowingly, encountering ideologies that validate resentment, blame, and aggression. (Independent, 2025). These online narratives offer simple answers to complex emotions that can be devastating when internalised by teenagers.

British Government Response and the Role of Schools

In response to the show’s impact and the wider societal issues it reflects, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a national summit on online safety, calling attention to the urgent need to combat the radicalisation of boys online (Sky News, 2025). Subsequently, the UK government has now partnered with Netflix to make the series freely available to all secondary schools across the country (Netflix, 2025).

Education leaders and safeguarding organisations, such as the Diana Award, have endorsed the show as a powerful tool to initiate difficult but necessary conversations around misogyny, online influence, and emotional wellbeing (Diana Award, 2025).

Classroom Applications and Resources for Teachers

For educators, Adolescence opens doors to a variety of curriculum-aligned conversations. Teachers can use the series as a gateway to:

  • Discussions about media literacy
  • Promoting respectful relationships and consent
  • Exploring the psychological impact of digital echo chambers
  • Examining the roles of empathy, family, and communication in teenage development

Organisations such as SecEd and Services for Education offer downloadable lesson plans and discussion guides (SecEd, 2025; Services for Education, 2025). See the bibliography at the end for links to these resources.

Critical Responses and Debates

Despite its success, Adolescence has not been without controversy. Some critics accused the show’s creators of “race-swapping” a story that echoed a real-life case. Co-creator Jack Thorne addressed these concerns, asserting that the series was entirely fictional and designed to address masculinity rather than race (Entertainment Weekly, 2025).

Others have raised concerns about the depiction of educators in the series. A piece from TES questioned why school staff were portrayed as unsympathetic or ineffective. While such portrayals may serve dramatic purposes, they also invite reflection on how schools can better support vulnerable students (TES Magazine, 2025). For educators outside of the UK, like myself, the series shines a light on challenges that UK teachers face on a daily basis, such as behaviour management, active engagement strategies (teachers are portrayed as showing videos to their classes a little too often, in my opinion) and safeguarding.

The Need for Nuance

Multiple commentators, including writers from The Guardian, stress the importance of addressing online safety in nuanced, evidence-based ways. Not every boy exposed to manosphere content becomes radicalised, and not every digital experience is harmful (The Guardian, 2025). Effective teaching and parental engagement remain the most powerful defences against dangerous ideologies.

A Call to Action?

More than just a fictional mini-series, Adolescence is (apparently) a wake-up call. It explores how easily young people can spiral when left unsupported (Harper’s Bazaar, 2025). Its release has catalysed national conversations, encouraged governmental policy shifts, and provided some educators with a compelling resource for classroom use, if they wish to use it.

For educators, the series offers a timely reminder: We are not only teaching subjects; we are guiding lives in an era where influence comes from both the classroom and the algorithm.

Final thoughts

As an educator with over two decades of classroom experience and a firm belief in the power of teachers to positively engineer a child’s future, I commend Adolescence for sparking a national conversation about the digital influences shaping our young people. However, while the show courageously tackles the rise of misogyny and online radicalisation, it misses a deeper and equally urgent reality. Boys today are crying out for positive identity formation, structure, and purpose. In casting men primarily as perpetrators and women as victims, the series presents a one-sided narrative that risks alienating the very demographic it seeks to help. Masculinity, when grounded in responsibility, courage, and empathy, plays a vital role in society. This is a message that is absent from the series but essential in any educational conversation about gender.

Let us not allow Adolescence to become another well-meaning yet unbalanced depiction of complex issues. Instead, educators should use it as a springboard for wider discussions. These should not only address the dangers of the manosphere but also highlight the value of healthy male role models, the pressures boys face, and the often invisible expectations placed upon them. From dangerous jobs to frontline rescue work, men continue to carry burdens that deserve recognition and not ridicule. As teachers, we must move beyond binary blame games and create classroom spaces that nurture all students, including boys, into becoming thoughtful, resilient, and compassionate individuals. That, after all, is the heart of great teaching.

Bibliography

AP News (2025) ‘Adolescence’ will be shown in schools across the UK to spark discussions about online misogyny. AP News. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/adolescence-netflix-starmer-social-media-children-smartphones-33b72293c431496e57c2ca16417a379d (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

BBC News (2025) Adolescence hard to watch as a dad, Starmer tells creators. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx28neprdppo (Accessed: 7 April 2025).

Business Insider (2025) Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ is about a boy who kills a girl in his class. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/adolescence-netflix-true-story-knife-crime-manosphere-andrew-tate-2025-3 (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Diana Award (2025) The Netflix mini-series ‘Adolescence’ is a wake-up call. Available at: https://diana-award.org.uk/blog/the-netflix-mini-series-adolescence-is-a-wake-up-call (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Entertainment Weekly (2025) ‘Adolescence’ co-creator responds to claims that Netflix series ‘race-swapped’ storyline. Available at: https://ew.com/adolescence-creator-responds-to-claims-that-series-race-swapped-storyline-11706011 (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Forbes (2025) Were those ‘Adolescence’ episodes actually filmed in one take?. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/03/18/were-those-adolescence-episodes-actually-filmed-in-one-take (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Harper’s Bazaar (2025) ‘Adolescence’ Netflix true story explained. Available at: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a64234421/adolescence-netflix-true-story-explained (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Huffington Post UK (2025) Why ‘Adolescence’ should not be shown in schools. Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/adolescence-should-not-be-shown-in-schools_uk_67ed946ce4b0b937ab8f6a92 (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Independent (2025) How to talk to your children about ‘Adolescence’, incels and the manosphere. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/adolescence-andrew-tate-manosphere-how-to-talk-to-children-teens-b2726073.html (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

IMDB (2025) Adolescence (TV Mini-Series 2025). Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31806037 (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Netflix Tudum (2025) Everything to Know About One-Shot Crime Drama ‘Adolescence’. Available at: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/adolescence-cast-release-date-photos-news (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Netflix (2025) Netflix makes ‘Adolescence’ available to all secondary schools across the UK. Available at: https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-makes-adolescence-available-to-all-secondary-schools-across-the-uk (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

SecEd (2025) ‘Adolescence’: Resources to help teachers address themes in Netflix hit. Available at: https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/content/news/adolescence-resources-help-teachers-address-themes-netflix-hit (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Services for Education (2025) Adolescence: What does it tell us and how can we respond?. Available at: https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk/blog/safeguarding/adolescence-what-does-it-tell-us-and-how-can-we-respond (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Sky News (2025) Keir Starmer hosts creators of Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’. Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir-starmer-hosts-creators-of-hit-netflix-drama-adolescence-and-tells-them-hes-not-found-it-easy-viewing-13339287 (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Slant Magazine (2025) Adolescence | TV Review. Available at: https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/adolescence-review-netflix (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

TES Magazine (2025) Why does ‘Adolescence’ portray teachers so negatively?. Available at: https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/why-does-adolescence-tv-show-negative-about-teachers (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

The Guardian (2025) Adolescence review – the closest thing to TV perfection in decades. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/mar/13/adolescence-review-the-closest-thing-to-tv-perfection-in-decades (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

The Guardian (2025b) Online safety needs to be nuanced. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/28/adolescence-was-hard-hitting-tv-but-online-safety-needs-to-be-nuanced (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

Time Magazine (2025) Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’ Explained. Available at: https://time.com/7267884/adolescence-netflix-explained (Accessed: 5 April 2025).

How Interleaving Works: Universal Strategies for Secondary School Classroom Practice

Posted on by richardjamesrogers

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Accompanying podcast episode:

In my twenty years of teaching, I’ve come across numerous pedagogical techniques designed to boost student learning, but few have been as transformative as interleaving. This technique, backed by cognitive science, has the power to enhance long-term retention and application of knowledge: yet it remains underutilised in many secondary school classrooms. Today, I want to explore generalisable rules for interleaving (a structured approach that any secondary school teacher can apply) and one that, to my knowledge, has never been formally outlined before. Out of all of the blog posts I have written to-date, this one has taken me the largest amount of time to research, collate and delineate. I hope that secondary school teachers everywhere will find this guide to be highly practical and transformative. A full bibliography of the research I have cited can be found at the end of this article.

What is Interleaving?

Let’s begin by first exploring this fundamental question: What is Interleaving?

Interleaving is a cognitive learning strategy that involves mixing different topics or types of problems within a single learning session, as opposed to traditional blocked practice, where students focus on one topic at a time before moving on to the next. Research suggests that interleaving improves students’ ability to discriminate between problem types, enhances problem-solving skills, and leads to stronger long-term retention (Rohrer & Taylor, 2007). As many of my readers will remember from an earlier blog post of mine, problem-solving is often a key characteristic of lessons in which deep learning (as opposed to surface learning) takes place.

From my own experience, I first stumbled upon the power of interleaving when preparing my Year 11 students for their IGCSE Maths exams. Rather than structuring revision lessons in the typical topic-by-topic format, I began mixing algebra, geometry, and statistics problems within the same lesson. Initially, students found this challenging, but over time, their ability to recall and apply concepts in different contexts improved dramatically. This worked particularly well when students had finished several topics during their revision sessions, prior to me bringing it all together within interleaved lessons.

The Science Behind Interleaving

Cognitive scientists suggest that interleaving works because it forces students to retrieve and apply knowledge in varied contexts, preventing passive learning and improving memory consolidation (Bjork & Bjork, 2011). A landmark study by Pan et al. (2019) found that interleaved practice led to better exam performance in secondary school students, particularly in subjects like mathematics and science where problem-solving skills are crucial.

Generalisable Rules for Interleaving in Secondary School Classrooms

Despite its effectiveness, interleaving can be difficult to implement without a structured approach. Based on research and my own classroom experiences, I propose the following generalisable rules for effective interleaving in secondary education:

#1: Mix, Don’t Isolate

Traditionally, subjects are taught in blocks, but interleaving requires deliberately mixing topics within lessons or across study sessions. For example:

  • In a Maths lesson, combine algebra, probability, and geometry problems instead of teaching them separately.
  • In Science, integrate questions on biology, chemistry, and physics in practice exercises.
  • In English, interleave different types of writing tasks (e.g. descriptive writing, persuasive essays, and analytical responses) within the same lesson.

In my experience, I have found that interleaving works best if you can connect the separate topics in some way, or if the topics themselves are closely related. In certain cases, project work in groups can lend itself well to interleaved exploration, provided that source material has been directly taught beforehand.

#2: Vary the Practice

Students should not only mix topics but also engage in different types of questions and formats. This can be achieved through:

  • Interleaved homework: Assign practice problems from multiple topics rather than focusing on just one.
  • Mixed-question assessments: Instead of unit-based tests, include questions from previous topics to reinforce cumulative learning. If you really must use unit tests, then try to include interleaved questions, or at least some questions that assess knowledge gained in previous units.
  • Diverse activities: Use a combination of retrieval tasks, discussion-based learning, and problem-solving exercises.

#3: Space it Out

Interleaving is most effective when combined with spaced practice (also known as distributed practice), where content is revisited periodically rather than crammed in one session. This can be structured as follows:

  • Weekly review sessions that incorporate topics from the past month.
  • Do Now tasks at the beginning of lessons that include mixed-topic retrieval questions. Live-quiz apps can be utilised if you wish to incorporate a more lively, competitive and upbeat way of implementing these.
  • Revision timetables that revisit concepts in a cyclic manner.
  • Learning journals that are filled in, and checked, on a regular basis.

For more information about the Spaced Practice Effect, and how to implement it (beyond the advice I have given in this blog post), then check out this excellent guide by Benjamin Keep.

#4: Scaffold the Difficulty

Interleaving is challenging, and students often find it frustrating at first. To ease them into it:

  • Start with low-stakes quizzes that mix concepts gradually.
  • Provide worked examples before asking students to attempt mixed questions.
  • Allow for collaborative problem-solving before independent practice.

Scaffolding is an interesting and distinct domain of pedagogy in its own right and must not be ignored when designing an interleaved curriculum. Within a lesson, or sequence of lessons, my suggestion for good implementation would be as follows:

  1. Provide a quick starter: Use the Three As if you like, or these great starter activities.
  2. Use direct instruction, starting easy then gradually increasing the level of ‘cognitive load‘. Unfortunately, direct instruction has been tarnished with a bad reputation in recent years due to the move towards ‘student-centered’ learning, exploration and phrases such as ” Don’t be a ‘sage on a stage'” and “Don’t ‘spoon feed’ the students” being bandied around school staff rooms (I’ve heard them all!). However, the research suggests that direct instruction, especially when the teacher is mindful of Dual Coding strategies, has a significant and positive effect on learning outcomes.
  3. Go through interleaved worked examples.
  4. Allow students to work in small groups to complete mixed questions.
  5. Provide opportunities for independent practice.

#5: Explicitly Teach the Strategy

Students often resist interleaving because it feels harder than traditional blocked practice. However, just as with metacognitive strategies, we should be encouraging our learners to think about how they think. It’s crucial to explain:

  • Why it works: Share kid-friendly summaries of research evidence on its benefits (use this blog post if you wish).
  • How it mimics real-world application: In exams and real life, problems don’t come in neatly organised sets. If you are able to, then provide past-paper questions to demonstrate the fact that the students will be assessed, one day, in an interleaved way.
  • How to use it independently: Encourage students to interleave their own revision by mixing topics in flashcards, self-quizzes, and study sessions.

Interleaving in Action: My Experience

When I first implemented interleaving, I noticed initial pushback from students. They were used to structured, predictable learning sequences and found interleaved practice to be more demanding. However, after just a few weeks, their ability to transfer knowledge across topics improved significantly. By the time mock exams arrived, they were better equipped to handle unfamiliar questions and apply concepts in novel ways.

For example, in my IBDP Maths AI class several years ago, I introduced interleaved problem sets that combined differentiation, probability, and trigonometry in a single assignment. Students initially struggled but later reported that the varied practice helped them identify links between topics: a crucial skill for higher-order problem-solving.

Final Thoughts: A Call to Action

Interleaving is a powerful, research-backed technique that every secondary school teacher should consider. While it may require a shift in lesson planning, the long-term benefits in terms of deep learning, retention, and problem-solving ability are well worth the effort.

In my book, The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know, I discuss how structuring lessons effectively can have a profound impact on student outcomes. Implementing interleaving is just one example of how thoughtful classroom strategies can positively engineer student success.

What are your thoughts on interleaving? Have you tried it in your classroom? Let me know in the comments!

Bibliography

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Responding Thoughtfully When Students Ask About Controversial Topics: The Example of Bonnie Blue

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An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post is illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

When students unexpectedly bring up sensitive or controversial topics in class—such as questions about Bonnie Blue (a British adult content creator who recently became wildly infamous due to provocative activities and public notoriety), or other ignominious public figures, such as Andrew Tate—teachers may feel unprepared. How should we respond when children ask about such material?

Though we, as educators, would not actively introduce such subjects, it’s important to handle spontaneous student inquiries with care, professionalism, and purpose. What follows next are some strategies that everyday teachers can use to navigate these delicate moments.

1. Stay Calm and Neutral

Maintain a neutral stance and avoid expressing personal opinions. Calmly acknowledge the student’s question and remind the class of the need for respectful, considerate dialogue. Remaining calm sets a professional tone and models appropriate behavior for students (CRLT, n.d.)

2. Redirect the Conversation Appropriately

Gently steer the conversation back toward educational content. If a student asks about Bonnie Blue or a similar figure, briefly acknowledge their query without elaborating unnecessarily. You might say, “That’s a topic many people are discussing right now. Let’s focus on how we critically assess information we see online” (Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2022).

3. Emphasize Media Literacy and Critical Thinking

Use the opportunity to reinforce skills in media literacy and critical thinking. Rather than discussing Bonnie Blue or other notorious personalities specifically, guide students to analyze why certain figures gain media attention and how sensationalism affects public perception. This approach transforms the conversation into a meaningful lesson (Teen Vogue, 2021).

4. Provide General, Balanced Context

If students persist in questions, offer balanced and minimal factual context without explicit details. Briefly mention that certain individuals become well-known due to controversial behaviors or statements, and then emphasize the importance of understanding sources, biases, and responsible online behavior (The Choices Program, n.d.).

5. Protect Classroom Boundaries

Reaffirm classroom boundaries by reminding students about appropriate topics for school discussion. Clarify that while curiosity is natural, certain topics—especially those involving mature content—should be addressed with parents or caregivers outside of the school environment (Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, n.d.).

6. Reflect Privately if Necessary

Consider following up privately with students who show persistent interest. A private conversation can clarify misunderstandings, address potential concerns, and allow teachers to provide guidance within an appropriate and supportive framework (Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2022).

Closing thoughts

By thoughtfully and tactfully handling unexpected student questions about controversial topics like Bonnie Blue, teachers can maintain a respectful classroom atmosphere and foster important life skills in media literacy and critical thinking.


References