Tag: education

Back to Basics: Things to Think About When Setting Cover Work

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)

Illustrated by Sutthiya Lertyongphati

My promise to you: I never use generative AI to create, edit, or enhance my blog posts. All of my content is original.

Accompanying podcast episode:

A true story is mentioned in this blog post. Names, and, in some cases, genders, have been changed in order to protect anonymity. Any similarity to real people is purely coincidental.

The time has come for you to miss a day or two, or more, of school. Maybe you are suddenly sick (it happens to all of us), maybe you’re on long-term leave, maybe you have a training workshop to attend, or maybe you have another legitimate reason to take time off school.

What happens next could make or break your career at your school. That’s right – I did just say that. Poorly considered cover work, along with other factors, can result in dire consequences for you if you’re not careful. I’ve seen it happen all too often in my twenty years as a secondary school teacher, and I’m here to warn you, to educate you, and to empower you with the right information.

Take notes if you have to. I’ll be laying out the raw truths that nobody has probably ever told you before.

#1: You have no idea who’ll be entering your classroom whilst you’re away

Claire was a Chemistry teacher at a top international school who was suddenly off sick for two days. She set cover work, some of which included printed materials, and thought nothing more about it as she rested at home.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Darren, the school’s other (more experienced) Chemistry teacher, had been assigned to cover her Year 10 IGCSE Chemistry class. He was shocked at the materials that the students were given as cover work. The topics the students were covering should have been taught months ago, had the teacher been following the agreed scheme of work. After flicking through a few of the students’ notebooks and asking the students some questions about what they had learnt thus far, he came to the realisation that they were WAY BEHIND where they needed to be. At this rate, they wouldn’t finish even 60% of the material they needed to cover that year.

He brought his concerns to his Head of Science, who then initiated an observation and monitoring process when Claire returned to work. It was not the outcome she expected just for being sick for a few days. At the end of the academic year, it was decided that her contract with the school would not be renewed, and she was forced to find another job at another school. The concerns around her pace of delivery for exam-level classes were a major contributing factor in this decision.

Cover teachers are there to supervise the lessons you’ve provided materials for, but are your students where they need to be in the Scheme of Work? Are their notebooks marked? Is everything as it should be?

The key takeaways that this true story teaches us are brutal and shocking, but should act as a wake-up call for the complacent. You don’t know who will take over your classes, so make sure everything is in order at all times:

  1. Make sure your classroom is tidy and organised. Piles of unmarked work, for example, lying around your classroom may raise concerns.
  2. Make sure your students are where they need to be in the Scheme of Work. Questions may be asked if this has not been picked up beforehand.
  3. An untidy classroom doesn’t look good. An organised classroom shows that you are organised. Cover teachers who walk into your classroom should be impressed, not disgusted.
  4. Make sure maintenance issues have been dealt with. Faulty smart boards, wonky bookshelves, broken chairs – anything that’s not in order could raise suspicion. How long have you allowed things to be like this?
  5. Make sure books are marked. The cover teacher may see the students’ books. If they’ve not been marked in a long time, then don’t assume that this will be okay. That might become a concern that’s raised with SLT.

Of course, we should always be vigilant as teachers – not simply ready in case we have to be absent. Student work should be marked regularly, we should be keeping pace with the curriculum, and teaching standards must be high. This should be happening at all times, but hopefully the fact that you may have to set a sudden cover lesson highlights the importance of this even more.

#2: Communicate cover work to all stakeholders clearly

Who needs to know what your students are expected to do? That’s simple:

  • The students
  • The cover teachers
  • Your line manager/SLT

Communication to students should be pretty straightforward – use the systems that they already use. Moodle, Firefly, Google Classroom, ManageBac: whatever VLE is already in place should be used to add the cover work. If your school doesn’t use such systems, or if student access to these systems is an issue (e.g. if students don’t have IT devices), then set paper-based work (if you can) and place it in a visible place in your classroom. If you’re suddenly sick, then you may have to send this work to someone at school to print (e.g. your line manager, or the teachers covering the lessons).

As for the cover teacher, don’t assume that they have been told what to do by line managers or SLT. Contact them directly if you can. Most schools will send out a cover list at the start of the day. If you know who is covering your lessons, then email them directly with the cover work and lesson instructions before the lesson starts.

Communication is crucial when setting cover work. Double-check: Does everyone know what they need to know, and has the information been received?

It’s a good idea to let whoever oversees cover know what the cover work is, too. There can be last-minute changes to cover lists, and the person responsible for overseeing cover can help to communicate your instructions to the assigned cover teachers.

#3: Follow agreed procedures

It amazes me just how many teachers get sick for the first time in a certain academic year, then forget how to communicate their absence to relevant people. Check your school’s Staff Handbook, your contract, or anywhere else where cover instructions are published before you set cover work. The schools I’ve worked at over the years have had vastly different procedures. One school wanted staff to send an SMS to a certain person by a certain time in the morning (for short-term cover), another wanted an email to be sent. One school I worked at required a phone call to be made to a certain individual.

Do you know what your school requires you to do when cover work needs to be set? If you don’t follow agreed procedures, then in some schools that could result in a formal warning, or at least an entry in HR records, which will make your legal situation more tricky if you intend to pursue severance or other benefits when you leave that school.

Do you need to submit a medical certificate for illness, for example? What is the minimum threshold of days that you can be off sick before you need to submit medical evidence? Are there special conditions for Mondays and Fridays, or school events? Make sure you check all of this.

Sometimes, in extreme cases, agreed procedures can be unclear even to senior leadership, so make sure you’ve kept evidence of what you’ve been told to do. I was once sick at a school I worked at and communicated the information to the person whom I was instructed to inform. Apparently, that person didn’t pass on the information, and I was told that covering my lessons for that day became complete ‘chaos’. It wasn’t my fault – I did what I was told to do, and I had evidence that I followed the instructions that were passed on to me. When I was quizzed about things when I came back, I simply presented the instructions I had been given. Nobody could complain anymore: I had followed the agreed procedures. The issue wasn’t my communication – it was the lack of a coherent communication chain in that school to account for short-term cover at a senior level.

Always double-check, and keep evidence that procedures were followed (e.g. emails, screenshots of work posted on VLEs, etc.). You may need this evidence later.

How to Redesign Learning Spaces for Well-Being and Engagement

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 has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

After more than twenty years in education, I have seen classrooms in every imaginable state: from the sterile and rigid to the warm, colourful and alive with creativity. What has always fascinated me is how the design of a learning space quietly shapes the way students feel, think, and behave. Even thinking back to when I was a child at school: the classroom environment mattered to me, a lot!

In my early teaching years, I was utterly convinced that great learning came purely from great teaching. Over time, however, I have come to realise that the classroom environment (both physical and non-physical) matters just as much.

A thoughtfully designed classroom nurtures curiosity, collaboration, and happiness. A poorly designed one, even with the best teacher, can stifle all of those things.

Whether I am working with learners in a secondary science classroom or training corporate teams through my business, Richard James Rogers Corporate Training, one principle remains constant: the environment is acts as a vital teaching assistant.

What follows next are some tips to make your classroom the inviting, comfortable and engaging space that it should be: even if you’re starting from scratch.

Tip #1: Think ‘collaboration’, not ‘control’

Traditional classrooms were built for order, with rows of desks facing a single direction and the teacher as the focal point. That structure mirrors an industrial-age mindset that prioritises efficiency over engagement.

I remember one classroom early in my career where the layout made every lesson feel like a lecture, and students seemed to settle into listening rather than interacting. I was teaching in a science lab that had been built in the 1930s! The teachers desk was even on a stage (I’m not joking), and was elevated above the desks of the students.

I attempted to change the layout as best as I could mid-year, moving chairs into clusters, adding a corner for peer discussion, and letting students pick their seats. The impact was immediate: more voices in class, more movement, and more peer-to-peer help.

Research supports this shift. Classrooms that allow students to reconfigure their learning spaces, work in groups, and move freely can improve academic progress by as much as 16 per cent (Barrett et al., 2015).

When students have ownership of their environment, they feel a greater sense of belonging and motivation.

Key Takeaway: Create ‘zones’ for presentation, discussion, and quiet reflection. Give students the freedom to choose where they learn best.

Tip #2: Light, colour and air matter more than you might think

In my corporate workshops, I often talk about the power of small details such as lighting, colour, and even scent in influencing focus and creativity. The same applies to classrooms.

I recall a science lab with harsh fluorescent lighting and grey furniture, where even the brightest experiments seemed flat. It was dark, it smelt bad (it had just been built and stank of various solvents) and even the plumbing hadn’t been sorted properly. Later that year, when we replaced some lighting with daylight-mimicking LEDs, introduced a plant, and painted one wall a soft green, students began commenting that the room ‘felt calmer’ and ‘easier to think in’.

Environmental psychology shows that lighting, colour, and air quality directly affect concentration and emotional well-being (Cheryan et al., 2014; Tanner, 2008). Natural light sharpens alertness, calming colours reduce anxiety, and clean air supports cognitive function.

Key Takeaway: Bring natural elements into the classroom. Plants, daylight, and natural materials boost mood and reduce stress hormones (Li & Sullivan, 2016).

Tip #3: Furniture must fit the learner

Comfort is not an indulgence in teaching. It is a gateway to productivity. Whether in a classroom or a corporate training room, poorly designed furniture can send the wrong message: that the students don’t come first.

Ergonomic, adjustable furniture reduces strain and supports sustained engagement (Parcells, Stommel & Hubbard, 1999). Flexible arrangements make it easy to shift from discussion to collaboration to independent study (Rands & Gansemer-Topf, 2017).

Think of your favourite coffee shop. Is the furniture comfortable or uncomfortable? Successful restaurants and coffee houses understand the power of cosy furniture and surroundings in driving success, and it’s high time that schools realised it too.

Key Takeaway: Choose furniture that adapts to learning needs, if you can. Movable desks, adjustable chairs, cushions, etc. Flexibility signals trust and respect.

Tip #4: Design for neurodiversity

In inclusive classrooms, I have seen how noise, glare, or visual clutter can quietly exclude certain learners. One student I taught was bright in science but withdrew when the lab group became loud and the lighting flickered. Creating a quiet corner with soft lighting and clear visual boundaries gave that student a place to recalibrate, and from then on they participated more freely.

Neurodiverse students in particular may find typical classroom environments overwhelming (Botha & Frost, 2020). Simple design changes such as soft lighting, quiet corners, and visual order can dramatically improve comfort and focus (Ashburner et al., 2008).

Key Takeaway: Ask students what makes them feel calm and focused. Their insights often reveal inexpensive but transformative changes.

Tip #5: Consider the social architecture of learning

Classrooms are not just physical spaces: they are emotional ecosystems. The way we arrange furniture, display student work, and design shared areas communicates value and belonging.

In one school, I turned a corridor wall into a ‘student voice’ gallery: photos of projects, quotes, and creative pieces. Suddenly, students would pause by that wall; they felt seen. That sense of recognition carried into the classroom.

When student work is showcased proudly, engagement increases. When collaborative zones are designed intentionally, relationships flourish (Korpershoek et al., 2019).

Key Takeaway: Display work that tells a story of growth. Create informal zones for conversation, peer feedback, and mentoring.

Tip #6: Think of well-being as a design principle

In my training sessions with Richard James Rogers Corporate Training, I emphasise that well-being is not a programme: it is a design philosophy. The same applies in education more generally, too.

A well-designed classroom says ‘you are safe, seen, and capable’ before a word is spoken. The OECD (2021) places well-being at the heart of education in its Learning Compass 2030 framework, and it’s important tat we, as educators, recognise the profound impact that classroom design principles can have on our students sense of well-being.

I remember an IBDP class of 18-year olds where one student sat in the back corner, visibly withdrawn. I moved their seat into a small group circle near the window, offered a more comfortable chair that didn’t wobble, and asked for their opinion on how the classroom could feel better. By the end of the term, that student had become a peer mentor for others.

Sometimes the changes we make can be as simple as shifting a seat and making space for voices to be heard.

Key Takeaway: When you design a learning space, ask: does it encourage movement, curiosity, and connection? If so, then you are already designing for well-being.

Overall conclusion

Learning spaces should do more than contain lessons. They should inspire them. When we design with well-being in mind, we elevate not only academic outcomes but also joy, confidence, and belonging.

As educators and leaders, we design not just classrooms. We design cultures of care and creativity. The walls, the light, the layout, all tell a story. Let it be one that says:

‘You belong here. You can grow here.’

Bibliography and references

  • Ashburner, J., Ziviani, J. and Rodger, S., 2008. Sensory processing and classroom emotional, behavioural, and educational outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(5), pp.564–573.
  • Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Moffat, J. and Kobbacy, K., 2015. A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning. Building and Environment, 89, pp.118–133.
  • Botha, M. and Frost, D., 2020. Extending the neurodiversity paradigm: Autism, identity and learning space inclusion. Disability & Society, 35(8), pp.1364–1386.
  • Cheryan, S., Ziegler, S.A., Plaut, V.C. and Meltzoff, A.N., 2014. Designing classrooms to maximise student achievement. Policy Insights from the Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 1(1), pp.4–12.
  • Fisher, K., 2016. The New Learning Environments Research Group: Linking pedagogy and space. The University of Melbourne.
  • Heschong, L., 2003. Daylighting and human performance. ASHRAE Journal, 45(6), pp.65–67.
  • Korpershoek, H., Canrinus, E.T., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M. and de Boer, H., 2019. The relationships between school belonging and students’ motivational, social-emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes: A meta-analytic review. Educational Research Review, 27, pp.100–118.
  • Li, D. and Sullivan, W.C., 2016. Impact of views to school landscapes on recovery from stress and mental fatigue. Landscape and Urban Planning, 148, pp.149–158.
  • Oblinger, D.G., 2006. Learning Spaces. EDUCAUSE, Washington, DC.
  • OECD, 2021. The Future of Education and Skills 2030: OECD Learning Compass Framework. Paris: OECD Publishing.
  • Parcells, C., Stommel, M. and Hubbard, R.P., 1999. Mismatch of classroom furniture and student body dimensions: Empirical findings and health implications. Journal of Adolescent Health, 24(4), pp.265–273.
  • Rands, M.L. and Gansemer-Topf, A.M., 2017. The room itself is active: How classroom design impacts student engagement. Journal of Learning Spaces, 6(1), pp.26–33.
  • Tanner, C.K., 2008. Explaining relationships among student outcomes and the school’s physical environment. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(3), pp.444–471.


Back to Basics: How to Set a Summative Assessment

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 has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Welcome to this first ever blog post in the Back to Basics series: a collection of articles designed to get straight to the point and offer advice that you can implement in the classroom right away.

In today’s piece, I’ll be sharing my tips on how to set a summative test for your students. These tips are based on more than twenty years of secondary school teaching experience so pay attention: all of what I’m about to share was learned through painful, long and arduous trial-and-error.

Tip #1: Always Give Your Students a Topic List to Study From

If your students don’t know what’s going to come up on the test, then how can they study or revise for it? It seems like such simple advice, doesn’t it? Yet, too many teachers are telling students that “You have a test on what we’ve covered so far”, or that “I’ll give you a test on Unit 1”, without explicitly telling the children which sub-topics, or content areas, in “Unit X’ or ‘what we’ve covered so far’ will be tested.

The bottom line is that you must give your students a list of what they need to revise. This could be as simple as writing a list of topics on the whiteboard for them to copy into their books, or sharing the topic list on their VLE (e.g. Google Classroom, Firefly, Moodle, Managebac, and so on).

Pro tip (next level): Don’t simply share the official syllabus or specification with he students. Even older children need the course content broken down into ‘kid friendly’ language. Make the topic list understandable, and accessible.

Testing Tip #2: Give Your Students Advance Warning

Setting a test the next day, or the next lesson, simply isn’t fair. Don’t you remember when you were in school? Didn’t you need time to study for a test?

Give your students advance notice that a test is happening. The bigger the test, the more time for revision will be needed. Small, end of unit tests may only require a week of advance notice to be given to the students, for example. Larger tests, such as mid-terms, end-of-term, or end of year exams may require a month or more of advance warning. Have you shared the topic list in advance too? You need to!

Testing Tip #3: ALL Summative Assessments MUST Come With Official Answers

These ‘marking schemes’ could be pulled from past-exam papers (if you’re building a test from such questions), textbooks, online question banks, rubrics, or (if you’re struggling to find resources), even an official marking scheme you’ve written yourself.

They key thing to remember here is that your students will need to know where they’ve messed up when the exam is finished, and how they could have scored better. This can only happen if there is an official set of ‘model answers’ that can be given to the students once the test has been marked and feedback has been given.

Some teachers are scared of providing marking schemes in case the students find out that they’ve not been awarded a mark or two when they should have been. Please don’t worry: slightly inaccurate marking is something that all teachers make the mistake of doing from time-to-time. I’ve been teaching for more than twenty years and I still sometimes miss marks that should have been awarded. Having an official marking scheme is actually really good for this purpose: it keeps you and your students accountable, engaged in the learning process and invested in making progress.

Testing Tip #4: Feedback Must be Timely and Specific

You suddenly find yourself with stacks of exam papers to mark, a full timetable to teach and no time to get everything done. I get it. I’ve been there many times.

Somehow, however, you’ve got to get that feedback to the chidlren as soon as you can. Feedback that is delayed is less useful because students forget the details, lose context, or have moved on. Immediate or prompt feedback allows students to make corrections while the material is still fresh.

Several studies argue that delaying feedback reduces its impact. In a study by Vattøy et al. (2021), for example, it was shown that feedback should be “provided timely, extensively, and cumulatively”.

Testing Tip #5: Use Tests for Target Setting

This is probably the one step that the overwhelming majority of teachers forget to action. Once a test is finished, and feedback is given, we tend to forget about it and never revisit it.

This is a huge mistake and a massive loss of both leverage and educational capital.

In a previous blog post entitled Using Data to Empower Students, I described how we, as teachers, are generally very good at collecting data but we are often unsure what to do with that data once it’s collected.

The answer is simple: students need to reflect on their assessments and create personal targets (and the teacher needs to know what those targets are). This could be as simple as the students writing targets on the front of the completed paper, with the teacher then taking a photograph of those targets before inputting them into a spreadsheet.

Then comes the real magic! Before the next test, be sure to ask each student “What’s your target for this test?”, or “What targets did you write down last time?”. Ask these questions often: you’ll be amazed at how powerful they can be!

Bibliography and References

Vattøy, K-D., Gamlem, S. M. & Rogne, W. M. (2021) Examining students’ feedback engagement and assessment experiences: a mixed study. Studies in Higher Education, 46(11), pp. 2325-2337. doi:10.1080/03075079.2020.1723523

The Top 5 Skills Employers Want in 2025 (and How Schools Should Respond)

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 has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati.

Sometimes it is necessary for teachers to reflect on the overall purpose of education. After all, knowing the why will often give us new perspectives on the how.

Many thought-leaders have articulated their ideas on what the purpose of education should be. Some notable quotes are given below:

“The purpose of education is to give to the body and to the soul all the beauty and all the perfection of which they are capable.”

– Plato

“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.”

– John F. Kennedy

The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.”

– Robert Maynard Hutchins

In my 2019 blog post entitled 5 Things Schools Should be Teaching Kids (But Most Aren’t) I came straight to the point with my thoughts on what the purpose of education is (albeit much less elegantly that the esteemed individuals quoted above):

School must prepare students for life

– Richard James Rogers

My statement is probably most aligned with that of Robert Maynard Hutchins (the legendary American educational philosopher and former Chancellor of the University of Chicago and, to my shame, a person I had only heard about during my research for this blog post). It brings me great satisfaction to know that I and such an esteemed and well-respected educator are pretty much in agreement: even if our opinions are more than a few decades apart! (Hutchins was born in 1899).

Schools must prepare students for life, but what does that actually look like in 2025 (and beyond)? Today, I’ll deliver a condensed version of my research into the top 5 skills employers are looking for, and what schools (and, by inference, teachers) should do about it.

#1 In-Demand Skill for 2025: AI Literacy and Human/AI Collaboration

Unless you’ve been meditating in a remote forest somewhere for the past three years, you’ll know that AI, and particularly GenAI, has skyrocketed in capability, use-applications and accessibility. Everybody who’s anybody in the corporate training or online education sector is offering courses in AI integration and for a good reason: there’s a lot of money to be made! Additionally, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 lists “AI and big data” as the top technological skills that are projected to “grow in importance more rapidly than any other skills in the next five years”.

I will admit openly that I have also jumped on this bandwagon: I have personally completed four very detailed online courses covering AI integration this year (see my LinkedIn profile for details) and I now offer AI integration as one of my corporate training workshops (and it’s proving to be one of my most popular).

Bottom line for teachers:

  • Learn AI skills and get certified (there’s lots of free and inexpensive courses available online).
  • Once you have some foundational knowledge (or have access to someone who does) build a spiral AI curriculum (including ethics, prompting, verification, model limits), and embed AI use across subjects in schemes of work (e.g., AI-assisted drafting in English; model evaluation in Science, and so on).
  • Keep up to date with the latest use cases of AI in education (this topic stream by Edutopia is well-worth bookmarking!)

#2: In-Demand Skill for 2025: Data Literacy and Analytical Thinking

In July 2025, Elon Musk weighed in on the debate about what children should study in the age of AI. Responding to a call for students to prioritise mathematics, he argued that the true focus should be “Physics (with math)”, highlighting his belief that a deep grasp of fundamental principles, supported by mathematics, is more valuable than coding alone in an AI-driven world. Additionally, The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 makes clear that analytical thinking is still one of the top core skills employers expect to be in high demand by 2030.

Bottom line for teachers:

  • Encourage deep learning (as opposed to ‘surface learning’) in all subjects through guided activities (see my blog post here as a starting point).
  • Require students to source and clean datasets from time-to-time and include activities where students choose appropriate displays, quantify uncertainty, and write claims with evidence. My blog post entitled Putting Numbers Into Everything offers a good launchpad of ideas from which you can start this process in your lessons.

#3: In-Demand Skill for 2025: Cybersecurity and Digital Trust

According to the 2024 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study (which is the latest available study, at the time of writing), the world is short of nearly 4.8 million cybersecurity professionals, and almost nine out of ten teams say they lack key cybersecurity skills. With AI bringing both powerful new tools and serious new risks, the call is growing for people who can think critically about digital safety and design systems that are secure from the start. For schools, this is a clear signal: cyber-awareness and responsible use of AI should be part of every student’s education, not just for future specialists but for all young people who will live and work in a digital world.

Bottom line for teachers:

  • Build cyber-awareness into everyday lessons. Connect topics like passwords, phishing, and data privacy to students’ daily digital use, not just to IT classes.
  • Treat AI as both a tool and a topic. Encourage students to explore how AI can help (e.g. with research and problem-solving) while also discussing its risks (such as bias and security breaches). This great blog by LittleLit gives five AI tools that can be tailored for use by children, and I would recommend all teachers reading this to look at ways to bring a few of these into your lessons.
  • Practise ‘secure-by-design’ thinking: When students create projects, apps, or even presentations, have them consider safety, privacy, and ethical use as part of the design process. See my blog post about design thinking to get started.

#4: In-Demand Skill for 2025: Sustainability Literacy

Employers are warning about a major shift from 2025 onwards: environmental stewardship is expected to be one of the fastest-growing skill demands globally. Recruitment needs for so-called “green skills” is already rising more quickly than the supply of qualified workers. LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2024/25 shows that this growth will continue worldwide, with the gap between demand and supply projected to widen steadily through 2030 to 2050.

Bottom line for teachers:

  • Use real data in lessons: In maths or ICT, have students analyse datasets on carbon emissions or renewable energy growth. This builds both numeracy and awareness of global sustainability trends. National Geographic Kids is a great resource for acquiring some useful data for projects.
  • Run project-based learning on green innovation: In science or design technology, set tasks like designing a low-waste product, creating a model of a solar-powered device, or calculating the energy savings from switching to LED lighting. Initiatives that encourage students to reduce single-use plastic, or to reduce printing costs, can also raise awareness in powerful ways.

#5: In-Demand Skill for 2025: Communication

According to Lightcast, a leading labour-market analytics firm, 76% of job postings request at least one durable (human) skill, with communication consistently ranking among the most in demand. The World Economic Forum highlights related skills such as creative thinking, resilience, and leadership/social influence as essential for the workforce of 2025 and beyond.

Bottom line for teachers

  • Do more in-class group/individual presentations. Students can use Google Slides, Canva or other technology to present their ideas. See my blog post on tips for slide presentations (aimed at teachers, but applicable to students) for top tips on getting the delivery right.
  • Design lessons that force students to work through ambiguity, such as group work, debates, and peer review, so they build resilience, leadership, and creative thinking, which are rising fast as employer priorities.

Conclusion

So what does all of this mean for us in the classroom? The future world of work is crying out for five big things: AI know-how, data smarts, cyber-savvy thinking, green awareness, and those all-important human skills like communication and resilience. The good news is that we don’t need to bolt these on as extra lessons. Instead, we can weave them into what we already do: use AI tools for research, crunch real-world data in maths or science, chat about online safety whenever tech comes up, link projects to sustainability, and give students plenty of chances to work together and present their ideas.

Bibliography and references

Check out my award-winning book on Amazon (click on the image below):

ChatGPT 5 and Beyond: My Top 3 AI Tools for Teachers in 2025 and Beyond

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:

We’ve all been swept up by the hype that has come in the wake of the creation of generative AI (aka GenAI) systems. Back in 2023, when ChatGPT was launched, its capability was limited to text generation, spell checking and rudimentary admin work. Now, however, the form factors of GenAI come in so many shapes and sizes. People are using AI to create slide presentations, images and videos, to record meeting notes, to generate complex documents such as spreadsheets and academic papers and even to act as virtual therapists.

One thing that I would like to assure all of my readers about is that I have NOT used GenAI to write this blog post. I believe that bloggers, journalists, reporters and writers have a duty to be genuine and sincere. That’s why, from now on, you’ll see this badge on my blog posts as a verified symbol of my authenticity:

And, before we begin, I think this juxtaposition is a good place to launch my tips from: AI tools can save us tons and tons of time, but they cannot replicate human authenticity. For someone who’s an award-winning author, like myself, it’s actually very easy to tell when an email, for example, has been created solely from prompt engineering. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that GenAI is a bad thing: it’s just that there are optimal and sub-optimal ways of using such systems, which I will outline today.

DISCLAIMER: Always check your school’s policies and procedures before using any GenAI system. If in doubt, check with your school’s senior leadership team.

My Top Three Use Cases for GenAI Systems as a Teacher

#1. Creating slide presentations: Gamma.app

I recently discovered this system when preparing to deliver one of my corporate training workshops. Here’s what I love about it:

  1. You can generate very high quality slides from simple prompts, in a matter of seconds. It’s very good for quick slide preparation (even quicker than sourcing slides from places like the TES, for example).
  2. The content produced is really, really good!
  3. Slides come with AI generated images (which are brilliant), which saves you the hassle of having to include citations/captions when attributing images to their sources.

Things to consider:

  1. The text produced on the slides can be quite small, in parts, so you may have to change font sizes afterwards.
  2. A free trial only gives you so many generations, and the slides come with the Gamma logo on them. However, the logo is removed if you pay for the full subscription, which is only US $8 per month (billed annually at US $96). This plan gives you unlimited AI generation for slide decks up to 20 slides per time (which fulfills most of my needs as a teacher).

Here’s an example of a slide that Gamma created for me recently:

Overall, Gamma is an excellent system and I recommend teachers everywhere to give it a go. Do the free trial and see if it is the right app for you. I personally signed up for the Plus plan, as I can see Gamma being an excellent assistant for a lot of the presentations I deliver.

#2. Recording meeting notes: Otter.ai

This is probably the app that will make you gaze in wonder the most when you first try it – at least that’s what happened to me! Gone are the days when you need to hurriedly write down everything you could manage to hear in a meeting, and then figure what to do (and by when) once the meeting was over. Otter does all of that for you.

By listening to the meeting conversation, Otter can identify speakers and transcribe the meeting as it happens, in real-time. It’ll even provide a summary of what was said at the end, along with a list of key action items (you’ll be amazed at how much it picks up, and how much you missed, when you see it!). The action items even come with check boxes for you to tick off when they’re done!

Like Gamma, Otter allows you a limited free trial (300 monthly minutes of meetings). For the Pro version, which gives you 1200 transcription minutes per month (with a maximum of 90 minutes per meeting), the price is US $8.33 per month (billed annually as US $99.99).

I’ve not (yet) gone for the pro version of Otter, but it is something I’m considering. One thing I hate about meetings is the inability to be fully present as I feel the need to constantly make written notes. With Otter, I can see myself relaxing and being fully attentive whilst the system transcribes everything for me.

#3. Your Overall Personal Assistant: ChatGPT 5 (and further iterations)

GPT 5 has been hailed as a “PhD Level” assistant by its creators, Open AI. Interestingly, as if by a weird mixing of Murphy’s Law with a slap-in-the-face, I made a video all about the three apps I’ve mentioned today on August 7th, which you will see below. In that video, I mentioned ChatGPT 4 as one of my favourites. Later that day, I found out that ChatGPT 5 had just been released (that very same day!). Talk about a coincidence!

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My favourite GenAI apps for teachers in 2025. #GenAI #AI

♬ original sound – Duet Cats – Duet Cats

I’ve only had two days to test ChatGPT 5 and, to be honest, I’ve not seen much of a difference (yet) between it and ChatGPT 4. However, if it really is a better version of GPT 4, then it is destined to be absolutely awesome!

ChatGPT is my go-to app for a variety of generative needs. Here’s what teachers all around the world have told me about how they use ChatGPT:

  • A personal therapist: ChatGPT is capable of participating in complex conversations, which makes it ideal for therapy. It offers non-biased, factual advice that can really make people feel reassured. I recently went through a mini-crisis in my life, which is very personal to me, and I found ChatGPT to be an amazing ‘friend’. It analysed my situation fully, and in a balanced way, and made me feel a lot better. It also gave me great advice. Please be aware, however, that some researchers do have legitimate concerns about using AI systems as personal therapists, so definitely consider this before using ChatGPT in this way.
  • Creating student report cards: ChatGPT can create report cards in a matter of seconds, which you can easily copy and paste into your school’s system. As mentioned in the disclaimer at the top of this blog post: please CHECK WITH YOUR SCHOOL FIRST before using GenAI in this way. If you get the green light from SLT, then remember to be a good ‘prompt engineer’: you may need to iterate outputs as they are generated. Don’t forget to specify the genders of the students you are reporting on, and provide the system with enough information to create accurate report cards. ALWAYS double-check for accuracy.
  • Other generative needs: ChatGPT can create pretty much anything that you ask it too: images, Excel files, slides, and so on. However, the quality of these outputs can vary. I recommend using specialised apps (such as Gamma for slides, Otter for meetings, etc.) if you have special, and regular, use cases.

The dreaded em dash: a penultimate thought

One dead giveaway of GenAI content is the dreaded em dash, which looks like this: (—). It’s basically a very long hyphen, which is very, very rarely used in everyday situations. Even as an award-winning author, I never use em dashes in my books (unless my proofreader inserts them). There isn’t even an em dash key on standard computer keyboards. Instead, it is accessed through alt codes or special inputs. If you want your GenAI content to look more genuine, then I recommend specifying in your prompts that em dashes should not be used, or tell the system to remove em dashes during the iteration process.

My thoughts on the current stigma surrounding GenAI usage in schools

Unfortunately, whilst the corporate sector is scrambling to create smart workflows using GenAI systems, schools are woefully lagging far behind. In the teaching profession generally, the use of AI systems for the reasons I have specified today is still frowned upon. Even sourcing slides that other people have made is looked upon unfavorably by some school leaders. This, sadly, has caused a lot of teachers to go ‘underground’ and use GenAI covertly.

Things will have to change soon, however. I have been doing a lot of courses in AI this year (check out my LinkedIn profile to see my certs) and I can tell you sincerely: it’s FRIGHTENING how advanced GenAI has already become. These systems are already breathtakingly good, and they’re only going to get better. Sooner or later, the stigma surrounding teachers usage of GenAI in schools will have to dissolve: it’s the only way that schools are going to be able to stay relevant.

Does the Gender Gap in Education Really Exist?

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 who’s worked with students across a range of schools and contexts, I often hear colleagues say, “The gender gap? Isn’t that old news?” At first glance, that might seem fair. After all, in many parts of the world, girls are now outperforming boys academically. But when you take a closer look, a much more complex picture emerges.

A gender gap in education does, actually, exist. However, it is not a simple case of one gender consistently falling behind. Instead, it reflects a range of disparities that shift depending on region, subject, and socioeconomic status. Over the past few years, researchers have taken a fresh look at how gender intersects with learning. The findings are as relevant as ever for us in the classroom, and in this blog post I’d like to take a deep dive into what the latest research tells us.

Girls are Leading in Academic Performance, But at What Cost?

Recent international data shows that girls continue to outperform boys in reading, writing, and overall academic attainment in many high-income countries (OECD, 2022). The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results indicate that girls significantly outperform boys in reading across almost all participating countries, and the gap is getting wider.

However, this success often comes with a price. Girls report higher levels of school-related stress and anxiety, particularly around exams and future expectations (UNESCO, 2023). A global study by the World Health Organization found that adolescent girls are much more likely than boys to experience internalising mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, which can be exacerbated by academic pressure (WHO, 2021).

Boys and Disengagement: A Persistent Problem

On the other hand, boys are consistently more likely to struggle with engagement and behaviour in the classroom. Data from the UK’s Department for Education (2021) shows that boys are overrepresented in exclusion rates and more likely to underachieve in language-based subjects. In many classrooms I’ve observed, boys are often the ones more likely to act out, resist extended writing tasks, or show reluctance to participate in group discussions. This pattern has shown itself throughout my entire teaching career, which now amounts to almost twenty years of full-time practice.

The pandemic appears to have made this worse, however. Research from McKinsey & Company (2021) indicates that male students in the United States experienced greater learning loss in reading than female students during school closures. That is a trend echoed in other countries, particularly among lower-income and marginalised groups.

The STEM Gender Divide Persists

Despite progress, the gender gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) remains a global challenge. While girls now often match or even outperform boys in school-based STEM assessments, they remain underrepresented in STEM degrees and careers (UNESCO, 2021). The issue is not about ability. It is about confidence, self-concept and (dare I say it) personal choice.

A recent report by the European Institute for Gender Equality (2022) revealed that girls are less likely to see themselves as good at maths, even when they perform at the same level as boys. This lack of confidence discourages them from pursuing further studies in technical fields. As teachers, we need to be aware of the subtle messages we send that may reinforce these patterns.

I think this is an apt moment for me to suggest some further reading that may be of use to anyone who wants to empower their students and build their confidence:

  • Check out the power of Subtle Reinforcement, a concept I formalized and outlined back in 2018, which is a very impactful way to build character and self-belief in our students over time.
  • As teachers we tend to praise our students a lot, but praise is something that has to be deployed carefully in order for it to be effective. Read my blog post on the Four Rules of Praise to find out how you can give positive feedback that truly inspires, empowers and builds your students up.

All of our students deserve to be recognised for their efforts and have their work acknowledged, regardless of their gender. However, I think it’s important to bear in mind the findings of European Institute for Gender Equality cited above and remember that many of the girls we teach may have self-confidence issues, and we should aim to build them up, encourage them, empower them and refer them to other professionals if the need arises (e.g. school counsellors).

Mental Health and Gendered Experiences in School

Gender gaps in education are not only about achievement. They are also about well-being. A recent OECD study (2023) found that girls are more likely to report anxiety about schoolwork and a fear of failure, while boys are more likely to report boredom and a lack of connection with school.

This suggests that educational environments may not be equally supportive for all students. Girls may feel pressure to excel, leading to perfectionism and anxiety. Boys may feel alienated or disengaged, leading to underperformance. Both groups need support, but in different ways.

So What Can We Do?

As teachers, we are in a unique position to break cycles and challenge stereotypes. Here are some simple strategies I’ve used that can make a difference:

  • Model gender-neutral attitudes in classroom discussions. Avoid statements that imply certain subjects are more “for boys” or “for girls.” Everyone brings skills and abilities to the table, and we should acknowledge all of our students’ hopes, dreams and career aspirations.
  • Provide diverse role models in your curriculum. Highlight both male and female scientists, writers, leaders and thinkers. As a mathematics and science teacher, I have sometimes found it more challenging to find female examples of experts in these fields than male ones, but that has not deterred me from trying. I’ve certainly found that girls tend to connect more with the content when they can see that other females have accomplished greatness in the subject. Let’s keep our role models that we cite and reference varied!
  • Encourage all students to take risks, ask questions, and reflect on their learning. Confidence-building matters just as much as content. The classroom should be a space where questions, inquiry and problem-solving are welcomed. This, after all, promotes deep-learning (as opposed to surface learning) and keeps things inclusive.
  • Track participation patterns. Who is speaking the most? Who is holding back? Use this data to plan for more inclusive engagement. Make a mental note (or maybe a written one) of who your ‘shy’ students are and utilize techniques to reach them. Read my blog post on Five Strategies for Engaging Quiet, Shy and Withdrawn Students for specific advice.

Final Thoughts

So, does the gender gap in education really exist? Yes. But it is not always where we expect to find it. Girls may be topping the leaderboards academically, but they are also more likely to suffer from stress and pressure. Boys may seem carefree, but they are falling behind in literacy and disengaging from school.

As educators, our job is to stay curious and informed. Gender equity is not just about access anymore. It is about ensuring that every student feels safe, empowered, and supported to succeed. The more we understand the complex realities behind the data, the more we can make a meaningful difference in our classrooms.

Let’s keep listening, adapting, championing every learner, regardless of gender.

Bibliography

Department for Education (2021) Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions in England: 2019 to 2020. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2019-to-2020

European Institute for Gender Equality (2022) Gender Equality Index 2022: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Care. Available at: https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-equality-index-2022

McKinsey & Company (2021) COVID-19 and Education: The Lingering Effects of Unfinished Learning. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/covid-19-and-education-the-lingering-effects-of-unfinished-learning

OECD (2022) PISA 2018 Results: Are Students Ready to Thrive in an Interconnected World?. Paris: OECD Publishing. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/

OECD (2023) Education at a Glance 2023: OECD Indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-2023-en

UNESCO (2021) To Be Smart, the Digital Revolution Will Need to Be Inclusive. Paris: UNESCO. Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377193

UNESCO (2023) Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in Education. Paris: UNESCO. Available at: https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/2023-technology

World Health Organization (2021) Adolescent Mental Health. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

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

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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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