The issue of revision has rightly been the subject of much discussion in recent weeks. For those subjects which still enjoy - or endure - modular assessment, the issue has particular immediacy.

Last week, I came across a resource offering loads of revision ideas, one of which was called 'Paper in a bucket'.

The idea is you write loads of questions on pieces of paper, screw the pieces of paper up, chuck the pieces of paper in the bucket and randomly answer the questions you pull out. While no doubt well-intentioned, and not without some merit, the idea struck me as prioritizing novelty over utility. 

A wealth of research now confirms that 2 main elements should influence any revision program or plan:
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1. a focus on retrieval practice [including no-notes, low-stakes testing]
2. distributed practice - spreading out revision over time.

For more information, a great place to start is The Learning Scientists website which has some great downloadable materials, links to further reading and sections for Parents, Students & Teachers.

,At the February 2016 Aquinas Teaching & Learning Conference, and at the NWCCC Teaching & Learning Conference in June 2016, I suggested that we should always aim to 'teach to the top'.
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As the current academic year has progressed, I am even more convinced that this is what we should do. There are a number of key reasons for this:
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1. ALL our students are challenged. If we do anything other than 'teach to the top', we do our most able students a disservice.
2. The Pygmalion effect: students learn and achieve more when more is expected of them!
3. If high standards and expectations are set, high level work is more likley to be produced.
4. Teaching to the top is compatible with Growth Mindset. If we offer students the option of completing work based on their perception of their own ability, many students will , for a multitude of reasons, set their own bar too low.
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