Put Some Pep(s) In Your Step

Dear colleague,

I'm writing today to recommend the blog of UK-based educator Peps Mccrea. I've been reading his work for a year or two, and I find him to be the most efficient connection point between myself and the research on how learning works.

Here are some of my favorite Peps pieces from this past school year:

• Pushing For Mastery, in which Peps argues there is a small list of things effective teachers tend to emphasize, and one of the most important is that the pursuit of mastery is what our classes are for. (I've long been in love with the language of mastery for working with students, so obviously hearing a smart guy say that's a good thing = music to me.)
• Common Mis(Interventions), in which Peps shares a paper unpacking 10 commonly-used interventions in UK schools and what the evidence actually says. (I was surprised by the findings regarding universally delivered mindfulness curricula as having null effects overall and potentially harmful effects to the students most needing help.)
• Authoritative Schooling, in which Peps connects the research on the bad-sounding-but-actually-quite-lovely authoritative parenting to how the best kinds of schools look and feel.

I could keep digging back in his archives but c'mon — who has time at the end of a school year? (My students and I finish up next Thursday.)

Just wanted to share in case you might like to subscribe to Peps and enjoy exploring his work this summer.

Teaching and learning right beside you,

DSJR

P.S. I'll be keynoting at the SDCTE virtual conference on June 8, and SDCTE will also be using the keynote as a kickoff to a summer book study of The Will to Learn. You can find all the details here; attending my talk costs as little as $10. Special thanks to the amazing team of South Dakotan educators putting on this conference.