Dan Cable writes in Alive at Work, that a powerful method to build relatedness and belonging within a team is to ask each person when they are at their best. Which circumstances bring out the best version of themselves? It’s a fascinating question. The rationale is, that by sharing this self-reflection, your shared vulnerability helpsContinue reading “ResearchEd Surrey 2021 – reflection”
Author Archives: Sam Crome
The Coaching Habit, by Michael Bungay Stanier
Why I read it Every coaching course I’ve been on, and most coaching blogs that I’ve read, recommend The Coaching Habit as the go-to guide for coaching wins. It is renowned for its insightful advice and practical style. After hearing about it multiple times, I had to read it – now, after completing it twice,Continue reading “The Coaching Habit, by Michael Bungay Stanier”
Essentialism, by Greg McKeown
Why I read it I follow many people on Twitter who have enjoyed similar books to my favourites: Think Again by Adam Grant, or Atomic Habits by James Clear, for example. What they seem to share unanimously is raving positivity about Essentialism, by Greg McKeown. I’ve read some excellent reviews and summaries of the bookContinue reading “Essentialism, by Greg McKeown”
Decoding Greatness, by Dr Ron Friedman
Why I read it I listened to a podcast with Dr Ron Friedman and loved how he spoke about his upcoming book, Decoding Greatness. As a teacher, I often try to decode an exemplar answer, or crunch numbers when analysing literature; without sticking to rigid formulas, it spoke to me that you could strip backContinue reading “Decoding Greatness, by Dr Ron Friedman”
The Extended Mind, by Annie Murphy Paul
Why I read it My education hero, and fellow Crystal Palace fan, Doug Lemov, tweeted that the excellent Annie Murphy Paul was looking for people to read her book in its run up to publication. A combination of Doug’s recommendation, plus the fascinating subject matter of the book, made this an easy decision, and AnnieContinue reading “The Extended Mind, by Annie Murphy Paul”
Noise, by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass Sunstein
Why I read it I really enjoyed Thinking, Fast and Slow, and having listened to Kahneman talk about his more recent work on a string of podcasts, I was excited to pre-order Noise. I knew that Kahneman and his team would be considered, detailed, and base their work on a large volume of research, andContinue reading “Noise, by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass Sunstein”
An Introduction to Coaching Skills, by Christian van Nieuwerburgh
Why I read it I am halfway through a fantastic Coaching Accreditation Program from the good people at Growth Coaching International. One of the course leaders, Christian van Nieuwerburgh, wrote this book and has used it as part of the course materials. It is a coaching bible, not merely ‘an introduction’ as the title suggests.Continue reading “An Introduction to Coaching Skills, by Christian van Nieuwerburgh”
The Advantage, by Patrick Lencioni
Why I read it: As you may know, I’m on a quest to understand how staff can thrive within organisations, and have reviewed many books that study this area of working life. The Advantage is written by Patrick Lencioni, an American author who is well known for his charisma, know-how and enthusiasm – having readContinue reading “The Advantage, by Patrick Lencioni”
Wednesday’s Wisdom #7: Two Ears, One Mouth – the Art of Listening
‘No, that’s not really what I meant’. The fatal knell of a speaker’s response, once you’ve neglected your duties as a listener with a blundered question or comment. You can probably salvage the visage of the conversation itself, but it sounds like the speaker doubts your understanding. The trust you built may have been undermined.Continue reading “Wednesday’s Wisdom #7: Two Ears, One Mouth – the Art of Listening”
A School Built on Ethos, by James Handscombe
Why I read it When I was Head of Sixth Form, I took assembly most weeks, either for Year 12, Year 13, or both together. I viewed the assembly preparation and delivery as an art form – a chance to consider an important message, and then to work hard to encase it in authenticity, sincerity,Continue reading “A School Built on Ethos, by James Handscombe”
Alive At Work, by Daniel Cable
Why I read it: If you’ve read a few of my posts, you’ll know that I have a keen interest in how we thrive at work – how we find purpose, safety, enthusiasm and wellbeing in our jobs. I’ve particularly enjoyed books such as The Culture Code, Think Again, and The Human Workplace, which examineContinue reading “Alive At Work, by Daniel Cable”
Stop Talking About Wellbeing, by Kat Howard
Why I read it: As I’ve mentioned before, I carried out a research project on staff wellbeing in 2019-2020, which was a fantastic opportunity to look at wellbeing with a research-informed eye. During that project, I saw that Kat Howard was writing, and then publishing this book – and knew it would be a vitalContinue reading “Stop Talking About Wellbeing, by Kat Howard”
Seven and a Half Lessons About The Brain, by Lisa Feldman Barrett
Why I read it: If you’re here, you may have read books about memory science, metacognition, and how we learn things. Research and books on those areas have informed my teaching for the last five years, so I thought it was time to try one that looks at the brain beyond learning and teaching. InContinue reading “Seven and a Half Lessons About The Brain, by Lisa Feldman Barrett”
Wednesday’s Wisdom #6: Why We Write
The 2001 series Band of Brothers made a profound impression on me as a teenager, and continues to, twenty years later, as I periodically revisit the ten beautiful, harrowing, and poignant instalments. As the show reaches its finale, the penultimate episode sees Easy Company uncover a concentration camp in Germany; after a year of gruellingContinue reading “Wednesday’s Wisdom #6: Why We Write”
Understanding How We Learn, by Dr Yana Weinstein, Dr Megan Sumeracki, with Oliver Caviglioli
Why I read it: I’ve always been fascinated by how we learn and the ways in which I can apply that knowledge to my teaching practice. I’ve read several books on these ideas, but this was the first that tied a lot of the evidence together in one place; the addition of Caviglioli’s visuals madeContinue reading “Understanding How We Learn, by Dr Yana Weinstein, Dr Megan Sumeracki, with Oliver Caviglioli”
Pocket Wisdom 