With 18 months experience of teaching with RememberMore here is what I would share with schools looking to stabilise a school in flux or recession and why RememberMore may just be part of the solution.
RememberMore is one part routine maker / behaviour barometer, one part teacher professional development and curriculum definer and three parts improve the quality of teaching.
As with any change, the beginning is not the place to start.
Pause for a moment. In a year from now, how we will know that the introduction of RememberMore was “the difference that made the difference?” Or at least contributed to it. Let me tell you what you can expect, so you can prepare and lead for that future.
Bottom line: Improved learner outcomes. Reduced educator workload. And all the benefits that brings.
Lesson openings are routined, purposeful and meaningful. Classrooms are calmer, more focused, certainly at the start. Learners know more and can remember more, learners are more determined and independent. X% of learners in Year 11 (the year group targeted) used RememberMore for mock exams revision logging x hours of study. Mock exam outcomes support this investment. X number of learners have been identified as requiring additional SEND support through the Dashboard’s metrics. More learners, have secured more of the “same knowledge.” With school variance has reduced.
Educators are confident in their use of Classroom, (elaborations and the four modes). Classroom is described as “super easy, super simple.” A high percentage of educators have adopted Classroom and moved onto adopting various oracy routines as well. Vocabulary has high status in lessons (and with learners). Written work is more sophisticated. A good few educators, mainly in the core subjects due to teaching five/six periods a week with the same class, have moved onto to exploring and adapting various Classroom routines, some are even experimenting with their own routines. A few educators prefer their way of doing things. The Maths Department concur with you – RememberMore is not as impactful here. Educators are more interested in the Cognitive Science research behind RememberMore.
Middle Leaders are cross referencing their curriculum definitions with one another, cross referencing their decks. Some Middle Leaders have connected with other colleagues locally to evolve or improve or “trade” their decks. There was a conversation around whether or not RememberMore could supplement some homework. The Literacy lead has defined a recovery programme for SEND learners using the platform. Fewer behaviour referrals are made from Alternative Provision. The photocopying budget is significantly reduced.
Leaders are able to evidence the connection between their curriculum intent, implementation and impact. Leaders are assured that content can be delivered to those learners not in the classroom.
Parents are keen to see RememberMore used by more Year groups.
It would be more difficult for me to forecast into the second year however, here goes. I foresee the new academic year starting more affirmatively. A transition deck was added to RememberMore priming the start of the new year. Now established Classroom routines, more experienced, confident educators and more learners who have secured more of the “same knowledge,” means certainly makes teaching easier. Of courses, hindsight is a powerful thing and learners more readily accept Classroom and RememberMore.
Bottom line: Improved learner outcomes. Reduced educator workload.
Back to the here and now
What support and what decisions need to be taken? Which curriculum areas and educators may benefit most from using RememberMore? All years or targeted year groups? All curriculum areas or a targeted selection? What training is required. Our knowledge, RememberMore knowledge or a combination?
If defining and designing knowledge for RememberMore as a department, school or group of schools even, a broader perspective is needed. The opportunity to co-curate knowledge, co-curate decks, is not only very powerful professional development, it raises the quality of end product, the deck, and therefore the quality of teaching as well as reducing educator workload. We highly recommend co-curating decks as a departmental team. Under these conditions, we recommend a nominated “RememberMore Lead” manages the moderation and publication of decks.
RememberMore does not need “data” once downloaded, those learners with a mobile device may access Classroom. That leaves a very small percentage of learners without access to RememberMore (a mobile device) or Classroom.
Right – we just need a few schools to take a leap of faith.