James Nottingham

Once I got over the fact that it was not actually Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear I was listening to, I very much enjoyed the message.

Learning to Succeed.

James Nottingham discussed the need to be aware of what Mental Models we bring into our jobs as educators.

James maintains that Mental Models are made up from your VALUES, BELIEFS and ASSUMPTIONS about the world. He argues that Mental Models are the most important consideration when looking at what you do. He warned that developing systems and structures developed before looking at what people really believe (Mental Models) can lead to failure.

When looking at school reform he posed the question, “How do you move your school on if we all think we are already doing it?” This belief can occur if we first don’t develop an understanding on what people actually think!

He maintains that before any change is made that we need to look at what will be the “absolute minimum,” and the need to develop a “Shared Language.”

The Challenge around Learning

James talked about the need to really challenge our students. He says that students operate in two zones. The PRACTICE ZONE and the LEARNING ZONE.

The Practice Zone – the area we do automatically, it is the place where no new learning takes place.

The Learning Zone is the place where we go beyond what you can do now. The place where you can succeed with encouragement.

If we want our students to be learners he suggests that we should take them to the point of uncertainty or wobble. Here they are stretching themselves. Having students do work they already know or tests where they achieve 10 out of 10 is not learning but rather PRACTICE.

The area where students WOBBLE is the place which causes them to think which in turn is the area where they will learn.

James runs an organisation called 'Sustained Success."