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The Freedom Trap
What we get wrong when we talk about freedom, choice and autonomy in schools
Jan 14
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David Didau
14
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Repost: Rave New World: An exploration of space and place in The Second Summer of Love
A repost of Claire Stoneman's essay on my novel
Jan 12
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David Didau
and
Claire Stoneman
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From distress to eustress: why some stress is good for you
Three principles for teachers to think effectively about how to optimise stress levels in the classroom
Jan 10
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David Didau
15
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Is the 'myth of the influencer' really a myth?
A response to Adam Robbins' critique of seed groups.
Jan 5
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David Didau
4
3
3
Herd immunity and the limits of influence
What Elizabeth Paluck’s research reveals about cultural change and why schools have struggled to implement it effectively
Jan 3
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David Didau
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The myth of teaching children to 'read for pleasure'
Dec 6, 2025
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David Didau
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The Dual Coding Delusion
Nov 1, 2025
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David Didau
48
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Five principles of effective assessment
Sep 21, 2025
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David Didau
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When the bridge is down: how poor assessment creates needless struggle
Sep 27, 2025
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David Didau
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Culture eats values and vision statements for breakfast
Why culture is learned through imitation, tolerated behaviour and informal influence rather than assemblies, policies and good intentions
Jan 2
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David Didau
43
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Reading for betterment
Beyond pleasure: how reading can make us better people
Dec 30, 2025
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David Didau
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A review of 2025 on The Learning Spy
Happy Christmas readers!
Dec 25, 2025
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David Didau
5
3
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Teaching metre as meaning
How to bring Shakespeare's verse to life
Dec 20, 2025
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David Didau
15
4
The best non-fiction I read in 2025
As with the companion piece I wrote about the fiction I’ve most enjoyed this year, the following list is made up of books, old and new, which I read for…
Dec 19, 2025
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David Didau
19
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The fiction I've most enjoyed reading in 2025
Yet another booklist
Dec 18, 2025
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David Didau
19
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Professional scepticism
Until education becomes the kind of profession that reveres evidence, we should not be surprised to find its experts dispensing unproven methods…
Dec 16, 2025
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David Didau
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David Didau: The Learning Spy
The Learning Spy Substack is a sharp, provocative dispatch from the front lines of education, where ideas are tested, myths are challenged, and nothing is taken for granted.
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Recommendations
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David Didau: The Learning Spy
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