Amanda Hardie
Deputy Head Academic at Newcastle High School for Girls GDST. Passionate about girls' education and empowering the next generation of female leaders.
Location North East
Activity
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Amanda Hardie replied to Natalie McBride
I really like adding the word ‘yet’ when responding to pupils whose default reaction is to say that they can’t do something. I used it with my own daughters too - if they told me they couldn’t do it I would reply “you can’t do it, yet”. It challenged them to think differently. I also ask “if you did know the answer, what might you say’ or ‘if you could do it,...
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That’s encouraging! How might this then be developed to maintain momentum over time?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Tamsin F
Good to hear!
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Thanks, Natalie. Are there ways in which teachers can model this in the classroom?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Lynsey Holton
What role do you think mentoring can play in this, Lynsey? Is it important for girls in school to have contact with women who do manage to balance family life and career and who will speak honestly about their own experiences?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Natalie McBride
Thanks for sharing the article, Natalie.
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Amanda Hardie replied to Sylvia Hathaway
Let us know how it goes!
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We’ve used lesson study a lot in school over the last three years and I think it has huge benefits. What were the key things you discovered?
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Lovely strategy, and a good way to engage the quieter members of the group who don’t volunteer initially - asking whether they agree with child A and why, or ask something like ‘if someone didn’t agree with child A what might be the reason for that?’
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Good to hear, John, and thanks for the link. I hope the GCSE prep goes well!
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Let us know how it goes, Jemma! I've seen some great strategies that include games or quizzes based on popular TV shows - I watched a lovely activity in a Politics lesson last week based on the TV quiz 'Only Connect' and it really had the girls talking and engaging with the material.
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Think, pair, share is a good strategy, Judy. I've also found pairing girls up and asking them to discuss a topic but then feed back to the class on their partner's ideas, rather than their own, helps develop their listening skills and confidence and it adds variety to discussion strategies.
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Amanda Hardie replied to Jonathan Brough
Thanks, Jonathan. We have adopted this approach to all lesson observations in school. The lesson is discussed in advance with the observer, and the member of staff is encouraged to try a new strategy or technique. We found that teachers tended to put on 'show lesson' when observed anyway, so we decided to embrace this and make it the aim of the whole...
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Let me know how it goes, Debbie. It is the concept behind our revised lesson observation process. Encouraging teachers to use a lesson observation to try something new and take a risk, with a colleague observing so that it can be constructively
discussed following the lesson. Completely removing lesson grading from this process has meant low threat, high... -
Amanda Hardie replied to Jeffrey Johnson
I used it with both my girls when they were growing up and it was really effective. My youngest daughter learning for herself that she 'couldn't swim yet' was a vital life lesson for her - and spurred her on to learn!
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Thanks, Julia. I completely agree that social media is playing a powerful role in fuelling perfectionism. I think negotiating it is one of the biggest challenges girls face today - and it is a challenge for their parents! Are there ways we can help to address that through schools?
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Thanks, John. I think learning from mistakes is so powerful and important in building up resilience to challenge. Have you used any specific strategies in Maths that have allowed you to do this that you could share?
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Thanks, julia. could you just clarify what you mean by 'female learning' and 'male learning'?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Braimah Salifu
Thanks, Braimah. Can giving girls leadership roles in school and ensuring challenge in the classroom, building resilience through safe risks and failure, challenge this and help to prepare girls to take on leadership in the workplace?
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Amanda Hardie replied to ailie moir
Thanks, Allie. Is this where female leadership mentors come in - introducing girls to real-life local examples of successful women in the workplace who talk to girls about their journey and raise aspirations of girls?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Anwen Brown
@AnwenBrown I love the idea of allowing girls to become an expert on the topic. Not only is it effective in terms of learning - you have to really know it to be able to teach it to others - but it is a great confidence boost. When used effectively, it can be very powerful. That's something I love about the EPQ qualification. It allows girls to own their...
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Amanda Hardie replied to Olive Jellyman
Thanks, Olive. Does raising aspirations of girls and educating their parents play a role in addressing the low expectations? If so, how can we do that?
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Amanda Hardie replied to D Sandhu
@ChristopherBasham Why does ‘fearless’ worry you?
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I'm interested in how much social media perpetuates this 'effortless perfectionism' in girls. How much of a role do you think it plays?
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I think that assessment for learning techniques are effective in encouraging girls to move from fixating on their 'score' and to focus on understanding what their current strengths are and how any areas for development can be addressed. Giving them a grade or result after allowing them time to first reflect upon feedback on a piece of work can be helpful in...
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Amanda Hardie replied to Jonathan Brough
@JonathanBrough An interesting point, Jonathan. I'm a great believer in the idea that female role-models and mentors play a vital part in allowing girls to develop their own leadership blueprint and raising aspirations of leadership. They have to see it to be it! Female leaders sharing openly the joys and the challenges of their own leadership journey can be...
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Amanda Hardie replied to Anwen Brown
Self-doubt seems to be a major factor in barriers to success. Imposter syndrome can carry on right into adulthood. Have you found any strategies that can successfully break down that vicious circle you describe?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Eleanor Ness
Hi Eleanor. Have you noticed any particular character traits in those girls who have gone on to be leaders, bankers etc?
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Welcome to the course, Mohamed. Have you noticed any particular differences in learning approaches that have required you to adapt your practice when moving from a Boys' school to a co-educational environment?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Christopher Basham
@ChristopherBasham That's an interesting way to explain it. How important do you think trust is in that relationship and how do you go about developing it?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Kayla Barclay
I hope that it proves useful, Kayla. Encouraging girls to take risks and to not be afraid of failure is important. Has anyone had particular success in encouraging risk-taking and developing resilience in the classroom that they can share?
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Welcome to the course, Mohamed. Developing the confidence of girls in the classroom is so important in empowering them to take this confidence beyond school and into the world of work. Does anyone have any strategies that they have found effective?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Xu Ye
Lovely to have you on board!
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Welcome to the course, Debbie! I look forward to our discussions over the coming weeks. Empowering girls to make informed and bold choices is so important.
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Amanda Hardie replied to Jane Sladdin
Completely agree that we need to build foundations at an early stage. I hope that you find the course useful!
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Amanda Hardie replied to Christopher Basham
I hope that you find it useful, Christopher. I'm interested in the distinction you have made between being led and being driven. What brought you to that conclusion? Were there any particular strategies that you found helped improve low self-esteem in the girls ?
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Amanda Hardie replied to Elizabeth M N
So wonderful that you are drawing on your own experiences to empower the next generation of female leaders! That's my aim, too, and it's a privilege to play a part in the change.
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Amanda Hardie replied to D Sandhu
So important that we empower girls to reach their leadership potential and be fearless in doing so! I hope this course supports you in your aim!
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
The course has given me a real opportunity to spend dedicated time reflecting on my own beliefs about effective practice and to crystalise my beliefs about teaching and learning partnerships. It has allowed me to focus on priorities for developing our evolving whole school approach to classroom practice, collaborating with key colleagues who are also...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I believe that leadership apportunities for girls beyond the classroom are vitally important. Role modelling and raising aspirations are crucial in creating the leaders of the future and empowering girls to see themselves as leaders. I think strong female role models are important in raising aspirations and self-belief in girls, but both mothers and fathers,...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I absolutely agree that education is a journey and should be viewed as such. A snapshot such as a lesson observation isn’t sufficient to give the full picture - rather it is a piece of the jigsaw. A linear approach across a whole course, adapting and evolving as the course develops is vital to effective learning and pupil development. I absolutely agree about...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I think scaffolding from an early age is important, so that we start with directive feedback in lower school and once the expectations are embedded and the pupil has developed an understanding of this we move to non-directive so that pupils develop self-confidence along the way. I think practising this in a non-threatening way by asking them to review sample...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I believe that trust is important and definitely aids effective learning. Feeling ‘safe’ within the classroom allows development of a positive mindset that then make for effective learning. Girls don’t learn as effectively when unhappy or stressed which is why it is so important that positive mindset and pastoral services work hand in hand with academic...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I thinks this sums up exactly how girls in our school learn effectively. Fun with an element of challenge - being on the alert - with a sense of satisfaction when it happens and they rise to the challenge.
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
It allows girls to reflect on their own learning experience and to understand what works best for them so that they can draw on this in the future. It also allows the teacher the opportunity to evaluate the impact of the lesson they delivered and to think how it can be adapted to be even more effective. We encourage girls to reflect on their learning outside...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
We deliver a thinking programme that is not exam based and is thinking for thinking’s sake, developing critical thinking skills that girls can then draw upon in their learning across the subject range. We also deliver a PPE programme that again encourages thinking and which is not exam based; this includes ethical and philosophical thinking, economics and...
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Certainly do - and they love it!
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I love this idea. Building upon and linking previous discussion visually is great. Passing a ball of wool between pupils in discussion to demonstrate the links between the ideas of pupils can also be effective. The physical action encourages a conscious awareness of how one idea builds upon or links to another in the same way the brick idea does. I think...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Games are a great learning tool - as per my previous comment - and can combine challenge, collaboration, risk- taking and discussion/debate whilst also reinforcing factual learning and understanding. I believe that pupils prefer firm but fair in terms of classroom management - they want to see consistency and like boundaries - but that doesn’t mean a teacher...
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I think an awareness of the inner critic is an important step in overcoming it. If we talk to girls about the inner critic and share our own experience of that as teachers - allowing them an awareness that they aren’t the only ones who experience that self-doubt and inner critic and that it can continue into adulthood - we can empower them to recognise the...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Activities that include a focus on technical language and language use are helpful. Taking a C grade response to an exam question and asking pupils to turn it into an A* response by looking at expression of ideas, use of technical language and evaluative language seem to work well. Picking out key terms/concepts in Mark schemes is also effective - asking...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I completely agree. I think that being able to understand technical language and express ideas through a shared language empowers pupils and helps develop confidence in their learning. It creates a sense of ownership of the learning. Using key technical vocabulary is important, particularly higher up in school, and tasks/activities that challenge pupils to...
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Amanda Hardie replied to Amanda Hardie
Many thanks, Elisa!
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They all tend to engage to be honest and enjoy when it’s their turn to ‘pick the stick’ and suggest the format for the day. I mix it up by sometimes putting them into teams and using a quiz show format rather than asking them to respond individually and allow them to confer in teams before answering - today was University Challenge as it happens and Cambridge...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I try to avoid teacher talk dominating lessons as much as possible. I enjoy using the idea of ‘explore together’ in lessons. When I introduce a topic we start by discussing what we think we know about it or what we would like to know through a think, pair, share activity then explore the extent to which we were right through research using collaboration....
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I couldn’t upload my questions to the activity that required examples of open questions etc. May have been because I’m working from a phone rather than laptop but worth being aware of. The message said it wasn’t possible to upload and took me back to the task page.
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I think we are predominately A and we are working closely through faculties to ensure that the experience of girls across school is consistent in terms of opportunities and expectation in this area. Revisiting how questioning can facilitate this challenge is helping reinforce this for staff. We’re also putting the GDST challenge poster up in each faculty...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I think that simply the word challenge in a title for a piece of work reinforces the challenge aspect and the sense of achievement when it is completed. For many girls the challenge element is exciting and attractive. For those who are daunted by challenge initially, confidence develops over time as a result of their achievement and can be reinforced by use...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Excellent use of praise to encourage and engage. Pupils then more likely to take risks and have a go as classroom climate feels safe. Everyone engaged through whiteboard activity - but then drawing everyonce back together and feeding into whole class discussion. Opportunity to predict based on information rather than just being told the answer encourages...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I like to give my A Level groups ‘additional’ higher reading that takes them beyond the specification. I ask them to come back with one question about what they have read, and begin the next lesson by exploring some of those questions, encouraging them to answer each other’s question where possible.
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Challenge and struggle is important within the classroom. Rather than correcting an error, I ask a question about why they have made that decision which usually causes them to reflect and realise their error. And sometimes I ask a question about something that is correct just to develop their resilience in being confident in their decisions! Use of humour and...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I love this idea and use it all the time in my teaching. My subject - philosophy and ethics - lends itself very much to this but I’m teaching some Politics this year and I’m enjoying the opportunity to use the skills in a new context. Once we’ve explored concepts and have made it out of ‘the pit’ - not a term I actually use with the girls - I then find they...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
We’ve introduced skills based curriculum delivery one afternoon each fortnight in KS3 that develops transferable skills that are then picked up in discreet subject teaching and reinforced to encourage pupils to see their transferability. Subjects work collaboratively through a faculty system to develop these skills. Teaching strategies such as investigation...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Our school learner promise is based around 8 learning characteristics that encourage growth mindset in both staff and pupils. We explored how these learning dispositions could be developed in both staff and pupils and this all fed into our whole school development plan. We believe in encouraging staff and girls to ‘be the best you can be’ and this underpins...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I think that challenge generates deep thought rather than regurgitation of information. Questioning that asks ‘why’ in response to a statement by a pupil and takes them out of their comfort zone encourages that challenge and deep thinking.
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Hi Augusta. I think that is why it is so important that schools understand how to develop the skills and characteristics that girls will need beyond school and that they ensure that are deeply embedded throughout their time in school.
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
I think curiosity is key - setting up a task to engage and grasp attention. Group dynamics are also important - ensuring balance within groups by allocating pupils rather than allowing pupils to self - select. Allocating specific roles such a scribe, reporter etc. can also be effective and can be used to challenge pupils who may otherwise have. A tendency to...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Collaborative learning is really powerful. We also ensure that it goes beyond just ‘working with a friend’ by allocating pupils to groups so that girls learn to work with a wide range of people. It develops their skills and character but is also effective in ensuring that quiet girls who lack confidence initially don’t struggle to find a group to work with....
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Girls need to be given the opportunity to take safe risks, to develop resilience and to develop confidence through a learning environment that allows them to flourish and grow.
Parents need to be aware of how to empower their daughters and to work in collaboration with schools to develop that confidence and self-belief.
Teachers need to ensure that they are... -
Amanda Hardie made a comment
I do think confidence is potentially a significant barrier for women and that is why it is so important that girls are empowered to develop confidence in their formative years through an education that meets their needs and develops resilience, courage and adaptability.
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I think that having taught in a girls only environment for 20 years I have naturally (and possibly unconsciously) adapted my teaching to meet the needs of the girls I teach through instinct and experience of what works best and proves most effective. My research on the best strategies for educating girls and effectively meeting their needs certainly resonates...
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I believe it is about enabling girls to develop confidence /resilience / skills throughout education in a girls only school environment where these characteristics are allowed to flourish through an education that meets their specific needs, which will then empower girls to go into the world beyond school and challenge the status quo as a result of the...
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Amanda Hardie made a comment
Collaboration and challenge in a supportive environment where girls aren’t afraid to ‘have a go’ and make mistakes. Taking them out of their comfort zone through questioning techniques that challenge them to really think and develop resilience. Allowing them to explore and discover for themselves rather than telling, allowing them to go beyond the scheme of...