Book review
The Learning Rainforest Great Teaching in Real Classrooms by Tom Sherrington John Catt Educational (2017) Reviewed by Wayne Richardson There are many metaphors to describe learning, teaching and schools, such as: it’s like building a house, arranging an orchestra with all its possibilities, or it’s an expedition into the unknown. In describing the difficult concept of learning and schooling, the author Tom Sherrington has chosen the rainforest metaphor, with learning trees: roots for establishing the conditions, a trunk for building knowledge, and a canopy for exploring possibilities – leading us to consider what this would look like as a rich dense learning rainforest, with the necessary conditions for them to survive (or not) and the possibilities for new species. The rainforest metaphor is contrasted with what learning and school organisations would look like if run as a fully organised plantation, with specific arrangements and checks in place to ensure maximum control over the results. Tom Sherrington is well known in the UK as a blogger (teacherhead.com), a former headteacher and now an education consultant. He has over 30 years’ experience as a physics and maths teacher and school leader, including working in private and state schools as well as an international school. Drawing on his wealth of experience and observations, he has crafted a detailed account of his journey as a learner, teacher and author to formulate this book. Whilst the book is essentially UK-based, it has so much to offer any international school setting. For a teacher, the book is packed full of practical ideas about classroom teaching and the associated richness that goes with learning. The book is divided into two parts. Firstly, the author details his own teaching experiences and a selection of research thinking that has contributed to the learning rainforest concept. This is particularly relevant to school leaders. In the second part, he describes in more detail the learning tree metaphor with many practical ideas and strategies that teachers can explore to establish their own rainforest classrooms, from establishing conditions and building knowledge to exploring possibilities. Many ideas and debates about teaching, curriculum and assessment are brought out into the open. Sherrington draws on the work of Christodoulou, Claxton and Hattie. In particular, he draws our attention to Dylan Wiliam’s reference to ‘responsive teaching
Winter
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| 2019
and feedback’ for considering alternative approaches to assessment in order to drive a more effective learning rainforest. His educational research compilations lead to some very important conclusions for teaching, namely ‘the role of relationships, peer dynamics, mindsets, expectations of students and classroom climate’ that are essential elements for establishing the necessary rich, nourishing conditions for growth in student learning. The book is a celebration of great teaching, including a chapter devoted to the traditional vs progressive pedagogy debate. The topics of inclusion for special needs and second language learners are discussed, along with day-to-day differentiation (gardening) so that all students are nurtured and flourish to their greatest extent. Each of the elements – roots, trunk and canopy – captures the three sets of tasks that constitute great teaching with topics such as awe and wonder, fostering relationships, questioning, feedback, projects and hands-on learning, to name but a few of the 60 different ideas shared in the book. The Learning Rainforest is an attempt by the author ‘to capture various different elements of our understanding and experience of teaching’ through pedagogy, curriculum and assessment, and their interconnected components. The rainforest vs plantation metaphor leads us to consider where we are on the continuum between them, in a managed learning forest. This is a book worth reading for any teacher or school manager, providing valuable considerations for your own rainforest classroom and school. Wayne Richardson is Head of School at Ras Al Khaimah Academy PYP, United Arab Emirates Email: wayne.richardson@rakacademy.org
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