Just Because It Sparkles…
Let’s get something straight.
A well-designed PowerPoint or beautifully crafted worksheet doesn’t teach children maths.
We all say it. We all know it. But… sometimes we forget to act on it.
Occasionally we assume the quality of the resource will carry the lesson. But the truth is, the magic happens when the teacher brings it to life.
On Friday, I had the joy of speaking at my first conference in a while – full of brilliant maths folk working with hubs and schools across the region.
There were top sessions from Ed, Alison, Johnny and Darren. Really inspiring stuff. (Lovely to see you all!)
But what really struck me was a shared concern I heard again and again:
“We’re seeing too many teachers we work with just click-next-slide. We want teachers to make the resource their own.”
One delegate put it perfectly:
“We’ve unintentionally created a culture where the resource leads the lesson… not the teacher.”
It’s no one’s fault.
We’re all working under pressure.
But if we’re not careful, resources go from tools to crutches.
Philosophy of Use
So I shared an idea I’ve worked with schools on in the past. Create a Philosophy of Use.
Don’t worry – it’s not a 43-page manifesto. It’s a short, honest, staff-written guide to how you use resources … and how you don’t.
To get started, we asked three questions:
- “A great resource allows a teacher to…?”
- “A resource is not…?”
- “The danger with a resource is…?”
There were some great responses!
“A great resource models the concept, promotes independence, supports the teacher and works for all learners.”
“A resource is not a script, a substitute teacher or something to hide behind.”
“The danger is it can replace teacher thinking, create misconceptions or crush creativity.”
Gold dust.
Get your team to do this and suddenly you’ve got a bit more clarity. A shared language. A compass for new staff and experienced ones alike.
Start Small. Think Big Later.
Then we got practical.
If your school’s facing issues like this – too much clicking, not enough thinking – what could you do?
You don’t need a revolution. You don’t need to panic. You need to begin with what I called low-risk adaptations.
Here are a few that came up:
- Live model an example on the board – don’t just click through it.
- Tell a story. Make that banana-and-apple slide actually mean something.
- Set a slide limit. Five max. It’s doesn’t need to be a Netflix binge!
None of this needs a policy. Just a bit of intent.
Final Thoughts
I want to stress that it’s not about throwing out the resource. It’s about breathing life into it. Trusting yourself. Backing your instincts.
Because great lessons aren’t just delivered. They’re interpreted – like a piece of music brought alive by the musician holding the baton. They need your tone. Your timing. Your ability to read the room and change direction, mid-sentence if needed.
And that’s the part no resource can do.
The magic happens when you make something your own. When you pause the slide, look up, and teach the students in front of you – not the ones imagined by the person who wrote the PowerPoint.
So write your school’s philosophy. Use it to spark those all-important conversations. But more than anything – trust yourself.
You’re not just delivering content. You’re shaping understanding. And that’s where the real power lies.
And that’s what Tony reckons
Cue the music. Fade to skyline. Roll credits.
Tony’s Angle. See you next time.
P.S. I wrote most of this over the weekend, but this morning I came across a piece of research from MIT that gave me pause. It suggested that students relying solely on ChatGPT to answer questions could see a decline in their critical thinking abilities.
Now, it was a small sample – and we all know research headlines need careful reading – but it echoed a comment I’ve heard before. And it got me thinking…
Are we, in a different way, doing something similar with pre-curated PowerPoints? If we don’t adapt, interrogate, and bring our own thinking to the lesson – do we risk deskilling teachers too?
I don’t have a neat answer. But it’s something to ponder.
Another reason why making the resource your own matters.
