This article (http://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2016/feb/19/how-to-write-the-shortest-joke-in-the-world?CMP=twt_a-media_b-gdnmedia) has got me thinking. Jimmy Carr's joke referenced in the article is about as succinct as a joke can get; "Vennison's dear, isn't it". It is a micro joke. It deliberately omits all the necessary information for the joke to make sense (the exformation). Our brains rapidly fill in the missing information. … Continue reading The micro lesson

Any economist knows that people respond to incentives. Senior leaders in schools should bear this in mind when they seek to hold teachers to account. Pay attention to a behaviour and generally you'll see more of that behaviour over time. We need to therefore be sure that what we spend time looking at is really … Continue reading Mark my words