Jim Smith

There are two things that will transform the nature of teaching and learning in this country – brave heads and lazy teachers.

So, when it comes to helping teachers to teach less (and the children learn more) there’s one person who can really show schools how it’s done. After all, Jim Smith is one of the laziest, offloadiest, most delegation–happy teachers we’ve ever met. He is the original Lazy Teacher.

And it’s no coincidence that he’s also one of the best classroom practitioners we know (something The National Teaching Awards agree with as well, awarding Jim a Distinction in the category of Secondary School Teacher of the year 2010).

Jim is passionate about ensuring learners get more from their education than the standard diet of classroom-based teacher-led learning. After all, how long can you lead from the front, if you are collapsed under the desk?

If you want your students to learn more and you to work less, then Jim’s Lazy Way provides you with all the arguments and evidence you need to become a lazy, but outstanding teacher.  Gathered over 10 years (and counting) in the classroom the Lazy Way is based on tried-and-tested techniques that shift the emphasis away from the teaching and onto the learning, help you hit your PLTS or skills based curriculum buttons and make your life so much easier in the process. Fed up missing out on those sunny Sundays?...

This powerful approach, which is a subtle but seismic shift from what already happens, is packed full of easy-to-apply and highly effective strategies (which Ofsted have rated as ‘outstanding’). What's more, they all have the seal of approval of real students in real classrooms. In fact, many of them have been thought up by the students themselves, but that's why Jim Smith is called the Lazy Teacher.

Using the Lazy Way, Jim will help your classrooms to become places where children and students understand the nature of teaching and learning to become genuine independent thinkers and learners. All this and remember the teacher is doing less; meaning the next time someone says to you to get a life, Jim might just make it possible.

Apart from his teaching responsibilities and role as a senior leader at Clevedon School in North Somerset he has also worked closely with Independent Thinking for several years on a variety of different projects, including the innovative Learning Bug software and leading on a major BSF Transformational Learning project in the South West.

Jim is now available to help spread his ‘lazy teacher’ ethos through his powerful, practical and entertaining INSET sessions and conference addresses. These are comments from teachers who have already had the Lazy Teacher INSET Experience:

• Deputy head has used the 'nominate a student to answer questions' technique (and got an otherwise silent student talking as a consequence!) and mobile phones have been used legally in many lessons (the Head started her beginning of term briefing yesterday afternoon waiving the no phones in lessons ban providing the use of them supported learning).  Forgot to mention the talk of competitions to create House mascots and the teacher who has finally taught a poetry lesson without having to download millions of work sheets from the internet!  I think we can safely say you did a marvellous job - thank you!!!!
• I just wanted to thank you very much for yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed the day - it was informative, challenging and entertaining
• The evaluations were really positive - you got 'excellent' from all!
• Thanks again for today - I really enjoyed it and was genuinely challenged and excited. A measure of your success was that I forgot to take photos until after lunch
• ‘You really inspired our Staff – they are looking forward to starting work next term which is a first!’
• ‘Thank you for giving me the confidence to teach differently’
• ‘Not patronising. Very practical – loved it’
• 'A lot of staff have come away feeling quite challenged (in a positive way) about their classroom practice so you certainly provided food for thought’
• 'The feedback I have had from staff has been really positive and people have been inspired to get cracking this term’

You can even have Jim in the classroom with you as part of our unique Show Me! INSET approach, but in true lazy style your learners will be the busy ones.

So, why not book Jim for an Event with your staff or governors (Jim delivers Events for primary, secondary and further education).

People who have benefited from Jim have also enjoyed David Keeling.

Articles Written by Jim Smith

• Ten Ways to be Lazy (But Great) Teacher

Books Written by Jim Smith

• The Lazy Teacher's Handbook: How your students learn more when you teach less
  

Radio Programmes with Jim Smith

• BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour on 16th April 2010

For more information about how Jim can help you help the learners learn more by teaching less please e-mail us on learn@independentthinking.co.uk or call us 0844 589 0490.

And remember, if the word ‘laminate’ crops up in your lesson planning, you’re trying too hard.

Jim's CRB number is 001234558139 issued 30th April 2009.

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