Great teaching relies on great subject knowledge.
When we know a ton about what we're teaching we explain things better, ask better questions and show more enthusiasm.
But teachers are expected to know a lot.
Especially in primary schools, with over a dozen subjects and a multitude of different topics, it can seem an impossible task to develop a secure knowledge base from which to teach.
There simply isn't time to listen to hours of podcasts, scour websites or read entire books on the many topics that teachers are expected to deliver.
Meno provides you with a super-condensed subject knowledge hit so that you feel confident, and ready to teach each national curriculum topic.
We've curated the most salient facts and packed them into a 5 minute video to prime you for new topic or upcoming lessons. They're short enough to watch while you eat your cornflakes or in a playtime.
Because we know you're busy.
About Jon
Jon was a primary teacher for ten years, and also taught in secondary. He specialised in curriculum development, and worked with colleagues at his school to write a complete, comprehensive history curriculum for key stage 2 that is now being taught in over 100 schools.
There were two aims with these highly specified and sequenced curriculum materials:
1/ to dramatically reduce workload for teachers by giving them the resources they need to teach.
2/ to improve the outcomes for all children by increasing the equity of the curriculum they receive.
Better curriculum resources were certainly part of the solution. It makes no sense that thousands of primary teachers all stay up late at night making powerpoints and worksheets from scratch on commonly taught units. And it's not fair for children in some schools to receive richer lessons than in others.
But it became increasingly clear to Jon - from both his own experiences as a teacher and working with other primary schools - that subject knowledge gaps were often holding teachers back in many lessons.
This is hardly surprising, with the national curriculum expectations so high. Short of becoming a polymath it is extremely challenging to master every topic on the curriculum.
And yet great subject knowledge is so obviously the foundation to great teaching, which all children deserve. It's a pickle, and in the hope to provide a practical solution, Jon founded meno.
Alongside this, Jon is Director of Training and Development for an educational foundation, where he works with multi academy trusts to build cradle to career models in the communities that they serve. Jon completed a Masters in Education, and later became a tutor for a Masters in Expert Teaching Programme. He has advised the UK government on education policy, and is also a Fellow on the Learning Sciences Exchange with New America, a think tank based in Washington DC.
jon@meno.academy
About Charlie
Charlie started his professional career in the British Army as a Royal Engineer and Army Commando. After 12 years of service and traveling all over the world he left to pursue his true passion; video production.
For Charlie video production isn't just about pointing a camera and asking someone to act, its about the feeling and meaning behind the subject. With meno Charlie knew teachers aren't looking for a zippy, jarring video. They will be watching these videos over a coffee at playtime, or the evening before school. So, make them nice to watch and easy on the eyes and ears.
Charlie brings with him years of experience from high end drama and feature film sets, coupled with a documentary filmmaking background. He is perfectly placed to produce these videos, and is excited to make more.
Charlie also works as a lighting camera operator/director of photography on documentaries, content pieces and news stories.
charlie@meno.academy