For part of my week, I’m Dean of Learning Design at Ambition Institute, where I oversee the design of our programmes for teachers and teacher educators (eg Masters in Expert Teaching, Teacher Education Fellows, and Early Career Teachers). For the other part of my week, I’m Director of Education at Steplab, which is an online platform that helps school implement instructional coaching and in doing so: systematically improve teaching.
In my spare time I like to write ultraconcise books for teachers (see below), compose instructional threads on Twitter, and hang out with my lively young kids and incredible wife (author of the ace Making Every Maths Lesson Count and Head of Curriculum at Oak National) in Brighton, UK.
In the past, I have been a senior lecturer in teacher education, teacher, and school leader. Find out more about me and feel free to get in touch—like most folks, I’m pretty flat out, but I’ll help however I can.
For those of you who are interested, here are some bio highlights:
Peps Mccrea
🎓 Teacher education & expertise
Roles
- Director of Education // Steplab [2021-]
- Dean of Learning Design // Ambition Institute [2016-2023]
- Advisor // Department for Education [2013-]
- External Examiner // Open University [2012]
- Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education // University of Brighton [2009-16]
- Head of Math(s) // Falmer High School [2007-09]
- Lead Practitioner // Peacehaven Community School [2003-07]
Publications
- Developing Expert Teaching: What expertise is, and how to develop it (in ourselves and in others) [book, 2023]
- The Beginner’s Guide to Instructional Coaching [paper, 2022]
- Motivated Teaching: Harnessing the science of motivation to boost attention and effort in the classroom [book, 2020]
- Learning: What is it, and how might we catalyse it? [paper, 2018]
- Expert Teaching: What is it, and how might we develop it? [paper, 2018]
- Memorable Teaching: Leveraging memory to build deep and durable learning in the classroom [book, 2017]
- Lean Lesson Planning: A practical guide to doing less and achieving more in the classroom [book, 2015]
Projects
- Steplab // Professional learning platform for teachers and school leaders [2020-]
- Early Career Teachers // 2-year programme for new teachers [2020-]
- Masters in Expert Teaching // 2-year programme for proficient teachers [2017-]
- Numeracy Ready // Numeracy skills practice site for teachers [2013-20]
- Staffrm // Online professional learning community for teachers [2014-16]
Honours
- MRes Educational Research // University of Brighton [2014]
- Fellowship Award // The Young Academy [2014]
- Fellowship Award // University of Brighton [2013]
- Inspirational Tutor Award // Excellence Awards [2012]
- MA Educational Leadership // University of Sussex [2006]
- Fasttrack Teaching scholarship // National College of School Leadership [2004]
- PGCE Mathematics Education // University of Brighton [2003]
- MEng Mechanical Engineering // University of Bath [2002]
Media
- Podcast with TES [2022]
- Interview with Education HQ [2022]
- Profile in Schools Week [2021]
- Podcast with Ollie Lovell RE Motivated Teaching [2021]
- Podcast with Craig Barton RE Motivated Teaching [2020]
- Podcast with Craig Barton RE Memorable Teaching [2017]