Author In Focus: Andrew Moxon
ZigZagEducation.co.uk | PublishMeNow.co.uk
| Subjects: | Music |
| Top Resource: | GCSE Edexcel Mini-Mocks: Instrumental Music 1700–1820. |
Andrew developed a love of music as a chorister at Westminster Abbey and as a music scholar at St Peter's School in York. He holds a BA and an MA (Musicology) from the University of Nottingham and a PGCE from the University of Cambridge.
Since university, Andrew has worked in three secondary schools, each with a thriving music department. He has been Head of Performing Arts at Ryedale School in North Yorkshire since January 2004, and he still looks forward to going into school every day – as he says, "it’s a great place to work".
During most of Andrew's adult life he has sung in or conducted choirs, and his most recent musical project has been learning to play the tuba as a member of Kirkbymoorside Town Brass Band, of which he enjoys the spirit of the band community where everyone supports and encourages each other, no matter what their age or musical level. He also spends a lot of time piano accompanying and thinks that he must have accompanied well over 1,000 ABRSM exams during his career!
Andrew is currently enjoying all the extracurricular activities that have relaunched at Ryedale School, and all being well this will culminate in a music tour to Europe in summer 2023.
"I've always really enjoyed producing my own resources and exam-style questions for students, and there is no doubt that doing this to the rigorous quality expected by the ZigZag team has increased my understanding of question styles, mark schemes and where students fall into common pitfalls when answering questions."
"I've always really enjoyed producing my own resources and exam-style questions for students, and there is no doubt that doing this to the rigorous quality expected by the ZigZag team has increased my understanding of question styles, mark schemes and where students fall into common pitfalls when answering questions.
This in turn has improved my classroom teaching and I've re-evaluated my approach to exam technique and it has honed the advice I give to students. I am trying to share what I have found through my resources – not simply writing high-quality questions, but also thinking about 'teacher tips' to support colleagues in the development of their teaching, and how to get the most out of an exam mark scheme to refine student exam technique – anything that can give students an edge.
The pandemic further increased my output of materials I prepared for students, and so it seemed sensible to see if ZigZag were interested in my ideas, and they were."
"ZigZag's resources are designed to be comprehensive – you are supplied with everything you need to make the resource instantly usable in the classroom."
"Although it might seem like I am working in isolation as an author, there is lots of support from everyone at ZigZag and they are incredibly helpful and responsive. They are good at keeping projects on track without nagging, and whenever I've a query there is always a clear and speedy response. Having used their resources in the classroom, I knew that they were effective and time-saving, and given I like producing my own, it seemed a natural progression to share what I have produced with others. ZigZag's resources are designed to be comprehensive – you are supplied with everything you need to make the resource instantly usable in the classroom. Weblinks are kept up to date – I know [this] because I have been asked to check ones I've supplied, so you can rely on them working. I have confidence in their products and, importantly, believe that they are in line with the requirements of the exam board syllabuses that they support. There is nothing worse than spending your ever-dwindling department budget on a resource that is a disappointment when it arrives!"
"Some projects have been offered to me, but I have also made some of my own suggestions, and these have been positively received. Whatever it is, I know that it'll be fun to write and I'll be well supported throughout"
"I'm on my fourth project, and what I do like is that I have been encouraged to think about what I would like to offer next, so when the current project ends I'll have something else in the pipeline.
Some projects have been offered to me, but I have also made some of my own suggestions, and these have been positively received. Whatever it is, I know that it'll be fun to write and I'll be well supported throughout."
Andrew has recently completed the GCSE Edexcel Mini-Mocks: Fusions. He is currently working on GCSE Edexcel Mini-Mocks: Vocal Music.