I remember my time at school particularly fondly. I was happy to get involved; I would volunteer to read and attempt to make wise-cracks and more in the relative safety of my group of friends. Like any teenager slouching grimly into adulthood, I was uncertain of myself, frightened of being judged. For many students, this natural awkwardness […]
Supporting Shy Students Read More »
All the evidence indicates that teachers develop intensively in their first couple of years of teaching and that they then plateau in their development, regardless of the intricate plans for continuous professional development (CPD) that schools construct. This was my personal experience. You conquer the struggles of simply managing your class and then you simply
The Three T’s of Continuous Professional Development Read More »
(Nomads II, by Pablo Jurado Ruiz) Every once in a while the bleak personal stories of our students are opened up to us like a drawer of knives. We get a brief glimpse into personal prisons that children shouldn’t ever experience. Names will rise to the surface of the mind of every teacher when I present this
Teaching and Trust Read More »
You can’t read or hear about an Education Secretary (see here) or Shadow Secretary (see here) lately without chewing on a bit of GRIT and being told about how we should all be teaching ‘character’ for the betterment of…well, everybody. It surely proves good politics on the doorstep. Who could argue with wanting our children
The Problem with Teaching Character Read More »
My journey to school each morning is mercifully short. Each day I follow the same habitual steps, with little variation beyond the odd song that rattles my morning stupor. Every so often though, I drive past a student of mine. Now, each time, driving past him evokes a whir with questions. Let’s call that student
Growth Mindset – So What’s Next? Read More »
As an English teacher I am surely granted the eternal power of an exaggeration fueled headline every once in a while. Ok – so perhaps highlighters aren’t the biggest problem in education, but if you know me well, you may have heard my complaint whereat these gaudy coloured pens symbolize some deep rooted issues with teaching and learning
Why I Hate Highlighters! Read More »
One unique facet of my education and upbringing was that I went to an all-male Catholic school led by Christian brothers. I learnt all the usual subject disciplines (with an attendant incapacity to speak to girls for a number of years), alongside a fervent and long-lasting interest in the esoteric rituals that attend the Catholic
The Devil’s Advocate Read More »
