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BBC Live Lessons

17/11/2018

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A couple of months ago I received a message from the Production Team at BBC Teach; they're working hard to create a range of resources designed for teachers at all stages of their careers! The aim is to fill the gap left behind by Teachers' TV: a resource I remember vividly from my own training days.

Alongside their content geared for professionals, they also produce timely and effective lessons, broadcast LIVE, covering all manner of subject areas and events. The most recent one being Remembrance! And some silly sausage asked ME to be part of the panel discussion afterwards!

I cannot even begin to tell you how terrifyingly incredible the experience was. I spent the entire day convinced I recognised EVERYONE "off the telly" and I found myself giggling for no real reason other than at the sheer ridiculousness of it all: a real pinch yourself moment.
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Every single person I met was so kind and generous. It's fair to say - and clear to see - that I was utterly petrified, but every member of the team was so supportive and I was so grateful for their help. I always think that any adventure that makes your heart race is a good one, so this ticked all the boxes. Plus I met some truly inspirational people.

You've never seen such a well oiled machine! Travel arrangements, cameras whizzing, backstage crew, people in the gallery, assistants, make-up people...there was a specific person for every single item on the 'to-do' list. It was astounding. Check out the LIVE LESSON HERE, and catch up on the DISCUSSION PANEL with Ros, Susie and myself HERE.

​Thank you so much to BBC Teach for inviting me to take part in this. I was absolutely honoured. I learnt so much from the experience and I'm so thankful for the patience you took with me. This is easily the scariest thing I've ever done, and I'm so grateful.
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Resilience

3/11/2018

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Rightfully so, mental health and well being appear to be a high priority focus in many professions at the moment. It's likely a case that our national neglect of this basic facet of healthy living has been ignored for far too long; admission of difficulty has been too easily seen as weakness, thus encouraging people to bottle up and seek further unhealthy vices.

Fortunately, we are lucky enough at school to have an SMSC lead and PE team working tirelessly to find strategies and ideas to help support the mental and physical wellbeing of our staff and children. Growth mindset workshops and frequent exercise programmes have been presented to all members of our school community, and we are beginning to build an impressive artillery through which to promote a healthy mind and body.

Of all the amazing opportunities we have had so far, one thing still stays with me: the resilience questionnaire. At one of our initial Well Being Workshops, the presenter had this tucked away 'in our packs' (a staple CPD phrase). It was never referred to, nor were we asked to complete it, but its existence has popped in and out of my mind on a frequent basis.

"How resilient are you?"
Such an interesting set of statements raising questions such as:
  • Can you adapt quickly to new situations?
  • Are you curious? Do you ask questions?
  • Can you calm yourself down in a chaotic situation?
  • Do you find the humour in rough circumstances?
  • Can you bounce back from difficulty?
It struck me, when reading these, that resilience is one of the key factors in promoting good mental strength. If failures are a process in learning, and appropriate levels of struggle are a natural part of the journey, how do we promote resilience as a coping mechanism for dealing with suitable levels of natural emotions?
Practise being optimistic.
Even if you don't fully believe it just yet, try making your thoughts benefit you, rather than creating further barriers. If there is trouble brewing, you know that making a conscious choice to make it worse isn't going to help. Practise optimism so that it will eventually become habit; make a choice that seeks to improve a situation. At first, it might not remove the barrier, but at least it won't add an extra one! 

Celebrate your success.
In a game of balance, it's vital that you celebrate what you do well! Keep realistic goals and do a little something each day to help you towards them. Celebrate each step you take! Each little action will add a sense of control amongst the chaos that is our lives. Enjoy the positive relationships you are lucky to have and use the support network you have around you.

Embrace failure.
As part of a healthy mind, know that ups come with downs. In fact, it's the downs that make you appreciate the ups! Without them, would we even feel joy in the first place? Use challenges as an opportunity to achieve yet another thing! Don't seek drama because this life is stressful enough as it is. Aim to learn the difference between a destructive reaction and a mindful response; they often have entirely opposite outcomes.

Many emotions are perfectly natural responses, but it's only through open lines of communication that we are going to learn about which emotions come to us all, and hopefully generate a general consensus about 'how much is too much?', enabling us to identify when we need more targeted support using the growing range of resources available. Good luck, friends: you've got this!
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My Terrible Lesson

22/9/2018

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For all sorts of reasons, the world of Social Media can be a myriad of fairground mirrors: a filtered land of perfection. For many, especially for those starting out, it gives a false impression of whatever the subject of the post is, leading to greater feelings of anxiety and failure when we are - unsurprisingly - unable to match the quality we see.

teachmrn.com has always been a true reflection of my life as a teacher. Granted, always with a positive spin (because that's simply the way I choose to live), but transparent nonetheless. So today I'm going to tell you one of my biggest fails. There's no doubt that this could eventually become a series! 

​THE MATHS LESSON
I'm unsure where the idea came from. I'd like to blame the system, but I also don't like excuses. It was most definitely my responsibility. My NQT year featured an observed Maths lesson. It was definitely before the October Half Term, so it was easily within my first few weeks of teaching. The objective was something to do with identifying regular and irregular polygons. I can't honestly say I'd spent much time on routines and expectations, as I was likely too focussed on getting them to like me, so it's safe to say they weren't ones to settle to work quickly, yet! With all this in mind, I created a lesson where: they were to work in pairs, drawing around a limited number of shapes (due to lack of resourcing efficiently) on a single sheet of A3 paper, which featured a carroll diagram on it. 
Looking back now, the mistakes were clear:
  • Expecting a 'bubbly' class to work in pairs calmly, when I hadn't even prepared them suitably for working alone, was a ridiculous thing to do.
  • Asking them to draw in a Maths lesson was far too exciting a task for a group that were, so far, unable to complete the most basic task to a reasonable level of success.
  • Not supplying a suitable number of shapes meant that many 'finished' quickly, and I didn't yet have the management skills to arrange a further challenge.
  • Asking them to use a carroll diagram should have been a whole separate lesson, and by using the ability groups I had back then, I ended up with tables of no clue, and tables of too much clue, about what to do, with no adjustments for achieving in any direction!

All considered, I'm so pleased it happened. It was a necessary step in my journey that I most certainly learnt from. All mistakes are. 

When browsing through various feeds that we so happily gorge on, likely torturing ourselves, please remember that it might not be all you see. They too would have had a bad day, a terrible lesson. Their airy-fairy quotes and wise tweets may have got a tonne of likes, but they still have a pile of marking they're ignoring, or are nervous about a meeting tomorrow.

We all have imperfections.

One more?
Just this week, undeniably the prompt for this post, I came to the haunting realisation that I was trying to cover too much, too soon. For those in the know, I've gone to Year 6, from Year 5. It's a blessing and a curse, because you're aware of the exact coverage of the previous year: often a topic of contention for the new teacher. However, it became clear to both my Year Partner and I, that we have expected far too much in the first two and a half weeks of our time together. An extensive list of Success Criteria for our first pieces of writing, should have at least been revision on the itemised features first, before any expected application. I fear I've skimmed some important steps. I actually sat my class down to apologise for the pace at which we have been moving, finally taking note of their panicked expressions. This isn't to say, however, that they haven't risen to the challenges set. I still believe in high expectations, and have been exceptionally proud of their efforts. It was a lapse in judgement as I moved away from my fundamental beliefs around teaching in a stepwise, specific manner to ensure understanding over an obsession with coverage. Process over performance always. 

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My Top 5 - Training

15/9/2018

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Today, I want to share with you my top five tips for succeeding during your teacher training course:
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1. Discuss
There will be so many seemingly endless debates and open questions; you'll be challenged to support your opinion with some form of evidence, and many questions will have no definitive answer. But take the chance to discuss everything. When you leave the course, it's these discussions that subconsciously inform all of your decisions.

2. Read
Although you may find some of them boring, the readings you are given are there for a reason. They work in a similar way to the discussions above; they inform your decisions and give you the fuel for seminars. It sounds silly, but it's genuinely important that you have some idea of what you're talking about. Granted, right now it's a room of likely unresponsive hangovers, but later it'll be an interview panel.

3. Contribute
Now, if you're in a room full of people following 1 and 2, you need to take part. Too shy? Start small (like number one). Feeling ill-informed, or like you might embarrass yourself? Should have followed number two! If necessary, play a character and be devil's advocate. Everyone will secretly enjoy it and you might even learn something. Outside of the lecture hall, join social groups and perhaps even volunteer yourself for whatever student council there is. 
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4. Prioritise
Although there are many jokes about the laziness of students these days, you must understand that you're within a certain percentage of the population because you are deemed to have the capability to achieve something they're offering you. Do everything within your power to reduce the prevalence of such stereotypes. Choose the right time to knuckle down, and tell people you've done so. We know that an embarrassing club story is usually more entertaining, but don't put yourself down by pretending that's all you do. Celebrate the library too!

5. Laugh
Even if you go on to further study, you're only going to do this for the first time once! Make the most of it, both professionally and personally. Make close friends from all walks of life and create memories that you'll laugh about forever. Enjoy yourself and tell people all about it. It'll be difficult at times, because I firmly believe, if you're doing it right, your university days will actually be the busiest time of your life. For now at least...
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#TeachingHero

5/9/2018

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Our latest #TeachingHero is @Anthillel! Check out his interview below and get in touch if you want to spread a little positivity yourself!

What motivates you to work hard?
I’d say the motivation to work hard is to make a difference to the kids I teach and make their learning come to life. A success story of mine was seeing a gamble in terms of a topic pay off. I’d decided to do a cross curricula project about Gandhi as a game changer and the children really engaged with it, learned lots about him and India and the children were passionate about issues of equality and freedom.

Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
For personal advice, my family have been fantastic listeners and have been on hand to give advice when I have faced difficult situations. My TA has always been a gem for bouncing ideas off and also being a shoulder to cry on when things get rough.

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up?
I’d say the advice is to remember that you are making a difference, that for these kids, you’re bringing learning to life. Also remember that some schools are more supportive and when you find a supportive school, it makes all the difference.

Sum up our profession in 5 words.
We make a difference everyday.
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The 2018 Office

1/9/2018

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The fourth year of teachmrn.com is upon us, so it's time to show you my classroom! Due to some back end programming, last year's post never reached you, but you can catch the previous years here and here.
In preparing today's post, I ended up scrolling and scrolling through my phone to find my classrooms of the past too! I'll keep a little slideshow to the right, but you'll notice I've always been pretty plain.

Often, in a bid to all share, sometimes we can be bombarded with Pinterest-perfect rooms with that whispy-black font, fairy lights and a clear budget higher than reasonable. When I look back over my career so far, I was definitely working in the same way; spending money I shouldn't have done on things I didn't need. In fact, in the times when I've moved classrooms, or rearranged my cupboards, I continually find purchases from my NQT year, many moons ago - mostly craft resources that I'm still yet to open because I haven't YET found the right task.

Over the years, I've seen my classroom designs keep a similar theme, with learnt adjustments along the way. It's clear to me that there are things I keep consistent, and things I try differently each year, all while seemingly more minimal each time. I assume it's experience that eventually teaches you what you can do without, and what has the most impact in real terms, rather than the first time walking in. Some of the things I have learnt include:
  • I usually have a base colour, because I believe you can change the colour scheme by what you add over the top (plus it means you only back the boards once and the focus is on the work).
  • There is usually some kind of colour coding. This year, I have borders that match the colour of the respective exercise book.
  • I have tried lots of different ways of organising the books. After keeping them on a shelf in my first ever room, falling all over the place, I quickly sought different storage options. This year, I'm going for my favourite; magazine files split into their teams. I've always found this makes distribution more efficient. It also means that different tables can work on different things more easily, and it breaks marking workload down if they're in easily countable segments - you can fetch a quick slice of books at break time without losing track of where you got to.
  • I have ALWAYS, regardless of age group, had a carpet area. I don't understand how teachers cope without one. Yes, I understand they grow, but I believe you need different kinds of spaces without moving furniture constantly. Sometimes you need them close, sometimes you need them far away. Sometimes you need to pause them, and that carpet area increases the likelihood of them paying attention instead of being too distant. Equally, sometimes you need them there in front of you; that emotional connection and eye contact is paramount. Inputs, specific groups for misconceptions, reading together, etc.
  • I've always got a mixture of working walls and display walls. While a lot of this is often policy driven, I do think you need clear space for the prompts, models and interactivity, alongside area for the finished products, the celebration and so on.
  • I've never really started with lots on the walls already. I believe that whatever the room looks like on Day One, is forgotten by Day Two; it's the changes that they notice. For this reason, I've always started very plain, and built the room up as we go, especially for the working walls. This way, there is a point of specific reference for everything we do. I understand the counterargument that 'I don't like blank walls', but I just don't understand how you expect people to pinpoint something easily if it's already amongst a chaotic puzzle of, so far unlearnt, information - even the 'reminders' need re-teaching.  

The finished product (although is a classroom EVER really complete?) is below. But one question remains, how long will the desk stay tidy?
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#TeachingHero

6/6/2018

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This week's #TeachingHero is a very enthusiastic @hannahHGO, who chose to complete her interview via a 2 page Word Document! So much love to spread! If you'd like to join in, let me know!

What motivates you to work hard? 
I could tell a tale of heroic altruism here: success stories about students who have beaten the odds, clichés about ‘doing it for the kids’. My main motivation, however, is much more selfish. So much so, it feels like a guilty secret…I love teaching.
Of course, there are a million things I don’t like about the profession:  the piles and piles of marking; the parents’ evenings in the last week of term; the students who don’t listen and who don’t  seem to care. Despite these, and many other grievances, there are times when I cannot believe the fact that someone pays me to talk about Romeo and Juliet. When I was fifteen, I went on a school trip to see Blood Brothers. I loved it. Now, I get to read and discuss Blood Brothers every single year. I’d talk endlessly to my friends about poetry and plays and novels if they’d let me (seriously – I’ve given my parents poetry lessons). Instead, someone pays me to talk about literature. At the end of long days and tiring terms, I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to do this.
I came to teaching later than some; I was 26 when I did my PGCE. Prior to this, I’d done some travelling and a number of unchallenging office jobs. Even though some of these were interesting, I was bored by 2pm every day. In teaching, every hour is different. 
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Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice? 
I was lucky enough to make a great friend at work. We were both NQTs and we started on the same day at the same school in adjacent classrooms. We used to have a daily debrief where essentially we would have a massive moan about everything – from photocopier woes to difficult students. Although it wasn’t, perhaps, a productive use of our time (we could have been marking), it was really important to be able to offload to someone who knew exactly who and what you were talking about. Once a problem was off my chest, I was less likely to think about it when I got home. A huge asset to my professional life this year has been @Team_English1 on Twitter. It was recommended by a friend and it has, honestly, changed my life. The generosity of teachers in this network has amazed me. The resources I have gained have saved me hours and hours of planning time and I am a better teacher for it.
In my opinion, the worst part of the profession is lack of time. There simply is not enough time to do the job during normal working hours. I don’t work long hours because I am put under pressure by management or Ofsted or because I am a perfectionist (believe me… I am the very definition of ‘winging it’). I work long hours simply to get the job done.
There are teachers who manage to avoid working at home (and I believe that some subjects are more labour intensive than others) but the hours we work are unsustainable. There are small adjustments that managers and school leaders can make to reduce workload but I believe the issue is primarily financial. Teaching and learning would improve exponentially if teachers’ contact time was reduced and we were able to spend more time planning and preparing feedback. Unfortunately, schools are so financially stretched that this is impossible. 

What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your wellbeing? 
In my fourth year of teaching, I was completely burnt out. I was exhausted and it was affecting my health. I was working every weekend and also in the evenings. My solution was to search for other jobs because I just couldn’t sustain the hours. The problem was, I didn’t really want another job. As I’ve already preached – I love teaching.
So, I decided to go part time. This was not an easy decision. First of all, I was worried about money. I did some rudimentary maths and worked out that if I went to a 0.8 contract, in my fifth year of teaching I’d be earning roughly the same as I’d earned in my first year of teaching. If I’d managed on that salary then, I thought I could manage on that now. Another concern was, well, embarrassment. In fact, I was so embarrassed that when I put in my part-time request, I made up a lie – that I was going part time to support my partner’s business. Looking back, I should have been more honest. I would recommend anyone in a similar position to talk to your school’s management about how you’re feeling so that they can support you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then others will be too and management need to know this.
Despite my concerns, reducing my hours has changed my life.
The question everyone always asks, is ‘do you work on your day off’? Of course I do. In fact, that’s when I do all my school work. What do I get in return? My evenings and weekends back. I know there will be teachers shouting at the screen as they read this. I agree with you. The fact that I had to go part time in order to do my job is ridiculous. I’ve been told that part time teachers should do nothing on their day(s) off – that by working on these days, part-time workers are actually responsible for the pressures put on full time teachers. My response? If that's the case, then full time teachers should do nothing at evenings and weekends. It’s unfair to blame part-time teachers for unfair expectations placed on all teaching staff. We're all in this together.

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? 
I know that reducing hours isn’t for everyone. I agree that teachers and school leaders should come together collectively to address the problems of workload. In the meantime, if anyone would like to chat about going part time, feel free to DM me on Twitter (@HannahHGO). 

Sum up our profession in 5 words. 
I wouldn’t do anything else. 
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#TeachingHero

30/5/2018

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Your latest #TeachingHero has a wealth experience to draw upon, including a long list of others who've inspired her. Welcome to @nataliehscott!

What motivates you to work hard?
I have always wanted to teach, I’ve been lucky enough to teach professional footballers, basketball coaches, doctors, plumbers, journalists and web designers. I have even been blessed to have been cited as a reason for some ex students going into teaching. For me, a thank you card from a student, or email from a happy parent, means way more than an ofsted grading or performance appraisal. I teach because I want my students to ‘get it’, to remember, to enjoy and I remind myself that the data I’m judged on is simply the by product of the day to day job. The ‘best classes’ I ever taught were a top set who achieved 100% A-A* and a lower ability set of boys who all got Cs. It’s not just about results though, it’s about the bright quiet girl who writes in a yearbook that she wants to be just like you, and now teaches in Salford, or about the rebellious boy, who would only ever write a line a lesson, in pencil, who one day wrote a wonderful side of description, in pen. I work hard because I want to be remembered for caring, for making each student be the very best that they can.


Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
I think the worst part of the profession is that despite working with people all day, that is can be terribly lonely. Stuck in a classroom, or sat alone marking. Colleagues and networks are essential. I absolutely believe in @womened and the work the amazing national leaders do, those women are beyond fabulous, and the network has introduced me to many wonderful educators. It challenges me to be 10% braver and inspires me to have a voice. Another thing I worry about is the negative narrative surrounding education. I always say that I’d rather invest in hope than spend energy moaning. It is through that ‘If not me, then who? If not now, then when?’ that I became a trustee of the Chartered College of Teaching, contributed to Flip the System UK and have built a wonderful network of passionate teachers who inspire me, support me, challenge me and pick me up when I’m down. People like Hannah Wilson, Jaz Ampar-Farr, Amjad Ali and Matt Pinkett are all amazing role models, who have become good and trusted friends. Educators such as David Weston, Ian Gilbert, Hywel Roberts, Debra Kidd and Vic Goddard remind me of the need for humanity, when I feel like my integrity is compromised or a tiny cog in a huge corporate machine. These people will probably never know how much they have helped me- well, maybe they will if they read this!

What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being?
I learnt the hard way; hospitalised, anaemic, exhausted and broken by the system. Now, I do what I need to, I prioritise tasks and love a to do list. I spend time with friends, and I ask for help when I need it. I’m not a superhero, I’m human. I admit my mistakes and marking still overwhelms me at times, but I stick by the belief that if it doesn’t make a difference to the students in my classes, I will challenge it, I’ll ask why. I don’t reinvent the wheel anymore, twitter accounts like
#teamenglish and @GCSE_Macbeth are absolute god sends for English teachers. I’m utterly endebted to them!

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up?

Having been there myself I’d tell them to get in touch! Follow other teachers like Emma Kell, Stephen Tierney, John Thomsett, Tom Starky, Tom Rogers... these are really good people. They exude hope. When I quit, charity work took me to France, and introduced me to Spider-Man, a 6 year old refugee, who reminded me of my passion and reasons for teaching. I blogged about him, found my voice, and that led to so many wonderful opportunities- TEDx, TeachMeets, and got me back into the classroom. Sadly, after winning the TES award, it led a fair amount of criticism- sometimes it is darkest before dawn and you just have to keep plodding on. On twitter I try not to engage in the negativity or futile arguments, it’s a waste of my energy. There are some keyboard warriors out there, who wouldn’t dream of saying such things to a fellow teacher’s face. Yes, I like to be challenged, but I don’t need hostility. When all else fails, I’ve found that a mute button works wonders! Ultimately, I think what it really boils down to, and what we must remember, is that there are many truly great schools out there, and there are sadly some pretty soul destroying ones too. It shouldn’t be about leaving the profession, but instead we should have the confidence to leave a school that we can’t align your ethos and values to. Walk away from toxic leaders or situations, but do so with professionalism and the confidence that there are other inspiring, innovative, brave leaders, and many other schools, who will invest in you, build you back up and help you to thrive. Be true to yourself. It just comes down to humility, integrity, bravery and authenticity.


Sum up our profession in 5 words.
Best flippin’ job in th’world. (I know I’m sort of cheating there).

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#TeachingHero

16/5/2018

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Our latest #TeachingHero is @Kealan_NQT! Sharing stories and advice is the best way to make sense of our profession. If you'd like to get involved with an interview, get in touch!

What motivates you to work hard?
The children motivate me to work hard. I see a lot of teachers tired and Fed up with the profession and I have to keep reminding myself that I teach for the children. It’s very important to keep a positive mind because we are (as cheesy as it sounds) shaping the children of the future. My success stories I have seen recently is just seeing children in my class gain so much confidence. Coming into year 1 not being able to speak and very scared to seeing them now with so much enthusiasm and positivity!

Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
I usually keep all my worries to myself and vent out to my housemates! I also have a friend in school that I can trust if I need to vent! I try and manage my own emotions and frustrations myself because I wouldn’t want the children to know if I was worried. The worst part of the profession is data. I feel like that is so time consuming and it puts a lot of pressure on teachers to keep up. I also feel a lot of pressure is there to keep books looking great. There is nothing worse than another professional telling you you are doing something wrong.

What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being?
I manage workload great! Put the earphones on during PPA time and talk to nobody is my tip...I plan at home on a Tuesday night before I do my resources on a Wednesday for PPA. Then I’m 100% ready for the following week. I also use my TA very well and she marks most of my maths and she’s great at providing feedback and next steps. I mark English after school and leave pretty early to go home! I think it’s important not to stay at school for too long as it can have a real effect on your well being!

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up?
DO NOT LISTEN TO ANYONE....if you feel like the profession is for you then stick with it! It’s not easy but neither is a lot of jobs! You worked so hard to get to this point don’t give up now!! Keep going and block out all negativity. I would advise not to go near the staffroom...I feel negative vibes from that room everyday!

Sum up our profession in 5 words.
An exciting, worthwhile rollercoaster - LOVE
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Teacher Appreciation Week

12/5/2018

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This week saw the humble passing of Teacher Appreciation Week. To be honest, I'd never heard of it until until I saw it trending on Twitter, and as a teacher I'm not too sure on my feeling for it. However, I found it a great opportunity to consider the teachers in my own life who have made a substantial impact on my progress. So this one is for you...

My Primary Teachers

As far as my memory goes, I can recall Mrs Frogsham, Mrs Meredith (for two years), Mr Gilespie, Mrs Callan, Miss Lovell (who left to be replaced by Mr Watson) and Mrs O'Donnell. Every single one of you played in part in my journey to where I am now. The fact that I am writing now, is down to you. The fact that I can't count REALLY high, is down to you. The fact I could write my name and address on my mortgage application, is down to you.

You gave me the best start to my education and, along with my supportive family, I had strong foundations upon which to build.

My Secondary Teachers
It was clear I was becoming quite a flowery boy, so my choice of a single-sex secondary school, specialising in Engineering, seemed an unlikely stepping stone. However, I firmly believe it was the making of me. My friends and I still talk about how safe and accepted we felt. Granted, there would be typical taunts that anyone would expect through their teenage years. 
Perhaps it's a rite of passage, most often a series of bad moods catching each other on the wrong day, during what is most likely the least comfortable period of your life. Choosing to take offence because we believe the world owes us something. Either way, it certainly builds a thicker skin, rather than playing victim to the basic, eventual life-limiting, ignorance of others. But out of the many experiences you often hear of, my secondary school was the best place to be. We were well cared for by everyone around us. Very much a community.

It was here that I made my best choices up to that point. For A-Levels I chose subjects that practically ignored all academia. I went for creative, personality building subjects. I went for subjects that would force me to speak in front of people. I went for subjects that encouraged group work and portfolios, the clear building of progress over time. McLuckie, Brown (who became Beecham), Hobbs and Collins. In many ways I owe you the most. 

Primary is the basics, the essentials that we all need. When those are down correctly, secondary builds on that and helps you focus on a direction. You most definitely, alongside my beloved friends - whether we have remained in touch since then or not - taught me to be comfortable with myself, to live without limits. And when that bit was right, academic success and my future were set.
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