When time stands still...

It seems amazing to me how we all slo back into Christmas ways. We have sausages for breakfast in our family - think that has something to do with my Grandad, my wife has a brown sauce mix on her Christmas pudding - think gravy without the meat element!

We also slip into thoughts of bygone days when life was easier and responsibilities seem to ebb away for all of 48-72hours.

As we move towards 2012 and the imminent arrival of 'little Skellon' I wish we could hold onto the bygone days as somehow that period over Christmas seems manageable.

This coming year will see lots of changes to the lives of myself, my wife and those around me. I will keep this up to date in orde to chronicle some of these as they come along.

New computer...

Very excited as new computer arrived... touch screen, bit of a gimmick but will allow me to play 'minority report' with my files and folders.  After a couple of days and many emails its clear touch screen doesnt work...sent it back...getting new one...grrrrrrrr

I believe in creativity but ....

Oh my life...well who did it?  Hands up who allowed...no...supported Cher Lloyds drive to number one?

I mean seriously its rubbish....

Going to find a darkened room and lie down...

Another year over...

Its only at this point in the year where I realise that I have another year under my belt in teaching - 17 now...its getting to the point now where I realise I am moving from the been teaching a while group to the experienced teacher group...

Hmmm...

Creativity...lil Skellon...nuff said!

Childish things still amuse me...

Afternoon Squire...private joke

I was sat thinking over lunch today about the things I used to do as a kid and how they seemed so funny at the time.  Thing is we grow up and life moves in and they become less funny - which is where Top Gear comes in and justifies the point its OK to be a big kid!

With that in mind I was reflecting on the fact we used to think of film titles and add the words 'in my pants' to the end of them...it amused us and made me chuckle.

Ghostbusters...in my pants
Shrek...in my pants
Antz...in my pants
Herbie goes to Monte Carlo....the list is endless and it doesn't get anymore intelligent that that!

So have fun...warning some are especially rude...and transformers is just weird????!!!

EBL...PBL...

Latest project is working on instigating a PBL - personalised based learning - curriculum for the Yr7's.

Interesting experience so far.  Main focus is looking at the idea of survival and the skills needed to survive new/difficult scenarios.

So currently creating ideas around surviving on a desert island linked into Robinson Crusoe in terms of literacy.  Next step to highlight the skills needed in order to survive on the island and seeing which would be useful to 'survive' in Yr7 at a new school.

Coming together OK but struggling to find a use for coconuts in yr7...I am sure one will come to me !

Update since January

Been a mad year so far. Most of my time has been spent sorting out things to do with change to Hans Price Academy from Wyvern School.  Been a mad time with lots to do but think I am getting on top of it - at the moment anyway.

So hopefully back on track and focused on updating this when and where possible...

A dream fulfilled

As a child growing up I loved the stories of King Arthur and Camelot.  Recently, on a school visit to Chepstow Castle I finally achieved a childhood dream of being a knight.

They even gave me a sword! 

Excellent day and excellent fun!!

The Superman Principle...

I love comic books.  I have a load of them over a variety of genres and titles and find it difficult to pick out favourites.  However, I have a soft spot for Superman.  It was the first comic book I ever bought and I love the films, Smallville, even the theme tune from the movies makes me smile...its just good fun.

Anyway I have noticed something the other day...I have called it the 'Superman Principle' and it goes like this.
How many times as teachers have we sat down and discussed a student with another member of staff and looked surprised when your vision of them is different to theirs?

Students react differently to different teachers, classrooms, subjects etc... we all know that but do we take it into consideration when teaching them? 

Where you are teaching 'Clark Kent' - all shy and retiring, hiding behind their glasses and hoping the world wont notice who they really are, your colleague is teaching 'Superman' - bold, confident and focused on achieving the goal in front of them.

By sharing your experiences with your colleagues you can build in the classroom opportunities needed to turn Clark into Superman.

We need to realise that teaching is all about the sharing of info  - no teacher is an island!

Got to...what?

I am really not a fan of most reality arty programmes. X-Factor leaves me cold and strictly can dance off as far as i am concerned!  There are far too many people who should be placed on a desert island on their own somewhere as they are so self absorbed its amazing (Cher Lloyd...Cheryl Cole...nuff said)

However, I have been won over by Got to Dance on Sky.  The judges are...well human and the acts really cool - and you don't have to sit through hours of bad ones just to make people laugh and further humiliate those who should be shielded from public abuse...

BUT its the kids who really hit me.  There are some amazing kids on this show and they just go for it!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  the question I would ask is how can we make our classrooms the same - an environment where they just go for it?

Its all about safety.  They know going out there that the judges aren't going to be cruel (Cowell) or stupid (Louis) or pointless human beings with less talent than them (Cheryl). 

So if you want kids to go for it and shine in your classrooms give them space to ... fail!  I have said it before but they need to know that failure is OK its a necessary part of learning how to succeed.  If they don't feel safe they wont step outside their comfort zone, they wont try, they wont experiment and they wont take risks.

Got to what?

Got to be a risk taker...only then will they build the confidence needed to fulfill the potential they have.

A seasonal message...

To all who have looked, peeked, thought, written, responded, challenged, shown interest...etc... in what I have had to say over the past 12 months I thank you.
May your Christmas be a good one and I wish you blessings and breakthroughs for 2011

All the best !!

Are we human or are dancer?...

I love the Killers.  As a band they appeal to my musical taste and live they are amazing.  On top of this their song 'Human' seems to be crossing my path a lot at the moment.

I am a great believer in things coming across your path in life for a reason. So when I walk in and out of shops, turn on the radio etc... and find the same song I think 'What am I being shown here?'

So I listen and I look at the words.
My interpretation...as I say to my RE classes you can have an opinion...this is mine.

So the tag line from the chorus 'Are we human or are we dancer?'
Its how I feel right now.

Am I a free spirit with thoughts and dreams and hopes, with ideas which will drive me forward and things I want to achieve?
Do I have the right to think about my future in a way which allows me the freedom to develop and drive on to make something of myself and influence those around me...am I human?

Or am I directed by the invisible strings of someone else?  Am I led a merry dance by those who seem to think they have power and control over me because their paycheck is bigger or their title grander?
Am I a puppet dancing to the tune they play and always wondering what its like to cross over and be free, to cut the strings and step out and just be?

Its a question I want to find an answer to...and as long as this song keeps tapping away at me I will keep pushing doors to find the answer...

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIZdjT1472Y">

Champions are made when no-one is watching....

How often do we as teachers end a lesson having spoken to all the members of our class?

There are always some who slip through the net and they are the ones who consistently do the work. Our time is taken with the behaviour issues and academic struggles but we miss the group of champions. Thats what they are...champions. They keep going when others have stopped and they stay focused when others are causing problems - yet we miss them.

Try and make sure you speak to all the students in your class - make them feel valued and welcome and your quiet champions will become vocal heroes.

The creativity of daily life...

I posted earlier on Twitter 'Is reality a block to creativity or an untapped catalyst?'

You see I have listened to many people talk about creativity over the past 3 years and read a lot as well and it seems that a lot of people out there seem to pinpoint creativity for them as being the point when they let go of reality. A point when all the stresses of the day are pushed aside and they can just think.

I agree to some extent but what if they are all missing a trick? I don't propose that I am better than anyone else or that I have more knowledge of this subject than those who are published and making money on speaking circuits but what if?

The world we inhabit and move through on a daily basis is full of opportunities for creative thinking and ideas. When we have a problem we look for a solution we don't drift into our happy place and wait for inspiration...well not always!

What we react and interact with each day - our environment - maybe the biggest source of inspiration for creativity. Let me give you an example. A little while ago the route I take to school wasn't possible because of road works. So I began to weave my way through the back streets until I reached my destination. I didn't sit down and plan it, or turn on my phone sat nav and have some Aussie surfer dude lead to my destination. Yet I just dismissed this thought process that had taken place without a second thought.

Looking back it could have been a cool class exercise. OK Mr Johnson (not me) lives here and needs to get here but cant - whats the quickest route?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

That's just one example of what we do each day.

We are creative beings...I think we know that...we need to realise that it is something we ALWAYS are...be creative take risks live life to the fullest!

Time to take a risk...

When my Yr8 RE class came into the room today they found a single question on the board. After a period of general chatter they began to wonder why I wasnt saying anything and questions began to come out

'Do we copy that question down?'
'Is this for us?'

I responded by saying it was for them but they had to work out why it was on the board.

There was a moment of silence and then they began to talk about what they thought it was on the tables. After a period of discussion more questions.

'Can we use textbooks to answer this?'

I said they could and they started looking at the books eventually all the tables had the same book and were sharing information.

As the lesson went on they found out an answer and started to come up to show me.
I said to check it with each other so they went back and began to share info from their answers and add to the work they had done.

Eventually I took over and asked them what they had learnt.

What came out was that they had learnt how to find out their own answers and that working together was useful as they found out things from people they had missed and felt their answers were better after discussion.

Finally they created their own learing objectives linked into working together and taking responsibility for their own role in the classroom and the work they had produced.

Took a risk to do but very rewarding...

John Cleese pure genius...

I enjoyed this...a pick up on the weekend...

New starts sometimes need a jolt...

So coming back to school is never easy. The old joke of the mother talking to her son about the fact he had to go to school because he was the Headmaster is one I can relate to after the summer break.

However, sometimes all you need is a jolt to push you from a position of looking down to driving up.

If that is true for us as staff how much more is that true for the students we meet each day.

Target/challenge for you...

Give out praise to as many students as possible in your classes - and go overboard! Make them feel valued in your class and they will value your class!

Anagrams....

Found a great site for creating anagrams....and solving them!

Have a play...I found out the Peter Tatchell is 'Tell that creep'...quite subtle that one...as allegedly he is a creep!

I said allegedly!!


http://wordsmith.org/anagram/

Does anyone know...????

We always seem to get loads of people round the area we live knocking on our door for charities etc... so we are obviously a targeted neighbourhood.

If anyone has any idea when opportunity may be coming into our area and knocking could they let me know as I dont want to be out...

The night before the year to come....

So its the evening before the grindstone reopens and I have to put my nose back to it.

...maybe time for a change...seasons come and go its all about knowing when to jump as its the end of yours...

Summer rest.....

Ok so for all those people out there who think all we do as teachers in the summer is put our feet up, drink Pim's and laugh at those who are working I would like to dispel that myth.

So far first week off - preparing for decorating everyday, all day,as per wife's instructions...
A few days away next week - but so do a lot of people...
The next week is my one week free - I shall be resting up and may drink Pim's if I so wish!...
Final two weeks spent in and out of school preparing for next year - tidying up, preparing class lists, sorting out schemes of work etc...

Rant over...

A quiet goodbye...

I find it amazing how at the end of each school year the same routine happens. You have the excited students - except Yr11 who have realised that actually they didnt mind school and now want to stay! - the staff who are leaving and the foot being taken off the gas by those remaining who are knackered by this point!

Its a weird feeling. These are people you spend more of your year with than almost anyone else and now you wont see them for 5 weeks...not sure there is any other industry this happens in.

The end of the last day quietly winds its way to its conclusion with a few drinks and some speeches and then that awkward 'how long do we have to stay?' hanging around that happens.

Its been an interesting year. One of hope which ends in frustration and broken promises.

To any Yr11's who may catch up with this I wish you all the best. Each of you has the ability to be successful, chase your dreams and fight for what you want. May your successes all be large and more importantly you always be happy.

So I wish 2009-2010 a quiet goodbye and look towards year 2010-2011 hoping.

:)

Running to stand still...

Over the last couple of weeks I have noticed how the more I try and make something happen the more it doesn't. Its the old picture of the duck on the lake - calm on the surface and kicking frantically underneath!

I would compare some of the things I have tried to achieve as being as successful as attempting to row with one oar...round and round in circles and the only thing that happens when you add more effort is you go round faster!

What you need is the other oar! The journey wont happen without it and it will become more and more frustrating as you can see where you are aiming for but as you spin round it goes out of sight. A glimpse of success with no way of getting there is more frustrating than no potential for success at all.

This also rings true of some of the students in class. They are the ones who are reluctant to work with others...due to many reasons. I have worked hard to encourage all students to value each others opinion and work and be able to critically comment on others work - in a constructive way. This is building in them the ability to trust others and be open about what they and others need to do to improve.

Its about TRUST really. Who do you trust to hand over your work to and let them 'pull it apart' but in a way that will benefit you in the long term.

Until we can trust people (which relies on their honesty and willingness to have their work assessed) we will always be the spinning oarsman...running to stand still.

Watch and Learn...

So question for you this sunny Friday! How much do you watch what is going on in your classroom? 'Oh but I am always watching my students and checking they are on task'. Not what I meant.

How much do you WATCH what they are doing? Their interactions with each other, the promotion of students into team leaders roles, the way they react to situations, the response to an unknown element to the task etc...

You can learn so much about how your class works by really watching them in action. It gives an insight into how they are coping with tasks and where their strengths and weaknesses lie as a group.

From this you can then structure what you do in the future to address these weaknesses and continue to build on their strengths.

Watch and learn...!

Deep thoughts...

Descartes said 'I think therefore I am' and Popeye said 'I ams what I ams'.

Hmmmm.... most of my students dont think so does that mean they dont exist and are just a figment of my imagination?

When the dust settles...

So what happens when an enforced change is dropped upon you from a great height with no clear guidance or respect for what is happening/being achieved right now?

Think I know the answer to this one...you run!

By placing constraints on the teacher in the classroom, and removing the 'get out of jail' card they may wish to play if things get a little ropey with some of their students, the only outcome is removal of risk.

Its risk that keeps the interest in the lesson, that allows students to be released and try, that removes the cobwebs of conditioning and habit from teachers and allows the class to experience something that all parties will remember.

Remove the ability to take risks and when the dust settles the textbook is king...

So why should we unleash creativity in our classrooms?

Ok, so creativity is personal, unique, individual etc… overall it’s unpredictable.

So why should we unleash it in our classrooms when it’s so unpredictable?

Hold that thought.

We see our classrooms as our territory it’s our land that these students have come into too learn and we are the controllers. We decide what happens there and it’s our rules in our yard.

What I am saying is we need a change of perspective.

My classroom is an open door to learning. I have no idea what the students are bringing in and allow them to unload there in anyway they want to. The only real ‘rule’ I have is to leave having learnt something new. That could be a skill, a fact, a key term etc… but no-one should go out the same person they came in – me included.

Philosophy of Frogger

Life isnt always forward motion...sometimes to step forward you need to move sideways!

Conscientious Objectors

During any war you get those who see the act of war as a crime against humanity. They are the ones who in WW1 were given white feathers or in WW2 were assigned to jobs 'fighting' on the Home Front. As the century moved on they became, in many countries, the majority voice not the minority - yet their power is always tempered by those in charge of the country.

Think about your classroom for a minute. Do you have a vocal opposition against what you do? Probably not, the more likely scenario is that you have an underground at work, non-vocal more quality of effort based. Check students books and work are they on track, working at the maximum potential they can? If not - there is your opposition.

We all have classes where there are conscientious objectors...but what do we do with them? Do we carry on blindly with the 'our way is best!' mentality or do we bring them to the negotiating table and find out how we can appease them by incorporating some of their ideas and values?

Cloud watching

Daydreaming is one of the most underrated exercises you can carry out in your life. We are so busy with the order of our day that we don't give ourselves the time to just simply drift away. Its seen as a weakness by many affecting the productivity of us and impacting negatively on all we do or aim to do. Its seen that our switching off from the world will somehow destroy companies and impact a global market!

Yet we expect students to be creative and think outside of the box. We through around phrases like 'blue sky thinking' yet we never let them or ourselves get into a position where we can see the sky let alone know its blue!

The ability to daydream is not one I have had a problem with - in fact many would argue I am a master at it, but it is a skill which has allowed me to create some of my most pleasing lessons, a learning plan for independent learning and countless resources which have benefited students and other teachers.

So within my classroom I believe in daydreaming. Students need a chance to take stock of what you have told them and to chew over the ideas you are delivering to them at that point in time. We so often immediately hit them with a set of questions and take the focus off the potential that could be achieved if we just let them go and dream and put it straight onto our necessity for them to complete tasks 1 to 5...hmmm.

Who's to say that the child looking out the window isn't designing some new way of feeding the world or wondering what life really was like in the tranches in WW1?

Let them dream...the world will take the chance to do this all too quickly...

Finally....

Its taken a long time...too long but finally after many years of trying, heartache and disappointment SOUTHAMPTON FC HAVE WON A TROPHY!!!

Yes it has finally happened and I dont care about those who think its a small cup or a lower league trophy...how many of your teams will A) get to Wembley this year and B) win something!!!!

Well done to the lads - heres to many more successes!

Wordle...loads of fun but makes you think...

I was sat playing around with wordle today...if you havent found the site yet go its great!
I put in the vision for my faculty and the following came out- click on the link to check it out...

(www.wordle.net)

I found it interesting that the word pupils was supported by everything else...
sort of what we want to acheive!!

However, I was also quite challenged by the small sized words
which are key to achieving what we want to...thought provoking and work needed...

Standing on the shoulders of giants...

I was asked this morning how long I had been teaching. I worked out that at the end of this year it will be 15 years...hmmm...what have I achieved?

I can look back on those who have influenced me from my mentor at my second teaching practice to those around me now...you know who you are... who nudge me and give me opportunities to push myself.

These people have fed time and energy into me and as a result it is on thier shoulders I have built my career and been allowed to spread out and influence others.

Who will stand on my shoulders?

I have been thinking about all the students I have taught and what I instilled into their lives about Humanities, the world and life in general.

Its quite humbling to think someone may type this message in future and be referring to you but just in case no-one can(!)...my aim from now...build a foundation for others to stand on...

The plans the thing...

We are currently in the loop of report writing and have reached Yr9. We made a decision a couple of years ago to start the RE GCSE in Yr9 and so I was setting my class a GCSE question for assessment.

I teach both top sets which have similar data in terms of FFT and similar students.
Without actually meaning to do this - honestly - I set one group up with the question and let them use their books and their notes to help them to answer the questions (SET A).
The other group (SET B) had time in class to plan the question and then took books home to revise. They then completed the questions on paper with no reference to their books.

The results varied dramatically.

Set A - worked from their own notes in class

FFT mark range = A - D
Predicted % A*- C = 90%

Results of GCSE question = 40% A*-C

Set B - planned answers and took home to revise

FFT mark range = A - C
Predicted % A* - C = 100%

Result of GCSE question = 83% A* - C

So the plan seems to be the thing. Next time I will reverse this and see whether it impacts the groups in anyway.

This seems to have unearthed something I already knew but maybe dont spend enough time working on...

Enter the plate spinner...and now exit...

Teaching is like plate spinning...its all about keeping your focus and making sure nothing gets out of sight long enough to hit the floor!

One of my classes today proved this point. Its been quite a while since I have taught them due to holidays and other events before half term so I was trying to work out exactly where we had got to. The last time I taught them there were only 4 of them left as the rest went off for a treat for good behaviour...so its about a month since I've seen them as a full class.

They came in and I was sure we were at the stage for the assessment so I launch into the opening gambit and begin to outline the plan for the next two lessons and one IM (Independent Mission...new name for homework...I still think it should be MI as its still 'Mission Impossible' to get it in!). About 10 minutes in the blank faces are beginning to concern me.

I stop and ask them whether they had remembered they had an assessment today? They said yes...so why the blank faces?

'Sir' a small voice says 'We have been doing conservation as a topic.'

Sounds of metaphoric crashing as the plates hit the floor...I was introducing the assessment to the wrong year group!

I'll get my coat...

R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-runaround!!!!!....

As a kid I used to love the show 'Runaround' with Mike Reid. For those of you not old enough to remember him winding kids up with:

'Are you ready! Are you steady! Wait for it! G-g-g-g-goooooo, runaround now!!'

It involved a group of kids dressed in yellow t-shirts who were asked what seemed ridiculously easy questions and had 3 answers. They then - when told - ran to a particular answer and stood in a circle in front of it. They then had a chance to change if they wanted, jumping to another circle if they felt they were wrong.

Correct answer - yellow ball (red ball on some questions -worth 2 points)
Wrong answer - dungeon cage for rest of that round

The round continued until there was one child left then everyone came out and off you went again.
Most points wins state of the art (late 70's) prizes.

So where am I going with this...I'm not sure....

Oh yes. So I am in the process of resurrecting this for use in the classroom - unfortunately I wont be able to resurrect the gravely voiced Mike Reid but it cant be perfect!

I will fill you in on my progress.

Vision is...

'A moment of clarity when the hopes of tomorrow become touchable and the route to your dreams becomes clear'

Thinking through lessons

I have challenged one of my classes to spend some time at the end of lessons thinking about their thinking.

We had a discussion about the fact that quite often students drift through lessons and don't commit to the learning because they are switched off due to outside influences/situations, time of day, subject etc. We then talked about how it feels to be in a classroom where the experience is good and we don't drift and they said it felt:

• challenging
  
• exciting
• worthwhile
• like they had learnt something
• valuable
• made them want to come back / continue the lesson
• positive

This was just a few of the words/phrases mentioned.

We then talked about the barriers to this in happening in all lessons and decided that both the student and the teacher were potentially a barrier.

Students:

• Unmotivated
• Carrying in issues from break / home / previous lessons
• peer influence
• poor attitude

Teachers:

• Same style every lesson
• controlling - no sense of 'freedom' in their learning
• scared to let go
  
• carried issues from previous lessons into the next one

After this we talked about how these barriers could be overcome and decided that its all about working in partnership.

Teachers need to be ready to give up some responsibility to the students for their own learning BUT students need to show they are ready to take on that responsibility through positive attitude and effort in other lessons with that teacher.

It was really good to put aside some time and just discuss the learning experience of the students and look to see how we can overcome some of the issues facing them and their teachers each day.

Inspiration point...

Keep this sites link safe as it will inspire, challenge and encourage you...

http://www.thinkingclassroom.co.uk

...its a diamond in the rough and I value it greatly.

Overhaul

Got bored looking at same colours gave site an overhaul...will probably do the same tomorrow.

Looking through my photos I felt that this guy at the remnants of the wall in Berlin probably agreed with my statement at the top of my blog by my title...but he then went and did something about it!

Thinking and laughing

(I cannot take credit for this idea - Mr Fleetham!)

Pen behind the ear by Tim Vine can be used as an example of perseverance!

Hockey stick behind the ear by Tim Vine can be used as an example of progression of skills! (That one is mine!)

Tim Vine Comic Genius...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pwbQvJDFzQ


Pure Genius

100 up!

Favourite Films: 1941

Often overlooked and not that well known. I love this Spielberg classic spoof on the USA during the period after Pearl Harbour as paranoia runs wild that the Japanese are coming to invade.

Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi are fantastic and the whole things culminates in a mad final battle.


To celebrate my 100th post thought I would change the colour scheme a bit!

Watching those watching you...

Interesting experiment.

I have a class working at the moment on an independent learning project in GCSE Humanities based around the Vietnam war.

I am watching them from the sidelines and listening to conversations, making notes for group feedback and interacting when and where needed.

Next step...get them to feedback on my input and whether they think I could have done more...or possibly less...to input into their groups.

They are very protective over the work they are producing and incredibly focused in completing the task.

Great learning environment...

Time to step out...

I have never been any good at saying 'I did this!' So after some nudging and feeling like a hypocrite at saying to some students today stand up and be proud about what you did I feel I need to come clean.

This poem appeared on my blog a couple of days ago:

'Time winds its way through a repetitive process of hours, minutes, seconds
The partitions of it seem so heavy and time is lost in the relentless darkness of this life
Days become blurred into periods of day and night, good and bad, illness and death,
As we move through the process of routine and towards the conclusion of it all.

I used to love the song of the birds, but now there is only silence
They know not to be here, where life is measured in usefulness and names replaced with numbers.
Through the small bars I see the clouds and the shapes they take gives me a moment of escape from all this
Which is soon lost

The time for death is upon me, moved into this pen, herded with so many to await those who would seal our fate.
But I am calm.
If hell exists then it is here, where I am, but soon I will be free.
What is 'free'?
Its release from the monotony of time, from the routine of fear.

Death does not scare me for with it will come peace, a freedom they cannot take away from me.
What is 'free'?

I am.'

Shawn Skellon (2010)

Well...'I did this!'

There I said it...as I creep back into my hole.....

Moving on up

I had a conversation with a student today about option choices.
'Its really confusing' they said, 'I have so many things I would like to do but so little room to choose because of what others want me to do.'

My advice...choose what you want to do.

I think its a shame that we put so much pressure on Yr9 that they end up thinking a wrong decision will destroy their futures. If we're honest all they are doing are choosing the keys to allow them open a door so they can move on after GCSE.

Follow this!!!

This is a great blog to follow, lots of interesting articles, well explained and detailed (is that enough Ian?) and its by someone who just fab!

Seriously have a look...

http://secondaryemotion.wordpress.com/

What is 'free'?

'Time winds its way through a repetitive process of hours, minutes, seconds
The partitions of it seem so heavy and time is lost in the relentless darkness of this life
Days become blurred into periods of day and night, good and bad, illness and death,
As we move through the process of routine and towards the conclusion of it all.

I used to love the song of the birds, but now there is only silence
They know not to be here, where life is measured in usefulness and names replaced with numbers.
Through the small bars I see the clouds and the shapes they take gives me a moment of escape from all this
Which is soon lost

The time for death is upon me, moved into this pen, herded with so many to await those who would seal our fate.
But I am calm.
If hell exists then it is here, where I am, but soon I will be free.
What is 'free'?
Its release from the monotony of time, from the routine of fear.

Death does not scare me for with it will come peace, a freedom they cannot take away from me.
What is 'free'?

I am.'

An important moment to stop and think...

About 2 and a half years ago a plan hatched in my head to take a group of students over to Auschwitz and from that experience impact the school in some way. It seemed impossible but through some out of school funding it happened and last November half term we set off with 4 students to Poland.

This week has seen the fulfilment of this dream as the assemblies all week are being taken by these students to silence and respect from all year groups and incredible feedback from all staff.

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. Today period one the whole school had a PSHE lesson on the Holocaust set out by these students from their experiences and their thoughts. The feedback has been fantastic, so positive with no hassles and focused discussions from all year groups.

Its been a difficult journey and a very emotional week - with 2 assemblies to go - but the impact has been tangible and I feel proud of what has been achieved.




Spend a moment today to remember those who's lives were so brutally taken because they didnt fit into to someone else's plans.

When you know youre doing the right thing...

Its days like this that remind me why I became a teacher.

Its my birthday...relevant to the story not pushing for presents...OK maybe a little push!...and every child coming into my room seem to know this and have wished me happy birthday.

On top of that I have a pile of cards next to my desk from all year groups and have had happy birthday sung at least 5 times!

Its when things like this happens you feel like you are making a difference!

'Herd' of this one?...

Recently I have bought in a new marking system into the faculty which we have worked on and tweaked and involves using small red yellow and green stickers to mark work. The key to understanding these stickers is on a sheet in the front of their books and involves them answering some questions to self evaluate how they are doing and what they can do to improve.

All was working well until...8S3...this would need some thought!

I decided to herd them together in terms of the colour of the sticker achieved and see how it would go. So we had the red table..s and a yellow table.

To begin with they needed some nudging as to what to do and the TA in the room with me and I wandered round answering questions and keeping on task. Then it took off.

Someone on the red table said 'I don't know what to do to improve?' and before we could get there someone else on the table responded 'Oh I know you haven't...'

The conversation took off! They began to peer assess and evaluate and then cross table conversations started as the reds wanted to know what the yellows had done to get a yellow.

We just stood back and let it happen...quite an eye opener for the both of us and a great way to end the topic.

snow fun....

Watching the world change to white over the last 24 hours I was hopeful that we may see 'Snow Day 4:The final moments'.

This would follow last weeks:
'Snow Day'
'Snow Day 2: The unexpected'
and my personal favourite 'Snow Day 3: I've only done a one day week!'

However, powers that be have decided and Snow Day 4 has become 'Ice Slush Hell'... really not looking forward to getting out of this car park!

Day after tomorrow...is today!

Loved the film and now living the reality...some areas of the UK as cold as Moscow...Isotherms doing their thang!!!!

New Year ReVolutions...

2010...time to try something different in the classroom...be daring!

Happy New Year

The turn of the year...

There is a time for everything on the earth... for things to start and to end, for being raised up and facing trials, for standing still and moving on...change is universal and we face it all the time.

As we come to the end of 2009 I wish all of you a fab New Year and hope that 2010 is a year of breakthroughs, blessings and good times. That the victories outnumber the challenges and that the opportunities come thick and fast opening doors that will lead to recognition and reward.

Happy New Year!

when opportunity knocks...

dont knock it...its not the knocking thats the problem...its the patience needed to wait for the knocking to start, or the things that get in the way of opening the door before it stops.

Follow the yellow brick road...

We are putting on the Wiz this year as the school musical and many hours of hard work have gone in from staff and students since early in 09 to get to the point of first night.

Whilst standing backstage and looking out onto the production the other day it reinforced to me how talented the students we work with are. We don't give them the credit they deserve and due to our leaderships desire to purely be the best school in ...wherever... we are so quick to criticise, pick out fault and nag. All we do is destroy the creative spark that is attempting to come out because we don't want to take the time to let it.

The league table drives the direction of the school and ultimately its staff - yet we are supposed to be non-competitive!

Its about time we let the students we teach 'follow the yellow brick road' of creativity without the 'winged monkeys' of conformity and results taking them away from ultimately seeing the 'emerald city of success'...too much????

Lets not stifle that which is natural...nuff said

A catalyst for discussion...

I have been working with my Yr10 Humanities class on the topic of Conflict and we were working through the section on the Northern Ireland crisis. It was about 10 minutes in when I realised they had no idea about this!!! Suddenly feeling old I explained in detail about what happened and showed them a video highlighting the main events of the conflict. They sat silently afterwards and then one voice said 'Gosh it was so bad over there.'

This triggered a discussion around the video for the remainder of the lesson (3 part lesson out the window...HOORAY!) which was incredible.

Next lesson I set them a GCSE question which included an example question based around a conflict they had studied...amazing answers.

Take time to listen...give them the chance to speak

Vocal appreciation

As with any school we have an agenda to allow students to voice their opinions whether that be in terms of focus groups, feedback, student council etc...

So I thought how about their opinion on you as a teacher? Dangerous territory, flying without Union backing on this one!

When its structured well it works. When its not...it really doesn't! I remember a teacher in my faculty a few years ago holding some Yr11's back and asking 'What do you think of my lessons? Be honest' ... they were honest, she was literally destroyed by it.

Its not only the structure, its the relationship you have with the students. If you pick a class where there are behavioural issues then feedback will be, well interesting.

When I have done this its been very casual and laid back environment with no pressure being applied. You can use many methods. I have used discussion, feedback box and then response to the points by me next lesson, feedback sheets, red/yellow/green ranking based on a criteria designed by the students and agreed by me - to name a few.

Each time I have found out the same thing - students are very good at highlighting your areas of complacency. They love the variation of lessons so if you settle into a routine because its easy they will pick up on that.

The important thing is you feedback - whether that's verbally or through making changes - so they realise their view is valued and being listened to.

Its risky, you're vulnerable...but its worth it, as the only ones who see you teach day in and day out are those in front of you.

Punching above their weight...

Had a year 8 class this week who often are fairly lethargic so I thought I would raise the bar for them. They are set 1 and the range is level 5-6 in terms of end of KS3 FFT targets. We are looking at rivers and flooding at the moment so I started with a question on the board from a higher GCSE paper which we discussed and thought about how we would answer it and the type of information they would need to include.

They then had 20 minutes with a GCSE textbook to make a note of any information they felt was important in terms of answering the question. After this data collection time they then had 20 minutes to complete the question in class under exam conditions.

Final plenary - feedback as to what they thought. Many felt they had answered the question well because they had taken time to prepare for it and were confident of success and getting near their target grade. Lots of positive discussion.

I then told them that they had done a GCSE Higher paper question and there was a moment of silence before one of the lads said 'Hmmm, wasnt that bad really!'

I have looked over a lot of the answers and those students I have spent time reading are above their target grade.

Its all about taking a moment and giving them time...

Moving on up...

Dont worry not going to sing...

The more I have moved through this week the more I have begun to realise who to lean on and who to walk away from. Support comes from those who care but also those who know you and what you can achieve...the problem comes when those in positions dont know either!!!

Time to push on, move on up and look for the opportunities that are missed by us not being in the right frame of mind to take them.

Tomorrow is a brand new day...:)

Moments in time...

'Time passes so fast if you dont stop and take a look around once in a while you might miss it'
Ferris Bueller

Its so true, and we need to take time to stop and take in what's and who's around us and appreciate them. However, it is also true that this relentless movement of time removes moments you want to forget and replaces them with moments you would rather remember.

Today has been like that for me.

Bad day at school...actually one of the worst I can remember in a long time. Just relentless put downs and negative comments having what I've done wrong pointed out in many ways yet no apologies for things others had done wrong. Just a day where it was my turn to be the scapegoat...

then...

2 things happened.

1) A friend turns up (yes you know who you are :)) and listens and gives advice and makes me feel 'I can' again
2) I get home to find a copy of Gifted International Education on my doorstep with my article in it alongside Professors from Universities and directors of Critical Thinking centres from around the World - someone else thinks I can and wants to show me they think I can...(does this mean I can now say I am published????)

Time marches on and despair is replaced with hope...

Thank you to all who bring hope - you are greatly appreciated :)

Word for today...

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

hmmmm..... use that in a sentence in class today :)

Objectives! Objectives! Objectives!

I have found that students are very familiar with the fact that learning / lesson objectives are found on the board for each of their lessons. So much so that they will point out when they arent there and ask if 'they are ours' when they come into the room.

However, my concern is that they have become a little bit complacent about these guidelines for the lesson due to:

• the varied nature of use by teachers,
• relevance to the lesson,
• reference in the lesson
• and even ambiguity of meaning of these objectives for the particular period they are in your room.

As a result I like to spice it up every so often by getting them to create their own objectives for the lesson. Give them the topic and then say 'right what do you want to get out of today? Set L/O's which will help you to do that'.

At the end of the lesson evaluate the progress and challenge made in the lesson and then rank or RAG (red amber green) the objectives in terms of these areas.

Students can then set a target for next time based around the idea of challenge and progression for them to aspire to.

The majority of students I have done this with are incredibly honest with you and with themselves in this feedback area stating that they went for the 'easy' option and didn't set targets which pushed themselves as much. They then realise what you are on about when you are 'nagging'...encouraging(!) them to push on and add more into their work.

I have found it to be a worthwhile and very encouraging activity which students love to do and which challenges them to push on in their own learning and you to step out the way and let them!

Building bridges

Whilst teaching a yr8 class I used the following teaching tool in order to check linked learning.

We were looking at the journey taken by the SS Empire Windrush from the West Indies to the UK and were looking in a couple of lessons time to create an empathy piece based around the journey.

Over previous lessons in Geography we had looked at migration and why people move, in History they have been looking at the Slave trade, in RE looking at prejudice and the Expressive Arts are also linked into the Slavery topic.

In order to see what they had learnt I placed the above subject names on the tables and we began to discuss what they had learnt they thought would be relevant. When they answered they had to hold up the name of the subject they had learnt that information in. It was slow to start but soon they were shooting up with their signs and even began to hold a couple of names up if they felt it crossed two (or more) subjects.

Afterwards I got them to do a review and add info into their books - colour coded in terms of subject - about the topic ready for the next few lessons...

Consistency rules...

I have a class which to some people would be a nightmare waiting to happen - but I think their great!

Behaviour - excellent

Interaction - excellent

and great sense of humour...why?

Consistency. The classroom guidelines were laid out lesson one and have been stuck too ever since and as a result they have the security in knowing how things work and whats expected of them.

Consistency is the foundation stone of a good learning environment...

Word for today

Bouncebackability....nuff said

Be kind rewind...

I have come to the conclusion that at times I am a formula 1 teacher.

I dont mean I have lots of money, live in Monaco and am surrounded by models...ohhhh no, I just mean I teach at about 200mph!

This is a problem I need to address as some of the class can keep up but some get cut off and 'pit' early claiming they dont get it.

'Be kind...rewind' needs to be the mantra I adopt and review needs to happen at more place in the 'race' than just at the end. In this case of tortoise and the hare the hare stops and waits for the tortoise so they can finish the race together and leave feeling they have all achieved.

Walking back to happiness?

Got a class thinking today about why people say 'remember the good ol days' and are always talking about the past.

They thought for a while and then one boy said 'I think its cos they havent done nothing good lately!'

Out of the mouths of babes eh!

Shoulder to shoulder

I have become aware more and more that though we are individuals and thrive on recognition of our own ideas/skills/talents, its when we put those ideas/skills/talents into an arena which contains people we trust and will help us to build these areas of our lives (while we help build theirs) we begin to see true success.

A single chord rope is easily broken...a 3 chord rope is so much stronger.

When we put our ideas etc... out there and they are knocked back its those around us we trust who lift us up and say 'try again!'

Within our classrooms we should be trying to build environments in which students are building peer relationships which allow them to experience the impact of the '3 chord rope' where their peers encourage them to try and then pick them and up and say 'try again!'

Thank you for being a friend...

In this world of NOW NOW NOW and ME ME ME we dont take the time to stop, breathe and say thank you to those people who mean the most to you.

So to all the people who mean a lot to me - thank you.

Thank you for the kind words, the nudges, the support, the fun, the laughter, the wisdom, the honesty, the care and so much more.

Take a moment today - stop and then say thank you...you'll feel better!

Passing on a good word

We all need praise. It feels good to have a pat on the back or a kind word said to us especially from our peers.

Try getting students to build this positive discussion into their lessons and get the them to review each others work feeding back on what's and why it's good.

Organise the lesson using model work to allow them to see what is a good piece of work and get the class to then create a success criteria. This will allow them to create work of high standard and also allow them to review their peers work and not only highlight what's been done well but also build positive speaking relationships in the classroom.

Banana splits

In case you dont know what I am talking about!!

Musical Break

I have found that by using music as timing cues for students in class is a useful tool.

So far we have had many pop and rock tunes, classical numbers and (my personal favourite) cartoon theme tunes!!

See what works for you...banana splits rule!

Role reversal

Make it interesting...get your students to take the class. It gives them the opportunity to:

• plan and organise the lesson,
• see what goes into the job of being a teacher,
• use their own opinion and show evidence of team work and cooperation
• and allow them to gain experience of seminar work at KS5 and beyond...to name a few!

Whats the answer...s?

Try setting work for your students which allows them to investigate an area / topic which gives them the opportunity to come to a multitude of individual conclusions - then discuss them.

Sometimes there is no right or wrong answer...but do students realise this?

The 'Bruce Campbell' philosophy

I love Bruce Campbell films. They are trashy and in the main low budget but you can always count on one thing - Bruce loved every minute of it!

Shouldnt that be where we are in our work place?

Ask yourself the question - 'Why do we work?'

We work because we have to, because we have become accustomed to the income we have etc... but how many of us work because we love our jobs? Because we come home each day fired up by what we have been through that day?

Many people will say they enjoy elements of their jobs - some of the people they work with, some of the responsibilities that they may have - but how many can say they love their whole job??

We all have dream jobs (I have two: archaeologist and working in films) and believe that these would bring us fulfilment and would be the jobs we would be happiest doing...but without the 'Bruce Campbell Philosophy' in evidence nothing (to quote the big man) will ever be 'Groovy baby!'

How much are we valued?

What are we worth? I mean to those around us how much do they value us or do they only value what we do or bring to the 'table'?

For many years I have been looking for a recognition of my value and worth in the job that I do and its really clear to me that this has been a mistake in so many ways. Some of the stakeholders you work with make you feel valued and this is important but can be easily smashed by those around you who see no worth in what you do unless it benefits them in some way.

In an environment where we are constantly encouraged to praise and lift up the students we work with, the amount of praise and lifting up we receive from those around us is limited to those we have become close to.

Unless of course you are 'important'. Unless you are one of those for whom time is given for development and opportunities are shared.

My conclusion is this. Its been said that you can live under the radar and never be noticed - for example shows like X-factor unearth talented people who never got the breaks. However, I also believe its true that for some the radar is never pointed in their direction and so they tick along doing good things but never are lifted up - unless they hit an area which makes others look good for a moment in time.

So where does worth come from? Those we love, care for and trust, family and friends, a belief structure of some kind, an idea of faith.

WE are ALL worth A LOT. In fact we are all IRREPLACEABLE in this world and what we need to do is make sure that those around us who we care about know this.

Its all about being an encourager of others. Giving out not getting in.

So let those who ignore you continue to do so. Those who matter to you are the ones who are saying 'Go for it! You can do it!' These are the people who matter - the ones who give you worth...and I thank all of those who do this for me.

We're on a road to...somewhere....

Talking Heads had it almost right we are on a road...but to somewhere.

Start the lesson by giving out the final destination and getting students to trace the lesson back to the learnin objectives. Needs careful planning but very interesting!

Happy Talky Talky...

Encourage students to talk more in your lessons. Focused learning chat brings a real buzz to the classroom and allows all students access to achieving in that lesson.

End with a summarising exercise e.g. 5 things youve found out today

word for today

ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM

...

focusing in

Why do we set large targets for students in class? Surely the journey they are on require small steps to build the foundation and confidence before taking the leap forward?

Look at your learning objectives and check they arent too big to be achieved...maybe even let the students set their own. After all its them we are trying to get to achieve these objectives so they should be set from the point they are at NOT the point we are at. Otherwise they will always be too big.

Think about it...

Dangerous Doggy

Does anyone else think this may be 'the brain' in disguise from Pinky and the Brain?

Vantage Point

I am beginning to see that it is not what you know or who you know that moves you on but where you are positioned at a particular point in time.

Right place right time....can anyone tell me where the next one is please?

Making waves

Frustration + Unfulfilled dreams = Motivation for change

Thought for the day

When life throws you lemons make lemonade....when life throws you pineapples...duck!

Musings

If we live in the past then the present will pass us and the future never come into view

Crossing the line

I believe that there is an opportunity for all of us to become leading lights in the field we are called to work in.

However, we need to make sure we are always looking to recognise the opportunities in our lives and take them when they comes up.

Behind or on the line is where most of us stay for our careers...I want to cross the line so throw the opportunities my way and let me have the chance to take them.

Thank you to those who have encouraged me so far...I'm believing that this year will be a year of movement.

Heres to moving into the zone of the unknown and to looking behind me for the line!!!

On the outside looking in...

It has become clear over the past few years that there are a lot of people with very good, creative ideas sat currently on the outside of the 'circle of influence' in education looking in but unable to get a break.

Its about time some of those inside that circle stopped patting each other on the back, turn round and acknowledge that its either time to give up their seat...or make room for others.

Hopefully this will happen then those new members can get the rest to continue to look behind them and realise that the future is now.

Im still walking round the circle but hoping for the breakthrough....

All the best

All the best to all the Yr11's receiving their GCSE results today.

What constitutes success?

As we move into the fortnight of results for A levels and GCSE's we will once again face the press' desire to find fault with exam quality, public opinion of how things were so much harder when they were at school, parents watching like hawks the school A*-C figures and the mad massaging of figures to make sure every school can squeeze the highest % possible from that cohort before forgetting about them and moving onto the next one.

In all of this we forget about the students...its them who go through the hell of the envelope opening. They know what mean success and failure for them but they lose sight of this because they are focused completely onto what it means to all these other people (parents, teachers, public, press etc...)...do we actually ever take their feelings into consideration.

Success to one maybe that they achieved an E grade or 2 D's, to another that they finished with a line of below C grades...another that they finished school. Yet the focus is always the high fliers.

'They worked so hard for their A*'
'The effort they put in for their 11 A*'s-A's was remarkable'

Yeah so was the effort the child written off by an education system that only focuses on what students can do within a narrow set of tests who achieved his / her 5 D's and E's.

As with creativity, success is individual and should be treated as such. All are successful in someway - lets never forget this.

A new place to go...

I have just returned from a week split between Paris and Berlin. Great to be away and relax...though lots of walking involved! I have to say I have fallen in love with Berlin...Paris was nice but I would go back to Berlin again and again if Im honest.

The mixture of historical and modern is balanced and the people so friendly.

Berlin you win...sorry Paris!

Over Niagara in a barrel

How far will you go to make a point?

How far will you allow your ideas to take you?

How many times will you allow someone to tell you it cant be done before you stop trying to do it?

For many years the idea of 'going over niagara in a barrel' was one of those stunts that seemed impossible. Yet 15 people have attempted it (recorded attempts) and of these 8 have survived.

Why do these people do it? Because other people said it couldnt be done.

Dont give up when someone says it cant be done...head straight towards your 'niagara', hold tight and prove them wrong!!

The Truth is out there!

Have a set of cards linked into the topic being studied spread out on the table in front of you. Split class into groups and then ask a series of questions.

When they get an answer right they come out and pick a card then return to their group.

When all the cards are distributed they have to then decide what cards are useful to them for investigating the key question of the lesson and what are 'red herrings'.

At the end of the lesson a good plenary is to get them to explain how and why they came to the decision they did in terms of choosing and refusing the cards.

Word for today...

ACHIEVEMENT

Favourite Film?

Over my life time there have been many advancements in movie technology. Special effects make the impossible possible and some of the stories we never thought could be made into films have now been transferred to the big screen.

Since moving pictures began every decade has produced those films which will last forever as classics.

Nosferatu, Gone with the Wind, Its a Wonderful Life, Citizen Kane, 2001, The Shawshank Redemption, The Lord of the Rings trilogy... the list is endless. To choose one film that stands alone as the only film you could take to a desert island with you is difficult!

For some maybe...

I know, dont even have to think twice...

Its...

GHOSTBUSTERS!!! Seriously...honest...

Your go!

Word for today

PERSEVERANCE

Watching the horizon

How do you move from having ideas to being in a position to share them with others?

When you mention names of famous people that are great speakers or inspirational members of society people can immediately tell you why they are famous or will have heard of them.

How do you become one of these people?

By not WANTING to be one of them! Each person who has acheived 'greatness' of some kind did it by being themselves - not by trying to be someone else.

When the great explorers travelled across the seas looking for the new land they would have a man in the crows nest with his eyes on the horizon looking for land...looking for their opportunity.

Keep your eyes on the horizon. Opportunities are out there dont be caught looking at someone else wishing you were them and miss your chance...