Limits
Never say never. Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion – Michael Jordan Michael Jordan quote from his speech upon being enshrined to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2009. There are only a few MJ quotes I have …
Inspirational speaker – Jay Young
This Friday’s Year 11 ‘Drive to the finish line’ assembly was led by an inspirational young man, former elite gymnast and aspiring stuntman, Jay Young. Just two years on, and following eleven months of gruelling physiotherapy, Jay is commanding the respect and attention …
Whole school curriculum planning
Waiting for @FOD3… (the message left in the workbook for the Head of English.) After a morning of experimenting, I have mocked up a simple wire frame for departments to report their curriculum maps, KS2 transition, KS3, KS4 and KS5. The aim, …
Drop everything and read
This is the first time I have EVER been in a library. Is there any single more important duty of an English Department, of a school even, than introducing our students to the wonders of reading? I would like to think that …
Grammar
Grammar is my teaching and professional learning focus this term. On my iPhone I receive GG or Grammar Girl’s quick and dirty tips podcast and my feed reader delivers Daily Grammar. I am working through the back catalogue on both these feeds, …
15 to win
Nearly 10 years ago my recaps starter involved 16 numbers cards, stuck to the whiteboard with blue tac. Underneath, drawn on the whiteboard, 9 Qs or questions, 3 stars, 4 blank spaces. Back in the day the students pulled off a card …
Boys achievement
Sticking on the ‘narrowing the gap’ agenda I created a poster for the staffroom and staff work areas. Again, help yourself. The resoultion is should be sufficient for an A4 poster. The quote is adapted from the most recent DFE …
23 Strategies for raising boys’ achievement with and without Triptico
We are just about to launch Triptico Plus to the schools teaching community. Despite just a handful of teachers being formally introduced to Triptico (note the lack of plus), I am not surprised by how many staff have ushered in the new networked Triptico Plus version complete …