The Naïve SENDCo Series As dawn broke through the early morning horizon, the Naïve SENDCo retreated to the troop accommodation to share battle wounds and strategy. As an educator, passionate about my field, there is nothing more fulfilling than galloping off to conference at the end of the working week, where there is the opportunity … Continue reading We Collaborate Special: Tales of the Naïve SENDCo
Education
The Tale of the Naïve SENDCo
Come with me as we journey through the misty realm of unrealistic expectations and the valley of forgotten purpose. The mythical creature that is the SENDCo is possibly the most misunderstood of all the teaching fairy tale characters. I talk about it in this way because rather than being the hero of the tale, the … Continue reading The Tale of the Naïve SENDCo
MEd, is it worth it?
Over recent weeks I have witnessed teacher after teacher question whether or not a Masters in Education is worth the time, money and effort required for an improved chance at career advancement. Thinking through what I had to offer on this topic, the greatest advice I can give is to share my experience of completing … Continue reading MEd, is it worth it?
Support #DailyWritingChallenge
‘One of the things that we never discuss, or we rarely discuss, is the value of human connection.’ Rita Pierson In the, almost exact - not quite but shhh, words of Rita Pierson, 'every person reading this blog has been affected by a teacher or an adult.' It seems almost poetic that ‘bear all or … Continue reading Support #DailyWritingChallenge
Forgiveness #DailyWritingChallenge
Forgiveness, more specifically self-forgiveness, is a concept I have battled with over the years, especially the years that I have spent as an educator. It wasn’t until recently, when I burdened myself with the crushing blame of unrelenting heartbreak and pressure that I really understood the value of forgiveness… I am the typical, albeit scouse-version, … Continue reading Forgiveness #DailyWritingChallenge
Finding My Teaching Leaders Tribe
Why having that neutral ground to touch base with, outside of the work place, has being crucial for my wellbeing. In the 2017-2018 academic year my wonderful Principal nominated me for the Ambition Institute's Teaching Leaders 2018 cohort. This meant, amongst other things, that I would embark on an intense leadership journey like no other. … Continue reading Finding My Teaching Leaders Tribe
#TENC19 Talk – How to enthuse and encourage Pupil Premium students with the English Curriculum
It was back in September 2018 when a DM from the awesome TENC (Team English National Conference) women appeared in my inbox asking me to lead a workshop at this year’s conference. I was stupefied at the thought that people actually wanted to hear from me. Keeping in mind, that this during the period when … Continue reading #TENC19 Talk – How to enthuse and encourage Pupil Premium students with the English Curriculum
Going Twelve Rounds with Public Speaking
A follow-up post to 'Speaking in front of colleagues: the art of talking slowly' Earlier this year, I set myself a personal-professional target of pushing my perceived limits around public speaking. I first openly discussed this on LinkedIn (I have now migrated the post to this site for your reading pleasure) and feared the response … Continue reading Going Twelve Rounds with Public Speaking
Speaking in front of colleagues: the art of talking slowly
As a Scouser living in Yorkshire I have had a long and laborious relationship with public speaking. Within the first year of teaching in the grassy hills of Huddersfield I learnt that I was going to get nowhere unless I slowed my accent down a touch - yet two years later I still felt the … Continue reading Speaking in front of colleagues: the art of talking slowly
A Scouser's Guide to Education 