Difficult Second

Hello everyone

Hope the summer is going well for you.

I remember an interview in Smash Hits in the early eighties when Depeche Mode were announcing the release of their second album (A Broken Frame) which they described as their ‘difficult second’ album. Many bands and artists have bemoaned the same situation before this and since – anyone remember Toploader’s second album? See the review for that here:

http://www.nme.com/reviews//6612

Damning.

The concept of difficult second doesn’t just sit there in the world of music. It’s there in films as well. See a list of ten brilliant second movies below. My favourite film JAWS is in there – Spielberg’s follow up to Sugarland Express. A weight of expectation on his shoulders and a special-effect shark that wouldn’t perform for the camera.

I’m sitting in my kitchen contemplating this and my difficult second book The Oath. I’ve pressed pause on the writing of the book because I was finding it too darn stressful. Rather than enjoying the process, I’ve been looking over my shoulder and worrying about what people will think of it. You’d have thought I’d be okay with that, and, indeed, I am now. As I’ve stated in an earlier blog, my mojo is back, and having pressed pause on The Oath, I can concentrate on my teaching, training and work – all of which I’m loving. The book will be out in late 2015 and I apologise to those of you who were looking forward to it. My aim now is to make it worth the wait. I’ve already written 30,000 words and its full of genuine classroom practice, reflections, ideas and lists. And it’ll be fun. I’m grateful to @thatiangilbert and @crownhousepub for their patience. You can pre order the book here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Oath-Imagineering-Curriculum-Everyone/dp/1781351325/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407858066&sr=8-1&keywords=the+oath+hywel

The other thing that’s encouraged me to slow down a little is the fact that my first book OOPS! Helping Children Learn Accidentally is going down really well and I’m grateful to readers who have got in touch with me on Twitter and Facebook to tell me so. I loved writing it and am thrilled with the reception it’s received. You can take a look at it here:http://tinyurl.com/kvu5zfj

So The Oath has become my own difficult second. It will get written and I’m excited about the prospect. I just want to ensure I nail it and am bang on.

 Ten Great Second Films (in no particular order):

1. Jaws

2. Near Dark

3. The Terminator

4. Midnight Express

5. Assault on Precinct 13

6. Boogie Nights

7. The Elephant Man

8. Raising Arizona

9. The Deer Hunter

10. Days of Heaven

 

Cheers. 🙂

 

Arfon Roberts 1934-2002

Hi everyone

This music by Ludovico Einaudi took me on a reverie.

 

Just a brief post that I think I’m writing for myself as much as anyone who might be vaguely interested. It’s a fast-paced voyage around my father. It’s a list thing. I like lists.

Here he is:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arfon Roberts, born in a small village in the shadow of Snowdonia.

• Miner’s son
• Student
• Semi-pro footballer: Featured regularly on the back pages of The Daily Post either saving goals or letting them in
• Did National Service working with radar and sonar on Welsh lakes and reservoirs
• Trainee teacher at Bangor Normal College
• Teacher on The Wirral
• Husband
• Father
• Carer to his wife, Dorothy Ann, who, in 1973 had a negative reaction to anaesthetic whilst having a simple dental procedure
• Decision maker: Arfon chose to plough himself into his work after Dorothy Ann pulled through a month-long coma. Her mind had been erased
• Settler: Arfon had to tutor, guide and lead Dorothy Anne back to a state of relative normality. She had forgotten him, their two boys, her wider family, her language, her natural role: mother and teacher
• Grafter: Arfon worked six days a week (five days in secondary schools in Prestwich and Bury, Manchester, a day tutoring to earn extra cash to make up for the loss of Dorothy Ann’s earnings)
• Hugger: Always keen to embrace his sons
• Fisherman: He found serenity at the riverbank. He could think, reflect and plan. He was never bitter about what happened to Dorothy Ann. The Law Lords had said it had been an Act of God, so who was he to argue? In English law, apparently that’s that. The Law Lords proclaim it, and that’s job done. Crack on then
• Peacemaker
• Governor
• Passionate about teaching: as well as leading Humanities at his last school in Bury, he represented teachers as local elected president of the NASUWT
• Retired: in the photo above, Arfon completes decades of teaching and opts for a retirement of gardening. They got him a tankard and a pen. He was buzzing
• Life and soul
• Pipe smoker (of an evening)
• Fun
• Kind
• Loved
• Remembered.

Cheers Dad.

 

 

 

 
‘My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing’.

Aldous Huxley

 

PEARLERS FOR THOSE WISHING TO TEACH

Hi everyone
Another year is closing school-wise, another year of NQTs successfully finishing what is arguably the most challenging of years in teaching.

Here are some pearls of wisdom from them for anyone who is embarking on teacher training or beginning their NQT year in September. There is repetition, but it’s all good.

These are their PEARLERS:

• Don’t worry about that child that drives you bonkers, you’ve also got 29 other less bonkers kids.

• Enjoy the challenges thrown at you.

• That you can be seen to have fun.

• Don’t do all the work yourself – use your T.A they are there to help you and know what they’re doing.

• Remember the rewards!

• Don’t let the odd bad days get you down.

• Smile even when it’s hard.

• Find someone you can talk to at school – but don’t become drains together.

• Make sure you balance school/home life. You still need to have fun and be young!

• Don’t be scared to apologise for mistakes. Kids will appreciate we are all learning.

• Learn to laugh at yourself (before the kids do).

• Don not stress….Take a risk – anything could happen!

• Forgive yourself for making mistakes – your children will.

• Don’t worry about parents, nobody listens to them anyway!

• Don’t expect to get everything right straight away! Things will go wrong, tomorrow is another day.

• Don’t take it personally, they like you really

• Life, work balance is key. Keep calm and smiling!

• Take risks in the classroom – as long as everyone survives it’s all good.

• Stick with it, it will be worth it in the end.

• If your mentor is busy ask other teachers.

• Use your TA, don’t do it all yourself.

• Remember to laugh!

• Always set work you’d want to do, it makes it easier to teach.

• Keep smiling!

• Treat your caretaker really well.

• Using “well we are in Barnsley (OR INSERT YOUR OWN TOWN)” is never an excuse.

• Take the opportunity to observe as many other teachers that you can.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If someone has offered help take them up on it, but make sure you give them some notice of when you want to have a chat.

• Its hard work but when the “naughtiest” boy in the school says “come on Miss, I just want to write!” it’s all worth it.

• Keep your TA and office staff close.

• Remember that nobody is perfect.

• At the end of the year they’ll all say that they never want to leave your class.

• Leave all expectations at the door, they’ll surprise you!

• It really does get easier, keep going.

• Be inspiring (and smile)!

• Keep a sense of humour about everything.

• Don’t let teaching consume your life, give yourself a break.

• Utilise your TA’s.

• Believe in yourself, you can do it!

…………………………………………..Wine helps!

BARNSLEY COLLEGE WORKSHOP

BARNSLEY COLL 90mins hoot

A good day today at Barnsley College. Here are my slides.

Thanks for having me along.

Hywel

Waving At You

Hello all

I lost my blog-mojo in January but have just found it down the back of the sofa. That’s not to say I’m not reading LOADS of brilliant blogs from teachers, leaders, commentators and CHILDREN doing fantastic work in all sorts of settings. It’s thought-provoking stuff.

So, I’m just waving at you and saying:

• thanks for the continual inspiration
• thanks for the Twitter follows 
• thanks for the Twitter/blog feedback for events like the wonderful @BarnsleyTSA teaching festival and the sublime @NRocks2014. I’m really honoured to be asked to contribute to events and I must say that I loved these. If the Government knew hundreds of teachers were milling about in Leeds last Saturday talking pedagogy and practice, we might have been kettled. As it was, we just had a rich, informative and challenging ‘do’.
• thanks to the children I’ve worked with recently (and the staff for having me in)! Y11 in Leeds, Y4 in Sheffield, Y8 in Barnsley Y5 in Redditch and Y1 in Birmingham. Ah, Y1 – What are we going to say to the Big Bad Wolf when we meet him? What are the right words to say? How do we want him to feel? What shouldn’t we say to him? What will help him be honest? Ace
• 

This may all seem like a bit of a wind-down, but I’ve been part of such wonderful work recently, I feel I just want to write it down, albeit briefly. I’ve had some challenges as well with my classroom work, but that deserves a post of its own I feel. 

Anyway, I’ll leave it there. It’s nearly the weekend so I hope you all have a FANTASTIC FRIDAY. 

Hywel

PS: I’ve got a few more events here and there to share with you and will do so over some subsequent posts. Cheers!

 

•  

BIG DAY OUT NORTH WEST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT?

Hello everyone

This is a brief post to just give you a bit more detail about the Independent Thinking Big Day Out which is taking place in Failsworth School in Manchester on Monday 10th March 2014. It is simply THE day if you’re interested in teaching and learning – and it’s open to all: Principals, NQTs, Class Teachers, Trainees, Middle Leaders…EVERYONE!  There will be something for everyone whatever your setting – special, primary, secondary and beyond.

Educational consultants sometimes get a bad press – those who can’t teach tell teachers what to do. Well, the associates you’ll be working with on this day are either practicing teachers and leaders, or are colleagues with stacks of experience to share with you after years on the frontline of education. Independent Thinking associates are the real deal. For over 20 years the organisation has been supporting schools and the people who work and learn in them to think for themselves.

A list of contributing associates can be found here:

http://www.independentthinking.co.uk/What/Our+Big+Day+Out/default.aspx

You’ll see we have Keynote contributions from Vic Goddard, The Real David Cameron, Dave Harris, Dave Keeling and Dave Whitaker. Almost too many Daves!!

The workshops are rich and varied. You’ll be able to go to four on the day. Check the workshop list out here:

http://www.independentthinking.co.uk/What/Our+Big+Day+Out/Our+Big+Day+Out+Workshops/default.aspx

Workshops from @learningspy, @surrealanarchy, @Debrakidd, @coralchatter and many others are making the day a real treat.

The devil is of course in the detail. Cost and small print here:

http://www.independentthinking.co.uk/What/Our+Big+Day+Out/default.aspx

I think you’ll agree that the cost of the day is a bargain. Check it out.

If you want to book right now, email

office@independentthinking.co.uk

I hope you can make it. I’ll be there n all giving it some banjo. Keep up with the hashtag #BDONW

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Hywel

 

Hiding in Plain Sight

The Covert Curriculum 

 

Five things for us to worry about:

1. Everyone went to school so everyone’s an expert
2. Things don’t always go to plan
3. I have courage but can’t seem to demonstrate it in the classroom
4. They are doing learning walks again. Why am I never invited?
5. Covering the curriculum

Five things we’d prefer to worry about:

1. Are dinosaurs an invention of the Victorians?
2. If we go through the wardrobe, what might we find?
3. How do we safely sharpen our swords?
4. What does it sound like when you walk on shells?
5. At what angles do security cameras need to be placed in order to keep the old castle secure?

And five more……

1. Generating awe and wonder
2. Rehearsing children for real life
3. Developing the active seeking brain
4. Fostering independent learning
5. Cultivated creativity and imagination

 

I once did a twilight Inset evening where the Head introduced me and promptly left the room. I felt pretty vulnerable because my remit was to deliver an hour on creativity and that very word alone is enough to send some colleagues over the edge. In this session, a gentleman sitting right in front of me threw his pen onto the table and proclaimed

‘Another buzzword!’

The pen hit the deck and ricochets back up into the air and in my general direction. I dodged it in slow-motion-bullet-time-Matrix-style, and went to pick it up as the 50 or so staff watched in embarrassed silence. I wanted to berate the colleague with

‘Creativity is an essential part of the human condition and without it we are furniture, empty and wooden and devoid of humanity. Furniture shouldn’t be teaching children!’

Unfortunately I didn’t have the courage. I put the pen back on his table and resumed my talk, now with a rattled edge. Fortunately I’ve learned a lot since then. The thing is this: creativity is part of our teacher repertoire; it’s sitting there in our teacher kitbag, waiting to be applied appropriately and when needed. It’s also there in what Ofsted want to see in good and outstanding lessons. When we talk about creativity, I understand the pen-thrower’s response, because the default is to start thinking in the realms of Drama, Dance and Music and so on. We know that these artistic areas are absolutely the bread and butter of some colleagues, but for others, they are intimidating and to be avoided. What we need to do is unlearn this view of subjects as discrete entities and see them more with blurred edges melting into one another; or even better, find the curriculum within the work we are already doing. Try these for size. Where is the curriculum (literacy, numeracy and all the rest) in the following ideas?

1. Travel
2. International Rescue
3. Snow
4. The Sea
5. Time Machine

As you read this little list, your professional repertoire kicks in and you get rummaging in your kitbag. Guess what? That’s you being creative. If the Secretary of State for Education announced tomorrow that all EYFS, KS1 and KS2 curriculum had to be delivered through the lens of TRAVEL, after the initial hand-wringing, we’d buckle down and find that actually it would be dead easy to do. We’d tip our hats to the great bubble of expectation we operate within (Government, Ofsted, Parents, Governance, Leadership) and navigate our way through the new focus placing our children at the centre of our planning; thinking about our classrooms, our displays and the potential learning adventures our children could enjoy. We’d also make sure we covered the curriculum as set out by the Government because that’s what we’re paid to do.

HOW we do that is up to us.

This is the bit that seems to be getting lost as the pressure of the bubble threatens to strangle the capacity of teachers to be creative. We should

• promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and
• prepare pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life 

Who wants to argue with that? So, how do the following situations meet these expectations, and where do you see the potential curriculum for the children you work with every day? Get a brew, and stretch your professionally creative muscles:

 

1. If we are going to build a spacecraft to travel beyond our solar system, what’s the first thing we should do?

 

1. What tools do we need in our kit bag that will enable us to get to the centre of the earth?

 

1. How can we as a class sitting in a classroom in the middle of our town, help those in other countries who are suffering famine?

 

1. How can we make sure the historic mill is not torn down to make way for new houses?

 

1. What shall we say to the old man who needs to be moved from his house as it has become unsafe?

 

1. What shall we put on the signs warning people not to leave or enter our village as we’re harbouring the plague?

 

1. What rules do we need if we are going to rescue a beached whale?

 

1. What do we need to say to the Mayor to encourage him to pay the Pied Piper?

 

1. If we are going to rehabilitate the Big Bad Wolf, what’s the first thing we need to organise?

 

1. How do we exhibit a Gorgon?

 

There are no answers to the task I’ve set you, so long as you’ve uncovered the curriculum you need to cover. This is where creativity and coverage collide. As Primary colleagues we need to ensure there is balance between these two entities and that the integrity of great learning never loses out to shallow, unchallenging task work lazily labelled as creative.

So, please Dance in Science, sing in Literacy, role play in Numeracy, nod at the bubble of expectation, stay true to the integrity of the learning, soundtrack the beach, paint the planet, cover the coverage and give way to the covert curriculum that your children reveal to you.

 

Five attributes of a great teacher (you can add another five to make your own Top Ten)

1. Enthusiasm
2. Courage
3. Energy
4.  Hope
5. Authentic Care

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

https://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/b00220600/consultation-national-curriculum-pos/draft-pos-subjects

‘Oops! Helping Children Learn Accidentally’ by Hywel Roberts ed. By Ian Gilbert. Published by ITL Press/Crown House. Available from Amazon.

hywel@createlearninspire.co.uk

https://createlearninspire.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

A Day In Bath and That Cambridge

Hi

I’m contributing to two events, booking details of which can be found here: http://www.atl.org.uk/learning-zone/members-courses/creating-great-lessons-to-behave-for-2013-14.asp

The days are focusing on Behaviour and Engagement and have been set up, as you can see from the link, by the ATL Union, although as far as I’m aware, you don’t have to be a member to attend.

Bath 23rd January 2014

Cambridge 6th February 2014

The brilliant Lisa Miller is focusing on the Behaviour and I’m looking at curriculum of engagement. More about Lisa and her work here: http://www.practicaltactics.co.uk/lisa_8.html

Hope to see you there.

Hywel

 

 

 

 

STICKMAN

Hi

Just a quick mention here for this delightful little distraction. Bear in mind I’m sitting in a hotel room catching up on emails and so on. I’ve re-found this on my laptop. I cant wait to go back home and let our 8 year old have a go!

Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.drawastickman.com/episode1

Cheers

EDUCATION BREW

So, I want to share the knowledge, skills and expertise of the people I know. If you are an educator, you’ll hopefully be in a similar position to me where you often get to sit and chew the fat with good people who seem to understand a lot more about the world of education than you do. I decided that I wanted to get some of these conversations captured. I thought it would be great to record a series of podcasts and so, EDUCATION BREW was born – in my head! By the time I’d created a Twitter feed, my first guest was waiting and the gear was set up to record. The concept is simple: come to ours, I’ll make you a couple of brews, and I’ll let you talk about what’s important to you in the world of education.

 

It was easy to pull in my first guest Dave Whitaker, as we’ve been rehearsing for this for the last 15 years or so! Dave is  Executive Principal at a Special School in Barnsley and a member of @headsroundtable. This isn’t a podcast for colleagues who work exclusively in that setting, but, the feedback so far would suggest, important for all of us to hear. I uploaded the content to Audioboo late on Wednesday night. At the time of writing (the following Sunday), it has had 485 plays – far exceeding my humble expectations.

So, grab a brew, and have a listen:

https://audioboo.fm/boos/1696264-education-brew-episode-1-david-whitaker

At the end of the episode, I ask Dave to come back and do another session – if you’d like me to ask him any questions, email me at brewpod@yahoo.co.uk or tweet @educationbrew

Hope you enjoy it.

A big thank you to Maria (@mariamariamusic) Mark (@ICTEvangelist) and, of course, Dave (@davewhitaker246) for making it real.