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Source: http://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/category/secondary/feed/

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<title>Exploring the rich world of the Maya, Aztec and Inca in KS3 History</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/exploring-the-rich-world-of-the-maya-aztec-and-inca-in-ks3-history/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jessicawhitehead]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 09:14:26 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary History]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[aztec]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[inca]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Maya]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary history]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=7343</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Laura Aitken-Burt explores the fascinating societies of the Maya, Aztec and Inca and how you can integrate teaching this exciting topic into your KS3 teaching.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/exploring-the-rich-world-of-the-maya-aztec-and-inca-in-ks3-history/">Exploring the rich world of the Maya, Aztec and Inca in KS3 History</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
Laura Aitken-Burt explores the fascinating societies of the Maya, Aztec and Inca and how you can integrate teaching this exciting topic into your KS3 teaching.
The Americas have been home to a vast array of indigenous civilisations which have thrived for thousands of years. The Maya settled in the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico in 2000BCE and by 300BCE had organised into 40 city states with populations between 5000-50,000, similar if not larger than those in ancient Greece at the time. Huge stepped pyramids were built in the dense jungles, and the education system prioritised history, poetry, astronomy and medicine.   
In 1325, the city of Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City) was established by the Aztecs on Lake Texcoco in an incredible feat of engineering. With perhaps more than 100,000 inhabitants and rich tributes coming in from nearby towns, Tenochtitlan was to become a city that rivalled Constantinople in size and grandeur.
Meanwhile further south in Peru, the Inca managed over 4000 square kilometres of land across the Andes mountains. To connect this disparate empire, the Inca rulers imposed the Inti sun god as the centralised religious cult and forced all citizens to take part in helping to build a vast road network.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Common myths and controversies</h2>
Perhaps most famously, these civilisations have shown evidence of human sacrifice. Despite popular belief from exaggerated foreign sources, this ritual was not performed regularly and originally held deep religious meanings of bravery before perhaps later being used as a form of imperial control. Bloodletting was a far more common way to honour the gods and was performed by people in all ranks of society, just as in Europe where bloodletting had long been performed in both a religious and medical capacity.
However, whilst the Aztec and Inca were expanding and consolidating their own empires over the course of several hundred years, in the 16th century an empire from far across the sea was to emerge as a new threat. At the beginning, small groups of Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortés in Mexico and Francisco Pizzaro in Peru were not of concern to the indigenous rulers, who had internal conflicts of their own to settle. Indeed, Cortés was almost killed by the Tlaxcalans, until an enslaved woman named Malintzin was able to convince them that this could be an opportunity to overthrow their old Aztec enemies.
The traditional consensus of Spanish military superiority can also quite easily be challenged by looking at events such as La Noche Triste when the Aztecs successfully repelled the Spanish from Tenochtitlan or the existence of the Neo-Inca rebel state established in Vilcabamba by Manco II and Tupac Amaru which sustained guerilla warfare in the Andes mountains for decades. These were highly organised civilisations which strongly opposed Spanish domination. In the end, the devastation wrought by smallpox pandemics, to which they were not immune, meant that as more conquistadors arrived from Spain, there were fewer indigenous people to fight. When the Spanish saw few indigenous people to enslave on their growing plantations, the trans-Atlantic slave trade would soon begin.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Integrating Maya, Aztec and Inca into your KS3 teaching</h2>
Standard KS3 History curricula cover the Reformation and Tudors – teaching Maya, Aztec and Inca history can act as an interesting change of focus which sets the themes of Spanish imperial ambitions, rivalry with Britain and the counter-Reformation into a more global perspective. It can also act to peak early student interest and knowledge in the Americas for departments who will go on to study the ‘Spain and the New World’ unit in the Edexcel History GCSE. There are also such fantastic archaeological sites to research and investigate (Google Earth is a great tool for this) such as Macchu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Tikal and Palenque which can develop skills for the site study in the ‘History around us’ OCR GCSE paper. Most of all, studying these civilisations in their own right enables students to immerse themselves in a different environment and demystifies these cultures with the narrative centring on the indigenous perspective rather than the Spanish colonisers.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Exploring new vocabulary</h2>
One of the comments that is often raised when teaching this topic is the difficulty of pronouncing key terms such as Quetzalcoatl (Aztec god), Tenochtitlan (Aztec capital), tlatoani (ruler), ullamaliztli (ball game) and chalchiuatl (blood). Whilst some of the arrangement of consonants may look unusual in English, the words can be read phonetically. This is in fact exactly what the 16th century transcribers intended when they converted the original Mayan and Nahuatl glyphs into the Latin alphabet. Teachers are always giving students specialised new historical vocabulary for them to deploy so these do not need to be treated any differently. By allowing students to hear and see the original words, their appreciation of indigenous cultures is enhanced.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Resources to support your teaching</h2>
Chapter 7 in <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008492052">Knowing History Early Modern British and World History 1509-1760</a> traces the story of these indigenous American cultures in their own right. Exploring their civilisation and beliefs before colonisation by the Spanish helps students to understand the vivid history of these cultures and find new ways to interrogate the complex question of what contributed most significantly to the fall of their empires. It also provides an excellent opportunity to consider the problems with source material that is written by the victors.
Overall, students will gain a better understanding that these indigenous cultures are not part of the past but very much part of our present, where descendants continue to keep the languages and customs of the Maya, Aztec and Inca alive today.
<div style="height:59px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:20% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/secondary-history-knowing-history"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="500" height="690" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/10/226030-FC50-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7345 size-full" srcset="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/10/226030-FC50-1.jpg 500w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/10/226030-FC50-1-217x300.jpg 217w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Laura Aitken-Burt is a Classics, History and Politics teacher in London as well as a practising archaeologist and historical consultant for broadcast and print media. She is the author of global units across the Knowing History second edition series.
</div></div>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/exploring-the-rich-world-of-the-maya-aztec-and-inca-in-ks3-history/">Exploring the rich world of the Maya, Aztec and Inca in KS3 History</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>The Sociological Imagination: Promise or Problem?</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-sociological-imagination-promise-or-problem/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jessicawhitehead]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:22:34 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary Sociology]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sociological imagination]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sociology]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sociology revision]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=7329</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Dr Sarah Cant explores why there has never been a more important time to study sociology and how you can integrate contemporary studies into your A level teaching.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-sociological-imagination-promise-or-problem/">The Sociological Imagination: Promise or Problem?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
Dr Sarah Cant explores why there has never been a more important time to study sociology and how you can integrate contemporary studies into your A level teaching.
<div style="height:27px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Promise</h2>
Sociology is a critical and analytical discipline: uniquely tasked with studying and questioning the human-made social world. In 1959, C. Wright Mills’ inspirational treatise on the scope and importance of sociology described <a href="https://bpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/sites.middlebury.edu/dist/5/2398/files/2013/02/The-Promise.pdf">the promise</a> that studying the discipline affords. According to Comte, sociology stands as the ‘Queen of the Social Sciences’ and for Mills its distinctive value is the connections it draws between seemingly personal troubles and wider social structures. Sociology illuminates the intimate relationship that exists between the self and wider society, that joins biography with history, and helps us understand enduring inequalities, our beliefs, ideas, and norms, and explains continuous social change.
Sociology shows us that mental health, employment, relationship breakdowns, etc., are all shaped by wider social structures, such as the way the economy is organised, political ideologies, social networks and relationships, and cultural values. Thus, possessing a sociological imagination stands as a both powerful and humane tool. By seeking to <a href="https://thesociologicalreview.org/reviews/making-the-unfamiliar-familiar-by-zygmunt-bauman/">defamiliarize the familiar</a> and question the taken for granted, sociology suggests myriad ways of making society better<a href="https://www.britsoc.co.uk/media/24139/speak_up_for_sociology_leaflet.pdf">. Sociology matters</a>.
There has never been a more important time to study sociology. As we face, among other social problems, the continuing impact of the pandemic, climate crisis, food shortages, the cost-of-living crisis, mass migration, enslavement and war, sociology offers critical, careful and considered ways of understanding differences, divisions and prejudices. Sociology is both evidence-based and reflexive; once you have learned about its insights, you are equipped to question, understand and make a difference.  <a href="https://twitter.com/richardosman/status/831858131793801217?lang=en">As Richard Osman tweeted</a>, ‘Sociology should be taught everywhere, that’s my view. Even GCSE sociology arms you against a lifetime of spin, “fake news” and moral panic’.
The good news is that sociology does have great reach. The number of candidates continues to grow and stands as the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/provisional-entries-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-summer-2022-exam-series/provisional-entries-for-gcse-as-and-a-level-summer-2022-exam-series#as-and-a-level-entries">fifth most popular A level in the UK, with 43,590 candidates in 2022</a>., a rise, a <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/activist-teenagers-make-sociology-a-hot-topic-at-a-level-7kgz7kqnb">Times</a> article attributes to renewed interest in activism and concern about the class divide.
However, with such reach comes a responsibility to make sure that sociology is taught at its best. Just as sociology reveals that our personal troubles are shaped by wider social structures, it recognises that its own knowledge is shaped by social values and historical legacies. This reflexive capacity has seen sociologists turn the sociological imagination onto its own ways of knowing, to show that some of its research findings and theoretical concepts have been gendered, heteronormative, and shaped by colonial bias and power structures. These insights demand the decolonising of the curriculum and the expectation that great care should be taken when teaching some dated and questionable research studies.
<div style="height:27px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The problem</h2>
In my <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00380385221107299">own research with teachers in England</a>, there were significant concerns that the curriculum was content-heavy, outdated and sometimes prejudicial. It is disquieting that several stereotypical ideas are perpetuated in the school/college curriculum, that certain scholarly work is under-represented, that contemporary research is hard to find, and that the A level specifications often reproduce White, male, middle-class, cisnormativity.
<div style="height:27px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<div class="wp-block-uagb-advanced-heading uagb-block-a687fb6f"><h2 class="uagb-heading-text">Teaching Sociology with Care</h2></div>
Yet, sociology is one of the few disciplines that can challenge such culture blaming and stereotypical thinking.  To fulfil this promise, teachers and students need support in accessing materials that give context, draw on contemporary research, debunk dangerous myths and interpret existing datasets and ideas with ethical care.
<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/206180-FC3D-002-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-7339 size-full" srcset="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/206180-FC3D-002-3.png 1000w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/206180-FC3D-002-3-300x300.png 300w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/206180-FC3D-002-3-150x150.png 150w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/206180-FC3D-002-3-768x768.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
In <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008412920">How to be a Sociologist</a>, the case for the enduring importance of a sociological education is made and the key dispositions of imagination, conceptual and methodological rigour, reflexive knowledgeability, and the humane interest in making a difference are outlined. 
</div></div>
<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/How-to-be-a-Social-Researcher-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-7340 size-full" srcset="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/How-to-be-a-Social-Researcher-2.png 1000w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/How-to-be-a-Social-Researcher-2-300x300.png 300w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/How-to-be-a-Social-Researcher-2-150x150.png 150w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/How-to-be-a-Social-Researcher-2-768x768.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008554682">How to be a Social Researcher</a>, classic and contemporary research studies are helpfully summarised to equip the next generation of sociologists to become excellent scholars themselves, armed with evidence to question prevailing societal ideas and outdated sociological ideas, the skills to judge research, and the capacity to exercise their own sociological imagination.
</div></div>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/the-sociological-imagination-promise-or-problem/">The Sociological Imagination: Promise or Problem?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Practical approaches to teaching KS3 Shakespeare</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/practical-approaches-to-teaching-ks3-shakespeare/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jessicawhitehead]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:45:30 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary English]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[KS3]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[KS3 English]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary english]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Shakespeare]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=7319</guid>
<description><![CDATA[By Hannah Appleton Reframing or reimagining how we tackle Shakespeare in schools begins with our perception of it being boring, … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/practical-approaches-to-teaching-ks3-shakespeare/">Continued</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/practical-approaches-to-teaching-ks3-shakespeare/">Practical approaches to teaching KS3 Shakespeare</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
By <a>Hannah Appleton</a>
Reframing or reimagining how we tackle Shakespeare in schools begins with our perception of it being boring, irrelevant or too difficult, especially if we teach in schools with high numbers of SEND, EAL or FSM. It is, however, precisely those complexities and layers Shakespearean texts provide, which have the potential to ignite imaginations. <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008552640">Reimagine Key Stage 3 Shakespeare</a> gives practitioners the basis for which demystification of these texts can take place.
My approach to teaching Shakespeare in the English classroom has always taken the ‘get up and do’ approach. It is all very well diligently reading from the page, and there is a place for this, but plays aren’t meant to be read in this way. Layers of meaning reveal themselves in performance. Indeed, each time I guide a new class through the old favourites – Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, The Tempest – I discover something new in the inventive exploration of the text.
I have known experienced practitioners who have been hesitant to remove the safety net of regimented desks and exercise books. Taking risks with learning, challenges our professional thinking and experimentation doesn’t always have the outcome one might expect. This can be daunting, especially with the ‘lively’ last-thing-on-a-Friday-afternoon class. However, some of the best learning experiences have materialised through these challenges, where everyone in class develops their understanding, including the teacher as facilitator.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Putting in the groundwork</h3>
<ul>
<li>Start by identifying the scenes which lend themselves to physical or vocal exploration. The Prologue in Romeo & Juliet, the unexpected appearance of Banquo’s Ghost in Macbeth or Trinculo’s comical discovery of Caliban under his cloak in The Tempest are all rich fodder for group investigation.</li>
<li>Now consider how the scene would be best communicated and what you would want to get out of it. Using the examples above, I would perhaps use the Romeo & Juliet Prologue as a vehicle for choral speech and/or tableaux. With Macbeth, it might be useful to hot-seat the characters at the feast. What are they thinking and feeling? Trinculo and Caliban are fabulous for exploring text through physical comedy and slapstick – clowning, if you will.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Does it have to be perfect?</h3>
In a word – no!
<ul>
<li>Focusing on the overall meaning rather than individual words or phrases can help a reluctant class. Build confidence with synopses, graphic texts, animations and storytelling.</li>
<li>Listening to a good quality recording whilst following the text can help with cadence and rhythm.</li>
<li>Encourage students to have a go at reading aloud and resist the temptation to always correct mispronunciation – after all, the modern pronunciation of Shakespeare’s Language sounds very different to the Original Pronunciation (OP) heard in the 16th and 17th centuries.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Making it relevant</h3>
Connecting to the present is vital to keep Shakespeare fresh for the digital generation. We can approach this in two ways: thematically and dramaturgically. Here are some examples of where to take key themes and practical in the plays. Of course, this is a fraction of what is possible.
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Play</td><td>Thematic links</td><td>Dramaturgical links</td></tr><tr><td>MACBETH</td><td>Ambition and power – the power & responsibility of influencers / celebrities. What does it take to rise to the top? How should those with power and influence behave? Which reality is true?</td><td>Create a video post in character: Lady Macbeth on how to be a strong female. Malcolm on how to be a responsible leader.    </td></tr><tr><td>ROMEO AND JULIET</td><td>Core aesthetics, group identity and ‘tribal’ communities. Does who we present ourselves to be matter? Can polarised groups co-exist peacefully? What happens when different communities meet?</td><td>Organise a rap battle between the Montagues and Capulets, then explore commonalities and use mediation to consider how to heal rifts. Link to work done in your school on community cohesion.</td></tr><tr><td>THE TEMPEST</td><td>Modern slavery, protected characteristics & the Equality Act. What does personal freedom look like and how can we promote it? How does the Equality Act 2010 offer protection in the law?</td><td>Use Spoken Word – performance poetry, stand-up comedy, a ‘TED-Talk’ presentation or a speech for assembly to highlight relevant issues affecting global communities.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A well-structured curriculum</h3>
Teaching Shakespeare doesn’t have to be onerous or dry. The rhythms of the language and relatability of the characters really do resonate with young people in the classroom. Find the focus your students can most tap in to, and whatever you decide to do in your classroom, make sure you go for it and have fun!
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
<a>Hannah Appleton is an English teacher with over 20 years’ experience and a background in English, Drama and SEND. Currently working on literacy outreach at OLHA in Rochdale, Hannah has also worked in a range of settings, including community schools, MATs, the private sector and a PRU. She is the co-author of </a><a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008552640">Reimagine Key Stage 3 Shakespeare</a>, a resource which strives to bring imaginative ways of teaching Shakespeare to the classroom.
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<a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008552640">Reimagine Key Stage 3 Shakespeare</a> is a customisable teacher pack that helps build a challenging and rewarding English curriculum with imaginative ways of studying Shakespeare’s drama, stories and language for every year of <a>KS3</a>.
You might also be interested in
<a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/midsummer-nights-dream/">Designing Shakespeare: teaching ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’</a>
<a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/forging-creative-connections-in-king-lear/">Forging creative connections in King Lear</a>
<a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/teaching-romeo-and-juliet/">Mark Roberts – Three things I’ve learnt from teaching Romeo and Juliet</a>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008552640"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/238604-FC3D.png" alt="Book cover of Reimagine Key Stage 3 Shakespeare" class="wp-image-7320" srcset="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/238604-FC3D.png 1000w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/238604-FC3D-300x300.png 300w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/238604-FC3D-150x150.png 150w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/238604-FC3D-768x768.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>
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The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/practical-approaches-to-teaching-ks3-shakespeare/">Practical approaches to teaching KS3 Shakespeare</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Getting comfortable with unseen poetry</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/getting-comfortable-with-unseen-poetry/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[digitaltechnology]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Apr 2023 15:41:01 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[GCSE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Collins]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Teaching]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=7207</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Of all the different forms of writing that we study in English, poetry often seems to be the one with … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/getting-comfortable-with-unseen-poetry/">Continued</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/getting-comfortable-with-unseen-poetry/"><a>Getting comfortable with unseen poetry</a></a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
Of all the different forms of writing that we study in English, poetry often seems to be the one with which students feel the least comfortable. The fact that it simply doesn’t look like prose creates an instant barrier. It’s unsurprising then that young people find the requirement to explore an unseen poem in the exam particularly daunting. With this in mind, it’s important that we consider different strategies that we can use to help our students be more comfortable and successful when analysing unseen poetry.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Familiarity with poetry</h3>
I think it’s a good idea, well before we start teaching the poems on the GCSE specification, to get our classes used to poetry.  It’s important to do this in a non-threatening way: just reading and talking about poems, rather than answering specific questions and seeing it as exam preparation.
I like to create a bank of accessible poems to drip-feed to my students over the year.  One of my favourite books for this is ‘Short and Sweet’, edited by Simon Armitage, a collection of 101 poems that are no more than thirteen lines long.  I also add in song lyrics now and again; ‘Obsession’ by Siouxsie and the Banshees worked particularly well and was a fun throwback to my youth.  I give my students one of these poems once a fortnight for their homework, asking them simply to decide what it’s about and highlight one line that they think is good so we can discuss it – first in pairs then as a class – for about fifteen minutes.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Stories and evidence</h3>
By the time I start teaching how to approach unseen poetry, most of my students are feeling a little less resistant to the form.  The complaint I’ve heard most often over the years is, ‘But I don’t get what it’s about’, so I alternate between poems where I tell them the ‘story’ and slightly easier poems where I ask them to work it out for themselves.
I don’t mind what they come up with as long as they can evidence it.  We usually highlight lines that support our idea in one colour and lines that might contradict our idea in another colour.  This allows us to work out whether an interpretation is valid as well as how alternative interpretations can be presented.  This is also a good point to talk about tone so it’s important to select a range of poems that allow students to explore happiness, grief, desire, heartbreak, self-doubt, anger, etc.  If you’re ever struggling to find engaging poems to study, the <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008551568">Snap Revision Guide to Unseen Poetry</a> has lots of great suggestions.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Language</h3>
With the class hopefully feeling more confident about analysing a poem, I now turn their attention to language. Using our highlighted lines, we do the typical exploration of words and images, making sure they refer to all those techniques like metaphor, simile, and personification. But I also ask them to consider what their most significant lines are: ones which have both a clear link to what the poem is ‘about’ and lots of interesting language. This goes some way to avoiding the scenario where students are constantly just commenting on adjectives.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sound, structure, and form</h3>
I’m a big believer in avoiding <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/avoiding-empty-analysis-in-gcse-english/">empty analysis</a>. Only once they’ve established meaning through language will I ask my students to start considering the different ways in which that meaning is emphasised. Lots of fun can be had with sound effects like alliteration, onomatopoeia, and plosives. I also like to get the class to try to write something with an iambic rhythm to show them how well-crafted a lot of these poems actually are; it can get the point across, and create some laughs, by asking those with polysyllabic names to say their name aloud but with the stress in the wrong place. Again, to build up their confidence with form, it’s good to expose the class to a range of examples: sonnets (Shakespeare – tried and tested!), dramatic monologues (such as Vicki Feaver’s ‘Girl In Red’), duologues (my favourites is ‘In The Orchard’ by Muriel Stuart), villanelles (‘Twerk Villanelle’ by Porsha Olayiwola is a good modern use of the form), elegies (Ben Jonson’s ‘On My First Sonne’ is beautifully moving), etc.
I know plenty of teachers that lack a bit of confidence when it comes to poetry.  If you’re one of them, don’t feel embarrassed and don’t feel afraid.  Just start immersing yourself in poetry and thinking about the ideas above, then encourage your students to do the same.
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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:17% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="710" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/04/237841-FC50.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7210 size-full" srcset="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/04/237841-FC50.jpg 500w, https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/04/237841-FC50-211x300.jpg 211w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Ian Kirby has been teaching English for over twenty years.  He is a senior tutor and key stage 5 co-ordinator at a school in Northamptonshire. He is also the author of a number of English textbooks and revision guides, including the popular Snap Revision series.
<a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision</a> is a series of bestselling text guides and workbooks for GCSE English. Plus, new editions now include video support for the most popular AQA set texts accessed via QR codes.
</div></div>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/getting-comfortable-with-unseen-poetry/"><a>Getting comfortable with unseen poetry</a></a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Academic writing for GCSE</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/academic-writing-for-gcse/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[digitaltechnology]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Mar 2023 09:20:06 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[GCSE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary English]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Collins]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[english]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary english]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=7188</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Academic writing just means that our students need to write in a formal manner that reflects their level of educational and is distinct from how they would converse orally or via text. A good approach is to gradually introduce students to a range of ways in which they can ensure their writing is more academic. I find it helpful to divide these into three aims: being concise, being precise, and being sophisticated.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/academic-writing-for-gcse/">Academic writing for GCSE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
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In recent years, people have been talking much more about students needing to use academic writing.  At first, it seems like an impossible request.  Many of us link academic writing to the essays and research that we read while studying at uni.  Do we really expect a sixteen-year-old to emulate that?  However, academic writing just means that our students need to write in a formal manner that reflects their level of educational and is distinct from how they would converse orally or via text.  A good approach is to gradually introduce students to a range of ways in which they can ensure their writing is more academic.  I find it helpful to divide these into three aims: being concise, being precise, and being sophisticated.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Being concise</h2>
The simple idea behind this is getting students to avoid unnecessary words and unimportant information so their work reads clearly and they answer the set question.  I think it’s also an area that’s significant for our more able learners.  They will often happily produce incredibly long and detailed responses to homework tasks but then struggle to get through all the questions on an exam paper under timed conditions.
As well as teaching my classes how to deconstruct an exam question so they’re only responding to what has been set, I regularly ask them to re-read their work and spot anywhere that they aren’t being succinct.  We look for repetition, over-long phrasing, pointless intensifiers (such as, ‘People held really different views’), figurative language, and synonym pairs (for instance, ‘She feels happy and joyous’).
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Being precise</h2>
In order to show the examiner that they have a full understanding of what they’re writing about, our students need to be using words and phrases that convey their exact meaning.  Too often, their language is vague or – again, in the case of some higher ability students – they adopt ‘big’ words that sound good but actually have different connotations to what was intended.
At a word level, I spend time with my classes learning subject-specific and topic-specific words, using classroom displays to help our memory.  We also have ‘best not biggest’ as our vocabulary mantra and look at how just grabbing any word from a thesaurus can radically affect our meaning, sometimes with quite rude consequences!
At a sentence level, we take time to establish ideas with topic sentences.  We then find different ways to connect our ideas with demonstrative or developmental links, as well as ways to introduce alternative interpretations.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Being sophisticated</h2>
For students who struggle with their writing, being concise and being precise are great ways to help their work achieve a clearer academic focus.  For our grade 7+ students, being sophisticated is a lovely way for them to show off just how well they can control and craft the English language during an exam response in order to emphasise their understanding.
Again, this can start at a word level by exploring how well-chosen synonyms can provide variety as well as conveying important shades of meaning.  We consider how we can alter our language to either clearly assert a definitive answer or cautiously express possibility and interpretation.
Once my students have mastered how to correctly form a complex sentence, I also challenge them to change the positions of their subordinate clauses for variety and to use different sentence structures to enhance their meaning.  For example, we look at how to use simple sentences to establish ideas, compound sentences to link ideas, and complex sentences to develop them, but also lists or patterns of three to present evidence, parallelism to emphasise ideas, and antithesis to highlight contrasting aspects of a single concept.  In addition, having control over a sentence allows them to expertly embed evidence or integrate different aspects of their response.
All of these strategies are explored fully in the <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008520755">Snap Revision Guide to Academic Writing</a>.  At my school, we bought a copy for every Year 11 student and had a different writing focus each fortnight.  This was established in tutor time through the relevant pages of the guide, then actively used in lesson time across the curriculum not just in English.  For example, Science took the lead on teaching demonstrative links while Humanities focused on embedding evidence.  Students then used the question pages to revise their understanding as part of their home learning.  It’s been a gradual process but we’ve seen some big improvements.
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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:19% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008520755"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2473/3068/products/x500_b948c386-988f-4074-bd98-56841cab87b6_1024x1024.jpg?v=1672906155" alt=""/></a></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
Ian Kirby has been teaching English for over twenty years.  He is a senior tutor and key stage 5 coordinator at a school in Northamptonshire. He is also the author of a number of English textbooks and revision guides, including the popular <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision series.</a>
 <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision</a> is a series of bestselling text guides and workbooks for GCSE English. Plus, new editions now include video support for the most popular AQA set texts accessed via QR codes.
</div></div>

The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/academic-writing-for-gcse/">Academic writing for GCSE</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Avoiding empty analysis in GCSE English</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/avoiding-empty-analysis-in-gcse-english/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Mar 2023 10:59:01 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[GCSE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary English]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/?p=3971</guid>
<description><![CDATA[It’s important that we encourage students to explore structure and form when they are analysing a literary text. However, this can sometimes lead to empty analysis. I’ve regularly read comments on exam papers like, ‘The writer uses a comma to convey how the two people are separate’ or ‘By writing in rhyming couplets, the poet demonstrates the speaker’s love for her partner’. Responses like these are often based on good ideas but, unfortunately, the analysis is tenuous: a comma doesn’t actually mean anything; a rhyming couplet doesn’t instantly represent love.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/avoiding-empty-analysis-in-gcse-english/">Avoiding empty analysis in GCSE English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[It’s important that we encourage students to explore structure and form when they are analysing a literary text. However, this can sometimes lead to empty analysis. I’ve regularly read comments on exam papers like, ‘The writer uses a comma to convey how the two people are separate’ or ‘By writing in rhyming couplets, the poet demonstrates the speaker’s love for her partner’. Responses like these are often based on good ideas but, unfortunately, the analysis is tenuous: a comma doesn’t actually mean anything; a rhyming couplet doesn’t instantly represent love.
<h4>Start with language</h4>
With this in mind, when we are discussing a text, I always ask my students to start with language. Words are the primary tool which writers use to convey meaning so – whether we’re studying prose, poetry, or drama – I insist on analysis being established in this way.
The class might be exploring character, theme, or atmosphere. But however brilliant their ideas are, my students must prove them by referring to specific words, phrases, or images. This also has the benefit of reducing responses that are based on a mis-reading or a superficial impression of a text.
If my students are a little sceptical of this approach at first, I put a big semi-colon on the board and say, ‘What does that mean?’ I’ll often get the response, ‘It’s a semi-colon.’ I just follow up with, ‘I know what it is, what does it mean?’ The subsequent silence usually convinces them that empty analysis is a problem.
<h4>Move on to structure and form</h4>
Just as I encourage my students to see language as establishing meaning, I suggest to them that sentence structures, narrative structures, and literary forms can all emphasise that meaning.
Once a student has established a clear idea and evidenced it using the writer’s language, I ask them to look back at their quotation and consider how it has been structured and where it was placed in the text. We then discuss whether these additional aspects of a writer’s craft might be interpreted as supporting their initial idea. This could be a short sentence, a list, an example of repetition, a poet’s use of meter, or a playwright’s reference to lighting.
Whatever the student comes up with, if it can be clearly related to the idea that they established through language then they are analysing the effects of structure and form with meaning.
<h4>Put it all together</h4>
I probably let discussion go on for too long in some of my lessons as I’ve always loved hearing what other people have to say about a text. Giving airtime to their inferences, judgements, questions, and comparisons is vital. Ultimately, though, I always end our talk with some writing. When we’re doing this, I ask them to mirror the method of our discussion: after establishing their idea, they evidence it and start by exploring language; only once that has been completed are they allowed to consider the supporting effects of structure and form. If the class are new to a text or less confident with their analysis, then we’ll start by modelling a paragraph together or doing some paired writing before an independent task.
Hopefully, I’ll end up with paragraphs like this one about Seamus Heaney’s ‘Follower’:
<blockquote>Heaney uses metaphor to describe a childhood desire for independence. In the lines, ‘All I ever did was follow / In his broad shadow around the farm’, the ‘shadow’ is used to represent the son’s inability to be his own person. The notion of always trying to copy, and live up to, his father is also indicated by the verb ‘follow’. By internally rhyming these two words, Heaney emphasises the idea that he was always echoing his father in different ways</blockquote>
If you’re new to teaching or lack a bit of confidence when it comes to analysing texts, the <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision Text Guides</a> contain samples of analysis that follow a similar pattern. One simple way to use them in class is to ask students to highlight where the language analysis is in the paragraph, then use a different colour to highlight subsequent analysis of structure or form.
By teaching strategies to avoid empty analysis, we will make young people better students of English. Their ideas will be rooted in the writer’s craft rather than in pre-conceived ideas or misconceptions. This will improve their future grades and perhaps encourage them to continue their studies to A-level.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Ian Kirby has been teaching English for over twenty years, currently working as a senior tutor and key stage 5 co-ordinator at a school in Northamptonshire. He is also the author of a number of English textbooks and revision guides, including the popular <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision series</a>.
<a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision</a> is a series of bestselling text guides and workbooks for GCSE English. Plus, new editions now include video support for the most popular AQA set texts accessed via QR codes.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/avoiding-empty-analysis-in-gcse-english/">Avoiding empty analysis in GCSE English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Empower your students to thrive in a changing world</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/stem-careers/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:01:42 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary Science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Collins]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ed walsh]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Key Stage 3]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[KS3]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[KS3 Science Now]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[WISE]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2023/03/08/stem-careers/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Ed Walsh explores how you can inspire students to pursue STEM careers and the value of integrating career discussions into … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/stem-careers/">Continued</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/stem-careers/">Empower your students to thrive in a changing world</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-9279" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_1878871177-scaled-2.jpg" alt="Two female students looking at a beaker with a red liquid in it, wearing lab coats" width="932" height="621" />
Ed Walsh explores how you can inspire students to pursue STEM careers and the value of integrating career discussions into your teaching.
<ol>
<li>
<h6>Why is it important to start talking about careers in Key Stage 3?</h6>
</li>
</ol>
Students may start to make decisions about KS4 subjects that will affect their future pathways, and their attitudes towards different subjects may well affect whether they see a future for themselves in it. Why try as hard in something that you think you will not study after the age of 16?
It’s not just case of flagging up career possibilities; research shows that many young people enjoy science and know that it’s important in modern life but don’t see a future in it for them. The <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/departments/education-practice-and-society/aspires-research">ASPIRES project research</a> or the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/departments/education-practice-and-society/stem-participation-social-justice-research/science-capital-teaching-approach">Science Capital Teaching Approach</a> are good resources.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h6>Why should we encouraging students, particularly girls, to consider STEM careers?</h6>
</li>
</ol>
Girls are less likely to choose STEM careers than boys (though this is less true now in some pathways) yet when they do, they often do well in them. Thinking about the challenges facing society over the next few decades, the list likely includes global pandemics, feeding an ever-growing population, climate change, the energy crisis and the effective provision of clean water. There isn’t one of these areas that STEM professionals won’t have a pivotal role helping to solve. Working with <a href="https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/">WISE</a>, in KS3 Science Now, we’ve made a point of a strong representation of women in the examples of STEM professionals.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h6>How can I integrate careers discussions into my lessons?</h6>
</li>
</ol>
There are lots of ways and a good way forward seems to be short, varied and often. It doesn’t need to take over or dominate lessons but rather to add to the focus. These might include:
<ul>
<li>KS3 Science Now examples and case studies</li>
<li><a href="https://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/">WISE online resources</a></li>
<li>STEM Ambassadors</li>
<li>Video clips of STEM professionals at work</li>
<li>Find out the careers and interests of your students’ parents/carers and integrate these examples</li>
</ul>
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h6>What else can schools do outside of lessons to encourage students to engage with careers in STEM?</h6>
</li>
</ol>
A good idea is taking a range of approaches; it is unlikely one approach will suit all students.
<ul>
<li>Several commercial STEM organisations websites are set up to engage and inform students about their professionals, training, and connections to the curriculum. Some also have activities and interactive resources.</li>
<li>It may be possible to organise visits to commercial STEM locations to see professionals at work and talk to them about their choices and outcomes.</li>
<li>Entering competitions and challenges that students can work towards and compete in, as part of extra-curricular activities.</li>
<li>STEM Ambassadors might provide personnel who could support with activities</li>
</ul>
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h6>How have students responded to discussions about STEM careers?</h6>
</li>
</ol>
If there haven’t been any such discussions it may be useful and informative to see what students think about STEM subjects and what opportunities they hold. However it is important to have looked at the ASPIRES and Science Capital resources first as these will help to identify why, in some cases, students may not have very positive attitudes.
If there have been discussions then it be worthwhile thinking about how you might respond – the materials you might draw upon, the examples to include and opportunities to offer. The Science Capital approach offers some practical ideas though one of the things you should be aware of is that it may not only be a case of trying to change what your students think but also what you offer to get those young people to see that science is for them.
<hr />
Ed Walsh is an experienced freelance consultant specializing in science education and series editor of KS3 Science Now. 
Read one of Ed’s other blog posts here: <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/re-engaging-science-students/">Ideas for re-engaging students with science this t</a><a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/re-engaging-science-students/">erm</a>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-9278 alignright" src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/Secondary-emails-300-x-300-1.png" alt="KS3 Science Now Teacher Pack and Learning and Practice Book covers" width="261" height="261" />
<hr />
<a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/ks3-science-now">KS3 Science Now </a>develops knowledge, builds confidence with purposeful practice, and shows students how science is used in the real world. Request your free evaluation pack: collins.co.uk/KS3ScienceNow
<ul>
<li>Career profiles for every topic, created with WISE, showcase numerous examples of careers with relevant skills</li>
<li>The lesson plans and resources are complemented by road maps, knowledge organisers and high-quality questions</li>
</ul>
 
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/stem-careers/">Empower your students to thrive in a changing world</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Igniting a love for reading in your students</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/igniting-a-love-for-reading-in-your-students/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:12:15 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[GCSE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[book recommendations]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[world book day]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2023/02/27/igniting-a-love-for-reading-in-your-students/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Igniting a love for reading can be quite tricky with young people. Often parents ask teachers for help in getting … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/igniting-a-love-for-reading-in-your-students/">Continued</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/igniting-a-love-for-reading-in-your-students/">Igniting a love for reading in your students</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-9276 " src="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/03/shutterstock_1106190263-comp-scaled-2.jpg" alt="children lying on grass holding books in front of their faces" width="1171" height="781" />
Igniting a love for reading can be quite tricky with young people. Often parents ask teachers for help in getting their child to become a ‘reader’ after many attempts, and that’s not without them trying very hard.
When I was growing up, computers were so slow that by the time a game had loaded up on my computer I could have read a whole book. Modern life means that we have modern problems related to reading. Would a child rather watch a video on their phone, or would they rather read a book with no pictures in it? The speed and ease with which young people can access entertainment is phenomenal. Books have a lot to compete with, so every day should be a <a href="https://www.worldbookday.com/">World Book Day</a>. We need to create the right conditions for reading and for this we need the right materials and techniques to get them enthralled and hooked on reading.
<h6>1. Give space and time for reading </h6>
Reading is a slow and quiet process. If young people are going to read, then we need to give them the space and time to read. That means space, and time, away from the television, computer or mobile device.
<h6>2. Set routines </h6>
Ask any reader about their reading patterns and they’ll tell you a specific time or part of the day when they read. I always read for an hour before bed and that routine is set. My reading isn’t just a habit, it is a routine. To help young people, it is best to create the routine first.
<h6>3. Let the books do the work </h6>
Once you have the space, time and routines, it is down to the books and that’s largely where the problem lies. An adult’s enjoyment of a book is not infectious. In fact, the choices of adults are rarely mirrored by young people. A dad’s enjoyment of World War One stories is personal to him and only him. Therefore, the child should be the source of direction for books. What do they like? What are they interested in reading? What do they want to know more about? Let the child be the source of direction and let them explore. Yes, there are some fantastic books out there but let the children hunt them out.
As a teenager, I read everything and anything related to Doctor Who. The passion to know a topic was there in me, as it is with most children, and the reading feeds that hunger. Every child has a passion and we just need to direct them to books being a way to feed that hunger for their passion.
Non-fiction is often an easier way into reading for young people. You can engage quickly with the content of non-fiction and you have more flexibility when it comes to the reading process: a quick 5 minute skim of the section; or, an intensive, prolonged read of a section. We have this image that a reader is someone that constantly reads fiction and we see that as a model to aspire to.
A child who reads is a child who succeeds in life regardless of the form of a book. Fiction takes time to read and engagement isn’t instantaneous. Think of how difficult the first chapter of any novel is to read; that disorientating effect is the problem that surrounds fiction. Some of us love the world building in our imagination, but for others that is a really difficult thing. Non-fiction combats this. A child can read instantaneously and not be confused from the start.
Here are just a few avenues to explore if a child is hungry for a particular thing.
<h6>Hungry for historical fiction </h6>
When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler 
Partly inspired by a real act of kindness, Kessler’s heart-breaking and moving story explores the rise of the Nazi party and the impact it has on three young people. Three friends go on three separate journeys which test their faith, friendships and loyalties.
For me, the strength of this book is how it takes us through a child’s experience of war and shows us the impact it has emotionally, physically and mentally. Leo, Elsa and Max see, at first, subtle changes, but then those changes become obvious and life changing.
See also:
The Last Paper Crane by Kerry Drewery
<a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/when-hitler-stole-pink-rabbit-judith-kerr?variant=39429921570894">When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr</a>
Ghost Boy by Jewell Parker Rhodes
<a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-wheel-of-surya-anniversary-edition-jamila-gavin?variant=32555173904462">The Wheel of Surya by Jamila Gavin</a>
Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle
<h6>Hungry for fantasy fiction </h6>
Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin 
Ann Sei Lin’s opening book in a trilogy does what every fantasy book does best: it builds a world so fantastic but so real at the same time. A world where paper can be manipulated to create creatures, people and monsters. Kurara, our protagonist, takes us on a journey of airships and floating cities to find her identity.
Wizards, trolls and wands have largely dominated fantasy fiction and this adds something new to the genre. Lots of comparisons have been made with Studio Ghibli and ‘Rebel Skies’ and you can see why. The fusion of fantasy and Japanese culture makes this such an interesting novel.
See also:
Across the Nightingale Floor – Lian Hearn
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Mortal Engines – Philip Reeve
Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood
<h6>Hungry for young teen fiction </h6>
The Amazing Edie Eckart by Rosie Jones 
Rosie Jones’ debut novel bridges the gap between Jaqueline Wilson books and later teen fiction. Edie Eckart has cerebral palsy and she is navigating her way through school, friendships and relationships. Told as a series of diary entries, we live through Edie’s experience of starting a new school.
This is a book that doesn’t shy away from complex issues, but keeps things grounded with a Jones’ sense of humour. The book is perfect for any Year 7 starting a new school. So many things are easily identifiable for them.
See also:
Fight Back by A.M. Dassu
Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard
Sadé and Her Shadow Beasts by Rachel Faturoti
The Asparagus Bunch by Jesscia Scott-Whyte
<a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/yusuf-azeem-is-not-a-hero-saadia-faruqi?variant=39768085921870">Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi</a>
<h6>Hungry for quick or easy read </h6>
Needle by Patrice Lawrence 
‘Needle’ is a book created to make reading more accessible for young people. It is a quick read but it packs a punch, dealing with issues around fostering, crime, racial bias, anger management and… knitting. Charlene, our protagonist, is a fully rounded character and reflects the complex emotions teenagers experience.
Lawrence’s writing is concise, but it conveys so much about the relationships and the feelings of the characters. There’s an assumption that easy reads are light and simple, but Lawrence proves that is not the case.
See also:
I am the Minotaur by Anthony McGowan
Lark by Anthony McGowan
Rat by Patrice Lawrence
Stay A Little Longer by Bali Rai
The Climbers by Keith Gray
<h6>Hungry for something spooky </h6>
Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley
Imagine if Tim Burton wrote books. That’s the best way to describe Chris Priestley’s work. His writing is dark, creepy but also quite fairy-tale in its approach and style. ‘Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror’ revolves around Edgar visiting his uncle, who tells him stories which each have a strange connection to the house.
Atmosphere is the key element of ghost stories and Priestley’s strength is his ability to create unsettled and ominous moods. We, like Edgar, know that something isn’t quite right, but we can’t put our finger on exactly what it is. The fun is waiting for the moment things are revealed to us.
See also:
<a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/cirque-du-freak-the-saga-of-darren-shan-book-1-darren-shan?variant=32712669790286">Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan</a>
Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick
The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny
The Spook’s Apprentice by Joseph Delaney
The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge
Waking the Witch by Rachel Burge
Zom-B by Darren Shan
<h6>Hungry for non-fiction </h6>
You Are a Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be by Marcus Rashford and Carl Anka
This book is so popular with students that I need to include it in a list of recommended books. The combination of advice and autobiographical snippets makes this such an easy and accessible book for students. Key Stage 3 boys, in particular, like this book, because of the football element, but also because Marcus Rashford is such a positive role model for boys.
See also:
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty
Musical Truth: A Musical History of Modern Black Britain in 28 Songs by Jeffrey Boakye
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics by Tim Marshall
Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nichols
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell and Aurélia Durand
This Book Is Feminist: An Intersectional Primer for Feminists in Training by Jamia Wilson and Aurélia Durand
<h6>Hungry for older teen fiction </h6>
The Outrage by William Hussey 
William Hussey’s dystopian novel is an eerily prescient warning for society. Gabriel, the protagonist, is a gay teenager in a world where being openly gay is a crime and people are punished and labelled as ‘degenerate’. Gabriel battles against ideology to prove that love is better than hate.
Hussey presents hope in a dark and twisted version of our world, but warns us of the dangers of prejudice, intolerance and bigotry. Young adult fiction has the ability to deal with complex ideas, thoughts and emotions with such brevity and ‘The Outrage’ is a great example of this. Teenagers want to read complex ideas in texts and they don’t want to be patronised.
See also: 
<a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/a-very-large-expanse-of-sea-tahereh-mafi?variant=32555115937870">A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi</a>
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Fall Out by C.G. Moore
Grow by Luke Palmer
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
The Gay Club! by Simon James Green
The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
What We’re Scared Of by Karen David
When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari
While people across the land dress up to promote World Book Day, let’s focus on building that appetite for reading. You don’t know you have an appetite for pizza unless you’ve tried one. That’s why it is so important that we expose students to a range of reading experiences. Like food, it takes time for us to work out what we like and what we love.
Happy World Book Day!
<hr />
Chris Curtis has been an English teacher for over fourteen years and a head of department for the last five years. As an avid reader and blogger, he is passionate about igniting a love for reading in students and is always looking and reflecting on what works for students in the classroom. He is a big believer in finding and sharing practical solutions to difficult problems in the classroom, and is the author of the editable teacher pack, <a href="https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008547561">Develop Brilliant Reading</a>, and How To Teach: English and The Art of Writing English Literature Essays: for GCSE.
Read Chris’ other blog post here: <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/how-to-develop-brilliant-reading-at-ks3/">How to develop brilliant reading at KS3</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/igniting-a-love-for-reading-in-your-students/">Igniting a love for reading in your students</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Modelling exam answers for GCSE English</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/modelling-exam-answers-for-gcse-english/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:44:32 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[GCSE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary English]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2023/02/14/modelling-exam-answers-for-gcse-english/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I love discussing a text with my classes: ethical issues in ‘Never Let Me Go’, duality in ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, how far we think Macbeth’s a tragic figure, the sheer horror of war in poems like ‘Exposure’…
But one of the things that I’m often asked is, ‘So how do I write that in an essay?’
It’s very useful to model writing with students so they understand how to shape their knowledge and understanding into a strong exam response. There are a number of different approaches that you can use, depending on your confidence with your class or with a topic.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/modelling-exam-answers-for-gcse-english/">Modelling exam answers for GCSE English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[I love discussing a text with my classes: ethical issues in ‘Never Let Me Go’, duality in ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, how far we think Macbeth’s a tragic figure, the sheer horror of war in poems like ‘Exposure’…
But one of the things that I’m often asked is, ‘So how do I write that in an essay?’
It’s very useful to model writing with students so they understand how to shape their knowledge and understanding into a strong exam response. There are a number of different approaches that you can use, depending on your confidence with your class or with a topic.
<h4>Pre-prepared paragraphs</h4>
Writing these before the lesson allows you more control. You can project them onto your screen, making your sentences appear bit by bit as you talk through the writing process. Alternatively, you can give your students a paragraph on a handout and ask them to identify how different parts are meeting the assessment objectives (perhaps highlighting each AO in different colours). If you’re a little worried about writing your own paragraphs, or simply don’t have time, there are plenty of print and video examples available in the <a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision Text Guides</a>.
Another variation of this is showing two paragraphs side by side, a grade 5 and a grade 7+, then discussing with the class why one is achieving more marks. There are lots of different paragraph structures that teachers like to suggest and they’re great for supporting students. I ask mine for a point that relates to the question, a clear piece of evidence, some specific analysis of language, and – if relevant – some context. Comparative modelling is a good opportunity to demonstrate to your more able students how those elements can be presented in a sophisticated manner and need not be restrictive. You can highlight the importance of embedding quotations, show them different points at which context can be woven into an answer, and look at ways in which they can develop their analysis through greater nuance or links across a text.
<h4>Writing as a class</h4>
This is my favourite version of modelling as it gets the whole class involved and creates a real sense of success when they finish up with an excellent piece of writing. It’s a little more nerve-wracking, though, as you’ve less control over how the paragraph develops so you have to think on your feet when you get to the second stage. Initially, I ask students to make a point to match the question, then provide me with evidence, and follow that up with analysis and context. I write on the board, or type it onto the screen, as they speak. If it’s the first time I’m doing the task, I take hands up; once we’ve done it in a few lessons, I select students at random.
Once we’ve got our completed paragraph, I ask the students to interrogate it with me. We start by checking it’s met the assessment objectives (at which point, they often realise we forgot to include context). In particular, I encourage them to develop the analysis so it’s detailed, specific, and fully developed. Sometimes, we notice our quotation didn’t give us anything to actually analyse, in which case (cue some groans) we start again. Then we look at our answer in terms of academic writing: is it concise, precise, and sophisticated? We keep making corrections and additions until everyone feels they’ve contributed to a grade 7+ response.
It’s a good idea to follow this up with a different but related exam question. The students can use the model, and their experience of constructing it, to support their writing of an independent response.
<h4>Writing with the class</h4>
This one can seem like showing off but can also be quite challenging. Basically, when you set a written task (a whole essay or just a practice paragraph), sharpen your pencil and do it at the same time. There are numerous benefits. Firstly, it reminds us just how difficult (and short!) timed exams are. Secondly, it shows students you can actually do the work yourself; the impact of giving them faith in your academic abilities shouldn’t be underestimated. Moreover, it creates good differentiation opportunities within grouped sharing and feedback as you can discuss your answer with the more able students.
If you haven’t done modelling of exam answers before, try it. If you have, keep exploring – and sharing with your colleagues – the many variations that can be utilised to match the skills and needs of your students. The main aim is for our young people to get to their GCSEs and be able to turn their knowledge and understanding into a great exam response.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ian Kirby has been teaching English for over twenty years, currently working as a senior tutor and key stage 5 co-ordinator at a school in Northamptonshire. He is also the author of a number of English textbooks and revision guides, including the popular Snap Revision series.
<a href="https://collins.co.uk/pages/revision-snap-revision">Snap Revision</a> is a series of bestselling text guides and workbooks for GCSE English. Plus, new editions now include video support for the most popular AQA set texts accessed via QR codes.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/modelling-exam-answers-for-gcse-english/">Modelling exam answers for GCSE English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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<title>Practical ways to improve teacher wellbeing</title>
<link>https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/teacher-wellbeing/</link>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[stefanlesik]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:39:17 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary PSHE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Collins]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Collins Learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[PSHE]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Suzanne Allies]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[teacher mental health]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[teacher wellbeing]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[wellbeing]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/2023/01/31/teacher-wellbeing/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[By Suzanne Allies We all know that teachers are extremely busy, and when workload and expectations from school become overwhelming, … <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/teacher-wellbeing/">Continued</a>
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/teacher-wellbeing/">Practical ways to improve teacher wellbeing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[By Suzanne Allies
We all know that teachers are extremely busy, and when workload and expectations from school become overwhelming, this can be very detrimental to the wellbeing of you and your colleagues, especially if stress and exhaustion continue in the long term. Wellbeing is such a personal matter; activities that support one person’s wellbeing, whether that is going for a five-mile run or crocheting a blanket, may be unhelpful for another person and would certainly not support their wellbeing. Therefore, it is necessary for every teacher to learn ways of supporting their wellbeing so you and your colleagues can flourish and enjoy this rewarding profession, whether you are a new or experienced teacher, a middle leader or a member of the SLT.
This blog explores what teacher wellbeing is and how it is measured, what practical steps you can take to support your own wellbeing and the strategies that senior leaders can implement in a school to support their staff.
<h5>What is good teacher wellbeing?</h5>
Teacher wellbeing has been defined holistically as ‘an overall satisfaction in life and current role/position’, relating to one’s ‘sense of autonomy, control, competence, connectedness and congruence’ (Bending, as cited in Luke & Gourd, 2018). This demonstrates the importance of feeling that you have freedom and agency as a teacher, that you feel good enough in your role and connected to your work and the people around you. It also highlights the significance of being authentic about how you are feeling; sharing your thoughts about your own wellbeing at work, with openness and honesty, is crucial. When you are truly listened to, you will feel cared for, accepted, understood and ‘seen’ by colleagues and in particular senior leaders.
<h5>Teacher Wellbeing Index</h5>
The 2022 <a href="https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/">Teacher Wellbeing Index</a> (Education Support) surveyed 3,082 staff across primaries, secondaries, sixth form and further education colleges, early years and adult education settings. It found that three-quarters of all school staff are ‘stressed’, which shows a 3% increase from 2021. In relation to retention, 59% of staff surveyed admitted that they’ve considered leaving the sector in the past academic year due to pressures on their mental health and wellbeing; this constituted 67% of senior leaders and 59% of teachers. This research indicates that now more than ever, especially after the turbulence of the past few years, improving teacher wellbeing should be a high priority for schools.
<h5>Practical ideas to improve wellbeing </h5>
Using the acronym ‘SECRET’, I’d like to focus on some practical ideas of how to encourage wellbeing amongst teachers – though none of these suggestions will be a secret to you. To me, they sum up how we can achieve an ethos in which everyone feels valued and appreciated in a school. This involves a focus on creating a positive environment where any excessive workload expectations can be challenged by staff. Although there should not be an ‘us and them’ division between teachers and leaders when wellbeing is being addressed in a school, I have included ideas in each section that firstly applies to teachers, and then ideas for senior leaders to consider implementing:
<h6>Social connection:</h6>
Finding ways to connect and bond as a staff, depending on the interests that exist within a team, is likely to support wellbeing and promote a sense of belonging. For instance, if there is a high proportion of staff that enjoy pub quizzes then this can be incorporated into the social calendar.
As a leader, if you ask questions about ways that your staff most like to connect, and you encourage dialogue around which social activities appeal to the majority of your staff, this should be appreciated. For example, if you find out that your staff value exercise and fresh air, perhaps you could promote ‘walk and talk’ meetings so these staff get the opportunity to support their wellbeing during the day.
<h6>Emails:</h6>
For many teachers, the pressure to reply to mounting emails can create stress. Although some emails may require a swift response, it is useful for teachers to avoid constantly checking email inboxes, especially out of school hours.
As leaders, it is useful for you to establish your expectations about emails with staff. For example, you may wish to share your expectation that all non-urgent emails are responded to within 3 days if possible. In addition, sharing your expectations with parents, via all of your staff’s ‘out of office’ notifications, will communicate a consistent approach.
<h6>Culture of openness and trust:</h6>
The 2022 Teacher Wellbeing Index found that 42% of all staff consider their organisation’s culture has a negative effect on their wellbeing. Teachers should learn to challenge any laborious workload demands, and if any tasks exist that lack meaning or purpose, this should respectfully be reported to leaders. Letting go of any unrealistic and perfectionist tendencies that are not serving you can support your wellbeing. If you are overwhelmed and have extra demands placed on you that are not part of your usual, or agreed, workload, then try not to feel guilty about saying ‘no’.
The 2022 Teacher Wellbeing Index also discovered that 59% of all staff are not confident in disclosing unmanageable stress or mental health issues to their line manager. As leaders, clear and agreed procedures need to be shared with all of your staff about appropriate and safe ways that they can disclose to you when their wellbeing dips. It’s so vital, also, that you model healthy wellbeing practices yourself and show how you prioritise your own self-care to inspire others. It’s imperative that you grasp that if teachers are happy and well, this will positively impact on productivity in a school. In addition, understanding and acknowledging that staff are not automatons or super-human can ease pressure at times when staff may need time to recover from exceptional workloads, for instance, following an Ofsted inspection or after assessment periods and testing.
<h6>Resources:</h6>
Being pro-active about supporting your own wellbeing and researching the many wellbeing resources available to you from books, websites and services, can only positively support you to thrive as a teacher.
Leaders should be familiar with appropriate signposting to share with your members of staff who are struggling. The three best sources of help that I am aware of are as follows:
<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.educationsupport.org.uk">Education Support helpline</a></li>
<li>Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) which most schools have available, whereby staff can access confidential counselling.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.annafreud.org/schools-and-colleges/resources/">Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families</a></li>
</ul>
<h6>Empathy: </h6>
If you are working in a compassionate, caring and empathetic environment, where all staff ‘look out’ for each other and recognise when people are struggling, this may be all that is needed to support wellbeing in a school. If you do not feel as if empathy is given to you, consider suggesting that a peer support system is organised to allow everyone to feel supported.
As a leader, a powerful way for you to show empathy to your staff is simply to apply active listening skills when communicating, by having a non-judgemental approach, and by validating your staff’s feelings in an attempt to understand things from their point of view rather than your own. For example, if a staff member has experienced a bereavement, try not to assume what they need or how they feel, but ask about their feelings and ensure that you listen to them before suggesting any support.
<h6>Time-out, and organisation:</h6>
It’s important to become more self-aware during the teaching day and to consciously, and regularly, ‘check-in’ to assess your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing (Allies, 2020). For instance, notice if your neck muscles are tense and make a conscious effort to roll your shoulders or change your posture. Similarly, if you have a headache, ensure you are drinking enough water. During lunchtime, incorporate a mindful 10 minutes into your routine so you can close your eyes and let go of any negative mental clutter that is not serving you; you may prefer to go for a quick walk to reset and breathe deeply. Having regular breaks is the secret to increased productivity (Allies, 2020). Stress can be minimised if you are organised and prepared but also realistic about what you can achieve. Therefore when writing to-do lists, don’t set yourself up to fail. You will just feel worse about yourself and add an unnecessary burden to your days.
As a leader, you may wish to recommend that your staff use the Eisenhower method (Mulder, 2017) to categorise their tasks into levels of urgency/importance so that your teachers can decide when to attend to, delegate or drop a task. The technique of breaking down bigger tasks into manageable chunks, and rewarding yourself when jobs are complete, is a good strategy for you to model to your staff as a leader.
<h6>Case studies</h6>
A primary school incorporated a training programme into their staff wellbeing provision. The staff were released from the classroom for five half-day sessions to engage in a Dare to Lead course, created by the inspirational <a href="https://brenebrown.com">Brené Brown</a>. Staff were trained and taught skills, practices, and tools to underpin the four areas of ‘courage’: rumbling with vulnerability, living into their values, braving trust, and learning to rise. The result was that staff became more open and accepting of each other once they had identified what was important to each individual member of the school. It strengthened teamwork and connections within staff, enabled more understanding and empathy for one another and most importantly initiated crucial conversations about what each person needed to thrive in the workplace.
A middle school has worked exceptionally hard to prioritise their staff wellbeing and have acknowledged that good staff wellbeing is highly necessary to guarantee pupil achievement, staff motivation and satisfaction. Here are some of the recent improvements they made:
<ul>
<li>The Designated Mental Health Lead wrote a detailed staff wellbeing policy linked to their vision statement, including clear and simple procedures for staff to follow if their wellbeing dips. They also formed a working party amongst staff to keep wellbeing conversations ongoing.</li>
<li>Various in-school initiatives have been developed, including staff yoga and a therapy dog.</li>
<li>The school employed cover supervisors to help with the replacement of absent staff. They have a good peer support system, where pairs of teachers ‘look out’ for each other. Senior leaders make sure to reach out to staff during difficult points in a staff member’s personal lives and allow for sufficient time off and support when they return to work.</li>
<li>Commissioned regular staff wellbeing surveys and organised regular structured conversations about workload. Dedicated staff training on staff wellbeing, where refreshments are funded by the school and gratitude is expressed to staff. Social events for staff are planned, such as nature and mindfulness walks and drinks in the local park.</li>
<li>Any staff with a passion for supporting wellbeing are trained to be Mental Health First Aiders.</li>
</ul>
I hope this blog has convinced you of the importance of prioritising your wellbeing and health above everything else. I hope that you are now armed with a few ideas of how you can practically support yourself, and other staff, to stay well in your school. Although this may feel strange, it’s vital to maintain the perspective that you are many things, not just a teacher, and if you are trying your best, that is all you can do. This is especially important to remember on difficult days when demands are constantly thrown at you from colleagues, parents, staff, and the government. Reminding yourself of the reasons you chose to teach can help to lift your spirits, as can holding onto the special and joyful moments of your day when you connect with young people, inspire them and make a difference.
 
References
Education Support (2022) Teacher Wellbeing Index. Available at: <a href="https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/">https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/</a> (Accessed 25 January 2023).
Luke, I & Gourd, J (2018) Thriving as a Professional Teacher: How to be a Principled Professional, London: Routledge.
Mulder P (2017) Eisenhower Matrix. Available at: <a href="http://www.toolshero.com/%20personal-development/eisenhower-matrix">www.toolshero.com/%20personal-development/eisenhower-matrix</a> (accessed 12 January 2023).
 
 
Suzanne Allies
Suzanne Allies is a senior lecturer and wellbeing co-ordinator at the University of Worcester and has taught in Higher Education for ten years. She has 20 years of teaching experience in primary schools and was PSHE coordinator for over ten years in a three-form entry primary school. Suzanne’s true passion is to support the mental health and wellbeing of university students, teachers and children. She has delivered many staff wellbeing workshops in a range of primary schools and written a book entitled Supporting Teacher Wellbeing: a practical guide for primary teachers and school leaders. She is a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor for MHFA England and Nuco and has a Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
The post <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk/teacher-wellbeing/">Practical ways to improve teacher wellbeing</a> appeared first on <a href="https://freedomtoteach.collins.co.uk">Collins | Freedom to Teach</a>.
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