T minus 1 day and counting.

Hi everyone,

This week’s blog has been written a little later than expected, as I have been thorougherly engrossed  marking the vast majority of my student’s exercise books over the weekend. It has been such a pleasure to see the time and effort that my students have spent on their work, which has been completed independently outside of the classroom. It really makes the time and effort spent marking them all worthwhile. I have been particularly impressed with the imagination and creativity some of my students have shown when completing their independent learning. I usually inform them that there are no real rules or guidelines (other than the topic) to follow when completing work independently as the work they are completing is their own and therefore they can let their imaginations take them wherever they want to go. Obviously it must be accurate and 99% of the time my students know that when learning about the subject of Science, that is an absolute necessity. For those who do not, a quick introduction to the scientific method and principles relating to it and they are flying.

To be honest, the weekend appears to have vanished but as I informed my students recently with another quote from the genius himself, I know I have found my perfect job, as this is what is currently happening to me on a daily basis. Time simply disappears. When I think about how recently it seems that I was sitting exactly where my students now sit and it was 16 years ago, it's actually quite strange to think about where the time has gone. I make it a part of my job to tell the students that I teach that they don't have time to waste but like them, I remember when I was 15-16 and I felt like I had all the time in the world. I'm glad I realised not long after that that my time on this planet is finite and you need to make the most of it.

My latest sensational YouTube video (57 views, 3 likes and counting!) is a bit of an impromptu one. After listening to Sir Michael on the radio on Thursday morning, discussing low-level disruption in the classroom I felt rather compelled to put an idea from Classroom 21 out there. I have the upmost respect for any teacher or ex-teacher so hopefully this may help one of my colleagues somewhere who is struggling with the problem of low-level disruption, if they ever find it. I think Sir Michael is absolutely spot on, particularly with one of his suggestions, to have senior leaders in classrooms assisting. Eight years of teaching has allowed me to see the benefit of having the knowledge that a senior leader can be in a classroom when necessary to assist with the teaching and learning that takes place. I am of the opinion that it is neither the fault of a teacher nor the fault of a student that low-level disruption occurs. I think the failure to tackle low-level disruption, or the reason why low-level disruption occurs in the first place lies elsewhere. I am sure if you follow this blog you will find out where I think that fault lies in the not to distant future.

I’m interested to hear the feedback that I get from my students tomorrow about the video, as some of them are very accustomed to 'The Liste, no Talky, Green Dot of Doom'. Another little gem I found this weekend that my students will be informed about is this interview of a young Steve Jobs. 32 years on the planet and this weekend is the first time I have heard it, unbelievable. Anyway, it won't take me long to show it my students tomorrow, why listen to me when they can hear from a man who was a true visionary and lived the reality he created for himself. It is so incredibly true, this is all you have to realise. If you havn't seen it, I really recommend taking 1 minute 42 seconds to watch it. It could even be used as a point of discussion for a starter or plenary activity. Let your student's imaginations run wild.

25 years in the blink of an eye.

Hi everyone,

Yesterday was such an amazing and special day for me as my life long friend Paul married his amazing wife Sarah. I cannot quite believe I have known him for 25 years. I thought as recognition of this fact, it would be cool to dust off the 1986 St. Peter’s Primary School photo as well as the 1997 St. James’ Catholic High School photo. I saw so many of my life long friends who I met at both of these schools it really does underline my absolute belief that the school communities that we are a part of really are the most important communities we will ever belong to. If you have a look you will also see some of the outstanding teachers who I was privileged enough to be educated by. I would like to take this opportunity to say a particular thank you to Mrs Riordan who was one of my Primary school teachers and who I have got to know personally as I am friends with her sons and daughter who I now work alongside at St. James’. Mrs Riordan is one of the most wonderful, selfless people you could ever wish to meet and is an absolutely outstanding teacher in every respect.

Paul is on the top row, second from the left. Mrs. Riordan is on the left.

Paul is on the back row, seventh from the right.

Last week was so enjoyable, some incredibly impressive examples of independent learning shown by some of my students outside of the classroom. I also made sure this was the week when I found out more about the individuals who are sat respectfully in front of me. Each of them was asked to answer three simple questions so that I could find out a little more about their lives outside of school. It really is one of the most important activities I do with each of my students every year. If I am able to connect with each of them on a personal level my role, as their teacher, appears so much easier in every respect. It was so cool finding out about some of the amazing interests and hobbies they have outside of school as well as what they would like to do in the future.

I’ve been contemplating what Room 21 is about to do for quite a long time now. The last permission was granted on Thursday, my students and I are all very excited. I think the fact that we know what we have done so far has already been successful on a small scale makes what we are about to do a little easier. We have all learnt so much already, now it’s simply time to see if others appreciate and see value in our vision. My students and I would really value your honest feedback as this will allow us to identify whether what we are doing could have a beneficial impact of students and teachers elsewhere. If you would also be so kind as to let any people you know whose lives are or will be impacted by the current education system, we would very much appreciate it. We hope you all have a wonderful week teaching and learning.

Almost time!

Hi,

I hope your week was as enjoyable as mine. My students are all so respectful and willing to learn it makes my role as their teacher so incredibly enjoyable. I think I also finally mastered all of my new students names, which I am obviously very pleased about.

There were so many enjoyable moments it is difficult for me to choose any one over another to discuss with you now. I have to mention Friday as my new Yr 7 form and I went on an activity retreat to Linnet Clough. It was so cool to see them have the opportunity to interact and have so much fun outside of the classroom. I finally had the opportunity to get to know them all a little better individually, as the first two weeks of school have gone so quickly.

It is so obvious just by speaking to them that they are all so unbelievably happy and full of the joys of being 11 years old. I think I smiled throughout the entire day as it was so enjoyable seeing them building new friendships. I know that some of them will be friends for the rest of their lives. In fact, next weekend I am attending the wedding of my friend Paul who I went to primary and secondary school with. Our secondary school being the one I in fact work at now. Obviously I informed my form of this during the morning and it appeared to me to put an added excitement to the days activities. I can not begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to being their form tutor for the next five years.

I am also finding this blog writing process very enjoyable. Never have I written my thoughts about anything down before, it is quite a therapeutic process. Next week I intend to inform all of my students about this blog, not only so they can read it but also so they may be inspired to begin to write their own blogs, which I think will be cool. Even if they simply learn how to set a blog up that will be a useful skill to have learnt for that I am in no doubt. I am also very hopeful that in fact you will be hearing from them in the near future via this blog.

This week my students and I made some huge steps towards our goal for the year. I know I can speak on behalf of them when I say we are very much looking forward to sharing Room 21’s learning experiences and achievements with a wider audience. It shouldn’t be too long now as we are ready and set to go. Stay tuned to find out.

What an amazing first week back! Absolute tekkers on all fronts!

My new Year 7 form is so cool! Meeting them again properly, all looking so excited to be at high school, made it such an enjoyable first week back. I am so looking forward to seeing them experience their first year, as they will have so many new experiences and more importantly meet some people who I know they will be life long friends with. I know this as 22 years ago I was in exactly the same position as them! I went to St. James' myself and am still friends with so many of the people I met on my first day!

Obviously I also met all my new students for the first time this week, they were all so amazingly respectful and appeared to be happy for me to be their Science teacher, which was nice! I was very happy to see some students who I haven’t taught in a couple of years. It's crazy to see how much they have changed over such a short time. If it wasn't for a new development at St. James’, I would be sad that I am not going to teach my wonderful students from last year, but actually I will be able to, which is very cool!

I can't remember actually sitting down for the last four days as there have been plenty of our new St. James' cohort leaving every single one of their new brightly colored possessions in places they can not even remember being! So much unbelievable potential in every single one of them, knowing St. James' as I do, I am so unbelievably confident that my colleagues and I will do everything we possibly can to ensure they reach it, and more.

Lesson one and I was straight into sowing the seeds of my own personal life long quest to ensure that every single young person I ever meet is filled with a life long passion for learning. I think each of my classes enjoyed my little motivational speech, for which it appears, judging by one of my esteemed colleagues cheeky references at our first year team meeting, I’ve become known for over the years! If they leave St. James’ with that passion, I believe my role as their teacher and mentor has been fulfilled.

I find my profession so easy, it really isn’t like ‘work’ for me at all as I’m positive it is for so many teachers out there in the big educational world! I’ve literally enjoyed every single day I’ve been teaching over the last eight years. I am so looking forward to another year meeting some of the most incredible young people from this wonderful little town of ours and also working alongside some of the most professional, devoted, selfless individuals, my colleagues, who I have ever met in my life. I really do have the best job on the planet! It makes me wonder and think, why do so few of the students that I teach dream and aspire to becoming teachers, lecturers, educators when they are older? Personally, I think it’s time to mix it up a bit…

My new ‘Wall of Skill’ was also finally completed this afternoon. It took a little while longer than I thought, I’ve stayed back for a couple of hours each night after school finished to back each of my students personal name tags with a nicely colored border and give them their little individual space on the Wall of Skill in Room 21! I think it looks really cool, I hope you agree. I’m hoping my vision, which is to enable each of my students to be able to identify the learning skills they have achieved throughout the year, as well as enabling my colleagues or any guests who enter Room 21 to be able to identify them also! I hope it will enable each of my students to make the learning progress they are capable of. I also very much hope they also see how being creative and imaginative assists their learning as well as my teaching. Have a look below at the wondrous Wall of Skillage if you like, I intend to update my blog with future posts to show everyone how many skills my students are learning and achieving throughout the year! I’m excited to see if this 2014-15 classroom mutation turns out to be advantageous or deleterious in the evolution of Room 21.

Room 21's Wall(s) of Skill!
(Need to think of something to do about those breeze blocks!)

It's all about learning & achievement, as you can hopefully see!

I also decided to watch this TED talk by Rita Pierson again, it's so cool and so true and always makes me laugh! If you havn't seen it before you are in for a treat, I hope you have a relaxing weekend.