“This school year has begun in a way that is reminiscent of pre-covid, which is lovely because it has brought the whole school community back together again. We are back to face-to-face staff briefings; the children are mixing in the playground and the lunch hall and I feel it is having a positive effect on morale. Teaching as a whole presents a plethora of challenges but it makes it all the more easy when you have a community to lean on.”

Test

“The school year has begun, and the corridors and playgrounds have filled with the joy and laughter of children. Seeing hi fives and embraces amongst staff, students feeling proud to be in higher year groups and cheers from students who have been timetabled with great teachers has been heartwarming. Tomorrow we open the gates again to welcome the early birds for breakfast in the canteen before day 2 of induction.”

“It is great to be back in the classroom, but I still get that nervousness at the start of term as I get my resources ready and prepare to meet my new classes. That pressure to produce and deliver the best lessons can be consuming but seeing the passion and enthusiasm from the young people is a real privilege and a reminder of why we teach. I’m always impressed by the creativity and resourcefulness of teachers especially those working in schools with very little money.”

“I have a boy in my class who has typically struggled with his behaviour choices, especially when it comes to change, so I knew I had to something to help him settle in a feel a sense of ownership and belonging in his new class. I treated him as a leader, someone who had a voice and ideas which were valued and respected. The “assumption” I made, and demonstrated clearly to the class through my actions, was then mirrored by his peers allowing him to see what he could achieve. By the end of the week, he was asked to lead a group construction task. They had to build models of buildings from around Britain from different time periods that represented different periods of immigration. He successfully led a group of 6 and was active in making sure everyone had a role and felt heard ( a key point from our class agreement). Though I’m sure he will have ups and downs, having this success so early on, and feeling so valued gave him a sense of confidence and a feeling of success which I hope he’ll be able to draw upon to help manage himself and grow as a person moving forward.”

“As a Jamaican teacher,  I come from an island of music, so I have used that of benefit to me in my science class. I have written 2 science songs with music from 2 popular Jamaican artists and those have gone wild with the kids. The songs promote good work ethics and the culture of our Academy. They can be heard humming them whilst working as they act as a reminder that they should only try. It’s a challenging but exciting road for me and I am taking it one bite at a time”