Pinned
So long and thanks for all the fish.
I've pretty much completely moved to BlueSky now.
Find me there. Just search my name.
Ben Newmark
80.9K posts
Ben Newmark
@bennewmark
History teacher. Parent. School governor. Writer and sometimes consultancy stuff - mainly history and inclusion.
School leader person.
- Sometimes Year 7s sit with me at lunch and just tell me random stuff about their pets and families and hobbies and favourite things and they don't suspect, not at all, that this is often the best part of my day.
- 1. Thread on the most positive masculinity I've ever seen. A few years ago I worked in Leicester and would stop to get a takeaway curry on Narborough Road on way home. This was probably a Friday but can't be sure.
- Presenting the tickcross, which is teacher code for 'I assumed this pupil would have got this right but then read answer and realised they'd got it wrong.
- THREAD. Here's my list of things that have worked. It is longer than I thought it would be. 1.Reading loads about the topics I’m teaching. 2.Planning and scripting explanations. 3.Learning names and using them. 4.Apologising if I get a name wrong or mispronounce it.
- How long before everyone catches on that if we want more teachers then we all have to be nicer to teachers?
- Can we have a massive shout out to all cleaners in schools right now? I get to school SUPER early (6.30ish) and arrive to a spotless site. Then many of the cleaners go on to other places to begin all over again later, and those that don't are still with us. It's MIGHTY work.
- 1. Thread 🧵 How I start a lesson. Before lesson begins, do now on board. PP, visualiser or handwritten on whiteboard. Doesn't matter what as long as clear and appropriatley pitched for hard thinking; onhigh success rate. Make sure everything you need for lesson is to hand.
- Parent WhatsApp groups lighting up with ideas for presents for teachers. I don't expect anything. If you're really grateful to a teacher write a card saying why. Spend a bit of time on it. I remember barely any presents. I think I still have every card I've ever been given.
- Replying to @bennewmark13. 'cos there may be a time when all you think matters is stripped away and you're left crying on a kerb among strangers who don't know what to do. Be the person who knows what to do. Just be there. Don't leave it to the girls to sort it boys. He needs you, man.
- I've been learning a lot from teachers to have stayed in classroom for 20 plus years. There's lots that comes up but there are some things that come up more than others. 1. They don't take much work home. 2. They love their subjects. 3. They have interests outside school.
- I don't think SIMS should be allowed to just change its loading screen without giving us closure on what happened to the two girls with the blackboard.
- If there is any greater source of concern for the welfare of children in England than inadequate CAHMS capacity I can't think of it. I try not to be hyperbolic but this feels like a disgrace and a scandal.
