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Ben Newmark

@bennewmark.bsky.social

4.3K followers 470 following 4.6K posts

Teacher, parent, school governor. Occasional blogger. "A million different people from one day to the next, I can change." https://bennewmark.wordpress.com/

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Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 2h

Once outside a Spanish cathedral a busker saw her dancing and brought her closer to kind of duet with him. Then he said "what is better in life than a child dancing while you play" and that's one of the best memories of my life.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 2h

Just seen a post from Gen z saying it took them a while to get into Johnny Cash because he isn't as cool as abon Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
What is going on with your younger generation? Help them.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 11h

John Stones doesn't look as if he should have tattoos.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 23h

I know this isn't unique to teaching but a good balance is challenging because of the frequent pinch points. This makes establishing and sticking to healthy routines quite hard.

James Murgatroyd @mrmurgsmaths.bsky.social · 1d

I love being a teacher. It is the best job I've ever had. It is also incredibly demanding.

In a normal week, I can easily clock 50 hours. This week, I have a normal week plus 3 sets of mock exams to mark plus my NPQ plus meetings plus . . .

The holidays can't come soon enough.

a woman says " i need some peace and quiet " in front of a framed picture

ALT: a woman says " i need some peace and quiet " in front of a framed picture

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Ben Newmark

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

1. A thread about the very serious young woman who told me off for allowing my learning disabled eight year old daughter to dance in front of the big screens at a modern art installation.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

A band I've never got. I find the falsetto singing really silly.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

That's a great week! Mermaid Avenue was one of the first I got that I hadn't heard but loved. Walt Whitman's Niece, California stars, way over yonder.. all so good.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

People disagree but I think there's a real chance for this young woman it's already the sort of memory we all have that makes us wince and cringe like a raw wound when something reminds us of what we did.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Yes. I don't feel bad. I just know this was mercifully a new experience which now I'll be prepared for.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Lol maybe but she'll cartwheel anywhere! The point is with hindsight I'm more sure then than ever it was appropriate to do it there.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

If it happens again I'm just going to smilingly say we're staying but you're free to go if you're uncomfortable.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

You could, of course, be right but I find it unlikely. To me her comment seemed the sort I'd expect from someone caught on the hop who is reverting to the sorts of online comments that work on the Internet, bizarre in how inappropriate it was in this real life situation. But I could be wrong too!

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

I think it's more likely she was embarrassed.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

How would she know?

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Wow. I don't want that. I think people can learn and change and don't need to be destroyed to do that.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Member of the public. I think this matters too.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

I can also empathise with the massive mental switch she had to make. She may well have seen two white middle class middle aged men quietly laughing together while they ignored a child that was their responsibility and built up all sorts of incorrect assumptions.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Yes I was most taken aback by this. Maybe she thought I was lying? Maybe she was mortified and too young to know the best way out was to say sorry.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

I dunno. I think this was a non standard reaction because of the nature of the exhibit.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Yes. I feel a lot of us there learned something. I certainly did. We aint moving next time!

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah she was young though. My best and most charitable guess is that she thought this was The Sort of Thing That Adults Do.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Thinks not tonight!

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Ha! I don't want her cancelled or harassed or even identified but of course I hope she learns enough to cringe at what she did soon.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you. Favorite response so far! And now it's happened we know what to do next time and we don't go anywhere.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · 1d

And I think there's a good chance it ruined her afternoon too and she cringes when she thinks of it. None of us are our best selves all the time.