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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jun 9

Obviously I don't look down on them, but if you would park the assumptions for just a moment, the bit where you said schools shouldn't focus on grades as they don't matter as much. I believe you're wrong. For most of my students they are genuinely the passport to a better life.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jun 9

That's very kind of you. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Maybe next time explain to all of us full time teachers working hard to improve the life chances of young people in challenging circumstances how them leaving school with no qualifications is going to move them forward in life.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jun 9

Obviously the first point is stupid, but schools are already doing the rest.

Adrian Bethune @adrianbethune.bsky.social · Jun 8

So what should schools do about this?

1. Don't fixate on grades. They dont matter as much as we're told.
2. Prioritise fostering warm, supportive relationships between staff and students.
3. Create an interesting, relevant & challenging curriculum.
4. Foster a love of learning

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jun 4

Interesting interaction with a student. Had our standard 5 min chat while they were in detention. They accepted they had been rude in the lesson and deserved detention but also asked me to sit to help or correct rather than stand as they felt hemmed in. I did today and they were much calmer.

MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Apr 11

Easter holidays at last. Exhausted doesn't cover it.

MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Feb 23

Right! And most of the time it's performing to their peers and comes to nothing but I always challenge, every time. I don't want them to end up doing it when there are going to be actual consequences beyond a detention.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Feb 23

I explain to the trainees that it's about their ability to relate their extensive subject knowledge to the school curriculum and how they actually explain it. I use 'curriculum knowledge' and 'chunking' as catch all terms for this but they feel inadequate and I agree with you about needing a name.

MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Feb 23

Kids doing as you have asked but rolling their eyes/sighing as they do it.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Feb 23

Outstanding blog. Detailed explanation of why so many of the trainees I've met with excellent academic credentials struggle to explain complex/abstract material.

They don't know what the students should already know or what they need next.

Heather Fearn @heatherbellaf.bsky.social · Feb 23

New blog! ‘The Teachers’ knowledge that has no name’.

What should we call this knowledge?

heatherfblog.wordpress.com/2025/02/23/t...

With special thanks to @michaelfordham.bsky.social

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jan 30

AI is bad for the environment, bad for our process of thinking and working and also ethically bad.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · Jan 30

A thing I don't think people are getting with AI is that pointing out benefits of it isn't a gotcha winning argument. Of course there will be benefits. It's about the trade offs and these are massive and terrifying.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jan 14

Wherever you keep your timetable/lesson plans, write down and commit to what you should work on during a non-contact. When it starts, make your hot drink, grab a snack and find somewhere to work on your stuff. Headphones, whether you are listening to anything or not, deters unnecessary talk.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Jan 14

This is a deeply painful read but every teacher (or government) that thinks AI can solve all of our problems should read this and then read it again.

Chuck Pearson (he/him/etc.) @shorterpearson.com · Jan 13

Just in time for the AI policies to go into my syllabi - I've cleared my brain of all of its frustrations regarding generative AI.

I think it's important to resist the stuff. For all of us. And for no greater reason than preserving our humanity.

I think the stakes are that high.

The ethical case for resisting AI

I had my moment of reality regarding generative AI in my chemistry and physics classes this past term. I’ve always had the student frustration “I can’t Google your homework problems!” as a point of…

chuckpearson.wordpress.com

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Dec 23

08:20 briefings, 08:35 registration, 09:25 lesson 1 starts.

MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Dec 21

This is one of the most important messages to all schools. Improving schools is hard and takes a long time, but even schools that aren't in poor shape can quickly decline without consistency.

Zach Groshell @mrzachg.bsky.social · Dec 20

I’ve taught in schools that decided to make a change and outcomes improved.

Then people got in their own way and outcomes went back down.

Education’s embarrassment is that we know how to turn schools around and we regularly fail to do it.

educationrickshaw.com/2024/12/20/w...

Where are the Champions for Struggling Public Schools?

A few years ago, for not the first time, I found myself at the school at the bottom. Test scores were hovering around 18 percent proficiency, chronic absenteeism was rampant, and the school had the…

educationrickshaw.com

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Dec 12

It will definitely generate some useful data for their communications. "Is knife crime an issue?" "The data is unclear"

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Reposted by MrGreenw00d

Schools Week @schoolsweek.bsky.social · Dec 12

'This binary, combative response has grown tiresome. While pay erosion is a pressing issue, the challenges we face demand a more nuanced approach'

The binary response to the pay award isn't helping schools

We deserve better representation than this short-termist, rehearsed and poorly considered response to government decisions

buff.ly

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 28

This blog makes a lot of sense. We hold about 5-10 minutes RJ conversations with kids at some point during a 1 hr detention to ensure they understand the impact they had and how to avoid future issues in lessons.

MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 27

I have almost the same as situation. I've said that they don't have a seating plan for that room, so get there early to ensure a place to sit!

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 25

With this sort of document being a very real possibility in my near future I also have concerns about the EHCP process. Lots of really well meaning people in these processes but I've read a few reports that seem to describe a completely different child to the one I recognise from my class.

Ben Newmark @bennewmark.bsky.social · Nov 25

1/n
I've been form filling for B and quite worried about how the information asked for by professional agencies is pretty weak/unreliable and then assumes far more power and influence than it should when it goes into a sort of official or quasi official document.
E g

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 24

Essentially trying to reset the social contract that we seemed to have regarding school to how it was before lockdown.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 24

Invest in a public service announcement campaign to explain to parents what we need from them re: attendance, equipment, toilet training, use of cutlery, support with homework / behaviour etc.

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 24

From a thread about getting AI to plan lessons. . .

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · Nov 23

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2024/09/usin...

Using AI to plan lessons

The government have suggested that teachers need to harness the possibilities of AI to help them plan and resource lessons. The idea is tha...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 23

Unusually, I haven't heard this week's episode yet, but is the answer "just quit"?

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 23

I also think that even as an experienced teacher, by the time I've given it enough of a prompt to give a half decent response I've already planned the lesson myself!

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MrGreenw00d @mrgreenw00d.bsky.social · Nov 23

🤢