since I've said to the wonderful world of teaching, I've found myself reflecting on all the skills I've acquired during my time in the classroom. And what's truly fascinating is how seamlessly these skills have translated into my current endeavours. It seems that, like a chameleon, I've adapted and evolved in surprising ways. 

Let’s have a look at some of the key skills that can be transferred into other job roles.

This is how I like to organise pocket charts. It works a bit like a lesson plan for the teacher with the speed sounds lesson on top and book part of the lesson underneath.

Being a Middle Leader in school is an amazing job. You get the best of both worlds. Elements of leadership whilst still being firmly placed in the classroom. However, it can be a tricky role too. Being ‘in the middle’ can mean potential pressures from above whilst also leading a team. 

Here are my top, practical tips for being an effective middle leader.

Here is a method I use regularly in my maths lessons to ensure that I am meeting the needs of all pupils whilst allowing them access to the same learning.

A way this can easily be done within maths lessons is by using parameters. The original task is open-ended, it can be completed quite procedurally without providing challenge for higher attaining pupils so this is where we can start adding parameters. You could also begin to add parameters that are impossible and allow the pupils to investigate and reason as to why that is the case. 

We can also use parameters to make the task more accessible so it is another level of scaffold and allows them to engage with the task. They can also be used to guide a pupil’s thinking and allow them to think in a particular way e.g. systematically. 

I recently wrote a piece for Tes discussing the ways in which schools can help teachers with anxiety. When I shared the piece I was slightly taken aback by the response from teachers. Whilst anxiety disorders are very different from feeling stressed (and should be treated as such) what quickly became apparent is there are lots of teachers who are suffering from stress-related issues within their job due to external factors.

In general, stress levels (especially in the current climate) within the profession are running high. We all want the best for the pupils that we teach. In order to give them the best, we need to look after ourselves. There is only one of you. With that in mind, here are some top tips for managing stress and well-being. 

Children’s working memory has a limited capacity and due to this when taking part in a demanding task or handling lots of information, the working memory can be overwhelmed for lots of pupils. With cognitive overload in mind, silent modelling works well with younger students as it allows their working memory to narrow down its focus and doesn’t overwhelm it. 

During my time as a primary school teacher, I have had some wonderful interactions with children. From the sweet to the hilarious, children really do say the most wonderful things. Here are some of my experiences! 

I am thrilled to announce the #PrimaryEssentials conference will be held on Saturday 8th May! We have the amazing

@Teacherglitter

@_MissieBee

and

@MissNewton91

speaking!

Live and recording only tickets available

One of the most enjoyable things about art is how subjective it is. No two opinions on a piece of artwork will be the same. Teachers often talk of Reading for Pleasure. I am a strong advocate of Viewing Art for Pleasure. Responding to art is one of life’s great joys. The key here is discussion. Discussions around artworks need to be planned well within a broader curriculum that emphasizes vocabulary, language, and the value of talk. In its simplest form, this could just be as simple as a pupil saying what they can see in front of them but with careful modelling and the right school culture, it can lead to powerful discourse in the classroom. 

I recently delivered a session titled, ‘Primary Maths: Differentiation through scaffolding and adaptation’ at the #PrimaryEssentials conference on Saturday 8th May. Recordings of the event are still available for purchase here.

The talk focussed on the importance of high-quality differentiation that allows the vast majority of children within the classroom setting access to the same content with tangible real-life examples of how to do so. Instead of creating 30 different tasks/lesson plans for the 30 children in the class teachers should instead use strategies to ensure children are accessing age-related curriculum expectations. 

I have created an entire term’s worth of artwork of the week class assemblies. There is a mixture of artworks throughout history with a little bit of art history and some reflective questions to get pupils talking and experiencing art. They could easily be used across primary and secondary.

Skills progression has an important part to play in designing a well-rounded art curriculum but what does the term ‘skills progression’ actually mean?

In its most basic form, it is essentially advancing pupils through a series of simple steps that becomes progressively more advanced in order to develop proficiency in more complex skills.

I was recently lucky enough to be interviewed for Naylor’s Natter discussing traditional teaching methods in EYFS.

This is a blog I have wanted to write for a while but have always been too scared. Since this is the year of Emma being brave now feels like the right time. Confession...I think I am a trad. I wasn’t sure at first. I thought, ‘well I love children so that immediately excludes me’. I smile A LOT. I really love singing with my class. A trad, I could not possibly be.

The new school year has started and it’s been a new term unlike any other. Rows, bubbles, to mask or not to mask have all been hot topics of discussion. Although there have been anxious moments, it has also been a time of great joy as teachers around the country have been able to properly do what they love again as all pupils have returned to school.

Here are a few things I’ve learnt since starting the new term.

An important part of the EYFS is purposeful play through physical means. Children are encouraged to be physically literate and should be encouraged to access situations where they are able to manage risk via energetic play. Instead of children recognising letters and sounds as they would in literacy terms; children instead build up a bank of movement. This starts first with learning simple actions which then progress into how those actions relate to each other leading to the creation of a vocabulary bank of movement and development of their own physicality.

We are all navigating this brave new world together. As the new term edges ever closer (for many it has already started) the anxieties creep in and this year they are heightened.  I’ll be honest, there was a small part of me that hoped by September everything would have worked itself out. That seems like wishful thinking now. Every day it seems like there is something new to consider, from guidance to masks, to bubbles, to washing hands and this is on top of the normal new job nerves!