In the Times today were a couple of articles about the new Maths GCSE, both of which add more wariness (is that a word?) about the changes that we are facing as maths teachers. The first had the headline “Rival’s GCSE practice papers too easy, claim exam boards” and I’ll leave it to your imagination … Read more
On the first day of Christmas my teaching job gave to me: A stinking bout of man flu! On the second day of Christmas my teaching job gave to me: Two snotty nostrils and A stinking bout of man flu! On the third day of Christmas my teaching job gave to me: Three … Read more
I’m just putting this out there … I really struggle with objectives, outcomes and success criteria in maths. Don’t even try to explain the differences to me … others have tried and it just ain’t sinking in. Over the last few years I’ve had lots of discussions about them, and seriously, I swear I was listening … Read more
… and so it ends. Today I received a letter that has left me in tatters … it was from the executor of my dads will following the sale of the family home where I was born. It’s done. Dusted. Finished. Now don’t be imagining me as the heir to a fortune (when I said … Read more
OK … so the blogging bit is usually “mine, all mine! … *cue maniacal laugh* but for our 301st post I’m letting Seager have a go. Bless him, he’s been out for the day in London and had an horrendous journey home so I’m letting him loose. Here goes: Just back home (at 8.45pm!!!) from the … Read more
Just wow! Changing job is THE hardest think I have ever done in my career. It must be the best kept secret in teaching, because no-one ever tells you what to expect until you’re “in the moment”. I have no idea why this is the case, maybe it’s because people think that if they admit … Read more
I have written what seems to be endless posts on homework … arghh!! You would imagine that the question “does homework work?” would be easy to answer, wouldn’t you? As a teaching body, we are all professionals and you would think we would be able to come up with some conclusive proof, either way to … Read more
Right … where to start? I suppose I start at the beginning and see where it takes me .. remember I have blogging tourettes! Changing jobs in schools is not very well chronicled … ok , so others have written about changing jobs but I’ve yet to read any that tell you the truth, the … Read more
Yesterday Dr Vanessa Pittard (Assistant Director, Curriculum and Standards) gave a DFE update as the opening speech at a maths conference – a section of this was devoted to showing our position in the PISA tests. Not a biggie? How worried should we be that international surveys of student achievement are making such appearances? Not … Read more
I got in a couple of hours ago from a parish meeting and having open evening last night which was a late one means that I am currently sat here zombie-like and procrastinating. You know that feeling where you have loads to do, but can’t see the wood for the trees … well, that! Just … Read more
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