Kate Woodward

EYFS Lead teacher, Cteach. Football, cricket and gymnastics mum and punctual, cheap taxi service. Occasional runner, avid reader and regular trash TV watcher!

[YoungMinds @YoungMindsUK]

For any parent living with a teen and struggling, this is worth a read. It’s a letter written by Gretchen L. Schmelzer, a child psychologist, from a teenager's viewpoint, voicing what they are unable to say to their parent.

Dear Parent,

This is the letter that I wish I could write.

This fight we are in right now. I need it. I need this fight. I can’t tell you this because I don’t have the language for it and it wouldn’t make sense anyway. But I need this fight. Badly. I need to hate you right now and I need you to survive it. I need you to survive my hating you and you hating me. I need this fight even though I hate it too. It doesn’t matter what this fight is even about: curfew, homework, laundry, my messy room, going out, staying in, leaving, not leaving, boyfriend, girlfriend, no friends, bad friends. It doesn’t matter. I need to fight you on it and I need you to fight me back.

I desperately need you to hold the other end of the rope. To hang on tightly while I thrash on the other end—while I find the handholds and footholds in this new world I feel like I am in. I used to know who I was, who you were, who we were. But right now I don’t. Right now I am looking for my edges and I can sometimes only find them when I am pulling on you. When I push everything I used to know to its edge. Then I feel like I exist and for a minute I can breathe. I know you long for the sweeter kid that I was. I know this because I long for that kid too, and some of that longing is what is so painful for me right now.

I need this fight and I need to see that no matter how bad or big my feelings are—they won’t destroy you or me. I need you to love me even at my worst, even when it looks like I don’t love you. I need you to love yourself and me for the both of us right now. I know it sucks to be disliked and labeled the bad guy. I feel the same way on the inside, but I need you to tolerate it and get other grownups to help you. Because I can’t right now. If you want to get all of your grown-up friends together and have a ‘surviving-your-teenager-support-group-rage-fest’ that’s fine with me. Or talk about me behind my back–I don’t care. Just don’t give up on me. Don’t give up on this fight. I need it.

This is the fight that will teach me that my shadow is not bigger than my light. This is the fight that will teach me that bad feelings don’t mean the end of a relationship. This is the fight that will teach me how to listen to myself, even when it might disappoint others.

And this particular fight will end. Like any storm, it will blow over. And I will forget and you will forget. And then it will come back. And I will need you to hang on to the rope again. I will need this over and over for years.

I know there is nothing inherently satisfying in this job for you. I know I will likely never thank you for it or even acknowledge your side of it. In fact I will probably criticize you for all this hard work. It will seem like nothing you do will be enough. And yet, I am relying entirely on your ability to stay in this fight. No matter how much I argue. No matter how much I sulk. No matter how silent I get.

Please hang on to the other end of the rope. And know that you are doing the most important job that anyone could possibly be doing for me right now.

Love, Your Teenager

[Morissa Schwartz 📚 (Dr. Rissy) @MorissaSchwartz]

Brilliant minds doing brilliant things…

[Murals And Wall Art by Jo Bell @MuralsWallArtJB]

Timeline finished at Mapperley Plains Primary School.

[Michael Rosen 💙💙🎓🎓 NICE 爷爷 @MichaelRosenYes]

New government guidance on reading: "...a book that includes the word ‘play’ should be placed so that children are not asked to read it until the digraph ‘ay’ has been taught."

[Early Excellence @EarlyExcellence]

As concerns persist in relation to the revised Early Years Foundation Stage framework, how can we ensure that Literacy supports a love of reading and writing which links to all learning areas?

Discover more from @PhilAEEX
https://t.co/pqdzgnG6qx

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@SwailesRuth https://t.co/7kg92sYWLw
Sarah millicans interpretation of this word is quite different but very funny and may brighten an otherwise challenging day for all teachers, tas and early years practitioners! It is quite rude!

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@K8teMorgan @1972boy @MichaelRosenYes @bbcarts @bbceducation @BBCRadio4 @BBCRadio3 I remember that one too!

[Colin Tucker CMgr FCMI @Tucker_CP]

Just found out that Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams can be accessed via @Xbox and @PlayStation consoles. So remote learning can be accessed via these platforms. Spread the word! @MichaelT1979 @ST3AMCo @PaulGarvey4 @chrisdysonHT Makes access to resources even easier!

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@1972boy @MichaelRosenYes @bbcarts @bbceducation @BBCRadio4 @BBCRadio3 Was this what "Dark Dark Towers" was on. I loved that!

[ClareHelenWelsh @ClareHelenWelsh]

Teachers! Schools! Would anyone like to win a bundle of 8 x early readers? Retweet to enter and I’ll choose a winner at random at the end of the week 📚💛 @CollinsPrimary #TEACHers #teachertwitter #edutwitter

3x pinks
4x reds
1x yellow

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@Katy_primary97 There was a website to educate children in radishes on the packet. Made me giggle this morning!

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@makatonlucinda @MakatonCharity Just wanted to let you know how much I love your posts. I did the full makaton course 3 years ago but haven't used it much since. Have a child who uses it joining me this year. Watching your wonderful videos has reminded me and helped me learn new signs. Keep up the fab work.

[18 Years A Head - NPQEL🦩📚 🌈 🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸(she/her) @RaeSnape]

Parents, when sending your children back to school next week, please label their jumpers, because the uniform is all the same.

Teachers, when the children return next week, do not label the children; they are all different, each precious & unique.

Thank you

#HeadsTogether 🧡

[BBC Culture @BBC_Culture]

"The great thing about reading is that it turns human experience into a kind of object that you can look at and turn over," says @MichaelRosenYes
#TextualHealing

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

@MichaelRosenYes Fantastic news. My reception bubble have been absolutely loving your poems. One even made you this all off her own back. They are big fans and seeing you perform has made their own confidence reading aloud simply blossom.

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

Last week my bubble of reception children loved hearing Michael Rosen poems and watching him perform them. They all wrote their own poems and performed them so expressively to the group. This is what they chose to make for him. @MichaelRosenYes

[Simon Smith @smithsmm]

Praise where praise is due... this is really good stuff from @educationgovuk

https://t.co/eSGiR9OYrr

[©️Ruth Swailes @SwailesRuth]

I've had a lot of requests for support on developing an effective learning environment in EYFS which will meet the DFE guidelines and the needs of the children, so I've put on some low-cost training next week. Places are limited. https://t.co/6M7b0oRUkr

[©️Ruth Swailes @SwailesRuth]

Just a few places left, all other transition events are sold out. https://t.co/v8NC16hJFf

[Kate Woodward @Jones11Kate]

Today I observed a lovely thing. A child was role playing taking the register calling each name followed with "how are you today?" So different to pre covid packed lunch or school dinners? question then onto next child. Will certainly continue this more personal morning ritual.