Jess

Head of English. NPQLT. MSC in Education.

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

Are SLEs still a thing in Education? Only recently come across them but interested to know more info if people have it. #teamenglish #edutwitter

[MBE Books - Class Set & Tutor Time book specialist @BooksMbe]

We are running a competition to give away a class set of 30 copies of A Christmas Carol to a school. It's easy to enter, just follow our page, like & share this post. You must work in a school to enter. The prize will be drawn on Tuesday 24th March. https://t.co/2cWQC8hCPu

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@EA trying to get a refund with an open case for nearly 14 days and now can’t get through Ea NextStop to speak to a hula. This is ridiculous

[Donal Hale @HaleDonal]

🚨BOOK GIVEAWAY🚨

To celebrate the release of Leading Secondary English from @BloomsburyEd on 12 February, I am giving away not one, but TWO FREE COPIES.

To be in for a chance of winning, simply 'like' and 'repost' below. 👇

Winners will be chosen on Monday 2nd February.

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@peinkoffer Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

If anyone can share any suggestions for department CPD. I was thinking potentially subscriptions depending on cost. More videos than blogposts but happy with a range. Needs to be rooted in subject specific or T&L. TIA! #teamenglish

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@kateowbridge Ahh fab! Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@greeborunner @LitdriveUK Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@kateowbridge No! A great shout! Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@greeborunner @LitdriveUK Fab thank you! I did think of LitDrive as I tweeted. It’s hard as we’re a team of two halves with exp but I want people to be and feel more research informed. It’s about a culture shift I feel (not that people are against research informed practices) but rather how to find it.

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

Ridiculous that the growth of women’s football means that @SkySportsPL @SkySports can only be bothered to put up multiview for the quarter finals. I thought Sky getting the rights would help but simultaneous 12pm kick offs has done the complete opposite.

[Adam Boxer @adamboxer1]

I think a lot of leadership teams really don't understand the role and function of Heads of Department (HoDs).

In many schools, HoDs are purely technocratic. Their job is to deal with things like timetables, set changes, data deadlines, detention systems and cover. Occasionally they venture into the realms of more "curriculum" type issues, but often these are still things like ordering textbooks, setting homework centrally, making sure there are clubs and extra-curricular activities and the like. Come summer, they project manage curriculum improvement work, which again is often bureaucratic and mostly focused around "why haven't my colleagues hit their deadlines?"

Rarely is the HoD considered the driver and champion of Teaching and Learning in their subject. But that's what they should be. A true leader or teaching and curriculum, helping their colleagues develop their practice and skills in the classroom, and coordinating the team to ensure that the curriculum and resources are effective and supportive.

The important bit is that a lot of leaders *tell* me that actually their HoDs do fulfil this vision. Unfortunately, as I've written before, ideality rarely matches reality, and when I speak to the HoD they tell me they have no time to go observe lessons, no autonomy over policies, no meeting time to discuss T&L, and are drowning in the implementation of other people's priorities.

If you want your HoDs to be able to do this job, you need to actively make it happen, rather than just hope it does.

You need to

- Give them free periods to go and observe
- Reduce the number of tasks they need to do that are unrelated
- Allow them the autonomy they need to make disciplinary changes and developments
- Ring fence meeting time for T&L

and, above all, trust them!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

A great and inspiring day at @ThePiXLNetwork today! A great view too!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@massolit Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

And I’m back on #EduTwitter let’s see how it goes! #teamenglish

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

Hoping for no Sunday scaries tonight as I haven’t had them for a LONG time but a big half term ahead

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@DoWise Came across this the other week but the link no longer works. Is this still something you use (I know this tweet is a few years old now!)? I'd definitely like to trial it in my department if possible?

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@Ameenamahetar1 Thank you!

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

Any research or blogs or info about all teaching from same slides or bookletised curriculum.

Schools that have done this- how do you ensure teachers do not become deskilled?

[Jess @MrsJHEng]

@Ameenamahetar1 Thank you- much appreciated! Therefore do you prioritise/ encourage visualiser work more in regards to adapting etc?