Carl Simmons

Lecturer in education, co-author of Teaching ICT, Teaching Computing & Hello App Inventor! Passionate about education. The geeks shall inherit the earth.

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

Start of a new term, always bowled over by the wealth of talent that want to educate our young people, making a positive difference in the world!

[John Cosgrove @johncosgrove405]

1,300 MAT CEOs, paid average salaries of around £150,000, totals £195 million annually. Before academies there were 153 LA Directors of Education; there still are. This guy's £500k isn't the real scandal, academisation has been - and is - a colossal drain on Education finances.

[Mr D Cross MCCT 🙋‍♂️ @crossbynameonly]

One of our @NorthLivAcademy Y10 GCSE CS classes have been really engaged this morning, getting to grips with @PacketTracerCLI with our @EHU_FOE ITT Mr Gardner. A great opportunity to give some context to the theory elements!

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

I have loved working with this group of beginning computer teachers over the last five weeks. Next step into schools! wish them luck! @EHU_FOE

[Becci Peters @beccipeters28]

We’re thrilled to invite you to the upcoming @CompAtSch community meeting, Transition from Blocks to Text with @edu_blocks on Thursday, 19 Sep 2024 at 4pm
The session will focus on learning the basics of EduBlocks from @all_about_code https://t.co/V25t4lcv8H

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

https://t.co/RXPwcMJNq1 If you are a Computing Teacher "Up North" that would like to do some action research with us this year - do sign up - it will be fun!

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

@suleman_hina Aww that's lovely Hina, it was a pleasure and a privilege to work with you. How's your first week as a real teacher 😁

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

Start of a new term, always bowled over by the wealth of talent that want to educate our young people, making a positive difference in the world!

[Helen Day @LBFlyawayhome]

The modern world in old Ladybird books.
“A small digital computer designed for the businessman” (1971)
Artist: BH Robinson

[Nicola Looker @NALooker]

I think my favourite session was hearing teachers @rcoultart @hodge_jo @pddring and Justin Heath presenting their work as part of @suesentance Teacher Inquiry in Computing Education project @Activ8Thinking @ClaireH_EH I have copies of the project reports for you :)

[AP Teacher @AP_Teaching]

On High Expectations. A 🧵

Lots of strict/ low tolerance schools talk about expectations.
Often, the implication - or outright accusation - of Trauma Informed/ Restorative Practice is that there are no routines and low expectations. 1/

[Bridget Phillipson @bphillipsonMP]

A massive congratulations to children receiving their SATs results today, and to the teachers and staff who have supported them along the way.

Under this government, the education workforce will be valued for the thing you do best: improving the life chances of all our children.

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

If you work in HE ITT and are interested in externally examining out PGCE Secondary Computing course then please do get in touch.

[Bridget Phillipson @bphillipsonMP]

‘I want this moment to mark a reset in our relationship: under this new government, education will once again be at the heart of change and the forefront of national life.’

My letter to the education workforce 📨

https://t.co/EFE64P0FdY

[Matthew Wimpenny-Smith FCCT 🙋‍♂️👾👨‍💻 @MWimpennyS]

Fewer students, especially girls, are studying computing in England. The report recommends broadening the curriculum and improving teacher training.

Findings from the Subject Choice, Attainment and Representation in Computing project (2021-2024)
https://t.co/NAfPqT0qF6
#CSED

[Andy Buck @Andy__Buck]

No wonder things feel tough in schools…

[Jack Worth @JackWorthNFER]

Keir Starmer was right to say in #ITVDebate that "we desperately need more teachers". Our latest postgraduate ITT forecast (based on applications so far up to end of May) is that we expect recruitment to be ~23,000 overall, 10,000 short of the overall target

[Jack Worth @JackWorthNFER]

A slight fall in the teacher leaving rate, but it remains higher than just before the pandemic and there are other signs that the recruitment and retention crisis is biting

A thread unpacking some of today's key new teaching workforce statistics 🧵👇

[Carl Simmons @Activ8Thinking]

This was a fantastic opportunity - Thanks George I know the trainees appreciated your time and expertise!

[Armando Iannucci @Aiannucci]

Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy. That’s more than car and oil industries together. They employ 2.3million people. To cut funding for creative arts at university level is fudge-brained, cack-hearted thinking pitched very much at the highest level of economic self-harm. https://t.co/tzuKldPQNO

[Jay Kloppenberg @JayKloppenberg]

@DrRLofthouse I mentor of mine (school leader) gave me some great advice about hiring teachers:

1. Make sure they understand their subject well enough to be playful with it.
2. Make sure they truly, deeply love the kids and the act of teaching them.

Everything else can be developed.