@LisaBritton It’s a good reminder that slogans feel harmless until you imagine them landing on the other child. If a message wouldn’t sit comfortably when the words are flipped, it’s probably worth a second thought. Our future isn’t a competition — it’s shared.
@FixingEducation Life has consequences. When schools water them down, we give young people a false picture of the world they’re heading into. It’s exhausting for teachers—but it also lets down the students who are trying to do the right thing.
@educator4ever36 Exactly. Being the most exhausted person in the building isn’t something to aspire to. The best gravestone in the cemetery isn’t a goal or an achievement.
@Homeschool_LLC I don’t know about winning. Opting out isn’t a victory - it’s often a last resort. If public schools are struggling, that’s something to fix, not celebrate.
@Starbored3@adamboxer1 Which raises the real question: who is the feedback actually for—Ofsted, Estyn, the school, or the pupil? An evidence culture is slowly killing teacher autonomy and the natural rhythm of learning.
@Homeschool_LLC So it’s not a fool’s errand at all. I’ve supported - and seen - many (thousands) mixed-ability learners go on to successful careers. This feels less like a genuine point and more like bait to drive engagement.
New post: Are book looks a waste of time?
For some, they are a meaningless scourge. For others, they are a vital accountability lever that provides insight into the lived curriculum.
Read on for more, and please share if you can!
Link in reply
@UnofficialOA Very amusing - and very true. You also forgot the constant demand for water. Honestly, how did we ever survive back in the day? People don’t realise any of this until they’re standing in front of a class of 32.
@Homeschool_LLC I’ve taught for 22+ years, lead SEND, work with external agencies, and hold an MA in Ed Psych. This is about child development—which is why turning kids into culture-war shock absorbers isn’t resilience, it’s adult projection.
This isn’t a SEND issue, it’s a leadership one. When boundaries aren’t enforced, students learn exactly where the line isn’t. It undermines staff, erodes trust, and teaches kids that systems are optional if you push hard enough. How is that preparing anyone for real life?
I have a student in my behavior class who calls his assistant principal his “bro” because he knows the AP won’t assign real discipline consequences. One day, this student verbally assaulted a paraprofessional, then laughed and said, “What are you gonna do? [AP’s name] won’t do anything to me.”
He is right. SPED students get 10 days out of placement (suspension, ISS, DAEP) before an MDR. In an MDR, if the behavior is linked to their disability, the student cannot receive consequences.
This student is labeled “emotionally disturbed.” Even though verbal assault violates the Code of Conduct, it is linked to his disability, so no consequences are assigned. The student knows this and uses it as a free pass to do as he pleases.
@TolentinoTeach Unpopular add-on: “chunked” lessons are an arbitrary rule. If you don’t know the learner, you can’t dictate pacing. Bell-to-bell often creates distracted busyness—deep focus, then movement, works better.
@SoLInTheWild@MFLEvans Another truth: many “high-engagement” lessons are performative—designed for observers, not learners. They look impressive but aren’t sustainable. Simple, explicit lessons look dull from the back of the room, yet they’re often the ones students learn most from.
@StevenBartlett That plateau isn’t death, it’s a pause.
You don’t have to jump off the cliff — you can build a path down using everything you already know.
Expertise isn’t wasted when you begin again. It’s the handrail.
@TolentinoTeach Classroom management matters, of course—but it isn’t the foundation. Relationships, curriculum design, leadership, SEND support, and school culture all shape behaviour. Reducing teaching to “control the room” ignores how complex learning actually is.
On Loose Women today they were talking about teachers having a bit more flexibility despite the holidays. We’re living in a world where more and more jobs are hybrid, flexible and built around real life. Teaching is one of the few professions that hasn’t moved with the times.