Mrs D

Left full time teaching after over 30 years, now tutoring individuals and enjoying supply work across age groups. Definitely still learning!

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@sesamestreet Belonging 💜

[Mike Scott @MickPuck]

Thanks everyone for retweeting me Joanne's account of the window cleaner singing Whole Of The Moon. I am touched this song is finally getting its rightful recognition as a window cleaning anthem by virtue of the line "YOU CLIMBED ON THE LADDER". 😀🎯🪜🪟

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSmissgrant @MSPSCardiff What a rock (climbing) star!!!! 🌟

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSmissgrant - loving all those huge smiles!!!! 🌟

[Foundation 4 Sports @F4SportsCIC]

An absolute pleasure to come to our @MSPSCardiff YEAR 4 class to be the guest dragons investing in the Bees Projects 💙

Thanks you to our very own Mr Rahman and the lovely Miss Grant for your excellently hospitality. Such great caring teachers 🙌🏽

#F4SC #CommunitySchool 📚

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@shadylady222 The children 🌟

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

🖊️ TESTIMONIAL TUESDAY 🖊️

We need to ensure we get rid of all gaps in #learning before they grow.

Winning With Numbers is a structured, systematic curriculum that allows you to do just that.

Winning With Numbers…it’s like phonics for maths!

https://t.co/rB683lYjkC

#edtech

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSMrsAziz Huge congratulations!!! 🎉

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@ElliottBlackwe3 Loved lines from almost every poem in this book! We learned to recite poems for our neighbours at Halloween. At 5 yrs old I dressed as “The Flower-Seller” by Eleanor Farjeon because it was was one of my favourites. I am now fully qualified to represent the first line 🤣

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

Make Better Choices (with @_MissingTheMark)
It’s a common feature of the primary school classroom. The behaviour chart on the wall, with children’s names on pegs. Children are moved from the sun to the clouds, or from green to red if their behaviour isn’t what is required by their teacher. The language usually goes from celebratory ‘Star Student!’ to condemnatory ‘Poor Choices’ or ‘No Playtime’.

It's in public. The whole class can see who is doing well and who is struggling. The internet is full of versions of these charts to buy, and the advertising copy is all perky positivity. ‘Keep Your Students on Track!’ or ‘Help Your Class Make Good Choices!’. They look so cheerful in their bright colours, so harmless. Who could object? And they work! Children want to stay on the green zone because it feels so bad when they are moved.

Until you talk to the parent of a child who struggles. They’ll tell you about the way in which everyone in their class knows who is on the raincloud, and that no matter how hard their child tries, they just can’t keep still all day. They’ll tell you how their child is known as the ‘bad’ one, and the other children don’t want to play with them. They’ll tell you of developmentally inappropriate expectations, and of the way in which these charts put all the blame on the children.

They’ll tell you of the way in which the chart takes no account of the way that their child is dealing with friendship difficulties and family illness, and instead frame their actions as a ‘poor choice’. The behaviour charts stop us asking whether perhaps the way in which we require children to sit and listen at school isn’t a natural way for young humans to learn. They stop us seeing their behaviour as communication or feedback. It’s reduced to something to control.

These charts use public shaming to foster compliance. They use fear and anxiety – even the children who are always on the Sun lie awake at night, scared that one day they will fall from grace, and everyone will know. That’s how they work. Children ‘behave’ because they are scared of the consequences if they don’t.

It’s Children’s Mental Health week. Perhaps as a psychologist you might expect me to be using it to call for better funding for CAMHS, for a counsellor in every school. Perhaps you think I might be calling for more therapists to be trained and more wellbeing hubs. Instead, I’m calling for a mass take down of behaviour charts.

Psychologists will never have the same impact on mental health as changing the way we treat our children. We could have a psychologist on every street corner, but their job is to intervene when things have gone wrong. Far more efficient is to change the environment which is making children distressed. Think of it like lung cancer. We could have the best oncologists in the world, but all they can do is treat people who are already ill. To reduce levels of lung cancer, we needed a smoking ban.

We’re using shame and anxiety to control children’s behaviour, thinly disguised in bright colours and ‘Ready to Learn!’. It should be no surprise that many of them are unhappy and anxious. In fact, perhaps we should be more surprised if they weren’t. It’s in the very air that they breathe and we, the adults, are putting it there.

They’re breathing it in like smoke.

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

2023 has been a #winning year for Winning With Numbers!

So much to reflect on & be thankful for!

Our mission is work with schools to improve life chances & we have loved doing exactly that in 2023!

Here’s to a WINNING 2024 & seeing an even greater impact!

#HappyNewYear2024

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MissCogbill look how cute this little learner was all those years ago 💜 Found my old style photo book #LearningLogs So glad your love of teaching grew! #teacher

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSCardiff

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSMrsAziz- what’s YOUR mantra? We were using @LEGO_Education resources to set positive goals, to self-regulate and to explore our feelings and share ideas on overcoming difficulties. Learners loved choosing minifigures from a diverse range @DARPLwales #Wellbeing

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSMrsAziz- what’s YOUR mantra? We were using @LEGO_Education resources to set positive goals, to self-regulate and to explore our feelings and share ideas on overcoming difficulties. Learners loved choosing minifigures from a diverse range @DARPLwales #Wellbeing

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@MSPSMrsAziz @___MissJ___

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

FREE WWN Resources!

Access the many free addition fact resources known as You Vs You by getting in touch via https://t.co/S3uQBPr0kk

Resources include daily videos to be used in class, question and answer sheets, certificates and #teacher guidance.

#addition #additionfacts

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

FREE WWN Resources!

To access our free Addition Fact You Vs You resources get in touch using the contact form below & we will send directly to you.

It includes a teacher guide, videos, questions, answers and certificates.

https://t.co/S3uQBPr0kk

#additionfacts #numberfluency

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

We are on it @UKLabour @bphillipsonMP

Winning With Numbers…it’s like phonics for maths!

A curriculum and learning platform created by maths specialist @_Ben_Harding_ and launched in schools and homes.

We would love a conversation! https://t.co/rB683lYjkC

#phonicsformaths

[Cadoxton Primary @CadoxtonPS]

CHRISTMAS SWAP SHOP on Thursday 5th October 1:30 - 3:15 at Victoria Park Community Centre.
Please bring your pre-loved Christmas clothing and swap to find a new treasure!
By reusing things we cut down on the amount of waste that goes into landfill.

[Winning With Numbers @_WWNumbers]

Winning With Numbers in a #number programme that improves fluency and confidence.

Join our webinar to find out about the WWN #curriculum and learning platform and how we can help implement in your #school

Register here https://t.co/78Dw0MLKTQ

[Mrs D @MrsD_lighted]

@louispjohnson90 Enjoy every minute! 🥳