Monday, 15 April 2013

Just out - Safeguarding Today - your weekly round up of child protection and safeguarding news, views and issues.



Click here for Safeguarding Today

Friday, 12 April 2013

The calm before the storm

Well here it is, Friday again - but not just any Friday.  Today is the last day of the Easter school holidays and the last day of relative peace and quiet before schools return next week.

From 7am in the morning the calls to our companies from panic stricken schools for last minute supply teachers will begin, it will be business as usual.

Spare a thought for the day to day supply teachers who will be thrust into strange schools, with strange pupils and sometimes even stranger staff and be expected to perform like the top grade teachers they are.  For these amazing people every day is the first day of school and armed only with steely resolve, quick wits, a mind full of lesson plans and the ability to think on their feet they will do their best to educate children up and down the country.

They will face unruly classes, the scrutiny of head teachers and the judgement of the Ofsted Inspector at a moments notice.  They will deliver lessons, entertain, engage, manage, assess, report on and build a rapport with a class full of students they have never before met in the space of the lesson they spend with them.  At the end of they day they will try and remember their way back to reception, hand in their visitors badge and their paperwork for the day and wend their weary way home.  Then in true groundhog day fashion they will do it all again tomorrow - just in a different school, with different pupils and different staff and different ......

Hats off to that special breed of person - the supply teacher!!



Friday's edition of Teaching Today out now

Teaching Today Link

Jeremy Newton looks at how music can help children with SEN to engage with mainstream learning

Link to SEN Magazine Music of Note Article


Music of note
Created on Friday, 12 April 2013 09:06
Jeremy Newton looks at how music can help children with SEN to engage with mainstream learning

Children with SEN often find the classroom to be a tough and uncomfortable environment. Many struggle with concentration, while others find it difficult to write or express themselves. These challenges inevitably affect their engagement with, and understanding of, mainstream learning. As a result, teachers are looking beyond traditional methods to help these children to engage within the classroom. One significant discovery has been the extremely positive results music can have on children’s learning capabilities. By using music, pupils are taught new skills they can utilise throughout the curriculum, and it can also enhance their communication abilities, language, focus, independence and confidence

Use the link above to view the full article in SEN Magazine

Thursday, 11 April 2013

Thinking Differently - Ignoring Challenging Behaviour




My free quick training guide for teachers and classroom assistants on when and why you sometimes need to ignore challenging behaviour in the classroom.
Link to Thinking Differently

Just out Thursdays edition of Teaching Today




Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Teaching Today out now

http://paper.li/training_ash/1365429485

My daily round up of education news, teachers resources, classroom management and outstanding teacher tips.

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Sunderland Supply Desk Training Day


I had a fantastic day at our Supply Desk branch in Sunderland delivering Challenging Behaviour training to a group of thirty teachers and classroom assistants. We covered a range of causes including condition specific challenging behaviour and then looked at classroom management techniques that would or would not work with them. The input from the group was amazing and there was a high level of peer learning going on. It was also a good chance for our supply staff to mingle and socialise as they do not get together often. The day left me really energised, groups like this make the effort that goes into training days worthwhile.