Connect
To limit a report only to the academic is to define a child by one very small facet of their complex selves
No two students experience school the same way. A heightened awareness of that increases our chances of spotting who needs us most
There is a lesson that will never feature formally on a school timetable but which we could all benefit from devoting more time to
Students are missing out by having teachers who choose to bring less to the table than they could if they felt more motivated
All youngsters can benefit from an adult who observes their needs closely and attentively
The craic may have been good for best part of two years, but there is now a realisation that a high price is to be paid for taking such a route
The Secret Teacher: Parents need to trust that teachers will do right by their children. It is a big ask, but a necessary one
We should safeguard the classroom so it remains a haven of genuine human contact
The approach is simple, but it sits in our blind spot for one specific reason: we have been conditioned to prioritise relationships above all else
We cannot possibly protect young people from what we do not even know about
Many of our students suffer emotional storms on a regular basis and still show up to school
Many of those I teach are addicts, and rationalising with addicts about what they are addicted to is pointless
We know how we want our lessons to play out, but there’s faint hope of it happening with so many diverse recipients
Faced with pupil panic and parental pressure, miracles no educator has ever been able to perform will be expected during the points race
Making sacrifices consistently to reach a significant goal requires commitment. It is the marker of those who truly reach their potential