Success Diary

@IRIS_Connect keep a Success Diary to focus on the positives. These are priceless to me. #ukedchat #nqtchat pic.twitter.com/G3e5ZL7UrT
— Kelly McDonagh (@MissKMcD) January 29, 2015

I saw this tweet and thought - brilliant! It was intended for NQTs, but I'm inspired. I'm definitely going to do this.

Finding a passion for the subject

The best teachers I know are the ones still obsessed with their subject. For students that can be infectious.
— Carl Hendrick (@C_Hendrick) January 26, 2015

I came across this tweet recently. It's one I completely agree with. I don't know the context of the statement and maybe it's directed at secondary teachers.

But how could it relate to primary teachers? How can they show a passion for all of the subjects which they teach?

"Our very best teachers are those who have a real passion and enthusiasm for the

subject they teach. They are also deeply committed to the learning of their students

and use their enthusiasm for their subject to motivate them, to bring their subject

alive and make learning an exciting, vivid and enjoyable experience." Subject Specialism Consultatation, DfES, 2003 http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/9045/1/222_2.pdf

It's not easy, but it comes down to acquiring subject knowledge and using it to engage with pupils. You'll need to develop great subject knowledge. There is no excuse for poor subject knowledge. You'd be found out, not only by anyone observing you, but, more importantly, by the children. If you've got to teach it then you've got to make sure you know your stuff.

This is a great book for acquiring maths subject knowledge.

Use Twitter, Facebook and the internet in general to find ideas that inspire you. I know a lot of teachers use published schemes and sites like Hamilton Trust and that's fine; I'm not knocking them at all. But you've got to be inspired in order to inspire the children. Find the most engaging way to ensure the children learn. This means you may have to pick and choose from the schemes. It means that you might have to adapt resources. But if you aren't gripped by it then how can you expect the children to be.

Use technology - how can it enhance your lesson to make it more involving? How can it make the learning stick?

Work with your subject leader. What might they recommend?

Organise a educational visit. These don't half inspire the children and make the learning memorable. Would it inspire and excite you?

Find the passion for teaching the subject and you might just ignite the passion for learning in the children.

Baby George

Our baby George is now seven days old. He's gorgeous. His older sister loves him to pieces and his mummy and daddy love him very much.

But I can't tell you what a shock to the system it is having a baby in the house again! It's hard work. I'll be returning to work later this week - it's going to be a challenge but one I'm looking forward to!

'Customer' Experience

I recently read 'The Unforgettable Customer Experience' by Richard Kimber.



This is quite obviously a business book (I really enjoy reading books about business for some reason). But there are lots of parallels between the customer experience for businesses and the customer experience for users of schools.

Customer experience needs to be: "Not just good, but great. Memorable, and definitely not forgettable'. This relates to teaching. The challenge for teachers is to make learning memorable and definitely not forgettable.

The book suggests that businesses should have a strategy for customer experience - this is different to a business plan, but similar in principle.

"Building a great customer experience is no different to building a great business. To be able to create and deliver this, you first need to:

• Create your customer experience vision

• Plan how you'll deliver it

• Map the customer journey

• Measure the outcome and use the feedback to improve."

I wonder how many schools have a vision for the experience of parents?

The six steps to designing and creating great customer experiences are:

1. Plan it
2. Map it
3. Mend it
4. Measure it
5. Anticipate it
6. Manage it

Sounds similar to a school improvement plan. I think that adding customer experience to a school improvement plan seems like a good idea.

IMAGE: http://www.britebill.com/blog/thoughts-on-the-customer-experience-management-in-telecoms-global-summit/

Review of 2014 and Thinking Forward to 2015

It's that time of year again when we look back and look forwards.

Review of 2014:
I didn't feel like I achieved much in 2014. But when I started to think about what has gone on, actually I've probably achieved a lot. 

• Watching Lily become a real little lady. She loves going to Nursery for a couple of days a week and her development is a joy to watch. She'll be ready for school in September.
• Finding out that Lisa and I are having another baby. It was incredible news (especially after our sad news in 2012).
• A holiday in Somerset was great because it was a holiday, but rubbish because it was at Pontins. We had a brilliant time!
• We went on holiday with mum and dad to Beaumaris. Our whole family came up for the day too. We had a really amazing break.
• We went to see Jack Whitehall in March. He was quality!
• Unfortunately my goals for 2014 were not even close to being achieved. Life got in the way. Never mind - let's move on.
• I managed to get lots of things sorted in our garden. Lots more to do, but I've made a start.
• I moved my office in the house and decorated the nursery. It was hard work - I wish I was better at DIY.
• The death of my uncle right at the end of the year was really sad. I hope my dad will be ok in the first few weeks of the new year as he comes to terms with it.
• My brother got married in December. It was a beautiful wedding. The stag do in August was a brilliant weekend in Newcastle.
• It was fantastic to see one of my other brothers finally find a girlfriend who loves him for who he is. He deserves it.
• Organising fundraising events through the church PCC was a real pleasure.
• Lots of fun nights out with friends.
• Continuing to build a few websites this year. They seem to be growing in popularity.
• Completing my NPQH was a relief. It was very demanding and I felt that it kept me away from my 'real job'. But I'm very pleased that I have finished.
• Finishing second in an interview for my first headship in May was disappointing but fair. I have put looking for jobs on hold until after baby arrives and my wife feels ready for me to put my energy into it.
• Enjoying a great year teaching Year Five was wonderful. I had amazing colleagues.
• Appointing four fantastic NQTs and watching them develop has been a pleasure.
• Teaching a more able Year Six Maths group was a real pleasure and I was very happy with their success.
• Becoming a non-teaching Deputy Head in September has given me the time to focus on whole school developments which I love.

My Goals for 2015:

• Be a great dad to our new little boy, due Jan 15th 2015.
• Be a great dad to our little girl and make sure she doesn't feel left out. I can't wait for her to start school in September and begin another adventure.
• Find my first headteacher's position. I need to move on from my school - I love it, but I need a challenge. I feel ready to become a headteacher. I hope the right job finds me.
• Blog more and become more reflective. I've hardly blogged at all. I guess I haven't had the time, but I want to make time in 2015.
• Use Twitter more productively. I feel like I've lost touch with it. I want to take part in things like #sltchat.
• Look after my dad more.
• Complete a 365 photo project.
• Keep a diary each day.
• Manage my time more effectively - this will be on my list of goals every year.
• Keep the house tidier - this will be a challenge with a baby in the house!
• Continue to find ways to save money.
• Run 100 miles - I managed to achieve 0 miles in 2014.
• Swim 100 miles.
• Give more thoughtful presents.
• Go out with my friends at least once a month.
• Continue to help with the church PCC.
• Begin to write a book - I have a couple of ideas, but I need the time to do it.
• Sort out my garage and loft.
• Finish sorting my garden.
• Get my office straight again.
• Read lots - with my new Kindle.

Tunes of 2014

This has been a great year for dance music. Therefore, most of my favourites of the year are dance.

In no particular order my favourite tunes are:

1. Gorgon City featuring Jennifer Hudson - Go All Night
2. Kiesza - Hideaway
3. George Ezra - Budapest
4. Take That - These Days
5. Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
6. Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
7. Idina Menzel - Let It Go
8. Rixton - Me And My Broken Heart
9. Sia - Chandelier
10. Faul & Wad Ad & Pnau - Changes
11. Sam Smith - Stay With Me
12. Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong
13. ZHU - Faded
14. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass
15. Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang
16. Jimi Jules & Oliver $ - Pushing On
17. Sigma & Paloma Faith - Changing
18. The Script - Superheroes
19. Sam Smith - I'm Not The Only One
20. Angel Haze & Sia - Battle Cry
21. Robin Schulz & Lilly Wood - Prayer In C
22. Vance Joy - Riptide
23. Ed Sheeran - Sing
24. Ella Henderson - Ghost
25. Oliver Heldens & Becky Hill - Gecko (Overdrive)
26. Charli XCX - Boom Clap (Cahill Remix)
27. Clean Bandit - Rather Be
28. Sam Smith - Money On My Mind
29. Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down
30. SecondCity - I Wanna Feel
31. John Legend - All Of Me
32. Pharrell Williams - Happy
33. Mr. Probz - Waves (Robin Schulz Remix)
34. Route 94 & Jess Glynne - My Love
35. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars
36. Pitbull & Ke$ha - Timber
37. Paloma Faith - Can'r Rely On You (MK Remix)
38. Tiesto - Red Light
39. Sigma - Nobody To Love
40. Zedd & Matthew Koma & Miriam Bryant - Find You

My Top Ten

Kiesza - Hideaway

What a way to debut! A brilliantly catchy tune.

Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

The complete pop smash hit!

Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

A perfect love song.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang

Brilliant pop.

Sigma & Paloma Faith - Changing

Love this dance tune,

Ella Henderson - Ghost

A great song and some great remixes.

John Legend - All Of Me

Another perfect love song.

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Although it was released last year, Happy has continued to dominate this year.

Sigma - Nobody To Love

The best dance track of the year.

The Script - Superheroes

A great song,

A clip of Steve Jobs talking about how companies with a monopoly can fail has surfaced. 

It's a great clip. He used Xerox as an example of how a technology company with a monopoly fails when sales and marketing people are in charge, instead of product people. 
 ‘And the product people get driven out of decision making forums. And the companies forget what it means to make great products. It’s the product sensibility and the product genius that brought them to that monopolistic position. And it gets rotted out by people running these companies who have no conception of a good product versus a bad product. They have no conception of the craftsmanship that’s required to take a good idea and turn it in to a good product. And they really have no feeling in their hearts usually about wanting to really help the customers.’ 

This really applies to education. When the sales and marketing people (SLT) begin to care only about targets and Ofsted, they lose track at what makes a school really successful - the product people (the teachers). Lose the innovation and you lose the children. 

 Let teachers teach.

A big year ahead

This school year marks a crucial school year for me. It is the year when so much will happen for me personally and the year that I want to shape my leadership style for the future.

The previous school year was an extremely busy time for me. This was mainly because I was working hard to complete my NPQH. It involved a lot of time out of school and a lot of time working on it at home. The relief when an email arrived in August to say that I'd passed was enormous. The course inspired me to apply for a couple of headteacher positions. I feel ready for the next step. There was one in particular that I really wanted. I was very pleased but also disappointed to finish second in the interview. Around about the time of my interview we found out that we were expecting another baby, due in January. This made me question my career plans for the next year and I am putting applying for other jobs on hold until after the baby arrives. All around the same time, several staffing changes at school have created an opportunity to become a non-teaching deputy head in my current school in the next year.

All of these circumstances make for an exciting year ahead:

• Although I am not based with a class I will still be teaching. I am teaching a couple of high ability maths class (challenging for Level 6s). This is one of my passions! Also I will be teaching Year Six for a couple of afternoons, teaching Computing and PE. These subjects are lessons I love and I can't wait to get into this. I believe that a senior leader must continue to do some teaching and I want to make sure I do this well.
• My headteacher has asked my to do a lot of observing and scrutinising planning and books this year. Although I don't necessarily agree that these should be massive priorities (another story) I am working to the head's vision for brilliant teaching throughout the school. I want my monitoring role to be supportive, nurturing and fair. I will make sure the NQTs have an inspiring start to their teaching careers.
• A massive reduced marking schedule means that I can concentrate on aspects of my leadership which I believe will make a real difference. It also means that I can find time to do a few things that I haven't had time to do over the last year - such as blogging!

Are you ready to become a headteacher?

I stumbled upon this tonight. With the subject of possibly becoming a headteacher very much at the front of my thoughts this week, this video highlights some important points for my to think about.

Are you ready to become a headteacher?

Lazy Teaching

No, this isn't an admission that I've become complacent in the classroom!

I recently read The Lazy Teacher's Handbook: How your students learn more when you teach less (Independent Thinking Series) by Jim Smith. I enjoyed the book a lot. I found it refreshing in the way it encouraged teachers to take risks and try something new. But I love the way it wants us to shift the work rate within the lessons on to the children - over the course of the lesson the children should be working hardest.

The big challenge for teachers taking on board the Lazy Way is often dragging themselves away from the safety net that is the scheme of work.

Here are some great ideas from the book:

• Like airlines - record any set routines on video. Display messages that you need to give.
• Use audio and video for teaching.
• "Too many teachers are paraphrasing children's answers then adding in anecdotal by-line for good measure meaning the majority of the students disengage with a crucial part of the learning. Why the vast majority of teachers feel compelled to repeat and add something to every response they receive is beyond me. You have a whole class of students who should be asked to comment on what has been said."
• "Send one member of the group (to be known as the 'envoy') to visit another group. The envoy is there with two missions: 1 to listen to the group's ideas so he can report back to his own group and 2 to share his own group's ideas with his hosts. This is a very lazy way of making sure everyone remains engaged with the task and hears other viewpoints."

• Use this formula to outline how much time the group has using the following formula: People x Time - Number of hours worked. If you have a group of four students working for a sixty minute lesson, this equates to four hours of time. Ask the students what they would expect an individual to produce in four hours. Use the formula to set the expectation for the group.
• Allocate specific roles to members of the group, e.g. facilitator (keeps things moving and records what is happening), time keeper, resource manager, quality checker and team rep (represents the team at 'emergency meetings'.
• Never use silent work as a punishment as it is a valuable way of working, not a consequence of poor behaviour.
• Establish how long you are going to be silent for and make it clear to your class that you do want that amount of time spent in silence and will reset the clock of people talk.
• Model working in the silent time as well.
• Have a whiteboard where questions can be posted by the students. When someone posts a question only ever tell that person the answer and write the name of the person you have told under the question on the FAQs board. Anyone else in the class who wants to know the answer to that same question can talk to their classmate rather than you.
• The 'feel good Friday' phone call: choose three students whose parents/carers you are going to ring to say just how well their children are doing.
• The high jump: Introduce the high jump approach to maths - children start the challenge just before you think it is going to get too difficult for them. There is no point in students completing work that has proved nothing, other than the fact that it is too easy or too hard.
• Have a Connect 4 Championship!