Mrs B

Matchsticks for area and perimeter are a total game changer. Make the concepts for the first steps at primary so clear.

Cuisenaire because they are so versatile but that also allows you to exploit the connections.

Dienes as they establish a secure base for place value.

Primary: Cuisenaire; matchsticks; Dienes.

Mr Gum series for sure. Has some illustrations sure... but not needed...the story does enough magic!

1. Women who have children in leadership positions. Particularly young children.
2. Maternity pay.
3. Needing to be part-time to have any work/life balance to be a parent...thus a pay penalty...and pension penalty.

Small baby days are just the best. So much cuddling. I'd do them again in a heartbeat!

It definitely takes some getting used to. Having total separation isn't for all...I kept quite in touch with school over my mat leave as I preferred it that way! But other people love the total separation.

Having books to hand is also good....The Nurture Revolution is a great new baby read.

Totally the best...I so miss the days of being sofa trapped with a baby!

Just posted new blog on Bluesky and not (yet) on Twitter. Be interesting to see engagement. Will I fold and put it on Twitter too? Please help me avoid the temptation by reposting here!

primarytimery.com/2024/08/25/o...

He is a sweet heart!

We have a Badger too....

Here is mine.....

We are at the same point with my 6 year old. He's just getting into books...it is a lot of fun.

Our 3 year old is just getting into books...a very different personality! We've always read to him but the personal enjoyment of it has only just started.

I've always used it when I've had a lks2 class...as it just creates so many readers...and has never failed. This year we watched 'bag of sticks' as an end of day treat every day for a whole half term. If you know....you know!

Make sure you check out the website...after you've started reading it...as there are some real gems there to bring it even more to life. Particularly being able to watch 'bag of sticks'.

The author is also amazing life.. think children's stand up level.

www.mrgum.co.uk

Mr Gum! That's a series I find gets any kid hooked on books...and is a great beginning chapter book.

How to do disciplinary literacy? How pupils read, write, talk, and the vocabulary they use in every classroom is specialist and unique. There are general words and literacy strategies to deploy, but as pupils move up through school, ...

‘How to do disciplinary literacy?’

“Done well, and done collaboratively, disciplinary literacy can offer pupils a set of tools to crack open the curriculum.”

alexquigley.co.uk/what-is-disc...

I'm maths lead at our school and we are working with our hub on the Mixed Age materials that are in the pipeline. It's been really interesting and useful!

Love where I live. A night of morris dancing...with several groups from America here for tonight!

My query comes from the dip in the 30s period being not very surprising. Lots of women go part-time then or even leave for a bit for child care. But...unless I'm misunderstanding...it might be that there are nearly the same number of individuals, just that they work less so count for a smaller part.

Can I ask a question....this data is only about full time teachers. Does the dip exist as much as it suggests....if you included part time teachers would it look different?

I've done 17 years....in the same school...the one i joined as an NQT....if that helps!

My head has been at our school more than 20 years....

We work at an amazing small school!

Looks amazing! Love the blue/pink combo!

Watching Bluey with 2 freshly bathed boys...deffo on rest time now!

And off to London tomorrow to catch up with the girls I trained to teach with! Can't wait!

This was attempt 3....2 fails this week....but made it today! Had managed 2 lessons in total on the last two attempts! I only have 1 working day left before we go back....so....it was clearly getting to crunch time! Lol!

A Model for Great Teaching.

The fantastic evidence review from @evidencebasededu.bsky.social is really helpful for professional learning, development, dialogue & thinking about the key dimensions & elements of teaching & learning.

Find out more here evidencebased.education/great-teachi...

Actually had a productive day! Got science, history, computing sorted for the half term...well...ready to tweak each week. Got reading sorted for first 2 weeks. Homework letter mostly done. 1 RE lesson done and the MTP sorted.

So...was a pretty good day all in all!

Miracles happen 😂

Lol....to be fair....I'm not doing too badly. I think I've created pressure to be productive thus feel successful by putting this post up! So had the opposite effect thus far! Have finished all my science lessons and am 2 lessons from having my history done....it's going ok so far!

That's a turtle eclipse of the heart happening right there!

Probably mostly that I'm trying really hard to do lesson planning today...thus was desperately trying not to find it interesting for fear I'd end up not planning lessons and starting a book I didn't need to read! I had a biased mindset from the off!

Don't get many child free days to lesson plan!

Me too...I downloaded the sample! But it wasn't selling itself to me....as a read....will be interested to see if it's worth persevering with...