Chris Curtis

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Agree. Think it would make a great series of films

Book cover

Screen shop of pages

Ready to Teach - The Merchant of Venice is shaping up nicely. 100,000 words and rising. @spryke2.bsky.social @hlearningpd.bsky.social

Nine months of change What happened when I left my job with no plan and found myself instead

Nine months ago I quit my job with no plan. I hit 108kg, felt broken, and could barely shuffle through Couch to 5k. Today I weigh 90kg, run parkrun in 26 mins, have a book coming out, two novels drafted, and a half marathon ahead. Rock bottom was the launchpad.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...

Book cover - Rebel Fire

Today’s reading

Turkish Delight

White Witch

Which character from literature resembles you the most? I’d have to do say Edmund from the Chronicles of Narnia? Happily betray from sibling for some Turkish delight.

Read most of them but this is the one that sticks the most. Some of the imagery

It is my personal favourite.

I’ve nothing against the subjects doing well and I understand the power of earnings prospects in A Level choices, but this graph saddens me and it feels like we have a job to do as schools to communicate the value of the subjects in blue and as a society to learn it. www.bbc.com/news/article...

I created a Starter pack on SEND in England.

It's for professionals and families
go.bsky.app/RUAW7ML

If you'd like adding, give us a wave in the replies.

Lads the HONK I just honked

Plus Pike’s hair. I’m tempted to ask for that cut in a barbers

I agree that the Spook romance plot grates a bit but I think the character interplay is great. Discovery was a bit too dour and SNW has an element of fun about it.

Trying to work out if you are Vulcan or Cyberman! Loved Lower Decks too but because revelled in Easter eggs. Had to watch a Trek Culture YouTube episode after each one.

Scary and bizarre

If you would like your pupils to come back to school to a letter from an author about the joys and benefits of reading for pleasure, just email or DM me.

Year 9 recommended reading list for teens aged 13-14 Books for Year 9 - a selection of exciting titles including easy reads and more challenging novels suitable for KS3 pupils aged 13-14.

Suggested reading books for children aged 13-14 in Year 9 in KS3 including texts by Patrick Ness, Gary Paulsen, Mary Shelley and Harper Lee schoolreadinglist.co.uk/reading-list... #ukedchat #kidlit

The Routledge Companion to Literature and Cognitive Studies The Routledge Companion to Literature and Cognitive Studies offers a comprehensive survey of cognitive approaches to literature, introducing the influential theoretical tools and latest developments i...

My chapter with @chloeharrison.bsky.social on Cognitive Grammar in literary analysis has now been published in this wonderful collection edited by Jan Alber and Ralf Schneider. An honour to be part of such a stellar line-up of authors. www.routledge.com/The-Routledg...

a close up of a dragon with its mouth open and its tongue sticking out Alt: a close up of a dragon with its mouth open and its tongue sticking out

Dragon every time

Taken from contributions from nationwide colleagues sharing their thoughts from long careers. Didn't quite get to 1000 years of experience, but have been revisiting their contributions.

chrischiversthinks.weebly.com/blog-thinkin...

O do not ask if I am beach body ready O do not ask if I am beach body ready.   Observe how the folds of my stomach ripple like the wind-pulled waves.   Rub your hands over these pale buttocks, sand-smoothed by time.   Note my milk-white limbs like washed up whalebones, stranded and useless.   Consider these tufts of hair on my back and shoulders sprouting wildly like sea-grass.   And listen to the lapping of my socks at the shores of my sandals.   And still you ask me if I am beach body ready?   Brian Bilston

I’ve been in training all year - and I’m glad to now finally declare myself beach body ready.

I highly recommend English teachers follow this account. I read their magazine Silly Linguistics and thoroughly enjoy it.

It's the summer holidays, which means I have a copy of Primary Reading Simplified to give away.

Simply **repost** this post for your chance to win.

I will pick a winner on Sunday 17th August.

Good luck!

The Complete Guide to Pastoral Leadership: A compendium of essential knowledge, research and experience for all pastoral leaders in schools This isn’t your average book about pastoral care – it is a no-nonsense exploration of the knowledge base that excellent pastoral practitioners, be they aspiring, new, or experienced, need to excel in ...

Taking on a new pastoral role this September?

Wanting to move towards a pastoral role this year in your career development?

This little book might just help you out 👇🏻

amzn.to/40SjV9q

Who’s Voice Matters? I can recall one of the most frustrating things when working in schools was the moment when I felt my voice didn’t matter.

***New Post***

greeborunner.substack.com/p/whos-voice...

🎉 Steplab Summer Reads #4

Win a copy of "Developing Expert Teaching" by Peps Mccrea—plus a Steplab bundle (mug, pen & notepad)!

Peps is Steplab’s Director of Education & author of the "High Impact Teaching" series.

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🏆 Winner announced Friday!

The Most Common Reason Why Children Don’t Become Fluent Readers… And What We Can Do About It There are myriad reasons why a child might struggle to become a fluent reader: they might have extreme difficulties in learning to decode words relating to phonological issues, working memory or ot…

**New blog** - It's been a while so reposts hugely appreciated.

primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...

Oh blimey, I've caved and started a S*bstack! You can find my first post in the link below ⬇️

On the importance of teacher voices: Ultreia