Richard Elam's Avatar

Richard Elam

@verandathought.bsky.social

Part-time Deputy Head in one northern primary school. Safeguarding Governor in another. Thursdays are just for me and my little one. That guy who used to work in Seychelles. Starting a 24th year working in schools - TA, teacher, SLT, Deputy, Governor...

654 Followers  |  423 Following  |  245 Posts  |  Joined: 24.08.2024  |  1.9349

Latest posts by verandathought.bsky.social on Bluesky

I remember House Points for quality work when in KS2 and being absolutely determined that my house was going to win.

I think I was motivated more by the competition than the reward itself.

11.11.2025 22:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Sometimes @teachertapp.bsky.social makes me feel like the odd one out...

11.11.2025 17:09 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Some days I think going part time was the best work decision I ever had.

Other days, I know it was.

06.11.2025 20:24 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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a dog is sticking its head out of a dog door on a door mat . ALT: a dog is sticking its head out of a dog door on a door mat .

Led an assembly on ID this week and I thought I'd begin by showing all the various ID I carry in my wallet.

Bank card... Driving licence... Donor card... Library card... Gym card...

β€œGym!?" pipes up one 5 year old, β€œYou go to a gym?”

25.10.2025 07:19 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm still in a whirl from trying, unsuccessfully, to explain what it meant to "rewind" something. πŸ˜‚

22.10.2025 18:50 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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a man sitting on a couch says we are so old while drinking from a mug ALT: a man sitting on a couch says we are so old while drinking from a mug

Took a Y5 class to the National Media Museum today...

πŸ‘¦πŸΌ Sir, sir, sir. What's that weird thing in this display? It's well shiny. What is it?

πŸ‘¨πŸΌβ€πŸ« That, young man, is... a compact disc.

22.10.2025 16:42 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Calculated Pacing: An Interview With Sarah Webster on Her 24-Hour World Record An interview with Sarah Webster after her 24-hour world record, set at the 2025 IAU 24-Hour World Championships in Albi, France.

@mr-n-wood.bsky.social How's the training going?

You ready for a *checks the article* couch to 278km yet? 😱

www.irunfar.com/sarah-webste...

21.10.2025 21:34 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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"Daddy!! I do your work!"

Sure mate, after staring at the screen all day, you'll probably do a better job answering these NPQ questions anyway.

14.09.2025 17:45 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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a cartoon character standing in the middle of a forest with trees in the background ALT: a cartoon character standing in the middle of a forest with trees in the background

I used to be quite an ordinary chap, who had a quite ordinary brain;

But now with a toddler, endlessly I'm forced, to read Zog again and again...

13.09.2025 13:10 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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a dog and a stick are standing next to each other on a grassy field . ALT: a dog and a stick are standing next to each other on a grassy field .

My mind works in rhyme, the whole utter time, it really is unfortunate luck;

Desperate, I implore, these books I adore, but Gruffalo please, off you..

13.09.2025 13:12 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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a cartoon dragon with a unicorn horn is standing next to another dragon ALT: a cartoon dragon with a unicorn horn is standing next to another dragon

Now Donaldson's sweet, her books are a treat and I'm glad the little one does read;

But please I do beg cos, I fear and I dread I now have a terrible need...

13.09.2025 13:11 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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a cartoon character standing in the middle of a forest with trees in the background ALT: a cartoon character standing in the middle of a forest with trees in the background

I used to be quite an ordinary chap, who had a quite ordinary brain;

But now with a toddler, endlessly I'm forced, to read Zog again and again...

13.09.2025 13:10 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

That's just the easy question. We need to then consider...

Does X improve learning *here*?

Does X improve learning with *our* pupils?

Does X improve learning for *all* out pupils?

Does X improve learning for *every* teacher?

Does X improve learning *all*
the time?

And so many more...

11.09.2025 19:29 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Saw this and chuckled; then thought...

The World Cup lasts 4 weeks.

Fathers in the UK get 2 weeks of statutory leave.

So the situation in the UK is that a football tournament lasts longer than the time a dad is given to bond with his newborn child and support his family.

06.09.2025 15:59 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm still struck, by a documentary on Norwegian prisons I saw a while back.

The whole system's focus was on successful reintegration.

I'm paraphrasing but one governor said something like, "Who cares how long someone spends here if, after we've worked with them, they don't commit any more crimes?"

24.08.2025 14:13 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Down in Rock, Cornwall. This was Daymer Bay yesterday.

23.08.2025 15:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Not quite as relaxing with a two-year old, but equally as revitalising. 😍

23.08.2025 15:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Gorgeous, isn't it? One of my favourite places.

23.08.2025 14:58 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Having just returned from central France I'm definitely a victim of recency bias, but I don't care.

I'm asking for a glass of Sancerre and some Loire Valley goat's cheese.

15.08.2025 13:52 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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@teachertapp.bsky.social I'd love to know the difference being a parent makes to this.

My answer is *very* different now to what it would have been before the little terror arrived on the scene.

14.08.2025 16:59 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

❀️

I found a (very) old cassette tape with my name on it in a drawer at my mum's house a few months ago and when I played it, it was me as a baby.

My dad had recorded me, a few months old, just giggling and babbling away for about 20 mins.

13.08.2025 19:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Richard's page About us 60,000 determined and dedicated runners make the AJ Bell Great North Run the World’s biggest and best half marathon – famous for its warm North East welcome, unbeatable atmosphere and the mil

The biggest killer of young people in the UK... suicide.

I'm entering the Great North Run to raise funds for PAPYRUS, helping them to prevent suicides in young people and promote positive mental health.

All & any donations gratefully received.

ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/richard-e...

10.08.2025 18:58 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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PAPYRUS, like all charities I guess, are the expert help you hope you never need, but their support has proved invaluable in the past to my colleagues.

Please, please help them be able to offer support when it is desperately needed in the future.

10.08.2025 18:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Richard's page About us 60,000 determined and dedicated runners make the AJ Bell Great North Run the World’s biggest and best half marathon – famous for its warm North East welcome, unbeatable atmosphere and the mil

The biggest killer of young people in the UK... suicide.

I'm entering the Great North Run to raise funds for PAPYRUS, helping them to prevent suicides in young people and promote positive mental health.

All & any donations gratefully received.

ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/richard-e...

10.08.2025 18:58 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I believe in training he got the takers to tell the keeper where they were going to shoot.

The rationale being, they still scored and so in crunch moments the players knew that if they did "their bit" right, the goalkeeper was irrelevant.

10.08.2025 16:51 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Ahhh... a follower of the "Wenger Method".

If you kick the ball, hard and where you want it to go, the keeper can't get there.

10.08.2025 16:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Sod cognitive load theory, pedagogical know how, Vygotsky, Piaget, and Maslow.

This.

The ability to detach your expressions from your emotions is the essential element in any teacher's armoury.

09.08.2025 19:40 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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a woman is making a peace sign with her hand and the words `` stay strong '' behind her . ALT: a woman is making a peace sign with her hand and the words `` stay strong '' behind her .

Ouch... You're just a couple of hundred kilometres south of us.

Good luck.

09.08.2025 06:08 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pasty faced Northerner who usually holidays in the Highlands Of Scotland asking for help!

πŸ₯΅πŸ₯΅πŸ₯΅

08.08.2025 19:37 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"A.i." doesn't empower anyone. It strips them of belief in themselves and the power of their own minds and hands and abilities and stories.

EVERY KID CAN DRAW. EVERY KID CAN TELL STORIES AND MAKE COMICS.

Fuck "A.i." for telling kids lies and making them less-than.

07.08.2025 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2573    πŸ” 846    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 40

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