I hope you don’t mind, a bit of a bit of a change of tone in this part of the guide, can’t see a way of satirising the point I want to make and it’s one very close to my heart. As always, interested to know what you think. At school we require students toContinue reading “17/03/24: teacher guide (2) do unto others”
Category Archives: School
10/03/24: teacher guide (1) compulsory teacher clichés
There are two days at teacher training college which are of supreme importance, far above anything else learnt in the year. Deep sighing day and cliché day. All aspiring teachers need to learn how to sigh audibly, visibly, and with appropriate gravitas to convey the clear message – I am very disappointed in you andContinue reading “10/03/24: teacher guide (1) compulsory teacher clichés”
03/03/24: student guide (4) understanding teachers
Teachers were born middle aged. This is very important to understand. They did not have childhoods. They have never farted – and don’t actually know what this is. They never went to school as students – which helps to explain some of their oddities as explored in part 3 of this guide. They think weContinue reading “03/03/24: student guide (4) understanding teachers”
25/02/24: student guide (3) going from room to room
One of the facts of secondary life, of course, is that students go from room to room for their lessons while teachers mostly stay where they are. For some subjects – food, technology, science, PE – this makes sense, but for others it doesn’t. Wall displays get changed about every 10 years so that wouldn’tContinue reading “25/02/24: student guide (3) going from room to room”
11/02/24: student guide (2) key terminology
‘Sorry’. This is a great word. Simultaneously magical and meaningless. Magical because it can get you out of a great deal of trouble. And it doesn’t necessarily matter exactly how you say it, if challenged you adopt a pained expression and say, “But I said I was sorry.” Meaningless because it commits you to no further action, no change inContinue reading “11/02/24: student guide (2) key terminology”
04/02/24: Student guide (1) how to waste time without getting into trouble
A belated new year to you, trust 2024 is bringing all you wish for and more. After a bit of a gap I’ve a few ideas for blog posts so hope you enjoy. If you wish to encourage me – or think I’ve missed anything in the blog below – do let me know! Enjoy. Come into theContinue reading “04/02/24: Student guide (1) how to waste time without getting into trouble”
01/08/22: welcome to all my new Facebook friends!
Since my last Facebook post I’ve arrived back in the UK, sorry to leave Uganda but also pleased to be back. Really helpful to have a bit of a gap before starting to work again, corresponding to only a 2 week gap 2 years ago when going to Uganda. But the thing uppermost in myContinue reading “01/08/22: welcome to all my new Facebook friends!”
05/06/22: a kindness remembered 40 years on
In a recent Facebook post, responding to an obituary for the late Simon Preston, I recalled how, in the early 1980s, I was practising the organ at the Royal Festival Hall (my goodness, what a privilege for a 17-year-old!) when somebody appeared silently behind me and started turning pages for me. That person was SimonContinue reading “05/06/22: a kindness remembered 40 years on”
08/05/22: I blame calculators!
The particular reason calculators are on my mind right now is because we’re in the middle of the examination season. My Grade 10 (Year 11) class did one of their papers on Friday with another tomorrow (Monday). For part of their exam I was teaching another class in a room next door which was aContinue reading “08/05/22: I blame calculators!”
17/4/22: school is returning to normal!
A very happy Easter to you as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! With a week off school. Hallelujah once again! Meanwhile, at school there is a very satisfying sense of things returning to normal. Since the beginning of the pandemic, when school has been in session on site, we’ve adoptedContinue reading “17/4/22: school is returning to normal!”
Geoff Tennant's Blog 