Not A Frumpy Mum

The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown

In less than 4 weeks time thousands of Year 11 pupils across the country will be starting their study leave. For many of those students they will already have sat quite a few of their exams as it all kicks off 2 weeks on Monday. Scary stuff!! The kids are now starting to panic as it dawns on them that the past 5, no 11, years of schooling have been building up to these next few weeks. I love this time of year. It’s hectic, it’s mad busy, but there’s a different kind of buzz about school. Suddenly the after…

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Dear Parents, Pease Support Us!

Dear Parents, Pease Support Us!

Dear Parents/Guardians, On Wednesday morning I know there will be disruption to your normal routine. Your childs school may be closed. Or you may have one child in, whilst the others has the day off. Guaranteed to cause at least one very upset kid, and one very smug one. I’m sure you will be muttering about how inconvenient it is. How teachers are just being a nuisance, whinging on again about their bloody pensions! I’ve seen the comments on my Facebook feed, us teachers are a selfish lot! Before you jump on the teacher bashing bandwagon, please take a step…

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The Phone Police

The Phone Police

Over the past 10 years one of the biggest problems to creep into the classroom is the rise of the mobile phone! When I first started teaching it wasn’t a problem, hardly anyone had them, and if they did they stayed in their bags, on silent. But then came the introduction of the smart phone and with it Facebook, Twitter and more recently Snapchat. For the record, I still have no idea what Snapchat is, but I hear the young ‘uns talking about it, so it must be the latest in thing!

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A Few Words That Made My Day

A Few Words That Made My Day

My poor little Year 7 classes are always bottom of my priority list. With three A level and three GCSE classes, they are the two I feel I’m least on the ball with. Maybe I’m being a bit hard on myself, but I always worry my lessons could be better planned, with better resources, their book better marked. However, this year I’ve found these have been the lessons I’ve enjoyed the most. I love the enthusiasm of 11/12 year olds and their innocence. In each of the classes there are a couple of real characters, who really make me smile.…

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Teach Your Kids Some Manners Please!

Teach Your Kids Some Manners Please!

If I was ever asked what I would put into Room 101 I know what would be top of my list. People with bad manners! Drives me crazy. The people who never say please or thank you, don’t acknowledge that you’ve held a door open for them and then, in return, would let it slam in your face (usually when you are weighed down with bags, and barely a spare arm). Don’t even get me started on lack of manners when someone gets behind a wheel! I can feel the anger rising already. Generally, I’m a fairly placid person, but…

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