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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Those "educationalist" superstar teachers

145 replies

ElizabethHoover · 06/04/2015 08:25

The ones who have whooping twitter accounts called toolbox guru or whatever.

Are they wankers to work with? Please say yes. They get my goat online. Even during the holidays posting away about how they mark with an iPad app only readable by goats. The kids all write feedback in hieroglyphics etc. also def don't say their teachers. Are educationalists. Go to teach meets all the frickin time.

I hate em Grin

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/04/2015 23:06

I just 'looked inside' the lazy teacher book and it had the thing where you get them to come up with a topic-relevant word starting with each letter of the alphabet.

Are they all the sorts of tips that work for wordy subjects but are rubbish for maths?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/04/2015 23:09

If you want stating the obvious but pretty common sense stuff, most of which will suit Maths teachers, you need Doug Lemov.

BrianButterfield · 06/04/2015 23:12

I shudder at the outrageous ideas - surely it's all that Sue Cowley Pretending-to-eat-dog food-from-the-tin bollocks? And "set your room up as a crime scene" etc etc - perfect for someone who teaches in 11 different classrooms!

A lot of them leave me thinking "and what about the other 55 minutes of the lesson?"

HermiaDream · 06/04/2015 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
ElizabethHoover · 06/04/2015 23:13

That lolly stick thing for choosing kids. Why not just scan the room and choose them?

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/04/2015 23:14

I've done a crime scene a couple of times tbh and it works really well, but agree it's a pain without own classroom (I currently teach in 6).

Original poster
ElizabethHoover · 06/04/2015 23:15

Also plenaries in a tweet/FB post. Till the parents complain you're encouraging them to get fb accounts.

OP posts:
slimyhappypeople · 06/04/2015 23:15

A lot of them leave me thinking "and what about the other 55 minutes of the lesson?" Grin Grin

I'm SO glad I'm not the only one.

Original poster
ElizabethHoover · 06/04/2015 23:16

I teach at a docile kind of place now. I lol at ppts from the tes where slide 1 says "we will stay in our seats@

OP posts:
slimyhappypeople · 06/04/2015 23:17

Seen Sue Cowley as well.

The thing that annoyed me about that story was her saying that the teacher emptied out a tin of dog food, washed it and put normal food in it. Why not just switch the labels? SO labour intensive Grin

noblegiraffe · 06/04/2015 23:18

I really like some of the stuff in Teach Like a Champion. Some of the training and routines stuff isn't really my cup of tea. I go cold at the thought of class chanting or finger clicking.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/04/2015 23:18

You do realise we've spent all night talking about teaching, whilst slagging off people who Tweet about teaching? Is it forgivable because we're not patting each other on the back and stroking egos?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/04/2015 23:19

Finger clicking and chanting (like whooping) make me want to vomit.

noblegiraffe · 06/04/2015 23:19

Oh god, was it Getting the Buggers to Behave that recommended faking a breakdown at your desk to get their attention?

Haggisfish · 06/04/2015 23:28

No-I did a lesson classification recently to year nine top set and to year ten bottom set and it was 'would you rather be a hippo of a horse?'. Honestly, they would not shut up about it for a good seven minutes. That then led into how closely related they are etc etc. both sets loved if and it's the sort of idea that would work anywhere. Would you rather be a half or a whole table?! I know I sound very cheesy and it may well be an obvious idea to some, but there were loads of good ideas like that that actually get the kids thinking and talking before the lesson. This is, of course, similar to the infamous 'hook' that was all the rage a while ago, but what I liked about jim is he gave you concrete ideas to use in the classroom. I have no connection to him, I hasten to add, and would agree with you about lots of the others!

BrianButterfield · 06/04/2015 23:29

Yes, or dropping to your knees and begging someone to behave!

I will admit to dramatically putting my head down on the desk with an exaggerated sigh but only to get a laugh really. Like when the kid who always forgets a pen forgets it again. Why get angry?

MiaowTheCat · 07/04/2015 08:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
ElizabethHoover · 07/04/2015 08:33

Dropping to your knees? Christ almighty.

OP posts:
sassytheFIRST · 07/04/2015 08:45

Crowd control technique no6 - lying prostrate on the floor weeping loudly and occasionally uttering pleas to behave. Yeah. That'll get them on side...

FOFONAR · 07/04/2015 09:03

Tweet plenaries are ace, give them a hashtag and see what they can link to it from the lesson #justsaying

This thread is making me remember the pile of marking I haven't looked at yet!!!

BrianButterfield · 07/04/2015 09:06

Some of the Sue Cowley techniques would actually work pretty well for a confident, experienced teacher who could read the class and know what the outcome would be. Which is the opposite to the type of person the book is aimed at.

Awellboiledicicle · 07/04/2015 09:27

The lolly sticks thing is to show that it is completely random. Not just "I'll pick the one I know will give a good answer". Not that I use them, I have about 100 in my drawer.

noblegiraffe · 07/04/2015 09:30

I don't pick random kids to answer questions, what's the point in that? I target my questioning.

AsBrightAsAJewel · 07/04/2015 09:35

Most of the ones I've come across as Secondary, so translating their ideas to EYFS or KS1 doesn't work that well. Has anyone come across anyone from a Primary - I do like to read and steal the odd idea (or remind myself of something I used to do 30 years ago which I've forgotten and is now the "new best thing"!)

FOFONAR · 07/04/2015 09:37

Random questioning is supposed to promote engagement as anyone could be asked so needs an answer. Directed questioning has it's place too.

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