Creative writing mini scheme of work

I love teaching creative writing and young people can be so good at it. They have such great ideas which, when harnessed, creates some great pieces of work. I've already shared the Creative Writing Structure Strips which are incorporated into this short scheme of work.   I've used this a number of times, often when …

Five ways to proofread – both for you and your students

We all know what it's like, you post something online, or send an all-staff e-mail, then notice the glaringly obvious mistake in the first line. That happens because when you read something you've just written, you read what you want it to say - not what's actually written. This is something that affects me, both as …

See, wonder and infer – a structure to help your students with inference

Students are better at inference than they get credit for. Their problem often lies in ordering and expressing their thoughts  - not the inference itself. I use this structure to help students talk and write about their inferences of both texts and images.   We go through this one stage at a time: First, students …

Spy Stories – creative writing scheme of work

Who's your favorite, Bond? Bourne? Or do you go new school with Alex Rider or Agent 21? This scheme of work contains them all. Designed to inspire students to write a section of their own spy story, it covers the typical characters, events, and setting of a classic spy story. It encourages students to consider their …

Modernising Macbeth Project

In this project, students create their own modernisation of Macbeth.  I've used it at the end of the summer term for the last couple of years as it consolidates the students' knowledge of the play we've just studied and allows them to do something creative. You could also change it to modernise a different play …

The Healthy Teacher Project 4 – Interview with Catherine Parker

What is The Healthy Teacher Project?  In this interview, I talk with Catherine Parker,  currently a Secondary English RQT but with 15 years previous experience in the classroom as a teaching assistant. Catherine's positivity is infectious - she talks about the surprises of being a new teacher, how she copes with it, and why it's …

Protecting your mental health as a teacher

#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek Mental health is something that affects everyone. Some people are more resilient, some cope better, but everyone needs to be aware of their own mental health and the mental health of others. Teaching can be draining, tiring, fatiguing and knackering - it's important to know how to deal with stress, anxiety and exhaustion when …

Introduction to Shakespeare lesson – My Shakespeare

I enjoy teaching Shakespeare - which is good as I cover it with all of my classes every year! This is an introductory lesson using 'My Shakespeare' by Kate Tempest. I've used this a number of times for years 7, 8 or 9. Students consider the impact The Great Man has had on our language …

Jekyll and Hyde duality revision lesson

This is a lesson I put together for my year 11s to revise the theme of duality in Jekyll and Hyde. It works through the analysis of some quotes, revises how duality is relevant throughout the context of the novel (rich and poor, religion and science, heaven and hill and Jekyll and Hyde) and prepares …

Bring the magic of short stories to your classroom

I love storytelling, I suppose that's not surprising as a teacher and a writer. As such, I try to bring stories into my classroom at every opportunity.