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Dusk fell Leaching earthy hues Blue hills fading to grey Dark green yews Black against the sky. Slowly light spun The swollen river slipped past Shining, smooth Molten waters Enticing, pulling; Stealing the last Silver light

I retrained as an English teacher at the age after spending the previous 15 years in the classroom teaching horticulture. I had then had a 10 year spell doing various types of teacher training and various teaching and learning manager posts, and I decided to retrain as I had begun to feel very far awayContinue reading “The Writing Revolution Resources-from an early career perspective Carmel Gibbons, Dixons Cottingley School, Bradford”

At the beginning of the year there was a leader’s meeting and we were asked to come to the meeting with something to share with all the other districts; it could be a poem, members determination or a song. I offered to write a poem and when I got into the car in the morningContinue reading “Our Buddhist district-A tale of Hope and Perseverance in COVID times”

Her name was Roseanne McLafferty. She was the 10th child; born to a woman who was already 42 years old. She had 10 children of her own. One of them was my dad, Denis. Her husband James Gibbons was a farmer and he was killed by a horse when he was 50. I imagine lifeContinue reading “Granny Gibbons”

We set out on your birthday We two Searching for comfort Redemption, salvation. The car sagged Burdened by expectation. The absurdity of moving Through space In a small metal box We headed north Were we slimmer, richer, wiser now? Last year felt like An age ago Strings of cars, headlights on Passed us on theContinue reading “Summer Holiday 2020 (post Covid)”

My first thought about ‘influence’ is that we frequently mix up power and influence. When we feel powerless we are feeling our own lack of influence. I would argue that teachers need to be aim for influence rather than power. It is an important question for early career teachers who are often looking for answersContinue reading “Influence”

Openness is so desperately undervalued in our society. We are encouraged to hide: hide behind material things, behind labels, behind expectations and social conventions. When I was little, at least childhood was immune from judgement but not now! Let’s go back to openness as a quality. It can be quiet and reserved. It has nothingContinue reading “Openness-For Hannah and other friends in the Twitter Community”

Rosie Cannon was a feisty, dissatisfied, demanding woman who was born probably way before her time on one of the peninsulas that jut out into the north tip of Ireland. Facing the constant pounding of the Atlantic Ocean has a profound effect on the people of Donegal. They either want to run away, like Rosie,Continue reading “About Rosie Cannon”