Letter 1: Geography (2 pages) Letter 2: English (2 pages) I had quite a few people ask for my letter so I thought I’d share it, along with my experience. I sent a generic letter to several schools and I was invited to every interview. You should personalise it. All my experience was not included in the letter or application forms because I felt that it is too time-consuming. You should include relevant information though and increase your employability. I am a very picky person when it comes to the work environment and highly value myself. I lined up interviews day after day for about 1.5 weeks. I went to the first few and I did not like them. For example, I saw a black student wearing his traditional wear and I made a nice comment. The headteacher referred it as a special day where “they” get to wear “costumes”. I went to one that really stood out and I have told them I have another interview. You shouldn’t do this unless you are the better candidate. You should just say that you can’t answer the phone at placement.*Never agree to a job unless you are certain. Backing out is unprofessional, leads to bad references and blacklisting = you’re stuck with the school you changed to. Remember if you fail as ECT you are barred from teaching. However, if you are failing, you can quit and rejoin as an ECT in another school - but not if you are blacklisted! I asked further schools to cover my travel expenses. 1 school didn’t. I felt that they didn’t value teachers so I rejected them. In the interviews I attended, it was common to over-run by a little bit. That’s okay. However, in one school I got to leave after my interview (lunch time for me) but the interviewers went for lunch and made the other candidate wait until after their lunch before interviewing him, and not offering any food for him. I liked that school as I went around but not the way they treated the interviewee so I decided against it. You have to remember your workplace needs to treat you right. In another interview, I had travelled 3 hours to. They over ran by more than 1 hour. I was debating to just leave. They never offered me the option to leave early. I felt that they did not value people’s time considering the other candidate was local and was interviewed first, yet I was interviewed later. I didn’t like it. They had a good reputation by the locals which is why I accepted the interview. They loved everything I did with the students and class, however when I asked about pay etc. I rejected the offer. With relocation costs, it wasn’t worth it. They reimbursed me £90 (railcard). After that interview, I decided to take the earlier offer and cancel the rest. I interviewed them and negotiated masters, extra holidays, £3k higher pay etc. Don’t do this unless you’re in a good position. I was a trainee for reference but believe my experience is valuable.

PowerPoint portfolio Consistent design and font All 8 teaching standards with bullet points in each (from the Teaching Standards) Under each bullet point are examples of how I completed it as evidence Adaptable You can include images/ files to the PPT Your own portfolio should already be online for you to refer to (if you’re training)

intro stages of relationships postitive and respecful relationships and 5. contraception Unintended pregnancy Teenage pregnancy - not in here yet STIs HIV and AIDS Change and loss in a relationship - not in here yet Extra: Real events movie and discussion (created 2022 by students at a Bristol school who wanted to share awareness). Ground rules included SOW included Handouts included Help sheet included All materials All adaptable. Lots of information you can add to it and statistics you can add to it. I really enjoyed teaching these subjects and all the questions the students had. Very important topic and education so it is bundled together and ready to share. Note: This town had the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe for a very long time. Children have many questions as they are not aware of many terms used. Lots of misconceptions to address too. I recommend a note box to collect further questions for shy students - mine is a safe space so they just ask in class - but have the option to leave a question anon.

Full Lesson (observed by universities and other higher educational roles). Slightly different trade game. Learn about HIC, NEE, LIC - global trade imports, exports - inequalities - international events, etc. You may need a glossary or students may have some prior knowledge about development or globalisation. Reflection is most important. Includes 6 countries. Each countries equipment list included. Amendable. Borrow students’ equipment if needed. Added observer roles for high ability who (who can also act as referees to control behaviour if you have behaviour problems). Make sure they are rewarded. They watch the countries, report to you, and write up a report. A4 sheet with list of questions and prompts for them to complete. Note: You can make it clear if you are allowing or not allowing stealing. I only had one class steal a lot. This can link back to some History and Geography such as South Sudan. Remember to control physical fighting. After game, you have a discussion as they will probably have a lot to say or comment about. Cut it off at the appropriate time. Must calm back down with writing reflection notes. Reflection cards for them to answer prompt questions with challenges. This links to development (not X stole Y etc.) Observers will write their short report. You may have some share at end. I completed it with new classes - considered risktaking by most educators. E.g. Some schools and teachers have never done such a lesson. I’d recommend doing this if you know the class well enough, attempted some freedom lessons that you can trust them during this game, otherwise you need to have good behaviour management or plan B if you struggle to control. I’ve done this and other freedom lessons with new classes often with strict rules because every student are able enjoy and interact with the lessons (with any ability). I used this for observations and gave the “power” to strong/ high ability characters who were able to report everything to me (cheating) as the game went, as well as give rewards and consequences. Even my lowest abilities and SEND, EAL (no English), several behavioural students, all did AMAZING, including good use of key terminology. Honestly was really proud of them. They were able to make the link (maybe with prompts), and I did not need to call a high ability student to help. I only have 2 higher abilities in the class (and one was not in). This class were “successful” by several observers for passing placements and obtaining job offers. The best feedback was nobody attempts it for observation, and if they do - it is a disaster - so when I did this it was great (and the class isn’t a good ability class either)! I had 2 students run away over the fence just before class so they were noisy before class but they were perfect (address behaviour immediately as you need it for this class)

Starter - crime in London vs. your town Objectives Key terms - challenge included Crime rates calculation - handouts and modelling examples - available on PPT - challenge included Answers available on PPT (also handouts for slow students to keep pace) Description paragraphs (gap fills), using the data as examples - challenge included Choropleth map - instructions - modelling examples - challenge included Peer assessing (with marks and WWW/ HTI) - deeper assessment - Thinking box included Describe crime in books questions (using data) - challenge included Review objectives 1hr lesson, can easily be 2 depending on ability/ pace you want to go

This is for Year 12 mixed ability. I recommend printing the worksheets file as A3, and the rest can be as A4. It involves resources e.g. books, but also plenty of up-to-date/ live information which will need to be accessed with internet. E.g. computers, phones, or teacher can print them out from the website. The exam board are aware of these A-level textbooks having older data, but students can infer information as years have gone by. Add information/ own knowledge, their knowledge when looking at boroughs and images. Bring the lesson alive. E.g. One student mentioned the Green Bridge that was unsuccessful, has a similar one built in Manchester instead. Pages are included in the PPT. The aim from the AQA spec: Case studies of two contrasting urban areas to illustrate and analyse key themes set out. This includes: patterns of economic and social well-being the nature and impact of physical environmental conditions with particular reference to the implications for environmental sustainability, the character of the study areas and the experience and attitudes of their populations. Helpful materials: Dictionary - expected key terminology for A level and above white (fourth edition) Hodder A Level textbook - used in this lesson but I have attached a double sided page of information which can be used instead or in addition cool geography

Resources: PPT, Graph paper, Help sheets, Templates Keywords: Hypothesis, Perception, Crime, Analysis, Conclusion Starter activity: Where would you like to live? (from reading newspaper headlines) • Describe different peoples’ perceptions towards crimes • Identify patterns in crime perceptions • Explain why there are differences in perceptions of crime Key terms Data Hypothesis Bar chart Peer assess Description paragraph Conclusion Review Group sharing Examples Modelling on board Colour coded Help sheet to scaffold/ help Template available for those who are struggling a lot Prompt questions Challenge – How might someone’s perception of crime be affected?

I use to live and teach in rural Tanzania for a bit so I wanted to share culture about it to the students in an engaging way Starter: images guessing where Objectives Images and storytelling (short) Information sheets - around the room task for engagement - up to date info 2024 Tourism posters Examples Plenary sharing

General homework showcase Peer assessing Give time for them to go around and interact Nominations for rewards/ votes Dingbats of countries

1hr lesson Guess the country images and flag Describe the location - Atlas use and map Video - fact information A3 poster in pairs promoting tourism in airports Success criteria included - slogans, pictures, facts Images/ Montage of ideas Peer assess (group swaps) Plenary

1hr lesson - TEEP model Images - odd one out and why. Challenge included. Definitions Biomes Animals - information collecting. Challenge included. Short story on your daily life (as one of the animals) Sharing 3, 2, 1 plenary

1hr lesson PPT step by step answers, images, colour coded, for low ability/ consistency in answers. Guess where - images and flag Prior knowledge check World map handout Describe location Video Information search (around the room/ sheets) Fill in sheets Lonely planet introduction writing task Peer assessing National Graphic Magazine task

Identity Key words Google Earth - or consider Atlas - depending on students’ locational knowledge and skills Video with a few comprehension questions - AFL Images, Atlas, Split, Latitude images/ information available - explanation available if needed. South Sudan - questions about placement etc. (in lesson plan) Timeline reading Mind map ideas - from timeline prompts - you may want to explain, draw etc. I used Iraq as an example (about the war and religion) - and linking it to humanities - affecting this independence and conflict etc. Design your own country - questions to ask to check understanding Include prompt questions in instructions – e.g., do you want the capital city to be in the mountains or near the river? Why?/ do you want them to speak the same language or something different and why? Questions about their new country - students to justify They label their country Challenges included Random sharing - wheel of fortune included in PPT. Adjust names.

Updated: Loved lesson by schools. Focuses on literacy. I included emotions helpsheet in this for SEMH students. Starter: Life expectancy game using 2024 statistics Graph - students interpret or you explain Definition UK discussion topic - if you have more time - add in a maths question using the numbers (to include numeracy skills in your list) Graph with lots of prompt questions. Depending on ability and past topics you can decide whether you go through this part together or in pairs/ alone. Next slides - if they are quite low ability, do address how it links for understanding. Otherwise, it is easily understandable but check in with lower abilities by having them answer/ share (privately or in class depending how supportive the class is and if you manage behaviour well). Articles, videos included - depending on time and ability you can choose whether to include all. I usually do the summarised slide and a video for lower ability to understand it. Please address misconceptions that NOT every eldery does this. Instructions with success criterion Example which helps a lot Template provided (print out versions available if you have students who aren’t able to write) Challenge included Peer assess - more positives than negatives. Notes: I mentioned TA but she just chills at the back of the room most of the time. High ability (above top set) - if needed - I added lots of information about other countries with videos and personal knowledge (not included in PPT) but I found any of this difficult to fit and engage with average ability as they are only familiar with UK and still lack knowledge on that so I skipped them.

Updated: Great lesson that I completed in several schools. It can fit in 1 hour, or easily be 2 hours. Starter - differences in words Differentiated reading variety: less options from easy to hard (polar bear has missing information for higher ability to think of answers). Full options provide a range of animals if you wanted to provide more variety, have a longer lesson etc. Images and maps included Endangered > Extinct line with examples included for understanding (helps lower ability a lot) Mind map - with examples Definitions included - break down of words (included in the lesson plan for how to do this) Reading information - highlighting (make sure those with polar bears know they don’t have the 2nd highlighter which is prompted on PPT but depending on your students’ ability you may need to tell them). The original reading can be changed to beginning if the school runs reading session routines, this will make them more familiar with the text and ready for the task. Create a fact file. Success Criterion included. Challenge included. Fact file works better as students focus on writing (e.g. Yr 8s mixed ability did half a page in 5 minutes). I used this class in the best schools in Basingstoke. If you have more time, you may want to do a poster but ensure they do not spend ages designing, writing a title or drawing pictures as this shows no application of knowledge. Students present their work. Depending on time and resources, you may want a table (removed from PPT) for them to complete as students present. Otherwise just some simple notes for extra information, but their in depth information will be displayed in their animal/ work. Plenary. If time pair discussions, then class. In PPT, I’ve set as class vote due to time. Reading materials include pictures, graphs, maps, statistics etc. so they have to think about the information. Check students’ reading ages before you give them an animal. Easiest is turtle, then Panda. Majority of students like Panda level. Orangutan has the heavy text which should be given to those who enjoy reading and have a higher than average reading age. E.g. grammar stream students were given polar bear, elephants, orangutans (but kept some pandas for any students who may happen to struggle on this topic).

Video Information of key features Colour code Categorising between tourism/ ecotourism Images and examples Case study with worksheet and challenges Design task with success criterion Student example available

Very fun and engaging deforestation debate (they need some knowledge beforehand, otherwise your help during the debate). All students say it is the best geography lesson they had (including if I do this in other schools as a one off). All students are actively participating in every second of the lesson. I really enjoy this lesson but it is a lot of energy and they need to respond to you. For a class that are noisy/ active I used a bell per round (5), but other classes it is not needed. Hot air balloon debate. There is a bit of preparing time for all students at the start so they are ready. Depending on their ability, during the “note taking” sections (between some rounds), you can give questions to volunteers/ help them out ready for the debate in advance. Otherwise, my students were just practicing their confidence and speech/ public speaking skills. E.g. I had one stand up high and speak loudly, and used the uniform as “one” to vote for him. For example, they may ask for some advice. The lower abilities would take their books to read or use for ideas during this time. You may want to provide a finished handout for the volunteers as they are note taking (unless they are high enough ability to multitask it). I usually photocopy another students’ finished notes to give them because it is related to the actual debate they did, rather than what you’ll guess they will say. After the debate, they have a good view on all stakeholders and can create their own speech about who they support. Sentence starters/ examples, prompts provided. Challenge included. Some students to share their speech afterwards. This builds great confidence in their speaking, reading, and class support. It is fast pace, so behaviour needs to be quickly acted upon. Responsibility shared, more freedom and trust in the classroom. It is something different and worth trying if you haven’t. It will indicate whether you can trust/ give freedom in lessons. This is a shorter version than my original to fit within 50mins-1hr class. It can easily be adjusted.

1-2 hour lesson Lesson plan attached in full (updated) Thinking starter image Facts (prior knowledge check AFL) Videos with questions on causes and impacts News report with example, gapfill/ sentence starters Plenary AFL Worksheets to print 2 versions (diff AFL)

Recap video Video/ diagram explanations available Modellings task Worksheet Reading task Answers Challenges Handouts (lower ability)

Writing task Examples Models Card sorts Map categorising Answer sheets