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Happy #feetupfriday everyone! Two weeks of this half-term done, 5 weeks till Christmas.🎅
Is it too early to put up my decorations? 🎄🎄🎄
Also checkout my awesome brogues and wrinkly socks...🤣

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Sigh. It's that time of the year again. My year 13 class and I started Antony & Cleopatra and I am giddy with excitement. Honestly, you won't find more beautiful language in Shakespeare than in this play.
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This line spoken by the Roman, Philo, as the play opens is one that frames the narrative. Rome is at risk from outside threats.
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The triple pillar is a direct reference to the triumvir leaders of Rome: Marc Antony himself, Octavius Caesar (adopted heir to Julius), and the much overlooked Lepidus. They divide the Rome world between them. Caesar rules Rome itself and thus maintains a seniority of sorts. Lepidus oversees North Africa pushing the Republic outwards into new rich and bountiful lands. Antony is meant to control the East - he should be squashing the rebellions in the Parthia. But Cleopatra ensnares him and he escapes his duty in Alexandria. 📚
What's interesting here is that Antony's actions threaten the complete trio. His fall is their fall. The triple pillar is transformed, not just one third of it. It goes without saying that for Rome "the world" is Rome. Everything else is darkness.
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Antony is transformed. It is an external act taken against him. He has no control. He becomes "a strumpet's fool". This strumpet, of course, is Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt. Cleopatra famously presented in film and theatre as a femme fatale, her only skill is that of seduction. Cleopatra was, in fact, highly educated; she spoke Egyptian, Greek, the languages of the Medes, Parthians, Jews, Arabs, Syrians, Trogodytae, and Ethiopians.
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So Shakespeare frames our view of Cleopatra, not as one of the last great Pharaohs, but as a harlot. No different from a common prostitute. We are reminded of her 'history' with Julius Caesar, she was after all the mistress of Roman leaders.
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The audience here are victims of Roman propaganda perpetuated by Shakespeare. Octavius's media machine, following her death, reshaped history. She is represented in Roman art and writing in purely physical terms. The rest has fallen out of popular memory. She is all Katy Perry cat eyes and the Bangles 'walk like an Egyptian'. This saddens me.

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Remember, remember the 5th of November; gunpowder, treason, and plot. This picture is of Thanksgiving Act of 1605 and here's the history I shared with my classes today!
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On 5th November 1605 the infamous gunpowder plot was foiled in the basement of the House of Parliament. The figments that have stayed in popular memory are the names of the captured Guy Fawkes and our annual necessity for bonfires and fireworks. I love teaching Shakespeare at this time of year because some of his greatest plays were written in the aftermath of this seismic event. Macbeth, of course written the following spring in 1606, gives the audience an opportunity to watch and see what happens when a plot against the King succeeds.
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The origin of the Gunpowder plot has roots deep in the late 1500s. In the year 1603, following the death of the beloved Queen Bess, James I ascended to the throne of England. The Elizabethan era had been a golden one. The English world expanded to the east and to the west. Citizens at home experienced culture, art, and cuisine unlike any before them. England was saved from invasion by the Spanish Armada and a potential return to Catholicism. On the edge of the river Thames at Tilbury in Essex, Elizabeth declared her commitment to her people. “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too”. It would seem that England would never again see a monarch with such devotion to country and people.
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Of course, Elizabeth’s apathy in appointing an heir to the throne and her slow illness in 1602-1603 set the scene for political uncertainty in England. Upon her death, James VI of Scotland – her closest royal relative was crowned. The Tudor period ended. The Stuart period begins. James was Scottish, brought up and educated in Scotland. For the first time in several hundreds of years, England was to be ruled by an outsider. Not only this but James was also the son of the infamous Mary Queen of Scots, who was executed in England for treason.
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Continued in the comments!

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It's Monday, I am on vacay in Edinburgh. This gem is called What The Thyme and is so delish that I had two.

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The small people and I decorated my @Huel Berry pouch with these Spooktacular drawings. It's Huel-loween soon and we are #ghueligans 🦇🦇🦇

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It's a dual #huel day today! School is open until 9pm tonight for Open Evening, so this is lunch and dinner today 😍

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Here's what I'm planning tonight. 😍🎉📚 What are your classes doing tomorrow?? Tell me in the comments!
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

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Even though it's warm and sunny in London today, you smell autumn in the air. The leaves are starting to turn. It's my favourite time of the year!

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Create and inspire with this fantastic collaborative world map project. Students each design their own part of the planet, then combine and display. Stretch your imaginations by adding fantastical details and colors to pop. This display project is a perfect collaboration project for the beginning of the school year or finish the year with this fun assignment.
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#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstragram #teachersofig #iteachELA #2ndaryELA #iteachwriting #iteachsecondary #iteachhighschool #iteachBritLit #iteachShakespeare
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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-Collaborative-Poster-3785881

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Well done all! We made it through week 1. Monday was PD, Tuesday enrollment, then straight into lessons on Wednesday.
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This year I am teaching:
Year 7 - a bit of Dracula 🦇
Year 9 - Curious Incident 🐕
Year 10 - Jekyll & Hyde 🔬
Year 11 (x2) - Macbeth 🦇🦇🦇
Year 12 - Frankenstein 👾
Year 13 - Fight Club 🚹
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Best job in the world! But I am tired, so so so tired.

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I've not been around much this summer, life happens right? It seems like 5 minutes ago that it was the end of July.
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But September is here and today was my first day back at school.
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I can't wait to see my returning classes and to meet some new faces.

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If you are looking to help your students find joy in their journey then these coloring quote pennants are for you! The perfect addition to your Growth Mindset units or work, these coloring pages can be used in ANY subject area. This pack includes 20 different quotes designed for your students to color, reflect on, and discuss. And for you, it really is as simple as 'print and go'!
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#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstragram #teachersofig #iteachELA #2ndaryELA #iteachwriting #iteachsecondary #iteachhighschool #iteachBritLit #iteachShakespeare
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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Motivational-Growth-Mindset-Coloring-Pennant-3428702

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These literacy quick fire 'do now' tasks are an excellent way to enable students to consolidate and practise their spelling and word knowledge. This pack includes three different word work activities: common misspellings, new vocabulary, and spelling correction. There are 20+ different tasks that your students can complete, giving you a whole semester of word work practice.
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#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstragram #teachersofig #iteachELA #2ndaryELA #iteachwriting #iteachsecondary #iteachhighschool #iteachBritLit #iteachShakespeare
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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spelling-Vocabulary-Literacy-Worksheets-3452272

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Help create a positive culture in your classroom with these inspirational posters. In this pack, there are 6 inspirational quotes each one champions positivity. The posters are multi-functional for use with table work and centers or to be printed b-i-g for your classroom displays!
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#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstragram #teachersofig #iteachELA #2ndaryELA #iteachwriting #iteachsecondary #iteachhighschool #iteachBritLit #iteachShakespeare
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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Inspiration-Posters-4024150

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These literacy quick fire 'do now' tasks are an excellent way to enable students to consolidate and practise their spelling and word knowledge. This pack includes three different word work activities: common misspellings, new vocabulary, and spelling correction. There are 20+ different tasks that your students can complete, giving you a whole semester of word work practice.
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#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers
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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spelling-Vocabulary-Literacy-Worksheets-3452272

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Fixed it!
#feminist

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