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Go follow me on @louenstone.designs to follow my j

Go follow me on @louenstone.designs to follow my journey as I rediscover creativity, illustration, and design!

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher

Heyyy everyone, so as a few of you know we have op

Heyyy everyone, so as a few of you know we have opened an Etsy store! It truly is a whole family endeavor, there's not one person who hasn't been involved and I love it for this reason alone. If you'd like to have a look at our postcards and stickers so far, then go to louenstonedesigns.etsy.com - we are adding new stickers, cards, and postcards every day!
If you want to follow me in this creative adventure then hop over to @louenstone.designs

Lou x

Just gonna leave this here...It was cistern of lus

Just gonna leave this here...It was cistern of lust day today. Love teaching Macbeth. 🤣🤣🤣

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

It's YELLOW day on #7colourswithkaty. Let me say t

It's YELLOW day on #7colourswithkaty. Let me say this upfront - I love yellow 🟡🟨💛
My obsession is so bad that my kids have to drag me away from yellow things at the shops. It was going to be impossible for me to narrow the yellow down. My yellow chair? Jacket? Shoes? 💛🟨🟡
Like I said I'm yellow mad.
📚📖📚📒
So long story short, Animal Farm has been on my mind recently - I need to get onto revising it with my year 11s. Well, after we finish Macbeth. 👑☠
Time to start re-reading! Even though I teach it every year I still love AF. Also so many parallels with the constant stream of press conferences using science and data these days 🥼

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Today’s #7colourswithKaty colour is ORANGE. I lo

Today’s #7colourswithKaty colour is ORANGE. I love it. For me orange is all about the warm glow before the fire rages. It is safe heat, a heat that draws you in. Just like this foxy cup of tea.

Anyway, Sunday is a workday, here’s what I’ve achieved today:
📝 Year 11 literacy lesson on description
👑 3 Year 11 lessons on Macbeth
🎄3 Year 10 lessons on Xmas Carol
🐍 Ant & Cleo for Year 13
🚊Some stuff on Streetcar and essay writing for Year 12
💀Dystopian writing for Year 8
All that’s left to do is Year 8 The Giver lessons for the week and then catch up for Year 10 on Friday.

With that done, I am off to make some roasted butternut squash and sweet potato stew for lunch next week. More orange.

What does next week look like for you?

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

So I have started following all these amazing phot

So I have started following all these amazing photographers 📷 and creators 💻 on ig lately.
Teachergram is great but l haven't been vibing it. Anyway I found a few cool Brit creators who seem like fab people and it's been really fun following them.
One of those people is @misskatyenglish (go check her grid) she is a wizard at fantastical photos 🧙‍♀️🧹
This week she's running #7colourswithkaty a colour photo challenge and as I need a change, I'm joining in. Today is red 🟥🔴🔺️🖍🍁
I didn't have the energy to go out today. In fact I've been curled up reading most of the day. Here are my current favourites and recommendations 📚📖📚

I mean how amazing is Hilary Mantel?! ❤

Stay safe friends x

It seems fitting on that today 🇺🇸 just as #b

It seems fitting on that today 🇺🇸 just as #bidenharris2020 have been called as winners that I am planning next week's lesson on A Christmas Carol 🎄🕯. A book about hope and transformation in the run up to Christmas. Have a great weekend friends 😁🥳

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Today my classes and I chatted about loan sharks 💰 and ghosts 👻.

We answered the vital question 'Is it too early to put up my Christmas tree?" 🎄🎅🎄

We also talked about tricks, the origins of colonialism, essay writing, crossing thresholds and whether Scrooge was really that bad. 🌍🌎

All in all a fab Friday of #lockdown teaching. 👩‍🏫🏫👩‍🏫

And...I am loving my new brogues from @sainsburys #feetupfriday 👞👞👞

#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

I promised myself that I would take a photo showin

I promised myself that I would take a photo showing something from each day of Lockdown 2. Here’s day 1: my early morning supermarket run before school – all the usual winter cure-alls that teachers need. Berocca. Fruit. Lemsip. Lip balm. Added to this was a new bobble hat and gloves because we have to keep all our classroom windows open for good ventilation. It was 8 degrees this morning. Brrrr. Eating anything that actually looks like a meal during the day is impossible. We have 2 half an hour breaks, shorter once you have dismissed one class and then are ready for the next class. So instead of lunch, I am now the queen of snacks. Finally, I couldn't resist this Toffee Coffee treat from Starbucks. Yum. Teaching, as always, sponsored by caffeine. Otherwise school is pretty like normal. Masks. Distancing. And then lessons as usual.

#lockdown2
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Well done everyone, we made it through the first w

Well done everyone, we made it through the first week. Here's a few things I learned:
1. I need rethink lunch, 30 mins is not long enough to queue for the microwave and eat.
2. Hand sanitizer all day every day = dry hands.
3. Handing out sheets and paper to kids is a faff now. I need to be better organized.
4. In person and remote teaching is knackering.
5. Microsoft Teams is amazing.
6. Kids are used to being our personal space, they forget easily - this isn't poor behaviour.
7. Kids love learning, get straight down to it was the best.
8. I need a coffee machine in my classroom.
9. Kids are better at complying with Covid safety rules than some adults.
10. I love being back in the classroom.

Tomorrow we go back to school proper after weeks o

Tomorrow we go back to school proper after weeks of preparation. Tomorrow I will see my amazing Year 13 for the first time since March. For the first and maybe only time this year. Our Year 13s aren't coming to form time anymore if they don't have lessons and if I do see them, it'll be for like 5 minutes. I am pleased for them - they get a sweet lie in. But gutted for me, cos they are so much fun.
🍬
So tomorrow is my chance to show them some love. Here's step 1. Everyone loves a Skittle, right?!
🍬
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

It's 9pm and it's still as hot as hades. It doesn'

It's 9pm and it's still as hot as hades. It doesn't look like we're going to get sleep anytime soon. Sigh.
🥵
I usually wake up around 5am, so 'early to bed" is a maxim I live by. Not today though.
😴
Maybe one day in the future aircon will be a thing over here! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
🥶
Anyho, I didn't have too many plans today (see my to-do list) but I somehow pulled it out the bag. Here's what I achieved:
- drank a ton of water
- took 2 bag of clothes to the charity shop
- worked on my Animal Farm Google quizzes (on TpT if you're interested)
- made some video pins
- designed some reading skills posters, also on TpT
- watched my boy get a haircut (too cute)
- got an iced latte from Costa
👑👑👑👑👑
I count that a win.
What about you? Any fun stuff today??
❔❔❔❔❔
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Help create a positive culture in your classroom w

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

Question: what changes are you making to your curr

Question: what changes are you making to your curriculum for the new school year?
👩‍🏫
I've seen this question being asked and answered a lot in the last few weeks. And I get it, I really do. We are living in in crazy new times, loads of us being asked to teach in ways that are completely new. We have to make some adjustments.
🆕️
I can't make specific changes to my English literature curriculum because of coronavirus. I still need to teach the syllabus so my students can go on and do their end of year exams. But I am going to make some changes so that my students leave this year having read and experience more than before. Here's what I am going to do:
✌🏾Champion Diversity - English literature is full of dead white guys. This year I plan to find more BAME writers and women writers who not only tell their own stories but are also fantastic models for my own students' writing.
🏳️‍🌈 I also want to find and more or LGBTQI+ novels, articles and poems to have in my classroom.
✍ I also want to go back to doing daily writing with each of my classes. It's been a while since I've been able to do this and when I say daily I don't mean everyday! But I want each of my students to write for a short amount of time every single lesson.

What changes are you making this year?

These literacy quick fire 'do now' tasks are an ex

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

Friends! My free CPD session on writing action in

Teaching language change and development is one of

Teaching language change and development is one of my favourite units. The English language is constantly changing – MTV was fly in the 90s. What is the link between Generation X’s slang and teaching The Seafarer? https://www.literaturedaydreams.com/teaching-the-seafarer/
#teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstragram #teachersofig #iteachELA #2ndaryELA #iteachwriting #iteachsecondary #iteachhighschool #iteachBritLit #iteachShakespeare
#theseafarer

Literature teachers! I promised to upload a bunch

Over the last few days, lots of fellow teachers ha

Over the last few days, lots of fellow teachers have shared diverse reading lists and diverse books you can use in your classroom library. There are SO many wonderful books written by black authors that to create a list like this feels overwhelming. So I decided to make my list something real and honest. These are books I have by black (and other non-white) authors in my classroom right now. Yup, I took this photo today. This is where I am starting, but not where I will finish. I have loads more suggestions to add now.
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I'm going to share why I love these books over the next few days.

X

One of the things with school on #lockdown is that

One of the things with school on #lockdown is that you miss all of those asides that happen a hundred times in a normal day.👩‍🏫
The chat with kids at the door, the gossip from the playground, the "Miss you'll never guess what?!". 🙄
Even if you are able to host live video lessons (we don't do this for safeguarding reasons) you can't manage 32+ individual interactions via video link.🚸
So how can I make lesson time via email (or whatever) more personal?
Here are a few things I tried:
- off topic quizzes every once in a while
- a quick video or voice message from me sharing what I've been up to
- a softer register/tone/style to my emails
- creative lessons
- fun challenges - rounds of would you rather or never have I ever - sharing podcast, TV, film recommendations - asking kids for their fave food ideas so I can try new recipes - getting the kids to set us quizzes and challenges - calling home just to say hi.
😁
What else can I try? Anymore suggestions for me?? #lockdownteachers
#remotelearning
#teachersofig
#teacherspayteachers
#distancelearning
#secondaryela

Leaving the house to go to the post box 📮 makes

Leaving the house to go to the post box 📮 makes me feel like I'm in a period drama. 👒
I don't know how well my jeans would go down in Austen-ville but I'd be happy to give it a go. 👖😁 I've sent more cards in the last couple of weeks than I did in the whole of last year. 💌💌💌
📬📨💌📮📭📫📪
#lockdown
#remotelearning
#distancelearning
#lockdownlife
#teachersofig
#teachersfolllowteachers
#secondaryela

While our school buildings are closed, we're now b

While our school buildings are closed, we're now building remote communities. Here in London we can't do drive bys at our students homes. So our remote communities are built with different bricks. .
We've been working hard to let our kids know that we care. Here are a few things we've tried:
1. Whole school challenges. For Earth Day we took the whole school off timetable and challenged them to be creative.
2. Weekly challenges. Each week we set a challenge for every form group in the school. We post the results on our school social media.
3. We do an assembly via video each week.
4. We are sending actual postcards to our students so they know we are thinking about them.
5. We set wellbeing work, not just academic work. In fact, each week we set it instead of academic work.
6. We ask kids how they are.
7. We teach life skills - this week it was making perfect scrambled eggs.
8. We share all manner of open access cultural experiences.
9. We host 'no pub, pub quizzes'.
10. We don't chase late work without first doing a wellbeing check.
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Remote communities can be just as vibrant as present ones.
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Do you have anymore suggestions for me? .
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Are you working longer hours at the moment? It sur

Are you working longer hours at the moment? It sure feels like it for me.
So I am plonking my butt down on the sofa for a cuppa and a cop show (don't judge).
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While one kid is on Zoom choir, one kid is playing swing ball, and one kid is scrolling thru Pinterest, I am gonna watch the interceptors chase some bad guys.
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Time to switch to relax mode. What are you watching tonight?! 📺

#relax
#lockdown
#copshows
#stayathome
#momwin
#teachersfolllowteachers

Are you missing your students like I am? I can't b

Are you missing your students like I am? I can't believe that even though we haven't been closed for that long, it feels like years. Those kids - I miss their sass, their smiles and spark. The chat, giggles, and lightbulb moments. .
I love the email and online contact. Kids are funny online. I like the 'kk' replies. They make me chuckle. Those kids are still themselves. This makes me feel better.
.
They are helping me stay strong. My plan is to help them be strong too.
.
#teachergram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #iteachhighschool #iteachwriting #iteachela #creativewriting #writingteacher #writingprompts #writingideas #2ndaryela #teachingideas #highschoolteacher #highschoollessons #Shakespeare #iteachShakespeare #iteachBritLit #teacherspayteachers

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I am recording more

Happy Wednesday friends! Today I am recording more videos of analysis for The Handmaid's Tale. In fact I am planning to record a latte videos today 🤣. What are you doing today?

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