Author: Richard Hornby

Exam timetables 2017

Richard Hornby

This post contains details of the current examination timetables for examinations in Summer 2017, sorted by subject.
It is best viewed as a full page rather than on the newsfeed menu.
Index
A level Mathematics
Pure Core – Further Pure – Mechanics – Statistics – Decision
A level Physics
AS – A-level

Supporting County Durham TAs

Richard Hornby

As you may be aware, Teaching Assistants (TAs) in County Durham are on strike over the next couple of days. Although this does not affect teaching and learning in the independent sector (as class ratios are usually much smaller), these individuals are vital to the smooth running of schools at all levels in the state sector – indeed High Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) are actually able – and do – teach parts of the curriculum.
ATL support
Richard is Member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) who are one of the unions who are holding industrial action today.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT AFFECT ANY SERVICES SUPPLIED BY MALLARD DAYS.
On 31st December Durham County Council will sack ATL & Unison Teaching Assistants (TAs) and then re-hire them on significantly less money. Why are they doing that? Because agreement couldn’t be reached so rather than continuing negotiations they are simply imposing these cuts.
The council claims that they are doing this as they are the only local authority who still pays whole time rather than term time only. The fact remains that TAs in Durham are currently some of the lowest paid in the region. TAs agreed to a lower pay grade to compensate for not working school holidays.
Mallard Days supports the work done by TAs in County Durham and across the country, and hopes that this dispute will be resolved soon.  For more information on the strike, please visit the “Durham Teaching Assistants Value Us” campaign page or ATL’s press release.

It’s too hard!

Richard Hornby

It’s not.
Sometimes these posts are inspired by something a student has said to me, and other times when I simply need to get some information across.  Today’s was inspired by something completely different: a post shared on Facebook by a friend.
The post was a version of this image, created by @sylviaduckworth, and reproduced in an unedited form below.
The image contains ten statements – which, honestly, I hear a lot whilst teaching – and 10 much better, more positive ways of thinking.
Why does positivity matter?
As I posted about some time ago, it’s really important in studying, as with everything else in life, to try and keep going.  But if you have a fixed mindset – that is, think that you can’t improve and that things will continue as they are, keeping going can be a very difficult challenge.  However, with a positive outlook on yourself and your capacity to learn, anything is possible.
Remember though, that a growth mindset isn’t the same as uncontrollable optimism.  This is exemplified by point 2 in Duckworth’s image above.  Yes, you may be getting everything right in this particular topic so far (well done!) but that just means that you’re one stepping stone close to your goal: you still have a lot to do, so use that positive energy to keep going.
Don’t give up
If you’re struggling to do something, ask someone.  Maybe ask more than one person – a teacher, a tutor, a friend, your mum… don’t feel bad because you’re needing to ask for help – sometimes everyone has to have things explained to them more than once before they can truly understand them!
You’ll figure it out, I know you will!