We’ve asked our blog reviewers to mix it up and recommend not their old favourites, but someone they’ve recently followed or who’s new to the edu-blogosphere. We think you’ll enjoy their suggestions…
Iesha Small’s top new blogger
The blog: All Ears
By @PositivTeacha
“There has been violence in my life.” Mr Pink (possibly a nod to the hyper violent character from the film Reservoir Dogs?) is the most recent eduperson I follow regularly via blog. He writes refreshingly and unflinchingly about masculinity for young (working-class) men in school and society, as well as his journey as a newish head of English.
Occasionally his posts have click-bait type titles such as “Learning objectives are a waste of time”. At first read, especially on Twitter – under the handle @PositivTeacha – he can come across as brash. But beyond first impressions of his online persona there is an honesty, vulnerability and universality that always makes me think and question. His posts stay with you.
Harry Fletcher-Wood’s top new blogger
The blog: Bennewmark
By @bennewmark
I’ve enjoyed the writing of several newish bloggers this year, but Ben Newmark in particular. His blogs are personal, thoughtful and considered, and reflect a decade’s thoughts about teaching and history teaching. They vary from strong articulations of key ideas in education to personal meditations. Whatever the subject, his approach is thoughtful and thought-provoking.
For an example of the range of his writing, try his attack on empathy as a goal of history teaching and then compare it with his tribute to his geography teacher, Mr Wilkes, who didn’t believe in plate tectonics, telling his students it was “rubbish. But I better teach you what everyone is saying.”
Jill Berry’s top new blogger
The blog: Curriculum Team Leader
By @curricteamlead
When Schools Week asked for recommendations of up-and-coming bloggers, or bloggers who were new to us, I put out a plea on Twitter and was overwhelmed by the response. Thanks to all who offered suggestions – I hope to feature many of them in my columns next year.
The one I chose, suggested by
@Lisa7Pettifer, is an anonymous secondary head of English who writes about many of the topics I find fascinating: career development and leadership, managing workload and balance, the nature of knowledge and what we should be teaching (and how we should teach it).
Andrew Old’s top new blogger
The blog: The Grumpy Teacher
By @grumpyteacher17
An anonymous independent school teacher’s blog made the most impact on me.
The name of the blog doesn’t sum up the content, which is often very positive. The Grumpy Teacher puts a lot of thought into posts, calling on considerable experience and knowledge, often adding something new to ongoing debates. As well as this, he or she does a wonderful job of describing what it’s like to work in a certain type of independent school, with an emphasis on sport and an ethos uninfluenced by what goes on elsewhere.
Unfortunately, he or she is now leaving teaching, but I hope whoever it is keeps blogging.
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