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Rachael Sligo

@theartyeducator

4.8K

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2022

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Honest Info from an UKS2 Teacher • English Lead • Literacy Specialist • Over 40 • Menopausal Mum • Doing Her Best • Varied Results! 📚

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We made it to Friday! 🥳

How has the start of your new term been? I was pretty nervous, even going into my 25th year, but it has actually been a lovely start back.

We have a new head, I have a new mixed class, I also have a new additional role with the English Hub so there are lots of changes to navigate.

I sometimes need to have a word with myself about that thief of joy - comparison. I have made lots of changes to how I tackle UKS2 teaching, but not because I have seen someone else do it and felt I was missing out, but because my class this year means that I need to alter my approach. Sometimes hard when you are bombarded with lots of lovely classroom ideas.

#teacherlife #primaryteacheruk #teachersfollowteachers #classroomideas #backtoschool by @theartyeducator

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a month ago

I spent most of my childhood with my head in a book. I adored reading and I read everything I could find, particularly fantasy books. I have incredibly fond memories of the books that meant the world to me - Redwall, The Animals of Farthing Wood, The Deptford Mice... but I am not still reading them now because there are so many new incredible stories and authors to discover. If I read more, I can recommend more.

If I create a list of fantastic 40 books for my children, and every year group in school, I can support the children and staff to experience the incredible range available and the joy in reading something new.

Our schools 'Fantastic 40' is bespoke to our needs, but would work for other North East primary schools and those that follow the @grammarsaurus curriculum too. My template is easy to edit for any school's needs.

#readingforpleasure #primaryteacheruk #englishlead #teachertips #primaryteacher taken in Newcastle upon Tyne by @theartyeducator

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a month ago

Just a little update because so many new people have joined me lately in this little corner of teaching Insta. Thank you so much BTW! I have zero answers to the English Lead/Teacher/Mum juggle, but it's always nice to know we are in it together. ❤️

#teacherlife #primaryteacher #englishlead #primaryteacheruk #teachersofinstagram by @theartyeducator

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2 months ago

It has taken me a good 10 days to feel like posting after the exhaustion of the first few weeks of term. I don't remember a September start like it!

I went from a residential into English Hub Literacy Specialist Training into Ofsted.

Of course there are 1000 things I could say, but actually as an English Lead, what I would really value are the quick wins that will have the biggest impact so I have tried to do that.

#ofsted #englishlead #primaryteacheruk #TeacherLife #teachersfollowteachers taken in Newcastle upon Tyne by @theartyeducator

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3 days ago

Just saying!

#ofsted #primaryteacher #TeacherLife #teachertired #teachersofig by @theartyeducator

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14 days ago

It's been a journey of ups and downs this teaching career of mine. The path to Year 6 teacher and English Lead wasn't exactly straightforward.

#TeacherLife #teachersofig #primaryteacher #primaryeducation #UKTeachers taken in Morpeth, Northumberland by @theartyeducator

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16 days ago

How have we only been back at school 3 weeks? I feel like I've lived 3 lifetimes already.

Year 5 & 6 residential ✅️
Literacy Specialist training ✅️
Baseline assessments ✅️
Start of new units ✅️
New 5/6 routines underway✅️

Right, all we need now is 'the call'!

#TeacherLife #teachersofig #PrimaryTeacherLife #year6 #ukteachersofinstagram taken in Newcastle upon Tyne by @theartyeducator

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17 days ago

We have a very mixed group of readers in Year 5 & 6, so book reviews can be a bit tricky. Here are 4 alternatives that we use to build up towards a more detailed written book review.

If you have already downloaded my 'Fantastic 40' template from my bio, you will have the mini book templates already, but if not, let me me know and I can point you in the right direction as well as the Google form Book Review.

#ks2teacher
#englishlead #readingforpleasure #primaryteacheruk #teachertips by @theartyeducator

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2 months ago

Absolutely shattered.

The staff at @robinwoodactivitycentres have been incredible with our Year 5 & 6 children - many of whom we weren't sure would manage a residential. Even though we don't run the activities, taking responsibility for 34 children for 3 days is intense, and you dont realise how intense until you hand them all over and the wave hits you.
Very grateful for incredible colleagues. We have laughed a lot!

#residentialtrip #year6 #TeacherLife #teachergram #primaryteacher taken in Morpeth, Northumberland by @theartyeducator

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20 days ago

Handwriting in Year 5 & 6. Have any of you noticed a decline? I know there are a whole host of reasons for it, not least the use of phones and ipads, but I can't control that. I can control what I do in the classroom to support it... on a limited budget!

Hit me with any of your tried and tested methods.

Our paper is part of our @grammarsaurus subscription and I always buy my doh from @theworksstores

#primaryteacheruk #TeacherLife #teachertips #handwritingpractice #handwritingimprovement by @theartyeducator

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2 months ago

One of my absolute must-haves for September in my mixed Year 5/6 class. Don't be afraid to try something a little bit EYFS because they get a lot of things right down there! One pot each, named with sharpies and believe me, they really look after them. Fantastic resource for fine motor skill warm ups, hooking in those children that are not convinced, and for strengthening pen grip. Mine came from @theworksstores and lasted really well.

#TeacherLife #primaryteacheruk #year6teacher #keystage2 #teachersofinstagram by @theartyeducator

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2 months ago

Year 5 and 6 isn't all about long novels. Don't get me wrong, I adore reading longer books with the whole class, but the value in sharing first chapters and picture books CANNOT be underestimated. My current class range from children accessing ayear 7 texts, to children working on decodables at Phase 3 and 4, so it is a challenge to build everyone's confidence and make everyone believe they are a reader.

What are your reading challenges this year?

#readingforpleasure #readingteacher #year6 #teachertips #primaryteacher taken in Newcastle upon Tyne by @theartyeducator

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23 days ago