Teacher Hacks (And Other Ways to Increase Your Workload)

You can get a GCSE in Welsh, grow up in Wales, and still completely freeze when someone actually speaks Welsh back to you. That confession sends us into a proper wander through language, identity, and the massive chasm between passing an exam and confidently speaking a language. Meanwhile, our kids are somehow becoming bilingual in French despite barely visiting France — yet still maintain world-class selective hearing whenever they’re asked to tidy their rooms.

Then reality bites. We dive into exam season and the world of secondary school SEND management, where access arrangements have to be evidence-based, strictly compliant, and permanently inspection-ready. We talk through a recent Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) inspection that created months of stress and paperwork before being over in minutes — and ask why UK schools seem trapped in a constant cycle of compliance anxiety.

Finally, we put a viral list of “back to school teacher hacks” on trial. From lollipop sticks and visual timetables to classroom décor and “important folders” that sound dangerously close to a GDPR incident waiting to happen, we ask the only question that matters: does any of this actually reduce teacher workload and improve classroom management, or is it just more jobs for teachers already running on fumes?

If you enjoy honest staff-room chat, secondary school comedy, SEND and exams insight, and two teachers questioning modern education, subscribe, share the show with a colleague, and leave a review.

Transcript

Welsh, French And Family Languages

SPEAKER_01 0:19

But you knew the colour deal. We. We. That is that is a difficulty because I I grew up in Wales, but I've got a GCSE in Welsh. Togai is the GCSE in Welsh. Well I can't speak in Welsh. I I can't speak it at all. I can I can sort of understand little bits. I did it up to level A. Which I love that. Level A. I basically was awful because I got a degree in French, so I'm not bad at languages, but I can't speak Welsh even though I grew up in Wales. And I can't speak Punjabi even though my father is fluent in Punjabi. I can speak French fluently though. Yeah, it doesn't make any sense, does it? It doesn't make any sense.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

I thought I was fluent because obviously I did my uh cavelliet lafar, which is my um you know, uh sort of viva voce, if you like, in uh in Welsh for a level, with the then chief examiner Clive Rollens. And uh he would say things like Well Ter Ben, Bessie Point of Sharad Kim Lake, which is well, Ben. What's the point of speaking Welsh? I actually understood that when you said that. I didn't understand I couldn't immediately think of an answer. No, I do understand it's it's a very important for the culture and all the rest of it of Wales, but which is exactly what I said in the answer.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

That's a good answer.

SPEAKER_02 1:36

But having thought I was fluent, uh I then applied to do uh some drama courses but also some music. And a music and Welsh course at Bangor University. I realised I wasn't fluent when they conducted the interview in Welsh.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

That is problematic. And then I I mean I claim to be uh fluent in French and I have got a degree in French, so you'd imagine I would be. And I lived in Paris for three years. Uh it's where I met my my wife. And both of my children speak French because we've sort of Yeah, I find this really funny. I don't I don't know why. Well, I think what you may find funny is not it's not funny that my children are bilingual. That wouldn't be funny. No, that's not funny in and of itself. So so my oldest daughter is bilingual, has been bilingual her whole you know, since she started speaking, she's she's spoken both languages. But you're right, my youngest daughter for a long time could only speak French and has never been to France. So the English is coming along since she started nursery, but would refuse to just acknowledge that English was a language for some.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

So what would you get as you got in through the door? Monpère, Montpère. Um never, really. Please, I want to imagine I'm there. I'm I'm I'm uh I'm a creative. I want I want to imagine that I'm there. So the door creaks open.

SPEAKER_01 2:44

I mean she calls me papa, not Montpère for starters. Right, papa, papa. Well, not like that, but you know It's like one of the Renault adverts, is it? Um it's not Papa, but yes, that's uh um whereas my no, but my so that's it, because my my youngest daughter who speaks predominantly French but is learning English now, she's go she means she can understand, she's always been able to understand English, but she's just always communicated. Selectively. Well, yes, selectively. Yeah, if she's but then she understands French selectively as well. She understands instructions selectively, yeah. Um and is quite she is a little bit I would I don't want to use the word naughty or méchant. She is, however, what my wife calls a coquine uh and she is a little bit cheeky and will get away with quite a lot. A coquine coquine. Whereas my my eldest daughter is completely bilingual, which is quite impressive, never been to France either, but she refuses to accept that I can speak French. So my youngest daughter I refuse to accept that you can speak in French. I think everyone does. My youngest daughter will speak to me in French and will accept my French as uh as an adequate form of communication, but my eldest child, and for her entire life this has been true, has never has never believed that I am capable of communicating in French. So will only speak to me in English, would only speak to me in English, still will only speak to me in English, but will speak to my wife in French and speak to French. She believes your wife is competent and capable. No, my wife is better at French than I am. Yes. That that is undeniably true. You know, I got the the two two degree, she got a first class degree, she's done a master's in French studies, she's doing a PhD in French, in yeah, studying French literature. So she knows a thing or two. So she does know a thing or two, whereas I stopped, I you know, I I maxed out at the uh undergrad degree uh and I've done and I've avoided French, even though I was briefly a French teacher, but since I pivoted over to maths and then and then send, I I haven't bothered with French at all. In fact, having two daughters who speak French is the only reason I've sort of reacquired the language a little bit through having to communicate with a four-year-old who refuses to speak English. But that's the only reason I've got any competence at all, I think. But I mean I'm all I I'm not bad at it, but yes, I think fluency may not be. I mean I'm I'm possibly overstating my skills at this point to say I'm fluent in French. Oh, should we go on the show? Yeah, let's do that. It's nice that you said it this week rather than me. Yeah. Excellent. Okay, I think that's quite good. We should try that again in the future. Well, let's not make such a big thing of it. We'll just carry on. I will then. Thank you. Welcome

Welcome Back And The Postcard Ritual

SPEAKER_01 5:08

to Ben and James Could Do Better.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

And I think that has just proved that we still very much could do better.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

We could. But anyway, this is a podcast, um, which hopefully is clear to listeners. And it's a podcast that were it to be judged under the old offstead criteria would be uh requires improvement. Absolutely. And under the new category would be uh attention needed, I think. Yes is the fairest. Definitely. So um working towards expected. You'll be pleased now. I've got a list, as always. Ben. Oh, goody goody. I think you'll find this one pretty useful. Before we get on to that, we need to do the statutory attendance register. So uh I'm James, and I imagine I am here because I I think I am. I think. Therefore I am. Therefore I am here. But I'm not sure if Ben's here, so I'm gonna check. Ben! Wagwan! I don't know what it means, but I've had students say it. I think it means what's going on, but it's I suppose that makes sense, but it but it it also doesn't make sense. Before we move on, obviously uh it's important to me that I reference a postcard. And this week I've I bought that job lot from Amazon. I've randomly selected a postcard with a picture of two tumblers of whiskey uh that says ultimate happy hour, Friday, April the 8th, 6 to 9 pm. And what's encouraging to me, as someone who doesn't get out very much, what with having the two kids, is it says childcare's available, but I must make reservations to reserve the child spot. So uh there you go. It doesn't say what year, and April's already passed. So probably no use whatsoever. I'm gonna stick a picture of that on the blog, and people can make their own minds up. Right. So what have you been up to this week, Ben?

Stress, Exams And The JCQ Inspection

SPEAKER_01 6:49

I did do a toilet roll audit as part of my extended midlife crisis. More importantly, how's your week? Well, it's been uh quite a stressful week this week, actually. Uh for work-related reasons, which isn't the most exciting thing, but Well, it's exam getting exams ready for for me. Um for you it's Well, it was the JCQ inspection, of course. Oh gosh. Because uh as Senko, I'm uh one part of my role is to uh make sure all of the access arrangements, that's the extra time, um, reading support, anything you might have in an exam. It's my my role to make sure all of the uh all of that's processed legally and above board, you know, you know, and that's there's there's quite a lot of paperwork involved. Yeah, but there is. And uh JCQ decided to change JCQ being the the sort of regulating body decided to change all of the rules this year. Uh not the rules, the rules didn't change, but the way they would inspect the rules, so the evidence required changed, which meant a lot of work. I had to produce a lot more work to make make meet their requirements, and so they came into inspect. And obviously, there's a little bit of it's just changed. I was a little bit concerned about how that process might go. And so there was a little bit of pressure going into this inspection. But JCQ inspections, although we often make a big fuss when we when they go well, they're not like off stead inspections, they're not really anything you should. So what happened is having prepared all of these these different files ready for the inspection, she came in and she just looked at two and said that's fine. And it took about 10 minutes. So uh month months of pressure uh resulted in a fairly in fact, I wanted her at that point, so I wanted to say no, that's not good enough. Uh let me show you all of them. Look at all the files. I've spent hours on these files. So then, James, we're up to speed. I think it's time we dug out a list, isn't it? Well, yes. Uh uh I've been back on the internet looking at lists. We obviously missed that out last last week.

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Well, I'm not sure if some of the viewers will have noticed, but uh I noticed.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Yeah, well I noticed because uh I, you know, we would we were talking really about sort of you know the the experiences we've had of making the podcast. Uh yeah, and the rich vein of feedback.

Fan Mail And Workplace Personalities

SPEAKER_01 8:44

Actually, I would like to take a moment because we've had some more feedback. Uh yeah, now I'm always up for feedback. We've had our first fan mail. There's actually a fan mail feature on the um on the on the uh on the podcast website. There's a there's a specific website dedicated to the podcast on Buzz Sprout, and um there's a fan mail feature, and you can't switch that off, it's just there. Somebody's actually written to us, and they and so I thought it'd be nice to read that fan mail fire away. So it opens with love the podcast, which is lovely, isn't it? That's lovely, yeah. Yeah. Love the podcast. Never thought I'd see the day where I'd laugh at James Burke. And it finishes with, I suppose he's funny outside of his Senrol. I I think that's brilliant. Well, it is, and it's a compliment, so it's it's hard for me to get offended in in the sense that that that's clearly saying they found me funny on this. They clearly find you anything but funny. In real life. I don't mind people not finding me. I mean, you are some might call you a bit of a a show-off, to be honest with you. Oh, don't be silly. A larger than life character, you're the head of potential.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

I don't mind that, I don't mind the last two, but the first one I don't like. What's that? The sort of thing my mum would say. Yeah, fine.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

She thought I was showing off when I was in the theatre because my face was on the wall. I mean, fair enough, but you know, you do seem to be making something that's about me about you. Even now even now you're doing that. So maybe it's uh a deep character flaw. It seems to be, because this is clearly about me, not you. Now, it could be implicit that they love the podcast and they love you on it as well. They don't say that. They haven't said that. No. They've they've said they've never- I think it's implied though. It it's implied. I'm prepared to accept that they find you funny. Thank you. I'm prepared to accept that they find well that it says they find me funny on this, but but definitely on this and only this. On this and only this. Now every other interaction this person has had with you is has been deeply, deeply serious. Deeply unfunny. Now that the fact they, you know, I can accept they don't find me funny, but what I can't accept is that they've given it so much thought that they never thought they'd find me funny, but so they've thought about it. It sounds like they've agonised, don't they? They've agonised over this. They've they thought that's a deeply unfunny man. Every encounter I've ever had with him is like not just that I don't really like him, fine, that's fine. Not everyone likes me.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

But I've never thought I'd find him funny. No, and they they they have thought about this for a long time before. I mean, uh it's it's obviously completely thrown them.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

Yeah, I suppose he's funny outside of his Senrol. Now, again, I'm not like you. I'm more I'm generally a little more understated in the workplace than you are. You're quite, but then again, you're nature of the role, you're head of performing arts, one would expect you to be quite.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

I don't go around with jazz hands, so I don't want people thinking it's that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

You are quite a loud personality, uh you know. The as I say, I'm happy to accept it as part of the role. Uh and a part of my role is is a different role. But I have led whole school training events.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

You have.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

And people have generally laughed in those.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

This person obviously didn't.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

No, no, they never thought they but I because I don't obviously I do the training events to train people. I mean I'm not there is content, but I generally Well they found that probably very serious. Yeah, but I generally throw in a generally throw in a few jokes to make it unf people Well that's the bit they've not found it funny, but but I've had laughter. People have laughed in those. I mean in fact I I'd like to make it clear that I'm available should anyone want to put me for sort of CPD sessions. I'd I'd do them with Ben or without, to be honest with you. Yeah, it sounds like you'd rather do them without. Well, I think at this point, because you interrupt everything.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

So people want the deeply unfunny uh bit of insert, you're the man to come to, by the same time. You come to life and you put the these sort of headphones on and lean into the microphone, don't you?

SPEAKER_01 12:28

I I mean uh apparently so. Apparently this is hilarious. But So have we got any more feedback? Oh, about you. Yeah I haven't seen any about you to be sure. Oh well, we'll we'll cover that next time. Anyway, we must push on. What have you seen about you? We must push on. I I haven't seen it, it doesn't exist. We've had one piece of fan mail. Push on with the um list. Yeah, we must. We must, we must. But I have read out all the fan mail and that was it. Thank you. Because there's only one piece. Yeah, moving forward. Which which is about me. Uh, not you. Saying you were deeply, usually deeply unfunny. But on this on this. Funny.

SPEAKER_02 13:07

Yes. Yeah. So I think what you'll find was implied they were automatically assuming that I would be amusing. They didn't mention you.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

I don't like listening to you. I don't like this feedback any longer. Can we if it makes you feel better, and it probably will, we put a few videos out on the Instagram this week, uh some of them featuring both of us, some of them featuring just you, some of them featuring just me. Um they've all got quite a lot of likes on the Instagram. I don't know. But statistically. Statistically, yours have been more like than mine. If that helps you. Thank you. Uh obviously, this is meant to be a podcast about being uh teachers. Uh we sometimes forget that. And we've given a lot of I think really useful advice to teachers over the last few weeks, though, having said that. Oh gosh, yeah. Uh and some really valuable about well-being, essential supplies, how to get into teaching. Oh, I I mean uh people would have gone away from that. Blown away, I think. Why you why you should be a teacher, obviously we covered that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

And the differences are to start your teaching career.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

Exactly. You know, don't forget to turn that.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

That still makes me laugh now, that is a bit good.

SPEAKER_01 14:13

You know, and if you can order a class set of well-behaved children, excellent. Yeah, that stationary list is is still in my bag. Yes, uh, it's some useful things there. So today is Well, let's assume people have they've they've gone through all of those, they've taken our advice, they've decided whether they're primary or secondary, they've decided they do want to be a teacher. They've commenced their teaching career. They've gone through the the training and and they've got all the equipment they need and they've they've taken care of their well-being. They've got to teach now. Yeah. They've got to fulfill all the requirements of the job.

SPEAKER_02 14:42

But they've got their stationary, obviously, sorted. All the messages.

Hunting For Workload Tips Online

SPEAKER_02 14:45

Well, I I following on from roaring success.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Yeah, they've got uh well they're gonna need it. They're gonna need it for this for this list. So I was looking for some top tips to help teachers better manage their their workload and their and the job, and just to understand how to do the job, uh, and I couldn't find any top tips, but what I did find was 12 back to school teacher hacks. Uh I I hate the word. Probably because I didn't really understand what the hell it meant. I've struggled, yeah, because I I you see hack all the time now, don't you? But you don't really see top tips anymore.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

It makes me want to hack up when I when I see it.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

What does what does it mean? It is a tip, is it? I think it is just a tip. Or is it cheats? What does it cheats? I think it's both, isn't it? It's both. I think it's used for both, and it's it's an awful word, and it doesn't mean there's no need for a teacher cheats isn't really sound great, does it? I suppose that's that's but I then I don't think you should be hacking. Shortcuts. Shortcuts. Okay, alright, okay. I hate the word, let's just go with it. That's what the user today say. So it's not the most up-to-date list. I I need to apologise in advance for that. This is 12 back to school teacher hacks for 2023. They've obviously chosen not to update it for the last few years. Well, it says it says discover the latest back to school hacks to save you time, for time saving, which I think is really important. Yeah, it is, it is, because you know, we're short of it, aren't we? And it and it says updated for 2023. It was actually updated in January 2023. It says going back to school isn't always easy. That's fair. It can it can feel overwhelming as the term stretches out before you. But after the festive break, or a lazy summer holiday, we've all got to face up to the reality that school is back. Um, however, there is no need to worry. To save you some time and to ease the transition from presumably from holiday to back in work, we've rounded up. They've rounded up a sheepdog trial. The most life-changing back to school hacks for teachers to try in 2023. Life changing. I mean, this is quite um cautionary note, these were to try in 2023. It's 2026. It may not be these may not be up to date, but they've not updated the list. So I think we've got to assume from that that they are up to date. Now it doesn't say these are specifically a secondary teacher, so if we've got any primary colleagues listening, feel free to use these as well. This is for everyone. All teachers will benefit. This is like the now 65 or whatever it is of teacher, yeah, yeah. Um and it's for everyone. So, you know, if you're in if you're primary, secondary, tertiary, probably even early years, we'll probably find something here.

Hacks 1 To 7 Folder Madness

SPEAKER_01 17:15

So, number one on the list of twelve, marked slash unmarked folders.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

Marked stroke unmarked teacher folders.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

How the hell does that come in as the first item on a teacher letter?

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Is that literally what it says? Well, there is an explanation underneath, but yeah. Right, so the first of our teachers, the first of our teacher house for 2023.

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Can we can we can forget the 2023?

SPEAKER_01 18:11

That's in my head. We've already established this is still relevant today. So forget the 2023 and kick it into touch.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

Right, right, okay, so I didn't expect that to like you said this was boring.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

Oh yeah, that is good. It's often it's often often when I mean the light of day in advance. Anyway, but that has a that has a tickle disc. Right, okay, so and I think the exclamation is gonna ruin it, isn't it? No, it's not, I think it's gonna send you over the edge again.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

For me, they'd just be a stuff in the life. There wouldn't be any that I have. I don't know if you have anyway, I don't want to get called in the office.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

This will this will save confusion. If you have to stop suddenly. Stop suddenly. Right. Why would you have to stop suddenly? It's okay because it's not a problem. If I want one too many slides for Battenberg, I need to stop suddenly.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

And maybe it's okay when I come back to it because they'll be too easily easily definable stacks. Oh dear, I'm crying.

SPEAKER_01 20:10

I'm crying, but that is absolutely ludicrous. Right. Uh so number two, use craft sticks to call on students.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Craft sticks.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

What they mean is lolly lollysticks, don't they? I don't understand. Well well, I do understand it, but I don't understand how this improves or is a cheat or well. Let me read it to you. Please. So this is possibly one of the most useful. Uh I don't know. It's difficult to break it's difficult to beat two stacks of boulders, isn't there? Put the names of your students on a craft stick and then put them in a pot. When you want to ask a student a question or help with a task, pull out a stick at random. Revolutionary ideas.

SPEAKER_00 20:58

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

And the idea that you'd have to do that.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

I mean, I teach everybody in the school key stage three. I'd have to have about 25 pots of lollipop sticks.

SPEAKER_01 21:09

It's ridiculous. Right now, I need to remind you now that this the title we're getting on to number three. We'll move on to number three. I just want to remind you, this is uh 12 back to school teacher hacks. Right, yeah. And we'll leave out the year. Uh yeah, please, please, we've kicked that into time. These are pitched at teachers. Yeah. Okay, right. So number three, use a visual timetable. Now that wasn't as funny as I thought it was gonna be. No, I suppose it's useless. I think this is a visual timetable. I can sort of see this might actually be something a teacher might I mean, I don't know why you need to, but you might in primary school possibly, because the bit that it says next is why not use a visual timetable to show what subjects you'll be doing next. Well, of course, if you're in primary, you do do a variety of subjects.

SPEAKER_02 21:56

Because it might say drama, followed by drama, followed by drama, followed by.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

It's not going to be particularly visual, just in the thought. All of all of all of all of it. All in the same colour. It would be I'm teaching the subject that I specialise in in secondary. Largely. I mean there's some. Major there's the music lessons, but it could be in a different colour. And some yeah, some teachers do teach multiple subjects, so but never really more than two, I would say, subject specialisms really on any given timetable. So it's gonna be two colours. Anyway, I don't think that's useful. I think that's I would say that's more for students. It shouldn't be on this list. No, be bemused by that a bit. Right. Now number four, number two and number three would like use something. I suppose number one didn't say use market or mark folders, but it's implicit that you'd use them. Yeah. So use these things. Number four, they they haven't sort of said use these things. They've said interactive powerpoints are a lifesaver. Just say that again. Interactive powerpoints are a lifesaver. They're not. It says this may be one of them. Tell that to the RNLI.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

What are they gonna do when they're out trying to rescue somebody off some dinghy somewhere?

SPEAKER_01 23:06

And they're going to throw them an interactive powerpoint. Or just grab hold of this, guys. Perhaps perhaps they're just gonna get the boat near and show it to them. So they can enable the the drowning person to save themselves. Life saver. But it says this may be one of the best teacher hacks. I didn't tell you. How is it a hack? You're gonna take ages putting an interactive PowerPoint together. What's the hack? You can download them from this website of this people.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

You failed to tell me about that.

SPEAKER_01 23:39

Well, you can't buy marked or unmarked folders from them, and you can't get crafticks. Number four on the list is something you can get from the website I got. So that's what they're doing. I don't know why they put that as number four if they think it's so right. Anyway, we're trying to save time. Yeah. We're trying to save time. That's what these are for. They time savers. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, so number five, let's just get on to number five. Decorate your classroom with banners and decorations. A teacher hack. Another one that takes a load of time. Right, no, that's fine. Number six will save us time. Yeah, great. Let's get back on it. Every list, if there's 12 things, it's gonna be a dip, isn't there? Somewhere. We can't judge them too much.

SPEAKER_02 24:16

We can't no no, but this is gonna be this is back onto it, is it?

SPEAKER_01 24:20

Time saving, remember time saving things that will help you save time. Yep. Write down your positive feedback. What about just give it? Sometimes children might forget it. Is the so you can save time by not just telling the children they've done well, but telling them and then writing it down. Yeah, that'll save a bit of time, won't it? Oh, goodness me. Right.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Goodness, goodness. And they can reread it, then you see. Well, I don't mind them rereading positive feedback. There's nothing wrong with that, by the way. It's the idea that it's saving time.

SPEAKER_01 24:49

Yeah, well, let's just make them all and then write it all down. Have I misjudged the list? I'm just gonna go out. So it says discover the latest back to school hacks to save you time. Yeah, well, there's none saved there. Number seven. Number seven. Create important folders. These are different, presumably to the marked slash unmarked folders. The marked and unmarked folders. These are different folders to that. So when we say what, create what? Create what? Important folders. Important folders. Create they're all marked important. Well, let's read it. Let's read it. The unmarked and the marked, and then the important. This teacher hack is incredibly simple, but very too very, very, very effective. Right. Yeah. For each child. For each child. Create a folder that holds all of their key information. That's breach of data protection, surely. It does sound like a GDPR node. You can't.

SPEAKER_02 25:43

What? You're gonna create a folder. All the important information for that child. Home telephone numbers. Uh who yeah, let's put it all in a folder, marked important, and scatter it around the classroom.

SPEAKER_01 25:55

This could be IEPs, allergy information. In a folder in the classroom. Well, yeah, look, I haven't got to the end of it. Maybe it says put it. Well, IEPs, allergy information, ways they learn, because of course there's different learning styles. We'll do that another episode.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

Oh, this sounds time saving.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

Keeping all this information in one place can really help you in the future, as well as helping any substitute teachers.

SPEAKER_02 26:17

Number one, there are systems for recording all this information which are secure. A folder in a classroom is definitely not secure. It's a diabolical advice, isn't it? Yes. With teachers taking this advice will end up on a disciplinary.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

It doesn't save any time. Eight.

Hacks 8 To 12 Kindness And Self-Care

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Yeah. Random acts of kindness. Teaching can be challenging at times. Yeah. And so a random act of kindness can really make someone take. How is this put on? So the list doesn't fit with anything else that you're it doesn't save kindness.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

I think this is much funnier than it sounded. This list.

SPEAKER_01 26:56

It's it's not it's absolutely awful as well. It doesn't save time. No wonder they haven't updated it. I'm not I'm not against a random act of kindness. No, nor am I. We're not laughing at random acts of kindness. It's quite a nice thing to do. The idea that it's on a time-saving list it doesn't save you time. It doesn't matter. I mean, I think the nicest thing you could say about that as a piece of advice is that it's it doesn't belong on a list. And it it might not cost you time because you might be able to be randomly kind while you're doing something else. But it's not it's not a time-saving strategy. So it's a stra you know, again, uh yeah, be kind. Yeah, that's fine. By all means. I want I want all of our listeners to be kind. Right, number nine. Number nine, save time, be right. So I'm gonna read this exactly as it's written. It's got an exclamation mark at the end of this. I I don't know if I'll be able to convey that because I'll probably start laughing, but I'm gonna try and say it. Yeah. Prepare for fidgets. I mean, it's not bad advice, but oh, it's it's great advice. You know, if you're gonna be a teacher of that children. There's a sort of thing for you to be as a teacher. But it's not a time saving. Children will fidget and you need to be able to yeah, they need strategies.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

So what so yes, but extra strategies, when we don't say that they aren't required, take extra time to think about. Right, so let's save you time, do they?

SPEAKER_01 28:26

No, they say extra time again. So it lets me Perhaps there's some the let's go for a deep dive. So fit fidgeting is normal for children, I'd agree with that, especially if they're neurodivergent. I mean, again, obviously that's that's fine. Rather than telling them off or making them feel like they're in trouble for acting on their natural instincts, prepare for the fidgets. Again, an exclamation mark. Prepare for the fidgets. Yeah. You could let them use fidget toys. Yeah. Or give them specific times to get their wiggles out. I'm not sure we want any of that, thank you very much. It doesn't require much preparation, just patience and understanding. But it doesn't save you any time, either. Doesn't save you any time, no.

SPEAKER_02 29:02

It's another one of those fairly sound advice, but which doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the list, I must tell you. It's a bit of sound advice popping through there, it it it amits the darkness, yeah, frankly, of the rest of it.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

If this was a list about Sen, you know, that appears But it does not save time. It doesn't save time and it's along with almost everything else on the list. It's not saved you any time, no. Right, okay. Number ten, number ten. We've we've we're nearing the end of the list. We've we've sort of powered through this, really. Yeah. Number ten, yeah. Got a great time saver here. Yep. Start a subject question box. No, thank you. I don't I don't put a little box on each table with some bits of paper, kids can then write the question. Yeah, and I know what a question box is. We don't need it. Why does that doesn't so you've got to make that?

SPEAKER_02 29:47

You've got to make that, you've got to spend time making the slips up, and then you've got to give the students time to write them and put them in the bar. It doesn't save any time.

SPEAKER_01 29:55

And then you've got to read the questions. Right, no, we're on eleven. We haven't got 12. We've got 12. Number eleven. Uh come up with class rules with your class.

SPEAKER_02 30:05

Again, that's okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:07

It's not okay. It's not okay. That's not okay. Right. That's actually that's terrible advice. Come up with class rules with your class. Right, when are you doing that? When are you doing that? That's that's that's that classic. And you're you're you you're a former school leader.

SPEAKER_02 30:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

And you walk around on the first day of term, yeah, and you every lesson you go into, there's a teacher making up rules with their class. Yes. Are you gonna be happy? I'm not happy. No one's happy with that, are they? No. That is we know it, we've done it. It's when you come back from the first first day back after the holidays and you can't be asked to prepare a lesson. Yes, that's right. That's what that is. That's what that is. It's not uh It's almost as bad as the video at the end of term, isn't it? It hasn't saved you time. It's what saves you time because you haven't prepared you haven't done any work. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

So so the the time saves So you've already saved yourself the time by not doing any work. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

And then you're taking more of the students' time just wasting time because you haven't. Because there's there are there's presumably, I mean, it's certainly in all schools I've ever worked in, yeah, it's a fairly clear set of rules. Yeah, I would say so. You don't need to make up new rules, there's already rules. You don't need any so this but let's read. It says back to school hacks often make you feel as though you needed everything to be prepared before going back to school. With this hack, you just need to make wait until you meet your new class. Yeah. It's great. So the advice there is beggars belief. But I'm surely there's a velder for twelve. Uh it's it's a good one. It's a good one, yeah. Number twelve. It will save you a lot of time.

SPEAKER_02 31:34

I hope so.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

Because we've got to draw this to a close with some. This is actually, you know, I don't know why the left is number twelve, really. Number twelve, look after yourself. I thought I'm amazed it didn't come uh higher up the list, that one. But returning to season can be stressful, even with our back even with our back school hacks, of which there are eleven.

SPEAKER_02 31:56

Well, I tell you what, if you'd done those 11 hacks, you'd be probably need intensive care, wouldn't you? You must have the extra work going on there.

SPEAKER_01 32:04

You needed number 11 just to make up for all the extra work you've done yourself with the first uh ten. Uh but look after yourself, make sure to take some time for yourself, which we've already taken off you with the first ten.

SPEAKER_02 32:13

Uh it's just it's just shockingly awful. Again, a group of people sitting around come up with that.

SPEAKER_01 32:19

There's a picture here as well of someone relaxing on a sofa. There you go. Gosh, uh that sums up teaching for me. That's that's that's I'm often uh and you know why they're able to do that? Because of this list of because of all the hacks they've uh and they've they know where their marked folders are and where they're they're unmarked.

Final Thoughts And The Ask

SPEAKER_02 32:40

So after all that excitement, James, I'm going to take the very unusual step of wishing our listeners a wonderful week in school, work, and life.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

And we'll see them next week. As is often your way, I'd like to do what you've done, what I always do, and I'd like to do what you always do before we go, and that's the the call to action. Oh yes. Because we would like some contributions from you.

SPEAKER_02 33:05

Like, subscribe, share, download, tell your friends, even if you can't stand it, tell them and let them.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

Tell them it's good. Let them come to their own goals. Or if you really hate it, tell people that you don't like that it's good and make them suffer through it.

SPEAKER_02 33:18

And if all else fails, give it to your sons and daughters.

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Yeah, the kids love it. Bye bye. Bye bye.