‘A change is as good as a rest’ - Victorian era proverb
I absolutely love my job: I have a dream of a class, some absolute legends as colleagues and I feel like I’m doing it well.
Sometimes, though, you can have too much of a good thing.
Thank goodness for half term breaks.
That’s not to say I totally switch off.
Here’s how I still make sure my breaks are productive in enriching my work.
CPD - Continuous professional dorkiness
I like to read and I know many people will read this who don’t. Often, there just isn’t time - I get it. If you do, reading should be relaxing, even if you see it as an opportunity to learn a thing or two.
Here’s a couple of incredibly easy reads that will also inform your practice.
‘Have You Eaten Grandma?’ by Giles Brandreth
As a former politicaion, Brandreth is bound to have some enemies. Whatever your opinions on him, this is an exceptional book.
Many consider the use of our language on a perpetual spiral of disintegration and feel that, before long, we’ll return to prehistoric humans, communicating with no more than grunts, shunts and points.
Brandreth definitely seems to be in this camp. He may well have written this for himself as nothing more than a rant about the “devolution” of the English language. Like many ranters, though, this makes for a highly entertaining read. The man is, to put it simply, a very funny writer.
Image courtesy of Goodreads via goodreads.com
In this book, Brandreth will teach you the rules: how punctuation should be applied, which grammatical forms must be adhered to and how to use words with impact.
I’m not entirely in Brandreth’s camp but I’ll be popping by to toast a marshmallow with him from time to time…
The pedantic and deeply analytitcal nature of the ‘Have You Eaten Grandma’ makes for an ideal educator on the finer points of written English. If you have potential ‘Greater Depth’ writers in your class, you’ll find so many suggestions that you can give them to refine their writing and take it to the next level. If you’re not even a teacher, it’s still an informative, entertaining read that will open your eyes to the heinous errors you’ve been making without realising.
I am a big advocate for the evolution of the English language and like to see new phrases and terms introduced to our daily venacular. I also see the sense - especially in writing - in sticking to the rules. Every piece of punctuation has it’s purpose, every grammatical structure it’s job. I’m not entirely in Brandreth’s camp but I’ll be popping by to toast a marshmallow with him from time to time and may even cuddle up in his sleeping bag with him while no one’s looking (metaphorically speaking).
‘A Kind of Spark’ by Elle McNicoll
In an age where neurodiversity awareness is at an all-time high, and still broadening exponentially, a novel by a brilliant autistic author about a brilliant autistic character is a sure-fire winner. There’s a lot of choice out there in this regard and we’re blessed to be able to choose from so much literature.
None in my reading experience do a better job than ‘A Kind of Spark’ by Elle McNicoll.
Being autistic makes Addie, in so many ways, a more powerful and inspiring person than she would have been if she wasn’t.
I am not autistic but I am neurodivergent. For me, this book does everything I could ask in its representation of the neurodivergent population. The protagonist, Addie, faces a serious of challenges that speak to a huge number of people: the intense pain of injustice, the pressure to fit in, the unavoidable irritation when others fail to understand.
At the same time, her differences are painted as strengths: she is intuative, observant, kind, brave and independent. Every one of these traits is amplified by her differences. Being autistic makes Addie, in so many ways, a more powerful and inspiring person than she would be if she wasn’t. There are a lot of lessons adults the world over can learn from her.
Image courtesy of Goodreads via goodreads.com
What Elle McNicoll has done is strike a magnificent balance between the struggles and the strengths of autistic people and, in my opinion, many across the entire neurodivergence spectrum. I learned more about supporting autistic children from this book than I have learned in any official teacher training.
Elle McNicoll has written many other spectacular books that feature neurodivergent protagonists, all available on her website:
You can also watch the Emmy nominated TV series ‘A Kind of Spark’, based on the novel, on BBC iPlayer.
Switching Off
As well as reading - which itself is an excuse for me to switch off - I totally tune out of anything work related.
I don’t have my emails on my phone.
I don’t take marking home with me.
I relax.
I’ve said it before - I work in a school that provides a better work-life balance than many others and allows me to complete the work I need to do (just about) during my working weeks. I get to switch off in the holidays.
However, just sitting back and doing nothing isn’t really my style. I’m a busy-minded individual who needs constant stimulation. I spent a day in Manchester and indulged in a bit of fine dining.
For part of the holidays, I tidied the flat top to bottom as an inspection from the landlord was looming. A very satisfying task to complete.
Then, in the final two days, I started a business.
If you’re bothered about what I will be doing, you can find my website here: https://mrwatsoncopy.co.uk.
Sounds hectic, I know, but this is what ‘switching off’ looks like for me. A change is as good as a rest.
Every teacher needs a life. When the holidays roll around again, make sure you get one.
Loved A Kind of Spark. I read it last half term, it really makes you re-think how you respond and support children in your class.
The website looks great. Good luck with the business👍