Chris Curtis
English teacher, head of department, geek, avid reader of books, blogger
Blog: learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com
- Reposted by Chris Curtis@openingdoors.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social @natecommunity.bsky.social It is so often the artists, the writers who see and speak to tyranny whilst the rest stay quiet
- Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again. #Pinks #ProudBlue
- Reposted by Chris CurtisJoin NATE, the UK’s leading subject association for English teachers. Get inspiring resources, stay up to date with the latest thinking in English education, and join a supportive community — from just £5/month (£1 trainees, £3 ECTs). mailchi.mp/nate.org.uk/...
- NEW BLOG: Metaphor, Oracy, and Real Speech learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2026/01/meta...
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- Reposted by Chris CurtisCould you be a speaker at the Litdrive National Conference?! We’d love to hear from teachers/colleagues across a wide range of contexts who have something practical, thoughtful, or genuinely useful to share. If that sounds like you - sign up here: forms.gle/qTA6wAYX1oeU...
- Reposted by Chris CurtisHere are almost 40 of my favourite #MiddleGrade reads for 2025. A fantastic range from wild fantasy, to gritty realism, historical adventures and more than a few scares. What a brilliant year its been for children’s books
- NEW BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read...
- Reposted by Chris CurtisThe English Strand at TTR Connect 2026! So far, we have announced eight speakers with many more to come! Check them out here: www.ttradio.org/english26 and get a free ticket here: www.ttradio.org/connect2026
- Reposted by Chris CurtisSign up to the Litdrive newsletter today to be the first to hear about how to become a speaker at the Litdrive National Conference 2026! litdrive.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=... #LitdriveCPD #TeamEnglish #Litdrive
- Reposted by Chris Curtis*NEW* for AQA Lang P1 from June 2026 onwards: ✅ The Day of the Triffids Specimen paper and a PPT slide deck with resources, scaffolds and model answers, like so 👇 Repost and help yourself 😊 www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/bd6qg...
- Reposted by Chris Curtis*NEW* for AQA English Language Paper 1 from June 2026 onwards: ✅ The Woman in Black Specimen paper and accompanying PPT slide deck with resources, scaffolds and model responses, like so 👇 Help yourself 😊 www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qu9to...
- Reposted by Chris CurtisThis was terrific - every English teacher and everyone involved in education policy should listen!
- Wednesday's fabulous Harold Rosen Lecture by Carol Atherton reminded us of the transformative power of authentic, dialogic teaching, says NATE chair Mick Connell. The lecture can be viewed after reading Mick's article: t.co/bP8n58Jntp
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- Today’s reading. A third of the way in and I am not feeling it.
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- It is that time of year. Not Christmas. The book token competition. hiddenbooks.nationalbooktokens.com?utm_medium=p...
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- Reposted by Chris CurtisLove being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
- Reposted by Chris CurtisWomen writers of WW1: three poets and four poems ⤵️ www.douglaswise.co.uk/.../women-wr.... Many Sisters to Many Brothers, by Rose Macaulay Munition Wages, by Ida Bedford The Shadow, by Rose Macaulay The Sisters Buried at Lemnos, by Vera Brittain
- NEW BLOG: A question of homework in English learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2025/11/a-qu... @carousel-learning.bsky.social @adamboxereducation.bsky.social
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- Reposted by Chris CurtisIn WW2 a 19 year old sent his mother a poem. He sadly died; but the poem endured. It’s a long term favourite with our schools via ‘OD to Quality Writing 10-13’ .I’ve just heard it read out at the British Legion Festival on bbc. John Magee lives on! www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/157986...
- Reposted by Chris CurtisNEW POST This time on school leadership substack.com/inbox/post/1...
- Today’s reading and listening.
- A nice found today. Dead Poets Live website. Quite a few resources and modern actors reading out poems. deadpoets.live
- *find
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- One of my favourite things to do as homework is get students to find a poem they think should be studied is lessons. Today, a student brought this poem and the class loved exploring it. Things I Have Stolen by Caleb Femi
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- Reposted by Chris CurtisJoin me for a webinar on Race and Colonialism in Literature, focusing on texts taught in the UK.Perfect for English teachers. Event taking place 25th November (online) at 7pm. Tickets: £15 Link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/race-and-c... Please repost and share with your networks.
- Reposted by Chris Curtis👀👀📚📘📕📖👀👀 ⬇️
- Reposted by Chris CurtisIf you are a fan of the eerie and the weird, you will want to make your way to Cotesbach in the East Midlands. This is going to be brilliant.
- Reposted by Chris CurtisJust over a week until publication of my new book on the joys and power of curiosity - the perfect gift for someone interested in maths or politics or archaeology or physics or art or poetry - also ideal for anyone not yet interested in those things who should be.
- READING RECOMMENDATIONS TERM 2: This term's version of reading recommendations. Follow the link and click to download. learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read... #Engchat #Engchatuk
- READING RECOMMENDATIONS TERM 1: This term's version of reading recommendations. Follow the link and click to download. learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2024/06/read... #Engchat #Engchatuk @philearle @Sherri_L_Smith Josh Silver Sandi Toksvig
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- Reposted by Chris Curtis❓️If English is reduced to a weekly spelling test & monitored minutes of reading - what messages are being sent home about the value of literacy? ✨️ Read my glimmer in full for further thoughts 👇🏻 open.substack.com/pub/lauraspa... @justimaginecentre.bsky.social @openingdoors.bsky.social #EduSky
- Today’s reading
- Reposted by Chris Curtis🚨 NEW POST 🚨 ‘Dyslexia: Issues with definitions and diagnoses’ “The nature of a definition can fundamentally change how we respond to a special educational need. Dyslexia has been prone to changing definitions, shifting symptoms and different diagnoses.” alexquigley.co.uk/dyslexia-iss...
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- Reposted by Chris Curtis13 Eng Lang Paper 1 exam papers: ✅ The Landlady ✅ The Silent Patient ✅ White Fang ✅ The Monkey’s Paw ✅ King of the Castle ✅ Enduring Love ✅ Dracula ✅ To Kill a Mockingbird ✅ Hound of Baskervilles ✅ War of the Worlds ✅ The Pearl ✅ Whole Town’s Sleeping ✅ The Birds www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/bd6qg...
- Decided to delete my Twitter account. Might return one day.
- Reposted by Chris CurtisLong Island is a great sequel! I read with bated breath towards the end, waiting for the unravel... Also, this episode of Take Four Books - Toibin talks about 3 books that influenced the novel. I found it so interesting, esp his inspo for the opening. #BookSky www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
- Today’s reading
- Reposted by Chris CurtisBeing a head of department can be one of the most rewarding yet draining jobs in school, writes @ensermark.bsky.social – here, he offers tips to protect your energy
- Reposted by Chris Curtis🚨 NEW POST 🚨 ‘What do we mean by high expectations?’ “If we don't break down high expectations into things we think and do (often as a relentless habit), then it becomes an empty platitude.” alexquigley.co.uk/what-do-we-m...
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- Reposted by Chris CurtisMy latest post on how to write a coherent pupil premium strategy
- Reposted by Chris CurtisThe points @msjasminemn.bsky.social makes in the body of the article are important. Rhetoric around immigration has now moved against not only illegal immigration, but legal immigration. schoolsweek.co.uk/ive-given-my...
- Reposted by Chris CurtisI'm not alone in having real concerns about the literacy standards of our student population in English schools. However two things worth considering for the secretary of state for education: 1) our literacy standards are amongst the highest in the world 2) that gain is post abolition of KS3 exams.
- Reposted by Chris CurtisAll students should be able to view any lecture in the university and participate in it, and any barriers to participation should be combatted by the sincere industry of the university pursuing fair access. Live streaming is great here. But we should also keep historic spaces in use.
- Today’s reading before I read Hallet’s latest
- Reposted by Chris CurtisSpot on as ever ☺️
- NEW BLOG: Do it now or do it when you’ve thought about it a bit more? Sorry for taking a blog holiday! learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2025/10/do-i... #engchat #engchatuk
- NEW BLOG: Do it now or do it when you’ve thought about it a bit more? Sorry for taking a blog holiday! learningfrommymistakesenglish.blogspot.com/2025/10/do-i... #engchat #engchatuk
