CV Layout – Ten Things To Remember
By · Comments1. Your CV needs to be legible, scannable and readable.
2. Legible text is large enough, well-formed and well-spaced.
3. Scannable text is logically broken up into labelled, manageable chunks.
4. Readable text uses simple words and short sentences as far as possible.
5. To check readability, read your whole CV out loud.
6. Reading your CV aloud ensures you are comfortable with the language.
7. Quality controlling your finished CV is essential before it is sent out.
8. Don’t trust your computer’s spell checker to do everything.
9. If you can’t proofread well, ask a friend to do it.
10. Everytime you change a targeted CV, save a copy.
I overheard a pupil describe another in racist language. What should I do?
Description
Racism is a particular kind of bullying. In most cases treat a racist incident as a bullying incident. Racism is the belief that some ‘races’ are superior to others and prejudice frequently targets skin color or other physical characteristics.
Cause
Fundamentally this is a lack of understanding about another group of people, Prejudices build up, inequalities are perceived and certain features are attributed to a particular group. This in turn distances the groups from each other and increases the lack of understanding.
Action
Take what pupils are telling you very seriously.
Make sure you record, report and take action on racist incidents.
Remember that some pupils experience racism outside school all the time.
Racist graffiti, name-calling and intimidation may be part of their school journeys and their daily life.
Celebrate diversity. Respect different cultures.
Ensure this is enshrined in a school policy.
Priorities
Make sure that pupils know you will not tolerate racism or bullying and that you will always deal with it.
Ensure pupils feel safe, valued and respected in school.
Make sure all pupils understand that abusive language can hurt as much as physical abuse.
Make clear that punishment or suspensions are inevitable if this continues.
Make clear that racist bullying is against the law.
Alternatives
Build in an appreciation of diversity into all areas of the curriculum. Challenge stereotypes and prejudice in drama and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), discuss etymology and connotations of language in English; discuss notions of empire, slavery and identity in History, Geography and RE; shuffle group membership and teams in all subjects.
Hold an assembly to make sure your message reaches everyone. Invite community members too.
Avoid
Turning a blind eye to any racist incident. Always take action when an incident occurs.
Description
Teachers are professional educators. That doesn’t mean they don’t need help from ‘para-professionals’ and other people who make up the greater school community. In fact a good school celebrates the strengths and variety of everyone who helps in a school. ‘It takes a whole village to educate a child’ should apply to the whole school and its community.
Cause
Unfortunately there is an elitism in some schools, where administrative or grounds staff are unwelcome in the staffroom. That elitism can pass on to the pupils, who may come to think of non-teachers in a condescending way.
Action
Include all staff – teaching and non-teaching – in general newsletters and staff photographs.
Start from the assumption of equality and provide all staff with similar pigeon-holes, email addresses and access to coffee-making facilities, lunches, car parking. If grounds staff, technicians, office assistants, caretakers, etc. prefer facilities more conveniently elsewhere or at other times because of their different jobs, that’s fine, but they should not feel excluded from the staffroom or from general school news and events.
It is a wise school which uses the expertise of support staff to help broaden the curriculum, extend the life of the school into the community, help with disaffected pupils, vocational courses, etc.
Priorities
Establish your responsibilities at an early stage and build up a good working relationship.
Maintain some professional distance by observing confidentiality regarding other staff and pupils, especially if you are in a position of authority in the school.
Alternatives
Balancing a healthy appreciation for support staff, who are generally not well paid, with remembering that as teachers we hold the responsibility for pupils in our care can be a balancing act where the difference in roles is not appreciated. At times, some professional distance on the part of the teacher can help establish our respective roles.
Don’t forget to thank support staff, who often work beyond the call of duty. While mutual help is considered to be part of the professionalism of the teacher, it should not be taken for granted in support staff and deserves genuine thanks when it occurs.
Avoid
Either condescension or over-chumminess. In other words, just be yourself!
Taking support staff for granted.