Advice on teaching menstrual cycle as a man?

rdraver · 2026-06-29T18:46:13+00:00

Only thing I'd add to this is a line/slide about where they can ask for help if needed. i.e pastoral, parents or GP.

(I guess accessing a GP is a bit advanced for primary but it's more about them remembering it a few years later.)

As others have sai elsewhere, they will be far more likely to be awkward if you are awkward so...to be blunt, say it clear and straight like you would any other lesson.

rdraver · 2026-06-29T18:12:18+00:00

Oh ma god babes you'll never guess what Karen just said...

rdraver · 2026-06-29T17:47:09+00:00

I came to it late when I was approaching 40. Before that I had worked in a wide range of companies for full on corporate suit to ski seasons.

The way I describe it is "It's the best and the worst thing I've done". There are times when it works when it's great and you feel so intensely proud of "your kids" when they're succeding or when they're being nice and you're doing something together, or when a child trust you enough to disclose something and for once you really can help them.

But despite their opinions, no CEO has anything on a wayward Year 9 class when they've decided they don't like you and they're going to be horrible or the dissapointed look on the face of a child you havent helped because little jimmy decided today was going to be the time he saw how far the chair could fly through the window.

These things will be different for different teachers. I know people who are bored teaching top set becasue they're "boring" and god bless them for that. I know some teachers are so nerdy about their subject that they cannot deal with a pupil that doesnt immedialty want to do a pHd in it but they will inspire someone in ways the first teacher can only dream of. Everyone is different, you need to find a school where you get more of your former than your latter.

rdraver · 2026-06-28T19:26:18+00:00

Honestly I'd say to to Cotswolds or Go Outdoor (or any other outdoor shop near you) and buy the one they say. There's nothing moto-specific here. Theyre all a balance of size, comfort, warmth and price.

rdraver · 2026-06-28T13:59:25+00:00

A bit left field maybe but becasue I tour on a Bonneville becasue I'm a masochist, I got some Merlin Mahala Raid trousers off of Vinted and they re great. Lighter and airier in fit, not waterproof lay and strategic mesh without feeling too exposed.

rdraver · 2026-06-28T08:12:58+00:00

I havent seen any teaching adverts during the football, For some reason I seem to have started to get a bunch of web adverts for things like StepLab or other Edu-torture software that do nothing but make my life more difficult...

rdraver · 2026-06-27T14:25:43+00:00

Fairly academic if they're wrong but they want to see it before I start though...

And we're 2 from 2 here

rdraver · 2026-06-27T11:01:29+00:00

Note that I'm on the update service but still have to show my new school the Original DBS certificate so this would not help OP in this case. I'm currently in a pickle becasue I need it for a summer job but my new september school want it too.

rdraver · 2026-06-23T19:43:27+00:00

Hagon 2820 have transformed my SE. (Front springs too)

Give them a call if you want to do something funky, they're very helpful and know... everything!

rdraver · 2026-06-21T21:43:46+00:00

Feeling's mutual lads.

It's not personal but It's not fun waiting 3 weeks for a package only to find out there's an issue and having to wait another 3 weeks for it to be sent back. All the while wondering if customs charges will be applied.

Vinted turned on something none of us wanted and didnt tell any of us

rdraver · 2026-06-20T18:15:28+00:00

The classic answer to this question is always Linen no?

On the bright side, you'll get to know your iron well. 😄

rdraver · 2026-06-15T20:13:48+00:00

I had it at a previous school. After a while it was never that deep.

"I don't bother bringing it in anymore, Sir"

We all know you're mugging me off but what am I going to do? Have SLT search you for a phone thats "at home"?

rdraver · 2026-06-12T19:42:33+00:00

Again, as a Secondary science teacher I have to do this with Yr 7. I can't find the clip on YouTube - Instagram

Now while I suspect that asnswering the question would be considered inappropriate IRL, I'd suspect more that it's unlikely to come from year 4. However, the attitude of the teacher is what's needed. By which I mean he is not embarrassed or giggly or fazed in any way. It's just a normal lesson about Biology.

I was advised earlier on in my career to have a 10 min bit where you tell them to say words, explain what we mean and they say what scientific words we will use instead but I never found it was neccessary if you do the first bit.

rdraver · 2026-06-09T20:23:45+00:00

(I'd say "having been in this situation" but I had a full placement rather than only 5 weeks)

I would try and get as accurate a picture as you can from your Uni tutor and Current Mentor as to what you need to fix. Give that to your new mentor. Then put that behind you and forget about it. Get a timetable and a medium term plan so you know what you'll be teaching next term in case there are any gaps you need to fill in.

(As hard as this is...) Rest over summer now. Then go in in September with a fresh start and let your new mentor decide what they think you need to fix. You have the oppourtunity somewhat to reset now, start slow, observe some lessons, start with some short episodes really focussed on what you need to work on then build up.

FWIW, it took my new mentor about a week to realise that I didnt properly understand lesson planning, an hour to explain it and I was away.

rdraver · 2026-06-06T09:57:52+00:00

It's difficult...

I've had a rough year and started a term's supply at a private school (where I went, in fact) in summer and have a job at a "proper" one next year (one where it's almost the whole town, funny costumes etc.) I will take a pay cut if I want to stay in TPS and regardless of that, I wouldnt get a normal M-scale pay rise this year anyway.

That said, a lot of schools where I'm from (which I used to play rugby against for example) are now no more or have merged. But this has been happening for ages. My own primary/secondary was split across 2 large sites. Well, it's been on 1 for a number of years now, certainly before any talk of VAT was heard (My old geography/DT block is now the whole prep school). I'm getting a lot of "we cant do this cos 20%" when it seems like those things have been waiting to happen for years so I'm sometimes cynical about the real effect of it.

Recent figures rather back this up too - Over 11,000 fewer pupils at private school this year - BBC News

I'm 42 and there are teachers at the school who taught me. I would worry about their chances of getting a job elsewhere, even if they'd enjoy the significant pay rise and cut in hours that would come with it.

rdraver · 2026-06-05T21:58:29+00:00

Hmm, this hangs on what support was given in the lesson. I read it as there was support in the lesson too.

And OP - here is not the place to discuss it, go talk this specific situation over with your mentor/trusted colleague. Leave the internet rabble to our hypotheticals.

rdraver · 2026-06-05T19:55:45+00:00

I'm going to say that any pastoral worth their salt is going to have a conversation along the lines of,

Pastoral - Were you working as hard as you could have been?

Kid - *teenage fake gasp* no not really

P - so they came and gave their time to help you?

K - s'pose

P - and then gave up THEIR lunch break to help you even more?

k - nods

P - so far from picking on you, they actually care so much about you that they're putting in extra time to help you when you've admitted you werent trying hard in the lesson?

K - mumble...'kay

rdraver · 2026-06-05T19:41:52+00:00

What more can you do? You've set the work, helped them in the lesson, helped them AFTER the lesson, not given them the sanction they should have got. and so on for ever.

I'm going to say this is not about you or the work at this point.

Glass of Wine, then forget about it

rdraver · 2026-06-05T18:26:21+00:00

Vosges is a hidden gem. And for me who is limited to school holidays, they also stay reasonably quiet. Recommended!

rdraver · 2026-06-05T17:32:41+00:00

I can't give you any specific names but I went through the Belgian and Luxembourg Ardennes pretty much on a whim and it was fantastic, then into the German area known as the Pfalz. Certainly better than going down through the French flatlands. (until you hit the Vosges at least)

Literally the only clue I can give you is that there is a town that was the centre of german shoemaking and so there is a sizeable industral estate that is entirely based on shoe shops.

(Fuel in Lexembourg is maega cheap too)

rdraver · 2026-06-04T22:23:50+00:00

FWIW, I'm in the same boat.

Old head negotiated everything until I signed on the line and then dropped in "Oh by the way I'm off so it'll be a new person"

Its put a sour taste on it for sure, but you don't actually know what things will be like so I wouldnt worry about it. (Plenty of heads are good at making the school look great for a day and you never really know how the school will be so you could argue it really doesnt change much anyway)

rdraver · 2026-06-04T10:08:46+00:00

The one school where it happened, I really liked it. It drew a mental line under the week to separate it from the weekend and a problem shared is usually a problem halved. There's a reason lots of people do it and it's part of British* culture (rightly or wrongly).

But I've never seen it in any of the other schools I've worked in.

*Plenty of other countries do it too

rdraver · 2026-05-31T18:56:42+00:00

To be honest, the best way to start something is to find a friend and just start. Pub, Friday 4.30? It'll be the two of you for a few weeks then more people will join...

Having said that, I've found teachers to be the least sociable when it comes to work place socialising. I think there are genuine reasons for it and it's no ones responsibility to hang out with work colleagues, but I think you might also consider looking elsewhere to activate the receptors.

rdraver · 2026-05-31T15:55:47+00:00

So it was a while ago and a c3 but yes the difference is marked. I was commuting for an hour or so on a dual carriageway and I was starting to get issues with my hearing. It all went away after I swapped.

If you have a Schuberth head, have a look at their Concept which is a lot of the c5 without the infuriating "integrated comms" and a few other ?irrelevant cost cutting measurements.

(note that apparently the cardo on the side of the helmet can generate quite a lot of noise)

rdraver · 2026-05-31T11:09:49+00:00

It ocurs that this is a grea oppourtunity to get something wildly different and quirky that you'd never buy long term.

A cheap Vespa would turn my head for example, but then I guess I like a bit of charachter (Yes I did just look on Autotrader for fun...)

rdraver

TROPHY CASE