The name's Skellon...Shawn Skellon, Head of Humanities and many other wonderful things at Wyvern Community School in W-s-M for over 6 years now and still learning the job! I am also a member of the North Somerset LEA Creativity Strand who meet regularly to ... be creative(!!!) and take that back to our schools.
I spent a lot of my career bluffing my way through teaching and making it work but this all changed in the last 24 months.
I've been an active advocate for independent learning in the classroom for many years. I have also had a lot of experience in developing and using thinking skills within the classroom and believe strongly that the creation of a safe classroom environment where 'failure' is allowed and builds willingness and confidence in pupils of all abilities to strive to succeed. I’ve been called a risk taker in the classroom but I prefer to say I make interesting choices and allow the students a little more responsibility than some would feel comfortable with…(what? oh right that’s taking risks)…ok…I’m a risk taker!
I have just had an article published in the ‘Gifted Education International’ journal about the wonders of TASC (thanks to Belle Wallace of NACE) which allows pupils to effectively 'teach' themselves, and I am currently writing a book on Creativity based around a practical approach to it teaching with student voice inputs…which is both fun and very frustrating!
I love Terry Pratchett books and Buffy the Vampire slayer but not necessarily in that order.
I am married to the lovely Sadie and we have numerous fish. We did have Guinea pigs but they have slipped off the mortal coil.
Oh and I have been OfSTED'ed about 15 times...no really!