Joel Kenyon
@joel120193.bsky.social
Teacher 👨🏫 | Head of Science 🧑🔬 | Hinterland Lover ⚛️ | Source Provider 📝 | Writer at inquestion.co.uk 🖋️ |
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Chlorine is Green, Zoos Have Life and Kings are Killed: Using Etymology in Science
It started with a happy accident. I had finished a lesson with my Year 8s and, surprisingly, we had powered through the material with 15 minutes to spare. My plan for the next lesson was to introdu…
inquestion.co.uk
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Does anyone have these AV1 robots in their school?
They essentially are a camera in your lesson where a pupil streams from home.
Personally, I would flat out refuse to have this in my classroom but I'm curious...
They essentially are a camera in your lesson where a pupil streams from home.
Personally, I would flat out refuse to have this in my classroom but I'm curious...
November 30, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Does anyone have these AV1 robots in their school?
They essentially are a camera in your lesson where a pupil streams from home.
Personally, I would flat out refuse to have this in my classroom but I'm curious...
They essentially are a camera in your lesson where a pupil streams from home.
Personally, I would flat out refuse to have this in my classroom but I'm curious...
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
I've shared this before but always happy if it finds a new audience somewhere, and I hope the author would be too. It's pretty old but some students, particularly if they're linguists, love it.
November 30, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I've shared this before but always happy if it finds a new audience somewhere, and I hope the author would be too. It's pretty old but some students, particularly if they're linguists, love it.
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
A brilliant post.
Disciplinary literacy isn't a literacy specific to a discipline; it is universal literacy as manifested in a discipline.
Etymology and morphology taught across disciplines provides a linguistic schema which aids access to all subjects. Prefixes and suffixes are cross-curricular.
Disciplinary literacy isn't a literacy specific to a discipline; it is universal literacy as manifested in a discipline.
Etymology and morphology taught across disciplines provides a linguistic schema which aids access to all subjects. Prefixes and suffixes are cross-curricular.
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Chlorine is Green, Zoos Have Life and Kings are Killed: Using Etymology in Science
It started with a happy accident. I had finished a lesson with my Year 8s and, surprisingly, we had powered through the material with 15 minutes to spare. My plan for the next lesson was to introdu…
inquestion.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 2:46 AM
A brilliant post.
Disciplinary literacy isn't a literacy specific to a discipline; it is universal literacy as manifested in a discipline.
Etymology and morphology taught across disciplines provides a linguistic schema which aids access to all subjects. Prefixes and suffixes are cross-curricular.
Disciplinary literacy isn't a literacy specific to a discipline; it is universal literacy as manifested in a discipline.
Etymology and morphology taught across disciplines provides a linguistic schema which aids access to all subjects. Prefixes and suffixes are cross-curricular.
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Chlorine is Green, Zoos Have Life and Kings are Killed: Using Etymology in Science
It started with a happy accident. I had finished a lesson with my Year 8s and, surprisingly, we had powered through the material with 15 minutes to spare. My plan for the next lesson was to introdu…
inquestion.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Chlorine is Green, Zoos Have Life and Kings are Killed: Using Etymology in Science
It started with a happy accident. I had finished a lesson with my Year 8s and, surprisingly, we had powered through the material with 15 minutes to spare. My plan for the next lesson was to introdu…
inquestion.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM
New Blog Post 📝
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Etymology in science usually stops at just photosynthesis, but I use it almost every single lesson.
Here are a few stories of some of my lessons and the impact teaching etymology has made on pupil understanding and literacy.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/11/28/e...
Are student loan repayments a graduate tax?
In short, by 2030, yes.
Due to the freezing of student loan thresholds until 2030, the national minimum wage will be £400 short of the threshold for repayments.
This means anyone with a student loan in 2030 will be paying back 9% above the threshold.
In short, by 2030, yes.
Due to the freezing of student loan thresholds until 2030, the national minimum wage will be £400 short of the threshold for repayments.
This means anyone with a student loan in 2030 will be paying back 9% above the threshold.
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Are student loan repayments a graduate tax?
In short, by 2030, yes.
Due to the freezing of student loan thresholds until 2030, the national minimum wage will be £400 short of the threshold for repayments.
This means anyone with a student loan in 2030 will be paying back 9% above the threshold.
In short, by 2030, yes.
Due to the freezing of student loan thresholds until 2030, the national minimum wage will be £400 short of the threshold for repayments.
This means anyone with a student loan in 2030 will be paying back 9% above the threshold.
What does the Budget mean for teachers? Not schools. Teachers.
The biggest takeaway from this #Budget2026 that every teacher should be aware of is fiscal drag, on steroids.
This will affect almost every all teacher.
Apologies in advance, its a long one🧵
The biggest takeaway from this #Budget2026 that every teacher should be aware of is fiscal drag, on steroids.
This will affect almost every all teacher.
Apologies in advance, its a long one🧵
November 26, 2025 at 8:50 PM
What does the Budget mean for teachers? Not schools. Teachers.
The biggest takeaway from this #Budget2026 that every teacher should be aware of is fiscal drag, on steroids.
This will affect almost every all teacher.
Apologies in advance, its a long one🧵
The biggest takeaway from this #Budget2026 that every teacher should be aware of is fiscal drag, on steroids.
This will affect almost every all teacher.
Apologies in advance, its a long one🧵
There is a lot of chatter regarding student loans going up.
A lot of people are saying this means it's time to forget a degree and take an apprenticeship.
THE AMOUNT YOU BORROW IS IRRELEVANT!
/🧵
A lot of people are saying this means it's time to forget a degree and take an apprenticeship.
THE AMOUNT YOU BORROW IS IRRELEVANT!
/🧵
October 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
There is a lot of chatter regarding student loans going up.
A lot of people are saying this means it's time to forget a degree and take an apprenticeship.
THE AMOUNT YOU BORROW IS IRRELEVANT!
/🧵
A lot of people are saying this means it's time to forget a degree and take an apprenticeship.
THE AMOUNT YOU BORROW IS IRRELEVANT!
/🧵
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
My view is that nearly all school science can be understood at first without the Tier 3 vocab. and the best order is:
1. Understanding
2. Add the vocab.
dodiscimus.wordpress.com/2020/01/01/t...
1. Understanding
2. Add the vocab.
dodiscimus.wordpress.com/2020/01/01/t...
Teaching Declarative Knowledge: Part 2
I love teaching science, but I think it’s a hard subject to teach well. Of course it’s easy to see the challenges in your own area of expertise and gloss over the ones in other subjects but science…
dodiscimus.wordpress.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:18 PM
My view is that nearly all school science can be understood at first without the Tier 3 vocab. and the best order is:
1. Understanding
2. Add the vocab.
dodiscimus.wordpress.com/2020/01/01/t...
1. Understanding
2. Add the vocab.
dodiscimus.wordpress.com/2020/01/01/t...
I fully get that preteaching Tier 3 words before they're used is best for understanding.
However, just looking at AQA B6, it is impossible to preteach all of these words whilst also teaching actual content.
This is one topic out of 24 on combined...
The curriculum is too big!
However, just looking at AQA B6, it is impossible to preteach all of these words whilst also teaching actual content.
This is one topic out of 24 on combined...
The curriculum is too big!
October 16, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I fully get that preteaching Tier 3 words before they're used is best for understanding.
However, just looking at AQA B6, it is impossible to preteach all of these words whilst also teaching actual content.
This is one topic out of 24 on combined...
The curriculum is too big!
However, just looking at AQA B6, it is impossible to preteach all of these words whilst also teaching actual content.
This is one topic out of 24 on combined...
The curriculum is too big!
Heads of Department/SLT
What do you do for pupils who have missed lessons due to being absent?
Do you give extra work, catch up work, direct them somewhere etc? What does it look like?
Would appreciate RTs for a wider range 👍
What do you do for pupils who have missed lessons due to being absent?
Do you give extra work, catch up work, direct them somewhere etc? What does it look like?
Would appreciate RTs for a wider range 👍
October 15, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Heads of Department/SLT
What do you do for pupils who have missed lessons due to being absent?
Do you give extra work, catch up work, direct them somewhere etc? What does it look like?
Would appreciate RTs for a wider range 👍
What do you do for pupils who have missed lessons due to being absent?
Do you give extra work, catch up work, direct them somewhere etc? What does it look like?
Would appreciate RTs for a wider range 👍
Does anyone else hate mnemonics?
Why do I need to send Charlie's monkeys and zebras in tight lead cages?
That's full on animal cruelty for the sake of the reactivity series.
At that point, just remember the metals 🤷
Why do I need to send Charlie's monkeys and zebras in tight lead cages?
That's full on animal cruelty for the sake of the reactivity series.
At that point, just remember the metals 🤷
September 28, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Does anyone else hate mnemonics?
Why do I need to send Charlie's monkeys and zebras in tight lead cages?
That's full on animal cruelty for the sake of the reactivity series.
At that point, just remember the metals 🤷
Why do I need to send Charlie's monkeys and zebras in tight lead cages?
That's full on animal cruelty for the sake of the reactivity series.
At that point, just remember the metals 🤷
New Hinterland Post 📝
John Dalton is often overlooked in atomic history, but his impact on our understanding of atoms was absolutely foundational.
I explore his work as well as share an interesting, little-known fact about the man himself 👁️
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/28/j...
John Dalton is often overlooked in atomic history, but his impact on our understanding of atoms was absolutely foundational.
I explore his work as well as share an interesting, little-known fact about the man himself 👁️
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/28/j...
Usefully Incorrect: John Dalton and the Power of a Good Model
John Dalton, known as the father of Atomic Theory, transformed ancient ideas into a foundational understanding of matter through his revolutionary model of the atom. His work laid essential princip…
inquestion.co.uk
September 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
New Hinterland Post 📝
John Dalton is often overlooked in atomic history, but his impact on our understanding of atoms was absolutely foundational.
I explore his work as well as share an interesting, little-known fact about the man himself 👁️
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/28/j...
John Dalton is often overlooked in atomic history, but his impact on our understanding of atoms was absolutely foundational.
I explore his work as well as share an interesting, little-known fact about the man himself 👁️
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/28/j...
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
New Blog Post 📝
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
The Attainment/Mixed Setting Paradox: Why Is Popular Practice So Unpopular in Research?
The longstanding debate on student grouping has seen a shift in my department from mixed-attainment to attainment setting. While research suggests minimal impact, our approach emphasises tailored i…
inquestion.co.uk
September 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New Blog Post 📝
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
New Blog Post 📝
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
The Attainment/Mixed Setting Paradox: Why Is Popular Practice So Unpopular in Research?
The longstanding debate on student grouping has seen a shift in my department from mixed-attainment to attainment setting. While research suggests minimal impact, our approach emphasises tailored i…
inquestion.co.uk
September 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New Blog Post 📝
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
Setting by attainment vs mixed-ability. It's a big debate in education. We moved to attainment setting and it has made a big difference!
Here I explore the research, our rationale, and how we implemented a system that works for us.
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/22/m...
Here’s a simple routine I use when reviewing 'Do Now' answers on MWBs.
I narrate the approx % of students who got the answer correct, e.g., "About 80% of us have this right, great!" or "We are about 50% on this Q3"
I do this for two reasons 🧵
I narrate the approx % of students who got the answer correct, e.g., "About 80% of us have this right, great!" or "We are about 50% on this Q3"
I do this for two reasons 🧵
September 13, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Here’s a simple routine I use when reviewing 'Do Now' answers on MWBs.
I narrate the approx % of students who got the answer correct, e.g., "About 80% of us have this right, great!" or "We are about 50% on this Q3"
I do this for two reasons 🧵
I narrate the approx % of students who got the answer correct, e.g., "About 80% of us have this right, great!" or "We are about 50% on this Q3"
I do this for two reasons 🧵
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
New blog post 📝
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
Less Managing, More Teaching: The Case for Whole School Routines
By centralising routines, schools reduce the stressful cognitive load on pupils and teachers, fostering a consistent, team-oriented environment where everyone can focus on actual learning.
inquestion.co.uk
September 2, 2025 at 6:54 AM
New blog post 📝
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
New blog post 📝
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
Less Managing, More Teaching: The Case for Whole School Routines
By centralising routines, schools reduce the stressful cognitive load on pupils and teachers, fostering a consistent, team-oriented environment where everyone can focus on actual learning.
inquestion.co.uk
September 2, 2025 at 6:54 AM
New blog post 📝
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
I often reflect on my time as a teacher of 8 years and think back to the beginning.
There are a lot of things that could have made the start of my career a lot easier.
One of which being established whole school routines
inquestion.co.uk/2025/09/02/w...
Since the end of term, I've tried to stay off social media and been mildly successful.
Now, after a week of INSET and Year 7 and 11 in today, I'm ready to get back into it all!
Happy first day back for most of you!
Now, after a week of INSET and Year 7 and 11 in today, I'm ready to get back into it all!
Happy first day back for most of you!
September 1, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Since the end of term, I've tried to stay off social media and been mildly successful.
Now, after a week of INSET and Year 7 and 11 in today, I'm ready to get back into it all!
Happy first day back for most of you!
Now, after a week of INSET and Year 7 and 11 in today, I'm ready to get back into it all!
Happy first day back for most of you!
GCSE results day today!!
Good luck everyone, looking forward to hearing of everyone's successes!
Good luck everyone, looking forward to hearing of everyone's successes!
August 21, 2025 at 5:33 AM
GCSE results day today!!
Good luck everyone, looking forward to hearing of everyone's successes!
Good luck everyone, looking forward to hearing of everyone's successes!
Thank you so much to @alexjquigley.bsky.social for coming to visit us for our awards evening.
Your speech to our pupils was sincere, insightful and exactly the message they needed to hear, especially coming from a former pupil.
It was also a pleasure to finally meet you!
Your speech to our pupils was sincere, insightful and exactly the message they needed to hear, especially coming from a former pupil.
It was also a pleasure to finally meet you!
July 16, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Thank you so much to @alexjquigley.bsky.social for coming to visit us for our awards evening.
Your speech to our pupils was sincere, insightful and exactly the message they needed to hear, especially coming from a former pupil.
It was also a pleasure to finally meet you!
Your speech to our pupils was sincere, insightful and exactly the message they needed to hear, especially coming from a former pupil.
It was also a pleasure to finally meet you!
People, rightly or wrongly, are angry by the 1,000,000 pupils being excluded this year.
However, I think about the 8,000,000 who haven't been excluded who are in lessons that are not being disturbed.
If one pupil disturbs 30, for as little as 10 mins, that is collectively 5 hours of lost learning.
However, I think about the 8,000,000 who haven't been excluded who are in lessons that are not being disturbed.
If one pupil disturbs 30, for as little as 10 mins, that is collectively 5 hours of lost learning.
July 13, 2025 at 10:13 PM
People, rightly or wrongly, are angry by the 1,000,000 pupils being excluded this year.
However, I think about the 8,000,000 who haven't been excluded who are in lessons that are not being disturbed.
If one pupil disturbs 30, for as little as 10 mins, that is collectively 5 hours of lost learning.
However, I think about the 8,000,000 who haven't been excluded who are in lessons that are not being disturbed.
If one pupil disturbs 30, for as little as 10 mins, that is collectively 5 hours of lost learning.
In Liverpool only 73% have had both MMR doses, one of the lowest in the country.
In 2016, the UK was declared measles free. Now, Alder Hey has treated 17 children with measles in just the last month!
The number of deaths is going to continue to increase.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
In 2016, the UK was declared measles free. Now, Alder Hey has treated 17 children with measles in just the last month!
The number of deaths is going to continue to increase.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
Child with measles dies in Alder Hey as officials fear outbreak
The child, who has not been formally identified, is only the second to have died due to measles in the UK in the past decade
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
July 13, 2025 at 8:59 AM
In Liverpool only 73% have had both MMR doses, one of the lowest in the country.
In 2016, the UK was declared measles free. Now, Alder Hey has treated 17 children with measles in just the last month!
The number of deaths is going to continue to increase.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
In 2016, the UK was declared measles free. Now, Alder Hey has treated 17 children with measles in just the last month!
The number of deaths is going to continue to increase.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
Love how “vocation” is just a fancy way of saying “we won’t pay you properly" because you get some imaginary moral pay back from the job you do.
I cannot pay my bills in "deep sense of purpose."
I cannot pay my bills in "deep sense of purpose."
July 11, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Love how “vocation” is just a fancy way of saying “we won’t pay you properly" because you get some imaginary moral pay back from the job you do.
I cannot pay my bills in "deep sense of purpose."
I cannot pay my bills in "deep sense of purpose."
Reposted by Joel Kenyon
Last year, I shared that at Dixons, teachers receive one day off each fortnight in addition to their PPA time. This is a meaningful step towards managing workload and wellbeing.
But that’s just one element of a broader approach /🧵
But that’s just one element of a broader approach /🧵
July 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Last year, I shared that at Dixons, teachers receive one day off each fortnight in addition to their PPA time. This is a meaningful step towards managing workload and wellbeing.
But that’s just one element of a broader approach /🧵
But that’s just one element of a broader approach /🧵