Author | Lightnews

Matt Duncan

Matt Duncan

@mattduncan89.bsky.social

84 followers 73 following 500 posts

Head of History & Politics at a school in Kent. NPQSL, working on an NPQH. MA in History Education from UCL. UK Parliament Gold Teacher Ambassador. Views are very much my own.

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Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Sep 19

I'll need to see if there's a way to migrate Tweets over to here...

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

At the Topography of Terror museum, it was appalling to find out how many Nazis were imprisoned for only a handful of years for their involvement in genocide - or escaped entirely.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

This was extremely informative - included a reconstruction of the Fuhrerbunker, which was eerie.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Learnt a lot about the significance of Sachsenhausen in the development of genocide.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Some parts felt inappropriate to take photographs of, so aren't shown here. I was startled to discover that what looked like a long bench was actually a mass grave. This was not immediately obvious - and certainly not to those who sat on it.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Much of Sachsenhausen has a perpetrator focus. I wondered if this reflected the political context of the post-war GDR and the desire to justify taking mammoth reparations from the Soviet zone.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Sachsenhausen.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Second day in Germany. Really interesting to see memorials established in the GDR, and how they differ from those I'm used to. An opportunity to discuss memorials as interpretations.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

TV tower visit will be on Sunday. First time in Germany; even worth missing the FA Cup final for.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Didn't get a chance to enter the Bundestag, sadly. Hopefully next time - I've never seen anything quite like that dome.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

The Brandenburg Gate. Stimulated some conversations about Napoleon (hinterland knowledge always comes in handy).

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Architecturally I felt the memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe was appropriate - genocide shouldn't be marked with a garden. However the public sitting / climbing / jumping on it didn't sit quite right - what makes a memorial effective?

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Very strange to be standing by this car park, which was once the Fuhrerbunker.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

The Berlin Mall - I couldn't resist going on the big slide. It was worth it.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Artwork on the Berlin Wall.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

More sights from the coach in Berlin. Architecturally really interesting.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Berlin - sights from the coach!

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Good new podcast for A Level Politics students!

open.spotify.com/show/5Mk8h3Zwk…

Podlitically Active

Podcast · Steve White · Welcome to Podlitically Active, a regular deep dive designed specifically for A-Level politics students. Each episode, we explore the vibrant world of political theories, institutions, and contemporary issues that shape our world. From the roots of democracy and the intricacies of government structures to the latest developments on the global stage, Podlitically Active is your go-to resource for understanding the dynamics of politics in a clear, engaging, and relevant way. Whether you’re preparing for exams or simply passionate about politics, tune in to stay informed and inspired!

open.spotify.com

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Fantastic news - this has been my go-to for years!

x.com/EducEndowFound…

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

HYPE

x.com/HL_History/sta…

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Very excited for this as I've not been since 2019 (I think)!

t.co/TXcevxkIxJ

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

I didn't realise I tweeted (X-ed?) about this a few years ago. I went to this cat café today! It was INCREDIBLE. One of them bit me.

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Now that the Politics periodic table is up, I need to think of what to put around it to support #ALevelPolitics - last display left to do in the new classroom!

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

Historic! Probably means the election won't be until Dec 2024 as when Prof Sir John Curtice says something, he's usually right.

x.com/LGS_Politics/s…

Matt Duncan @mattduncan89.bsky.social · Mar 14

The shift of inspection emphasis from data to curriculum was the right one, leading to rich conversations about sequences of learning and the building of knowledge - worried to see the goalposts potentially moving yet again.

x.com/TTRadioOfficia…