Dyslexia Friendly Schools Conference 2008

1st March 2008

(Tiffin Boys School, Kingston upon Thames)

 

 

Guest Speaker

Phil Beadle

 

 

Phil Beadle is the ex-rock musician turned award-winning teacher who has forged his reputation on engaging “challenging” inner city kids. He wowed the nation in the Channel 4 series The Unteachables with his unorthodox but effective approach to teaching English, including Punctuation Kung-Fu, and reading Macbeth to a field of cows.

 

Through unconventional methods such as these, Beadle    achieved the seemingly impossible - successfully drawing out the desire to learn from a group of disaffected, failing pupils.

Despite earning the wrath of the TES on-line chat room and the Sunday Times alike, Phil has generated reviews for edgy, creative and challenging work that include:

‘You couldn't possibly call Beadle a traditionalist; there's not much that's back-to-basics about his approach. He is an innovator, unafraid of the modern.' - The Guardian

 ‘Refuses to accept students' backgrounds as an excuse for underachievement’ - Evening Standard

‘Mr Motivator’ - The Scotsman

‘An extraordinarily commanding teacher ... a late-starter to teaching who has become one of its finest practitioners. It would be hard not to be invigorated and inspired by his particular brand of teaching’ - Teaching Awards Trust

‘The climate for learning is infectious. A highly creative teacher of English and Drama, Philip connects with pupils by using visual, audio and kinetic stimulus material in unique ways’ - Teachers TV

‘He looks like a rock musician and is one of the very best teachers in the country’ - John Humphrys, Daily Mail

‘Invigorating, inspiring and exceptional’ - GTC Magazine

Feedback from a recent client included this memorable line:

'I have spent all weekend talking about your training day, which has surprised my husband because usually I would rather stick pins in my eyes than listen to a guest speaker at the school.  I think you rattled a few cages and freaked out some of the SLT which is always good, but as well as that you made so many of us feel that it is not that we are failing our boys, it just that we are not understanding them.'

For further information/application forms, please go to www.kingstondyslexiaassociation.org.uk