11-17 October 2014
Saturday
Big day out
Closet doors were flung open on National Coming Out Day, which commemorates the 1987 National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights in the US. Read a teacher’s tale of coming out on pages 18-19.
Sunday
Promises, promises
Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt declared that he wanted teachers to take a “Hippocratic oath”, causing many staff to create their own oaths on Twitter (page 15) - but not the sort the Labour MP was after.
Monday
The young ones
Those who believe, like Whitney Houston did, that children are our future needed to look no further than the European Youth Conference in Rome. The theme was encouraging young people’s access to rights.
Tuesday
Fighting for freedom
A rally in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, marked six months since 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Islamist sect Boko Haram. Worldwide condemnation continues with the Bring Back Our Girls campaign.
Wednesday
In his own good time
On this day in 1582, people in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain woke up to discover that they had travelled forward in time by 11 days. The reason? The implementation of the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII.
Thursday
Heavy rotation
The UN General Assembly held an election to fill five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for two years. The chosen nations will join China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.
Friday
Crime never pays
A salutary historical reminder for your students that the devil is in the detail: notorious US mafia boss Al Capone was jailed for 11 years on this day in 1931 - not for his violent crimes, but for tax evasion.
18-24 October 2014
Saturday
A matter of opinion
Dust off that old debating club badge: the Institute of Ideas holds its annual Battle of Ideas in London, in partnership with TES. Education topics include the worth of exams and lessons to learn from Asia.
Sunday
Man of letters.and numbers
Happy 68th birthday to Philip Pullman, a former teacher and the author of award-winning and immensely popular children’s fiction, including the His Dark Materials trilogy of fantasy novels.
Monday
Vital statistics
Statistically, it’s a good day to teach your students about the importance of data. The UN celebrates World Statistics Day, intended to highlight “the importance of statistics in shaping our societies”.
Tuesday
The empire strikes back
Britannia may not rule the waves now, but celebrations today mark a time when it did: Trafalgar Day, when an army led by Horatio Nelson defeated the French and Spanish fleets in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Wednesday
Say g’day
It might not have the cuteness of its Australian co-habitants the koala and the kangaroo, but that’s all the more reason to celebrate Wombat Day, when the fat, slow, lazy marsupial is given its due.
Thursday
Ruffing it
The position of top dog in politics will be decided in the Westminster Dog of the Year contest. Last year’s winner was Noodle, a cocker spaniel-poodle cross belonging to Conservative MP Sir Alan Duncan.
Friday
True colours
Students in the UK and Ireland are being encouraged to “wear it pink” today to raise money for breast cancer research. The school that collects the most cash will win tickets to the House of Lords.
