‘I got fed up with my students ending up in prison or dead’: the teacher fighting to end school exclusions

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.

Achievement/ To achieve (something)

Demanding

To be fed up (with something/ someone)

To set up (something)

To sign up (for something)

To throw (someone) out (of something)

Not give a shit (about something/ someone)*

Desperate

To be ashamed (of something)

To manage (to do something)

To be reluctant (to do something)  

To get into (something)

To be bored out of your mind

Mainstream

To be appalled

Corridor

To shy away (from something)

To buy (something)

I was like…

To breach (something)

To cater (for something/ someone)

To give notice

To clamp down (on something)

To open the floodgates

The penny dropped

*Please be aware that this expression is quite rude!

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1.      What did Bei do when she was 16, and what did she say about her first job?

2.      What do you know about No More Exclusions (NME), and why do they believe that their work is important?

3.      What is a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), and what did Bei say about working there?

4.      What did Bei do after she left the PRU, and what has she achieved since?

5.      ‘Schools shouldn’t be allowed to exclude or expel children.’ Do you agree?

6.      ‘I’d love to have had Bei’s career path.’ Is this true for you?

7.      ‘Considering that Bei arrived from a foreign country, her achievements in the UK are especially impressive.’ Do you agree?

8.      ‘I would love to do a master’s like Bei.’ Is this true for you?

9.      ‘Just like Bei, the first job I had after leaving university was very demanding and had very long hours.’ Is this true for you?

10.    ‘In my native country, everyone goes to exactly the same type of secondary school.’ Is this true for you?

11.    ‘My attitude to learning now is exactly the same as my attitude to learning when I was at school.’ Is this true for you?

12.    ‘I’ve forgotten most of what I learned at school. This proves that most of what I learned was completely pointless.’ Is this true for you?

13.    ‘Teachers shouldn’t punish children, they should just explain to them what they have done wrong.’ Do you agree?

14.    ‘I used to get into a lot of trouble at school, but I got great marks in all subjects.’ Is this true for you?

15.    ‘Single-sex schools, private schools, boarding schools and religious schools should all be banned.’ Do you agree?