Victoria Crooks
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victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Victoria Crooks
@victoriacrooks.bsky.social
1.4K followers 570 following 1.3K posts
Associate Professor History Education at University of Nottingham
Co-Chair @htenuk.bsky.social
Co-author: https://tinyurl.com/vj36v3hu
Blog: https://uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/
@UoNSoEHistory in other places
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Victoria Crooks
htenuk.bsky.social
@htenuk.bsky.social are pleased to be holding a half day online conference on 27th November addressing the important issue of how #TeacherEducation can prepare #teachers to address sensitive and controversial issues in these times when it might feel safer for #schools to avoid these topics.
November 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Today, for the 1st time in 13 cohorts of beginning teachers, I got to be the tutor visiting the school in our partnership where Isaac Newton was educated 🤯 I had a lovely time.

Brilliant lesson from an #ITT #historyteacher, great post lesson conversation & warm welcome from the department & boys.
a painting of a man with long curly hair and a white shirt
ALT: a painting of a man with long curly hair and a white shirt
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
And if you're wondering why this might matter, well we want our #ITT beginning #teacher s to view teaching as a professional endeavour - to understand the 'WHY' in addition to the 'WHAT' and 'HOW TO'.

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/10/01/g...
November 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Today @uonsoe.bsky.social the #ITT #historyteacher s were thinking about how ed research, learning theories & cog sci influence policy & practice & how knowledge of this helps us to make better choices to structure historical thinking & support pupils to engage in extended reading.
#CakeyFriday
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Victoria Crooks
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
🚨BIG day on the BLOG🚨

MY 100th POST‼️

Never thought I'd get to 10, let alone 100.😮

A new blog for #ITT #ECT #mentors #coaches on setting meaningful targets for their #mentees. Particularly helpful for #ITAP follow-up!

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/11/03/s...

#TeacherEducation
Setting granular targets for beginning teachers
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Saima’s teaching practice placement is well underway, and she is getting used to the pattern of her teaching week and her regular mentor meetings.  Things …
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog
November 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
🚨BIG day on the BLOG🚨

MY 100th POST‼️

Never thought I'd get to 10, let alone 100.😮

A new blog for #ITT #ECT #mentors #coaches on setting meaningful targets for their #mentees. Particularly helpful for #ITAP follow-up!

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/11/03/s...

#TeacherEducation
Setting granular targets for beginning teachers
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com Saima’s teaching practice placement is well underway, and she is getting used to the pattern of her teaching week and her regular mentor meetings.  Things …
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog
November 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Total honour to attend the wedding of a brilliant @uonsoe.bsky.social #historyteacher #alum & #mentor today. She looked radiant at a beautiful, joyous occasion. I was particularly impressed the celebrant had been briefed to give a potted history of the venue from 1380s onwards before the vows! 🥰
November 1, 2025 at 4:01 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Delighted to have a paper with @lauralondo1017.bsky.social & Helen Snelson published in @pdiejournal.bsky.social. Especially pleased to bring Helen's work to fruition & grateful to @uoyeducation.bsky.social @ueaeducation.bsky.social @uonsoe.bsky.social #historyteacher #mentors for their collboration
October 27, 2025 at 8:58 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
#historyteacher
October 25, 2025 at 10:26 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
#historyteacher
alanlester.bsky.social Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 17d
1/7 Some important books have been published recently, by leading experts on the history of slavery. What they say is critical when weighing up Commonwealth reparations claims.
October 25, 2025 at 10:14 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Having a super week @uonsoe.bsky.social with #ITT #historyteacher s exploring each second order concept in turn and undertaking an #ITAP on questioning to promote historical thinking. Also lovely to celebrate a birthday today. #CakeyThursday
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2021/11/13/f...
October 23, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Reposted by Victoria Crooks
gregjenner.bsky.social
Thrilled to say I'm a judge for the first ever Inspiring History Teaching Awards, in association with Historic Royal Palaces. Do you know a great history teacher in the UK who deserves to go down in history? Nominate them here bit.ly/42yhGZP
Inspiring History Teaching Awards
Created by Historic Royal Palaces, these awards celebrate teachers who make history exciting, inclusive and meaningful. We want to recognise the impact that great teachers can make by bringing the pas...
bit.ly
October 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by Victoria Crooks
eicathomefinn.bsky.social
'He fought in the Napoleonic wars and is one of only nine Black soldiers known to have received the Waterloo Medal, the first British medal awarded to soldiers regardless of their rank.

Yet the story of Pte Thomas James has been overlooked for centuries.'
London museum identifies black Waterloo veteran in rare 1821 painting
‘Honourable’ bandsman Thomas James will feature in display at National Army Museum highlighting service of black soldiers in Napoleonic wars
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:06 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Today I introduced my #ITT #historyteacher s to Thomas Attwood (the Chartist) in puppet form. Thomas has lived in my office since 2004 when a Yr13 made him for an A Level lesson I taught. And, as I told my students this, thus came the unforgettable words:

"Wow, Vic. He's as old as us!" 😱
October 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
A conversation with some colleagues this morning has reminded me of this (amongst other things!):

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2024/06/11/e...
Experience and the educational ecosystem: why retention of experienced colleagues matters for beginning teachers
Photo by zhang kaiyv on Pexels.com A little while ago I had the opportunity to chat with a teacher who is 20 odd years into their teaching career.  As they spoke about their Trust’s approach to cur…
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog
October 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
I've managed to get an infection in my thumb from a butternut squash. So that's how my weekend is going.
October 18, 2025 at 9:09 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Working with an #ITT beginning teacher who needs some support as they develop their professional role in school?
October 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
🚨NEW BLOG🚨
A few weeks into Teaching Practice placement some #ITT beginning teachers need support around developing their professional communication and relationships.

This analogy may help. #TeacherEducation #TeacherMentoring #EduBlogUK

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/10/16/s...
Settling into a teaching practice placement – it’s a bit like staying at your Auntie’s house.
Photo by Nicole Michalou on Pexels.com Nothing quite prepares you for the feeling of being in, but not of, the school where you on Teaching Practice Placement.  But for the majority of beginni…
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog
October 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
And here's another incredible woman showing us all how it is done. Education for the sake of education and the enjoyment of learning. Wonderful to see this goal achieved. 👏👏👏

BBC News - Great-grandmother graduates from university at 90 years old
www.bbc.com/news/article...
October 14, 2025 at 7:13 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
First #ITT interviews for 2026 Entry completed. ✅

First offers made. ✅

If you're thinking about #TeacherTraining and how you can #GetIntoTeaching (or know someone who is) this might help you think through your options.

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/10/01/g...
Get into teaching: Selecting the teacher training course that is right for you
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com In recent years, the proliferation of initial Teacher Training (ITT) routes has made the landscape baffling for the uninitiated. I am often approached by people who a…
uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog
October 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
👏👏👏 to the woman on Radio 4 this morning who is being interviewed about spies in the foreign office while nursing her baby. Contented baby noises in the background. Articulate insightful comment from mum.

Awesome normalisation of parenthood.
October 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
Before 8.15am, I'd stopped traffic so school trip bus could park, moved luggage to bus so it could be stored & acted as lollipop lady. I'm not going on the trip.

My qualifications for the role? The assertiveness of a grizzled teacher & a bright yellow coat.

Thank you teacher trip-goers everywhere
October 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
What a lovely day for the @uonsoe.bsky.social open day. Really good to have met so many prospective #ITT #TeacherTraining applicants.

If you're thinking about how you can #GetIntoTeaching this may help you think through your choices.

uonhistoryteachertraining.school.blog/2025/10/01/g...
October 11, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by Victoria Crooks
gregjenner.bsky.social
Just to say that teachers do an incredibly difficult job, with all the right intentions, and can be the defining influence on a young person's life. They are the exact opposite of poisoners because good teaching provides the antidote to so many dangers
October 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM
victoriacrooks.bsky.social
The first #ITT applications have dropped!
October 9, 2025 at 12:34 PM