iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Me, discussing an image showing the queues outside the first McDonalds opened in Shentzen, China. Y13 student: so kinda like when B&M opened in town and everyone turned up on the first day. 😂😂🤦🏻‍♀️ I mean, he's not wrong... #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

When a student writes: "This source is reliable because it is written by a Bishop who would be truthful because of his high position in the church and ties to God." Bless you, my child 🫣😂 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

I've recently been choosing podcasts to listen to around the topics I'm teaching at KS4 and KS5. I find it quite a confidence boost to hear others discussing the exact knowledge I'm teaching my students and enjoy a good air debate with the hosts while doing chores or in the shower!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Y11 insult of the day: If you were around during the Brain Drain, you'd have stayed in East Germany. 😂🤷‍♀️ I guess my Cold War lessons are hitting the spot 🫣 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Trying to explain to Y10 why during the Blitz, people wanted to keep going to cinemas and dance halls to socialise not just stay at home. Me: remember covid and how hard it was Them: we loved it! Me: ok imagine covid but no phones, computers or tv The gasps of horror echoed 😂😂 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

2026 reading record....bring on the books!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

The beauty of arriving at school before most others - I got to see this wintery scene this morning 😍❄️

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

History teachers! If you don't have elements of Chinese history in your curriculum, have a read of this blog I wrote to convince you that you should! I really loved writing this, and I love teaching it even more ❤️

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Teachers of OCR Y108 Early Stuarts at A-Level, I cannot recommend this podcast enough. Perfectly pitched for students to revise from Personal Rule to Restoration, through a British 4 kingdoms lens. I've loved it! @histfest.bsky.social @rebeccarideal.bsky.social open.spotify.com/show/0IVPHP9...

open.spotify.com

Uprising: The Civil Wars

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

I'm loving the recent trend of books on the reign of James I. Charles & Cromwell tend to get all the attention but I love teaching about James. All 3 of these are full of stories and details that help bring the reign to life for me and my students. Highly recommended. #historyteacher #history

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Such an important report. Please take the time to engage.

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Following my talk at @ttrhistory.bsky.social on Saturday, I wanted to share our dept approach to making good history booklets. Hopefully it will be useful. Feel free to message me if you would like to know any more. #ttrhums Firstly, why booklets?

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

This book needs its own post. When it started, it was a bit meh. Not a great bit of writing, just a band guy chatting on. But as it progressed, I started listening to the songs he wrote about, watching the videos...it made sense. Now it is done, I'm listening... One More Time - man. 🥰😫

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

This looks so exciting for our little part of Cheshire BBC News - New Crewe history centre ‘to be stuffed with stories’ - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

New Crewe history centre ‘to be stuffed with stories’

Work is well under way on a project to build new sites for the county's archives

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Teaching Y9 today about Henry V offering the crown jewels as a guarantee to his soldiers before Agincourt. A lad looked horrified and asked me if they were his actual crown jewels while gesturing at his crotch. Apparently that phrase has more than one meaning to 14 year old boys 😂😂😂 #historyteacher

media.tenor.com

a man wearing sunglasses and a black shirt is holding a microphone and says i wasn 't expecting that

ALT: a man wearing sunglasses and a black shirt is holding a microphone and says i wasn 't expecting that

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

If any teachers out there have a set or even just a couple of these textbooks at the back of a cupboard and would be willing to sell, please let me know. We need a few more for September and have no budget so can't really afford new. Thanks! #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

Queueing outside the Sir John Soane Museum because my son is so loving @mglnrd.bsky.social new book which begins here, he wants me to go in and facetime him. I'm a little worried he is expecting time travel....he told me to be on the look out for keys 😉

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

This looks like a brilliant opportunity for any AQA GCSE History teachers! #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Highly recommend this series (1st episode linked here) on the history of Ireland. It starts with pre-Tudor attempts at colonisation and goes through the Troubles to modern day. Fascinating for us English of Irish heritage who should know more! #history open.spotify.com/episode/2vWM...

open.spotify.com

231. Colonising Ireland: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, & The Tudor Conquest (Ep 1)

Empire · Episode

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Found myself channelling Dr Evil when teaching Y11 about Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative today. "So, lads, the idea was to get space lasers...." (obviously with air quotes!) #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Spent far too long with Y13 today researching if replicas of Mao's mangoes were still available to buy online after discussing this fascinating story from the Cultural Revolution. #HistoryTeacher (They are but mostly plastic ones!) www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazin...

bbc.co.uk

China's curious cult of the mango

Benjamin Ramm discovers a period during China's Cultural Revolution when the country was gripped by a mania for mangoes.

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

For 2025, I've decided to focus on rediscovering fiction. I've loved reading so much excellent historical non-fiction over the past few years but it left little time for thrillers, mysteries and romances. So 2025 = tipping the balance to fiction (including historical fiction, an underrated genre!).

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Teaching Y12, I got far too excited when comparing the Junto of the 1640s to @thetraitors.bsky.social But seriously, think about it. A secret group manipulating events, puppet mastering and controlling....even committing treason by encouraging the Scots to invade. Actual traitors. #HistoryTeacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Was analysing this cartoon with Y11 today and asked them to come up with a caption. Some great ones like "unlikely friends", some funny ones like "Stalin swooning" but my fav has to be "Hitler's rizz" 😂 Lucky I kind of know Gen Z banter despite my old age, so understood!! #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Two of my worst nightmares are clowns and popping balloons. 🤡🎈 Hey, @thetraitors.bsky.social , throw in some spiders and I'm never sleeping again 😳😳

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Couldn't answer this one today @teachertapp.bsky.social We have at least one building from every one of those eras 🤷‍♀️😂 Earliest 1850, newest 2022!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

Finally started marking my Y11 mocks. (Under a blanket with biscuits, obviously, I'm not a total weirdo). Within pages, I'm rudely back in the land of school with one sentence: "The Munich Putsch was a march through Berlin..." Yep. Sigh. #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Worth watching for teachers of Crime & Punishment. Focuses on the stories of life in Whitechapel around the Ripper crimes. Plus Lucy Worsley interviewing Hallie Rubenhold and Julia Laite while drinking gin in the Ten Bells pub might be my actual dream event 😍 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

I've really enjoyed recording my reads online over the past few years. 2022 - 55 books 2023 - 56 books 2024 - 74 books This year I'm trialling a paper reading journal as I don't use X anymore & am not sure on this site yet. Will post any particularly good ones here in case there is interest though!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 31/12/2024

I think I'm a 2, but under a blanket.

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

The Royal Variety Show has reminded me that I still know the words to all the original Starlight Express songs 😍🎶 My son is unimpressed at the amazing performance I just gave though 🤷‍♀️😂

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

One of my favourite lessons with Y13 this week! Got them to read the intro chapter to Dikotter's book on Dictators and individually identify what makes a dictator. They added their views to a word cloud - so visually powerful. Two different classes, two similar results! #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Students: "it is a primary source written at the time, so it is reliable" 😳😳😳 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 29/10/2024

The best thing about DNA Journey being back on TV is that I get to covet the wonderful Brad Argent's job once again. Who among us wouldn't want to work researching family trees and sharing the historical context 😍

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 28/10/2024

When marking A-Level essays assessing James I's religious issues and THREE students have managed to miss out the Gunpowder Plot..... (It's not like we spent 3 lessons discussing it 🤷‍♀️😂). #Historyteacher

media.tenor.com

a white rabbit with pink ears is sitting on the floor with its mouth open .

ALT: a white rabbit with pink ears is sitting on the floor with its mouth open .

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 19/10/2024

Started my favourite unit with Y9 yesterday on 20th century dictators. My aim was to encourage them to engage with scholarship. They read an abridged version of Dikotter's intro to his 'Dictators' book and annotated it to find words and features of dictators. 1/2 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 11/10/2024

Enjoying some down time before heading to see The Rest is Politics tour at Manchester Apollo later tonight. Brought appropriate reading material!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 05/10/2024

Cannot put this down (currently reading it on a train!). It is so good, so funny, so spot on, so Jess Phillips! Sassy, sweary and taking no prisoners! Strong recommend. Also, this copy is from the local library - shout out for how awesome libraries are! ❤️📚

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 04/10/2024

The excitement when a Y12 student asked me if I could recommend any books for our current course!! 📚 The poor lad probably didn't expect me to unload my bookshelf and talk him through each one 😂 #historyteacher

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

Hey #historyteacher people on BlueSky....Carmel is here 🥳

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

I love that Comedy Central is replaying classic films from my childhood. Watched Willow last week and realised I knew it almost word for word. This week, it is Return to Oz. I'd forgotten how scary I found this film as a child!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 26/09/2024

Handing out Y11 books and discovered two with the same boy's name on the cover. On investigation, we discovered that his mate, who sits next to him, clearly copies him so much that he even copied his name 🙈🙈🤷‍♀️ Year. 11. This lad is 15. There are no words 😂

media.tenor.com

two men are sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper in a classroom .

ALT: two men are sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper in a classroom .

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 24/09/2024

Does Michaela Strachan ever age? I'm sure she looks the same now as when I watched her in the Wide Awake Club when I was a kid!

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 15/09/2024

Just watched Wycliffe for the first time since I was a kid, and I stand by my childhood view that the theme tune is the greatest of all time. That cello is 👌

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 06/09/2024

All in all, a good first week back. Although I'd forgotten how much you need to retrain your voice and legs 😂 Sore throat and achy muscles (plus a blister on my toe!). Signs of a lazy summer and a busy few days! 😉😆 Happy weekend all.

media.tenor.com

a cartoon dog is sitting in a beach chair with the words `` and relax '' written below it .

ALT: a cartoon dog is sitting in a beach chair with the words `` and relax '' written below it .

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 01/09/2024

Ah, the back to school anxiety, right on time. Couldn't sleep til early hours worrying about how we are going to fit in our Y11 curriculum, then dreamt that I arrived at my first lesson late and unprepared. Sigh. I was quite looking forward to the new term, but clearly, my subconscious is not 🙄😮‍💨😒

media.tenor.com

a close up of a woman 's face with the words i have to go back to school tomorrow .

ALT: a close up of a woman 's face with the words i have to go back to school tomorrow .

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 31/08/2024

Watching Blankety Blank and shouting at my husband that Brian Conley looks just like Dick Van Dyke....and then Tom Allen said the same! My lookalikes are rarely seconded. 😂

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 29/08/2024

Last night, my 10 year old uttered the words: "What was the Battle of Hastings?" I feel I have let down history teacher parents everywhere. I'm sorry. Also, guess what his bedtime story was last night. Gory bits and all 😁😁

media.tenor.com

an elderly man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a field .

ALT: an elderly man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a field .

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Jenny Hall @jenhistorycw11.bsky.social · 28/08/2024

Reading 'The Blazing World' by Jonathan Healey and feel this paragraph, while about the 17th century, feels very relevant to the modern world. Fake news and media rumour mills are nothing new 😂😂 #historyteacher

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