Primary Teachers - Resources, ideas, stress relief!

In articles floating around the internet, prospective job applicants are often warned to watch what they do, say and join on social media websites, as many would-be employers use data on sites such as Facebook to screen employees. While some groups might bad in a work-related context, others could perhaps boost your credibility with a boss-to-be. Today's featured group would definitely count among the latter and the woman who created it probably deserves a medal or at least a badge. Threads on the discussion board include 'Interactive Advent Calenders', 'mental maths games for year 5 please guys!!!!', 'AUSTRALIA TOPIC!', 'Research Project for Year 4', 'Y4 Stories set in imaginary settings', 'Letters and Sounds' and 'Inspiration for Year 3/4 Class', to name but a few. The gallery showcases plenty of creative examples from the classroom and there are also links to videos.

What's great about this group: It's a brilliant forum for teachers around the world to interact and share ideas.

Update (28 April 2024)

This group still exists, but it has gone private. Go here to request access. 

1,000,000 to join, my dad john mellencamp will quit smoking

This Facebook group, founded by the 14-year old son of rock singer John Mellencamp, has attracted quite a bit of media attention and already has well over 100,000 members. There are plenty of wishes of good luck to the singer and plenty of pledges from members who promise to quit with John or have already quit, but unfortunately, there are those who also express judgements against the singer. Some threads on the discussion board include '1,000,000 people, really John Mellencamp?', 'Time for us fans to help John kick butt ;-) and give back some of the good vibes he's been giving us for decades.', 'The EASYWAY to Quit Smoking' 'john should Quit', 'Two days so far without a cig' and 'For My Buddy JM'. The gallery includes pictures of John Mellencamp.

What's great about this group: Help a celebrity change his lifestyle.

Update (28 April 2024)

Interestingly, there is now a group called If 1,000,000 join this group John Mellencamp will keep smoking. It has 20 members. For the record, as recently as 2023, John Mellencamp admitted to still smoking a pack a day. 

People Make Lame Jokes About My Last Name

I know I have tackled the name thing before, but this is subtly different. Imagine having the type of surname that draws every joker to make the same wisecrack over and over again. Possibly, hundreds of years ago, your ancestors were not quite aware of comedy potential of the family name, but whether it was oversight or accident, you are doing the suffering now. In the thread 'those of you that should leave this group...', one member outlines just who should not join, while some of the surnames that do get you a welcome can be found in 'Most Unique Names!', 'One of the worst surnames?', 'First Names My Parents Couldn't Give Me (or my sister)', 'The game is: New Jokes for my name!' and 'Worse than mine?'. Also check the wall for more posts about embarrassing surnames.

What's great about this group: Share with others about the lunacy of suggestive surnames.

Update (28 April 2024)

The group seems to still exist, but has only 3 members. 

An Arbitrary Number of People Demanding That Some Sort Of Action Be Taken

The title of this group, I presume, makes fun of the numerous groups on Facebook whose only identity seems tied to a certain number of people, usually a million or a 100,000, being in favor of something or other. Closer inspection, though, reveals that the 150,000 or so members of the group are a fun and creative mix, who keep the group very active and stimulating. In the tradition of 'When I was your age, Pluto was a planet', there is usually several very happening threads at any given time, and the posts are highly interactive, witty and fun. Some topics on the discussion board include ' A war on war!', 'The most disgusting food you have eaten, but had to act like you liked it.', 'what the hell is up with Canada???', 'Gender as a Continuum' and ' I Propose the world surrender to Kuwait', to name but a few. The thread ' The Committee for Inspirational Mixed Metaphors' has a number of true gems in it. Of the images in the gallery - there are over a thousand - some are humorous, some are punchy and some are just plain unusual.

What's great about this group: It's a fun community.

Update (28 April 2024)

This group still seems to exist and has remained moderately active. It can now be found here. 

Art - The Love Of Tattoo`s

Love them or loathe them, tattoos, well-placed and well-executed are a form of art and in this group, much of its potential is explored. Popular topics include 'how old were u when u got ur first tatoo???' and 'The most painful place', while other threads include 'Who is YOUR favorite artist?', 'What was you first, and why?', 'Do you ever forget you're inked till you look in the mirror?', 'Family acceptance of tattoos', 'GUYS - what do you think of girls with tats? hot or not?' and 'what will your next tatt be?' The gallery has 10,000 images of tattoos, ranging from initials, fairies, hearts, skeletons, tribal designs and many more.

What's great about this group: It's a good resource for anyone who is considering a tattoo and a great place to share, if you are already an enthusiast.

Update (28 April 2024)

I suspect this particular group no longer exists. There are numerous groups dedicated to tattoo art. 

The Faery Ring

Do fairies exist? Are they a hidden part of our world or just a flight of fantasy? This group is dedicated to exploring the wonder and magic of fairies, specifically their significance to the world we inhabit. The discussion board is not that active. There are threads such as 'Faerie Healing' and 'What do you find most interesting about faeries?' as well as a link to a downloadable fairy meditation. On the wall, you will find more links, to fairy related resources and fan sites. There are over 50 images in the gallery, mostly of fairy art.

What's great about this group: Fairies appeal to the eternal child in us.

Update (28 April 2024)

There are numerous groups around the term Faery Ring, with different niches and objectives.

Paranormal

Do you believe in ghosts and other supernatural phenomena? If so, check out this group, which is dedicated to exploring all sorts of paranormal phenomena. Threads on the discussion board include 'demon or spirit???', 'Animal ghosts', 'Experiences', 'Cursed places', 'Do you believe in Aliens?', ' Ancient mysteries' and 'My Son is Starting to Scare Me.' Those looking for opportunities in the field, should glance at 'Paranormal show casting and 'make money from paranormal photos and video'. One topic even covers 'Parablocker - We believe...', sharing information for a device to limit paranormal activity in your environment. Although the gallery features some horror art and other obviously manipulated images, there are also photos that appear to be of genuine ghosts and other energy forms. The wall includes more posts on the supernatural and links to other internet resources.

What's great about this group: Who doesn't like to share real life ghost stories?

A word of caution: Avoid if you are a skeptic or scare easily.

Update (28 April 2024)

There are numerous groups dedicated to the paranormal.