Monthly Musings...
February 2020
Hi All.
​
Gosh, didn't January fly by?! And spring is on its way. Just yesterday I saw some beautiful crocuses beginning to bloom. - lovely!
​
Well, it's with regret that I announce I will no longer be writing my musings each month. I have decided, after much thought, that it will be better to concentrate my efforts on my Facebook business page, which I have a tendency to neglect. So, if you have enjoyed reading my musings over the past year or so, do have a look instead at https://www.facebook.com/Lotus-Tutoring-in-Petersfield
​
I wish you all well and look forward to you joining me on social media. Do, please, contact me with your questions and comments!
​
Take care,
​
Kathy :)
​
January 2020
Happy New Year Everyone!
​
This is a quick message to say that Monthly Musings will resume in February. Apologies.
​
See you in February. Have a good month!
​
Kathy
December 2019
Hi All,
Well, it’s coming to the end of the first term of the academic year and Christmas is once again on the horizon. Perhaps this is a good time to take stock of the school year so far…
By now, you will have had the first Parents’ Consultation, which at this time of the year often has a pastoral bias. I wonder how your child has been getting on – socially, emotionally and academically. Does he / she enjoy going to school or is there some resistance there, which needs to be investigated?
Other, more specific, questions to ponder may include “Is my child getting the support he / she needs in the classroom?” This is especially important for those children with an additional need, whether it be a learning difference (such as dyslexia) or a diagnosis of, say, ASD or ADHD. For these children, even in the absence of an EHCP (formerly known as a statement), there are many strategies which can – and, in my opinion, should – be used in order to accommodate individual learning needs.
I have written before about the power of the Pupil Passport. This is a document which simply states a child’s challenges, together with strategies which will be put in place to help overcome these. Crucially, the Pupil Passport should also detail the child’s strengths, thereby providing a balanced profile.
If you are experiencing teething problems in terms of the support your child is – or is not – getting, I would urge you to approach the school SENCo. This side of Christmas, if at all possible. And it may well be worth drafting a passport so that there is no ambiguity whatsoever about what support your child actually needs. This document should then be communicated to all staff working with your child in readiness for the start of a new term in January.
Ok, so what questions could you be asking of a more typically-able child at this point in the school calendar? Well, the end of a term is always a really good time for school children to look back on what they have learned over the past three months or so. This definitely helps consolidate learning, which is always a good thing!
One sure way to find out how much has been learned is to teach it to somebody else. I use this strategy a lot in my teaching, regularly asking pupils to teach me about a particular topic so that I can see what they have assimilated. If there are gaps in knowledge or understanding, teaching another person can reveal these, pinpointing where further work needs to be focussed. Even though teaching you about a topic they have recently covered may not seem like an inviting prospect to your child, it is much better – I can assure you – to find out what they don’t know or understand at this stage, rather than leaving it to the end of the academic year when panic can set in.
I do hope that all is going well thus far for your child at school. And I also hope that, by finding out what they are really experiencing in the classroom, you can show them that you intend – in the immortal words of Rachel Platten (see below) – to stand by them, helping them through any difficulties they are going through.
I wish you and your family all the very best for a happy, relaxing festive period and a peaceful, successful New Year.
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
Inspiring Quote / Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwB9EMpW8eY
Forthcoming Events: I am still trying to boost attendance at my monthly Dyslexia Drop In sessions, so if you’re in the area (Petersfield) and have time to spare on Saturday 7th December from 11.15am until 12.45pm, do please join me. This will include:
-
a short talk on a topic relevant to specific learning difficulties / special educational needs
-
Q&A session
-
offering homework tips to your children, so do encourage them to bring along anything they are struggling with.
-
the opportunity for parents (and possibly children!) to network over a cup of coffee.
The session will take place at an address in Sheet, as the village hall was proving too expensive for the numbers I was getting. To find out further details about the venue, please call my mobile: 07769 675570.
The cost of the session will be £10 per adult with one child. Further children are an extra £5.
November 2019
MAKING OUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC!
Welcome, once again, to my Monthly Musings. Indulge yourself and take a couple of minutes to sit down and read before you get on with today’s To Do List.
Well, this month’s piece is short and sweet. It was inspired at the weekend, by a song I hadn’t heard in absolutely ages. This song, originally recorded in the late 1960s, was recently resurrected by Paloma Faith. You may know it; it is called Make Your Own Kind Of Music.
So often, people – myself included, until the past few years – feel the need to conform. Don’t get me wrong - not ‘rocking the boat’ can, of course, be a good thing in many circumstances. However, I wish to focus on a situation where I believe it can be detrimental to the individual.
Conforming to the expectations of others within our one size fits all education system can, I believe, sometimes harm learning. Those outliers, the young people who learn slightly differently to the core body of students, are often (for political reasons) required to try to learn in ways which are unnatural to them and this can hinder their academic progress. An all too familiar sight is the visual or kinaesthetic learner struggling to keep up with what, in many schools, is still a primarily auditory approach to learning, necessitating students to sit still whilst they listen to the teacher transmit information verbally. I hear this scenario all the time from my students.
This, I think, is why the song resonated so strongly with me yesterday. Our young people need to be free to make, dance and learn to their “own kind of music”. If they are visual learners, they need to see the information in images. If they are kinaesthetic learners, they need to do something in relation to the information. Having the courage to discover and then tell teachers how we learn best can be really hard. It can be tempting to get caught in the “what will they think?” trap, which is doubly difficult when you are caught in the midst of teenage angst! However, opportunities to learn in multi-sensory ways should be possible and should be on offer for all students, even if this does require a bit of a re-think on the part of the teacher.
Positively, opportunities for multi-sensory learning are, I think, gradually infiltrating the school system in this country. As this happens more and more, learning will not just be improved for the strugglers, the outliers, but this approach will also benefit those who are coping in the auditory system; the more different ways information enters the brain, the better the chances of it being transferred to the long term memory and the better the chances that this information will be retrieved when needed. And this, I believe, will have a knock-on effect on a struggling student’s self-esteem in relation to their schoolwork.
To conclude, I believe that, the more that young people are empowered to “make their own music” by learning in a way that works for them, the happier and more successful they will be. And, you never know, this may eventually reduce the number of referrals to specialist teachers like me!
​
I look forward to you joining me again for the last musing of the calendar year in December. Good luck to you and yours over the coming month and, if you have any questions or comments, please do get in touch.
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
Inspiring Quote / Song:
​
Nobody can tell ya;
There's only one song worth singin',
They may try and sell ya,
'Cause it hangs them up to see someone like you.
But you've gotta make your own music
Sing your own special song,
Make your own kind of music even if nobody else sings along.
You're gonna be knowing
The loneliest kind of lonely,
It may be rough goin',
Just to do your thing's the hardest thing to do.
But you've gotta make your own music
Sing your own special song,
Make your…
​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHey3FIyujQ
Forthcoming Events:
I am still trying to build up attendance at my monthly Drop In sessions, so if you’re in the area (Petersfield) and have time to spare on Saturday 9th November from 11.15am until 12.45pm, do please join me. This will include:
​
-
a short talk on a topic relevant to specific learning difficulties / special educational needs
-
Q&A session
-
offering homework tips to your children, so do encourage them to bring along anything they are struggling with.
-
the opportunity for parents (and possibly children!) to network over a cup of coffee.
​
The session will take place at an address in Sheet, as the village hall was proving too expensive for the numbers I was getting. To find out further details about the venue, please call my mobile: 07769 675570.
​
The cost of the session will be £10 per adult with one child. Further children are an extra £5.
October 2019
LEARNING IS A TWO-WAY THING!
Good morning!
I am sitting down to write this on a remarkably chilly October morning, having just tweaked the heating for the first time this year! Regrettably, summer is now well and truly over and, to my horror, I have already spotted a growing amount of Christmas merchandise in the shops. Is it just me, or is this happening earlier and earlier each year?
I thought, this month, that I would allow myself a little self-indulgence. I’d like to explain my fantastic role of Specialist Teacher from my point of view, hopefully clearing up some possible misconceptions in the process.
Sometimes I think that I’m the luckiest person alive. I love my job. And now that I no longer work in the school environment, I love what I do even more, as I have complete freedom to deliver what I know is right to the young people I teach. Also, in my current role, I no longer teach the curriculum which, frustratingly, always seems to be subject to change. Not teaching the curriculum is one of the main differences between my job and that of a private tutor; a tutor applies more of a broad-brush approach, often helping a student to acquire or revise the knowledge required to pass an exam. My concerns, however, lie more with using a 'forensic' approach to find out at what point learning (usually in Literacy and Maths) has broken down. I then intervene at this point, helping to plug the learning gaps to enable the student to achieve at a higher level. My job is flexible and rewarding. Who could ask for more than that?!
I occasionally think that it would be wonderful if we had all the answers to every challenge we face at our fingertips. Or would it…? I would love to be able to say that, when I meet a challenged youngster, I immediately and instinctively know how to help relieve the difficulties they are experiencing. However, sadly, this is not always the case.
An independent observer may be tempted to think that the Specialist Teacher has a set of formulae to ‘treat’ each of their pupils’ diagnosed conditions. The thing is, though, that each person with the same named set of challenges presents so differently when we delve below the surface. If we were to try to shoehorn every students’ needs into the same teaching approach, this, assuredly, would be a case of forcing square pegs into round holes. It simply doesn’t work. Therefore, a personalised, multi-sensory approach is essential and this is what I pride myself on offering.
​
The building up of a pupil profile following the initial assessment is one of the most enjoyable, fascinating and challenging parts of my job. No one result should be looked at in isolation as so many things impact on each other and affect the learning process in some way. And the challenges do not stop there. Once the assessment results have been analysed and the learning targets have been identified, the next step is to consider what teaching approach would add the greatest benefit to a student, bearing in mind their individual, preferred learning style. Will a predominantly visual, auditory or kinaesthetic approach be required, for example?
The complexity of the learning process and the pinpointing of what is going on for each individual student means that a flexible approach is necessary. What we try first may or may not be successful. If it is, that’s great. If it isn’t, a decision needs to be made as to whether we persevere for a time or whether we ditch that approach and try something different. I have found that the trick is to always have honest conversations about how things are going learning-wise with my students as well as with their parents. So far, using this approach, I have had a significant success rate.
So, to return to my original musing – that is, whether it really would be good to be able to solve all problems immediately and without effort – I don’t think it would be so lovely after all to have all the answers at my fingertips. If I did, this would deprive me of the satisfaction of working through assessment results and deciding on different strategies to help boost understanding. As a result, my own learning would be compromised and, for me, that is not acceptable.
I am learning so much from seeing and experiencing what does and does not work in terms of teaching and learning for each of my students. It really is fascinating to behold. Learning is, indeed, a two-way process and I am sure that, for the remainder of my career as a Specialist Teacher, I will continue to learn from those whom I teach. I thank them all for that.
I look forward to you joining me again in November, by which time the preparations for Christmas will be well underway. Good luck to you and yours over the coming month and, if you have any questions or comments, please do get in touch.
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
​
P.S. Oh, and by the way – please don’t forget that next week is Dyslexia Awareness Week. Do have a look and see how you can make a difference…
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/support-us/awareness-events/dyslexia-awareness-week/daw-2019
​
Inspiring Quote:
​
​
Forthcoming Events: I am trying to build up attendance at my monthly Drop In sessions, so if you’re in the area (Petersfield) and have time to spare on Saturday 12th October from 11.15am until 12.45pm, do please join me. This will include:
-
a short talk about how to communicate your child’s needs to their school. Specifically, this will focus on the power of the Pupil Passport and how best to write it.
-
answering questions and offering advice to parents.
-
offering homework tips to your children, so do encourage them to bring along anything they are struggling with.
-
the opportunity for parents (and possibly children!) to network over a cup of coffee.
The session will take place at Steep Village Hall, Church Rd, Steep, Petersfield GU32 2DN. My mobile number on the day is 07769 675570.
The cost of the session will be £10 per adult with one child. Further children are an extra £5.
September 2019
THE ART OF LISTENING
​
​
Hello and thank you for joining me for another Monthly Musings. Please use this as an opportunity for a guilt-free sit down in the midst of your busy schedule!
​
The other day I was musing about what topic I should pick for this month’s offering, panicking slightly, as I was aware that September was almost upon us. I enlisted my family’s help and suggestions included target setting. I thought this quite fitting and nearly chose it, given the fact that September is the start of a new academic year. However, I then changed my mind, preferring instead a ‘softer’ topic and one which I have alluded to in a previous musing.
The start of anything new, at least in my experience, is often accompanied by many strong, sometimes conflicting emotions. I count myself as among the emotionally literate population, so how much more difficult must it be for our children, who don’t yet properly know themselves and who are constantly evolving? Having to deal with feelings such as excitement, fear and dread and / or anxiety (just to name a few), possibly all at once, must be so hard. Indeed, I remember it well, even at my age, which just goes to show quite how strong emotions can be at this time of the year.
​
There is no quick fix to helping our children through these hurdles that life throws at them. In fact, even if we could take away this emotional discomfort, I think it would be wrong of us, as parents, to do so. Ultimately, it is character forming for people to make their own way through the turbulent times; it can help to increase resilience in the face of future strife. However, there’s nothing to say that we can’t (or shouldn’t) support our children during their emotional conflict.
When I was growing up and, I think, at secondary school I regularly got back home to a welcome cup of tea, which my mum had lovingly made. Although she was busy (she was always busy!), she would always take some time out to sit with me at this time of the day to listen to what I had been up to and how I felt about it. She didn’t make assumptions, she didn’t judge, she didn’t bring the conversation back to her and she didn’t interrupt. She just listened. And she gave hugs whenever they were needed.
I would like to think that my (now grown up) children would say that I did the same for them, keeping those channels of communication open at all times. I’m sure I could have done better, but I tried, as I am sure that you do too. In this way, not only do we strengthen our relationship with our children, but we stand the best chance of spotting any early warning signs, such as the onset of poor mental health. (For more information on this, please refer to my musing on child mental health last year.)
When I first became a Samaritans listener, I arrogantly thought to myself that there wasn’t much more about listening that I needed to learn. How wrong was I?! I underwent the thorough training, which was second to none, and I learnt huge amounts, which I like to think not only I, but everyone else I meet benefits from. This is why, this month, rather than recommending a book for you, I have provided a link to the Samaritans website. ‘SHUSH’ gives some wonderful hints and tips for those difficult conversations that we may sometime have with our children or other family member - or even members of the public. If we follow these guidelines and take heed of the listening wheel ( https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/schools/deal/deal-resources/connecting-others/listening-skills/ ), I believe we won’t go far wrong and, at best, could add a great deal of value to somebody’s life. So let’s all make a concerted effort to really support our children during what could be an emotionally difficult time for them, especially if they are transitioning from one school (or even key stage) to another.
I wish you well for September. I’m looking forward to you joining me again in October, by which time the Autumn Term will be well underway. Good luck to you and yours over the coming month and, if you have any questions or comments, please do get in touch - I would be so delighted to hear from you.
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
Inspiring Quote:
Website Recommendation:
​
Music: ‘Listen’ by Beyonce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4gimHC7fKs
​
Forthcoming Events: If you’re in the area (Petersfield) and have time to spare on Saturday 14th September from 11.15am until 12.15pm, do please join me for my Dyslexia Drop In session. This will include:
-
a short talk about how to communicate your child’s needs to their school. Specifically, this will focus on the power of the Pupil Passport and how best to write it.
-
answering questions and offering advice to parents.
-
offering homework tips to your children, so do encourage them to bring along anything they are struggling with.
-
the opportunity for parents (and possibly children!) to network over a cup of coffee.
The session will take place at Steep Village Hall, Church Rd, Steep, Petersfield GU32 2DN. My mobile number on the day is 07769 675570.
​
The cost of the session will be £15 per adult. This is a trial amount and may change for future sessions. Similarly, the duration of an hour is also a trial; if we feel we need longer, I will book this for the following month.
​
July 2019
RECHARGING OUR BATTERIES
​
Hello and thank you for joining me for another Monthly Musings. Do grab a cold drink and have a breather for a few minutes while you read.
When turning the page of my calendar from June to July the other day, I was captivated by the quote I uncovered. So much so that I just have to share! This is what it says:
​
“The present moment is the only moment that is real. Your most important task is to be here and now and enjoy the present moment.”
So when was the last time you stopped to savour the moment? No, I mean really stopped to smell the roses, taking in your surroundings with all of your senses and cultivating a sense of gratitude for all that you have. If you’re anything like me, life has a habit of getting in the way, more often that I would sometimes care to admit, passing me by in a blur as I concentrate on work, the cleaning, shopping for food for the family...(I could go on!) And yet, as Buddhist wisdom states, one of the most important things we can do in life is to concentrate on the here and now, making good causes for a great future.
​
Revealing the quote on Monday was a timely reminder of what is really important in life. Fortunately, it came at a time – just before the summer holidays – when I will have the opportunity (and the headspace!) to kick start a new habit of taking time for me so that I can recharge my batteries in readiness for September. It won’t be easy, but I’m determined to try and I challenge you to do the same. Even though some of us will have the children around at home over the summer, I think it’s really important that we firmly set a precedent to say to others that we mums have needs too!
So how can we take time for ourselves? Well, what works for one, won’t necessarily work for another. Activities could include taking ourselves out of our usual environment and going for a therapeutic walk in the countryside, finding a quiet spot to dwell for a while to reflect on life, or listening to a piece of inspiring, uplifting or relaxing music. The choice is ours. Whatever we choose to do, we need to enjoy it for what it is, using the opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and bringing mind back to body. This may sound like a luxury when we're in the thick of it, wondering what we're going to cook for tea or looking in the diary to see when and where we next have to ferry the children to. I can almost hear you saying "Yeah, right! Like that's really going to happen!" However, if we can manage just a few minutes most days of taking time for us, it will benefit not just us, but it will almost certainly have a knock-on positive effect on everyone around us, especially our families. So is it not a win win situation? Let's give it a go and see how we get on!
​
I wish you all well over the summer and hope that, even if just once or twice over the next few weeks, you are able to “be here and now and enjoy the present moment”. If you are not yet convinced of the merit of this idea, perhaps Edna Mode (from the film, The Incredibles) may sway you in its favour. It was my lovely daughter’s idea to include this quote and I think it fitting that I leave you this month by quoting her (Edna’s!) wise words...
​
“I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now.”
​
Perhaps we can all take a leaf out of her book. I know I’ll be trying...
​
As ever, I would be so delighted to hear from you. In the meantime, though, I wish you all a wonderful summer and I look forward to you joining me again in September.
Bye for now,
Kathy
Inspiring Quote: “The present moment is the only moment that is real. Your most important task is to be here and now and enjoy the present moment.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
(Zen Buddhist Monk)
Book Recommendation: The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim
​
Music: Best Day Of My Life by American Authors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66j_BUCBMY
​
Forthcoming Events: If you’re in the area (Petersfield) and have a couple of spare hours on Saturday 13th July in the morning, do please join me for the first of my workshops. This month the theme is behaviour. Specifically, I will be talking about behaviour which is conducive to learning and we’ll be discussing ways how to manage behaviours which render learning less effective.
​
For these workshops to be a success, it is essential that I get some idea, in advance, of how many people would be interested in attending. If you would like further information and / or are interested in coming along, please let me know by email as soon as possible. Thanks.
​
June 2019
MAKING LEARNING REAL
​
Hello and a warm welcome to my Monthly Musings for June, the penultimate one for this academic year.
​
My topic for this month was inspired by a recent visit to see my son, who is currently on a year out from uni. As he is living and working some distance away, we no longer get to see each other quite as often as we did previously and, to make the day more special, my husband and I offered to take him out for the day. We thought this would be ideal, as Dave and I recently became members of both The National Trust and English Heritage in the hope of making the most of our membership during the lovely weather over the coming Summer. (Yes - I’m expecting it to be gorgeously sunny – please don’t burst my bubble by telling me otherwise!)
So we set off early on a Sunday morning recently, having given our newest addition to the family – our cat, Shadow – strict instructions to behave in our absence! Our destination? Charles Darwin’s house in Kent, where we spent a thoroughly enjoyable day. This got me thinking about possible material for MM...
​
The upstairs of the property houses an impressive exhibition about Darwin’s life and his legacy, which was extremely controversial at the time. The downstairs consists of a variety of rooms, including his study, which we all found fascinating. From the layout of the room, you could be excused for thinking that Darwin himself was about to walk in and continue examining the many varied specimens he collected from his travels abroad! In addition to all there was to see, an audio tour was also on offer, which – for me - brought the place alive even more.
Going back in time a bit, a challenge I faced when I was working as a class teacher was just this – how to bring to life what could be construed as a random, abstract topic, the purpose of which appears to bear little or no relevance to the life of a modern-day school pupil. I have experienced many times that, if the relevance of a topic is not explicitly pointed out to young people, they can lose their way and there is a danger of disengagement from the learning process. The different topics within subjects need, in my view, to be meaningful to learners. I believe that making the most of enrichment opportunities provides the key - such as taking pupils to a location which can provide a backdrop, a context, to the learning. I have seen many a pupil become really engaged and inspired when visiting places which are relevant to the topic they are studying. When children’s curiosity is aroused, they want to know more, which enables them to start driving their own learning.
There is one further point which is important to mention. Those of you, who have been with me since I started writing my musings last year, will not be surprised to hear this. A multi-sensory visit to an interesting location is not likely to fade quickly from memory. I don’t know about you, but I still have vivid childhood memories of visiting a variety of places to enhance my learning. It is not just the multi-sensory aspect of my visits which has made this possible; it is also the positive emotion which I attached to them. How fantastic if we can give our children such experiences!
So, with the Summer holidays fast approaching (and many exams now out of the way), perhaps the focus can gradually start to shift from academic work to finding those enriching opportunities that help make the material your child has learnt over the past year more meaningful. Together, let’s open those National Trust and English Heritage handbooks and get planning our Summer visits. They don’t have to cost an arm and a leg; indeed, many fabulous experiences are free. All we need is a little creativity!
​
As ever, I would be so delighted to hear back from you about your experiences, which I’m sure we could all benefit from. Alternatively, if you would just like to comment on this month’s theme, please do drop me a line.
Wishing you all a wonderful month; ‘see’ you in July!
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
​
Inspiring Quote: “Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn."
(Ben Franklin)
Book Recommendation: DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Great Britain
​
Music: (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again by Sir Elton John and Taron Egerton. If you haven’t yet seen the film and are an Elton fan, it’s really worth a trip to the cinema!
​
Forthcoming Events: As recently advertised in the Petersfield Directory, there will be a series of Saturday morning workshops on Behaviour and Learning, Pupil Passports, Study Skills and Tips for Effective Revision. There will be one workshop on each, spread throughout the coming year so, roughly-speaking, they will be held quarterly.
For these workshops to be a success, it is essential that I get some idea, in advance, of how many people would be interested in attending. If you would like further information and / or are interested in coming along, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks.
May 2019
TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE REVISION
​
Hello!
​
This month I would like to follow up on my previous theme of exams. Whether it be GCSEs, SATs or end of year exams, they are almost upon us and I thought it might be useful to have a brief look at some of the tried and tested methods of revision, which it is still not too late to benefit from.
As you may guess, from having read several of my musings now, there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to revision. There never is when learning is involved! In my opinion, what works is dependent on what type of learner you are. Usually, we have a preference for the way in which we acquire and consolidate information, be it visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. If you are a visual learner, then this is definitely the main method you should be using when revising, and the same goes for the other two styles. However, it is unwise to completely neglect the other senses, as the more different ways you can take in information, the better the chances of it being transferred into the long term memory. Evidently, this multi-sensory approach is what we want, as the information needs to have been stored so that it can be retrieved when in a potentially stressful exam situation. In addition, multi-sensory learning methods are often fun and when there is emotion involved in the learning process, this also tends to help the memory.
So what are some of the tried and tested methods I was alluding to for each of the three main learning styles? Here goes!
Visual Learner:
Ø Make a Mind Map of a particular topic. Use colour and images to help make the information more memorable.
Ø Visualise information – e.g. as you are reading a text, try to ‘see’ what is being described in your mind’s eye. Visualisation can be a very powerful tool many things, including learning spellings. If you would like to learn more about this, please get in touch.
Ø Condense course notes onto index cards, highlighting headings and sub-headings in colour to make them more memorable. These can then be stuck on your bedroom wall or somewhere else suitable, where you will see them often.
Auditory Learner:
​
Ø Make up rhymes, songs and raps to help remember important information - e.g. ‘big elephants can always understand small elephants’ to remember how to spell ‘because’.
Ø Sub-vocalise as you are either looking at information or as you are interacting with it. This just means talk to yourself under your breath about what you are doing.
​
Kinaesthetic Learner:
​
This style of learning is particularly active. It is learning by doing.
​
Ø Get a variety of different sized and coloured post-its and write different words on them. This approach is good for sequencing activities, as the post-its can be easily moved around.
Ø Get some blank playing cards and, for example, write a tricky word on one side and its definition on the other.
Ø Make words out of e.g. pipe cleaners, magnetic letters, tactile letters (or sandpaper), a variety of food (as this brings in smell and maybe taste!). This may take a while, but it is certainly memorable!
​
​
This is merely a brief introduction to the very many ways you can revise. I will be offering a Saturday morning workshop on this and other topics (see below) down in Hampshire very soon. If you would find this helpful, please register your interest by emailing me.
​
Wishing anyone who is about to sit exams or tests all the very best. Remember, the main things are to stay calm, read the question carefully and, if time, check your answer through afterwards.
​
As ever, if you have any questions, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
​
See you again next month.
​
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
Inspiring Quote: “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” (Samuel Johnson)
​
Book Recommendation: The Memory Book by Tony Buzan
​
Music For Revision:
Some people find it good to revise to music. However, if you’re anything like me, you may just find it distracting – especially if the music has lyrics to it! I have provided just a few suggestions for those of you who do like to listen as you work, either to motivate and pump you up or to relax you...
The Eye of the Tiger by Survivor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4
The Final Countdown by Europe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw
We Will Rock You by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tJYN-eG1zk
Anything from Skyworld: Two Steps From Hell
Classic FM Hall of Fame Gold
​
Forthcoming Events: Series of Saturday morning workshops on Behaviour and Learning, Pupil Passports, Study Skills and Tips for Effective Revision. As said, if you are interested, please let me know by email. Thanks.
​
​
April 2019
EXAM SEASON...
​
Hello! Thanks for joining me for another of my Monthly Musings. Feel free to grab yourself some refreshment and take a few minutes to sit down and read this month’s offering.
As I am sure you are already aware, exam season is looming, with SATS just around the corner now in May. This leaves only just over a month to make the necessary preparations.
Over the past little while, I have faced a dilemma many teachers will be familiar with: do I continue with the teaching programme I have planned or do I change tack and teach to the test? Well... what I have decided to do for each student who is approaching Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 SATS is to do a bit of both. I feel very strongly that it is so important to deliver what each young person has demonstrated that they need through the rigorous assessment session that I conduct when I take on a new student. However, I also think that to completely ignore the elephant in the room (i.e. SATS) would be to do my learner a distinct disservice. Although I am aware that much attention is being given to past papers in the classroom, especially at Key Stage 2, if I completely ignore the impending assessments, I will be missing an opportunity to help boost performance.
Once worked through, past practice papers are generally re-visited in the classroom and answers explained so that pupils are less likely to make the same errors in the real thing. However, anecdotally, it would seem that the pace at which this happens is much too quick for many learners who have additional challenges. This is one of the areas I can help with, as I have the luxury of being able to proceed with teaching and learning at exactly the pace each learner feels comfortable with.
In my experience, there appears to be a pattern of difficulties experiences by those who have a learning difference, such as dyslexia. These often involve a lack of understanding what the question is actually asking, either due to difficulties in reading the question or due to a lack of understanding of key words (e.g. "discuss"; "evaluate"; "compare"). Such lack of understanding can be exacerbated by anxiety, which many young (and older!) people suffer from when faced with an important assessment. Remediation is likely to concentrate on teaching the definitions of these words. A further pattern of difficulties experienced particularly by people with a learning difference is insufficient checking of the working out (as in Maths) and of the final answer. If pupils learn to check through their work, careless mistakes can be eradicated and, even better, the overall quality work can be improved. This, again, is an area in which I can give students the opportunity to practise.
​
One of my main functions as a Specialist Teacher is to support students by suggesting a variety of learning strategies to help them. I have taken the liberty of outlining below one such basic strategy, which can be relied upon when tackling any question a learner comes across.
A Strategy for Tacking Exam Questions:
​
​
- Ground yourself: This can be a really vital step if you are anxious. Plant your feet firmly on the floor. Imagine that roots are extending downwards from the soles of your feet into the earth. Take a few slow, deep breaths and get ready to start work!
​
- Read the problem once all the way through. Then read it again step by step.
​
- Make sure you understand what the problem is asking you to do. Maybe underline the important words and numbers. If you don’t understand, go back to step 1.
​
- For Maths problems, choose the correct mathematical operation to solve the problem.
​
- Solve the problem. If it is a Maths problem, show your working. If it is a question which requires a prose answer, perhaps try to plan this briefly. Mind Maps are useful for this.
- Make sure you write your answer (with units, if appropriate, for Maths problems) in the space provided.
- Check your answer. If you have time to do this, it is a really worthwhile step to eradicate careless mistakes.
​
​
See you again next month.
​
Bye for now,
Kathy
​
P.S. Do check my business page out on Facebook: Lotus Tutoring in Petersfield.
​
Inspiring Quote:
​
​
​
​
​
​
Inspiring Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04854XqcfCY
Forthcoming Events: Please don’t forget that my aim is to arrange some sessions for you about how best to help your child with homework. I also aim to arrange a second session for young people (KS2 & 3) on study skills. However, I need to know if there is a market for this locally. Do let me know if you live in the East Hampshire / West Sussex / Surrey area and if you would be interested in this. Thank you.
​
​
​
March 2019
FIXED AND GROWTH MINDSET RE-VISITED
​
​
Hello! Thanks for joining me for another of my Monthly Musings. Do take the opportunity to sit back and relax for a few minutes while you read...
​
So last month the theme was fixed and growth mindset, the latter of which we found to be preferable by far, as it can be instrumental in helping an individual to realise their potential, whatever that happens to be.
This month I would like to share an experience, which relates very closely to the above. As you will already know from having made yourself familiar with my website, I advertise as providing learning support for young people who have additional challenges and who are struggling at school. Imagine my surprise when I was recently approached by a gentleman in his 70s asking if I could help him to improve his writing! He has, after a lifetime of struggling with various aspects of the writing process, decided to take the bull by the horns and do something positive about it. He is growth mindset personified and I cannot wait to start working with him! It will be a challenge, but a welcome one, which will help me to develop my own skills; I always learn so much from my students.
We can all learn something from this gentleman’s approach. No matter how hard or how long we’ve been struggling it is never too late to take positive action to improve. So what are you waiting for?!
See you again next month.
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
P.S. Do check my business page out: Lotus Tutoring in Petersfield.
Inspiring Quote: “Remember, as long as you are breathing it’s never too late to start a new beginning.” (Author Unknown)
Inspiring Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6ZMkdMJfSA
Forthcoming Events: Please don’t forget that my aim is to arrange some sessions for you about how best to help your child with homework. I also aim to arrange a second session for young people (KS2 & 3) on study skills. However, I need to know if there is a market for this locally. Do let me know if you live in the East Hampshire / West Sussex / Surrey area and if you would be interested in this. Thank you.
February 2019
FIXED AND GROWTH MINDSET IN A NUTSHELL
​
​
Hello and a warm welcome to Monthly Musings for February.
​
This month I would like to pick up where I left off last time and talk about establishing a sound work ethic, which enables us to achieve more in life. In my experience, people tackle their work in one of two main ways – either using a fixed or a growth mindset. Which one we choose can change day to day, depending on our mood, but one mindset is often dominant and this affects our performance in a given task.
So what do we mean by fixed and growth mindset? Well, a fixed mindset is what I, as a teacher, discourage in my pupils, although often I can see that it has developed for very understandable reasons, especially if they have additional needs. Children who have not experienced a great deal of success at school, say, can quickly become fixed in their mindset towards their studies. This manifests in quite a negative way; such children feel that their level of ability is fixed, so question the point of trying. And when they find work challenging, the temptation is to give up and blame others for their lack of success. Pupils with a fixed mindset generally prefer to rush their work, submitting it without checking for errors. In the face of having made a mistake, they can become disillusioned and think they are stupid, therefore displaying reluctance to try new things. With fixed mindset a vicious circle of errors and self flagellation often occurs. Sound familiar?
Conversely, a growth mindset manifests as a more positive approach. People in this frame of mind are generally keen to try new things, relishing a challenge and willingly putting themselves outside of their comfort zone. They tend to view mistakes as an opportunity and persevere in the face of adversity. Rather than give up, they are able to take constructive feedback on board and, if their first draft is not up to scratch, they willingly re-draft in an effort to continuously improve their performance. One absolutely lovely demonstration of growth mindset in practice can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqh1MRWZjms. This clip is called Austin’s Butterfly. It bowled me over when I first watched it. Wow, definitely worth a look!
​
So, although we can’t fully control what life throws at us (or, if we are a child, what work we are given at school), we can, if we know how and if we have the support to do so, try to adopt a predominantly growth mindset to deal with it. Your child’s dominant way of thinking can be identified by the kind of language they use. Some examples of the language used by mindsets of both extremes are below:
​
“I can’t do this.”
“I’m still learning how to do this.”
​
“I’ll never understand this.”
“I don’t understand this YET. It might take a while to figure out.”
​
“I’m an idiot!”
“This is going to take some careful thought!”
​
“I’m just not good at Maths.”
“With some help, I can improve my understanding of Maths.”
​
Perhaps the next time we hear our young charges becoming negative about the task in hand, we could encourage them to reframe their language to something more positive. That little three-letter word, ‘yet’, can change everything! As I alluded to last month, one of the best ways we can help instil good habits in our children is if we are good role models ourselves. So the next time we encounter an obstacle, let’s try to be aware of the language we use, making it as positive as possible – even if we’re struggling on the inside! Finally, open conversations with our children about how effectively we, or they, have dealt with a problem (and why) can also really help in adopting a growth mindset in everyday life. I find that the 'feedback sandwich' works really well, whereby I begin by saying something positive, then say something which could be improved on, before concluding with something positive.
​
​
​
I’d like to finish by sharing this very powerful poem I stumbled across recently. I think it’s really relevant here and I found it really inspiring. I go back to it whenever the unhelpful voice in my head tries to clobber me with negativity! Here it is:
​
Thinking
​
“If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don't,
If you like to win, but you think you can't
It is almost certain you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!”
​
Walter D. Wintle
​
As ever, if you get the chance, please do send me some of your experiences; I’d be really interested. In the meantime, though, have a great month and contact me if you think I could help.
​
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
What’s New?
I’m now on Facebook. Do check my business page out: Lotus Tutoring in Petersfield.
​
Inspiring Music:
‘Try Everything’ by Shakira from the film Zootropolis (aka Zootopia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6rP-YP4c5I
​
Book Recommendation:
Growth Mindset Pocketbook by Barry Hymer and Mike Gershon
​
Forthcoming Events:
Please don’t forget that my aim is to arrange some sessions for you about how best to help your child with homework. I also aim to arrange a second session for young people (KS2 & 3) on study skills. However, I need to know if there is a market for this locally. Do let me know if you live in the East Hampshire / West Sussex / Surrey area and if you would be interested in this. Thank you.
​
​
January 2019
Hello and welcome to my January Musings. Unlike last month’s upload of my inner ramblings, this month’s contribution is quite short. It’s also late! I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I still seem to be catching up with myself following the busy festive season. The children (well, young people) have recently departed to their other lives and now it’s just my husband and me, so I have no excuse not to sit down and commit my thoughts to print.
​
I’d like to start by wishing you all a very Happy New Year. This time of year is viewed, by many, as symbolic - an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to banish any mental cobwebs which have taken up residence over the past year. I include myself in this group. And, so far, with my rejuvenated fighting spirit and resolve to achieve my dreams, this year has been absolutely phenomenal. Already I am proud to say that I have scored a couple of major personal victories.
​
As the clock struck midnight on December 31st 2018 many, in our village, danced around our beautiful great big horse chestnut tree on the Green, singing Auld Lang Syne. I remember thinking, in spite of my inebriation, how helpful it would be if we could harness this positive energy, both individually and collectively. Well, having thought about this quite a lot over the past couple of weeks, I’ve come to the conclusion that we can. I think that the key, for me, is to take action when I’m feeling positive. In this way I can improve my lot in life; I’m pleased to be able to say that I have actual proof that this is possible!
Bringing this back to our children, my point is that, if they are able to make a resolution, say, to improve their work ethic, this is likely to pay dividends in terms of their performance at school – as long as they can put this thought into action. A sound work ethic is crucial if we are to achieve in life, more important even than good grades, as Carol Dweck asserts in her books.
​
Worthy resolutions could include a determination to adopt a more organised approach to school work, to find out about a variety of helpful study skills and a promise to complete homework more thoroughly and on time. All or any of these could, with the right amount of support, bring with them an improvement in school performance.
​
If your child needs more inspiration to turn over a new leaf, besides the fact that a new year can symbolise a fresh start, perhaps it is time for a little role modelling. Everyone, including you and me, has something we can improve upon. By showing our children that we are aware of this fact and by showing that we have the courage to take action to improve ourselves in some small way, this could be the trigger required to spur your child into action! Do let me know how you get on...
​
In terms of myself, there is much I would like to accomplish this year. My main goal is to continue to develop my fledgling business, adding value to society by helping those who are differently able so that they are able to live a more contributive life. To do this, I have determined to begin offering a variety of workshops, both for parents and children. I feel sure there must be a market for this, as many children I see or hear of seem to struggle at school with the traditional methods of teaching and learning. May I request, if you live in the Hampshire area, and you or your child would find workshops on homework or study skills useful, that you contact me to let me know. Then, when - not if! - I have sufficient people, I can organise an event.
Thank you.
​
Well, I think I’ll finish for now. I wish you all a fantastic start to 2019. Do get in touch if you get a minute.
​
Bye for now,
​
Kathy
​
Inspiring Quotes:
"Reality's what you make - through how you think, what you say, what you do. So if you keep telling yourself you can't do x, y and z - well, you won't. And your future's going to be made by someone else..." (Edward Canfor-Dumas)
​
"I alone am the scriptwriter of my life." (Robert Harrap)
​
Inspiring Music:
This is Me from The Greatest Showman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjxugyZCfuw
​
Forthcoming Events:
Keep an eye out for notifications about workshops!
December 2018
Hello again and welcome to my December Monthly Musings. I invite you to grab a cup of coffee before you sit down and read this month’s contribution – it’s a long one!
​
With only twenty four days to go until the Big Day, perhaps it is quite timely that, this month, I will be musing about mental health! I don’t know about you but, although I love Christmas (once it’s here!), I do find myself becoming quite stressed in the run-up to it, putting myself under a lot of pressure and wanting everything to be just perfect.
​
Firstly, I have a confession to make. A few days after posting my November Musings, in which I committed to covering mental health this month, I had a bit of a wobble, wondering what on Earth I had done and frantically thinking how I could ever put a positive spin on such a topic. The last thing I wanted to do was to share some of the shocking statistics and a list of risk factors regarding mental ill health, unable to counter it at all positively with any practical steps that can be taken to help prevent or manage poor mental health, and leaving you to wallow throughout the whole of December. I feel that would be the height of irresponsibility! Anyway, fear not: I have decided that it is possible to present a balanced approach to such a topical, emotive issue. Let’s see how I do. As ever, I would be very pleased to hear your comments and experiences.
​
The inspiration for wanting to cover mental health was a fantastically interesting, thought-provoking and helpful two-day course I attended a couple of months ago entitled Youth Mental Health First Aid, which was run by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. In the manual (please see the reference at the end), which accompanies the course, more than one take on mental health is given. The one I find particularly helpful and accessible is:
“Mental health influences how we think and feel about ourselves and others and how we interpret events. It affects our capacity to learn, to communicate and to form, sustain and end relationships. It also influences our ability to cope with change, transition and life events...” (p.22)
​
So what could be more important than to try to ensure that the young people in our care enjoy good mental health? If they had some physical complaint, naturally they would receive physical first aid, the aims of which are to:
- preserve life
- prevent deterioration of the injury or illness
- promote healing and recovery
- provide comfort to the ill or injured.
​
However, mental health first aid is a relatively recent concept and one which I think needs publicising. The aims of this are, unsurprisingly, very similar:
- preserve life where a young person may be a danger to themselves or others
- provide help to prevent the emotional or mental health issue developing into a more serious state
- promote the recovery of good mental health
- provide comfort to a young person experiencing a mental health issue
- raise awareness of mental health issues in the community
- reduce stigma and discrimination (p.19)
​
At a school I taught in recently, I observed that, although poor mental health was extremely prevalent among the children, many of the staff (myself included at the time) did not have the skills to constructively address the issues we were confronted with. Worse still, at the time, there was no system of logging interventions by individual members of staff, which meant that a consistent approach to the pupils’ mental health issues was nigh on impossible to ensure. So I decided that, especially as I have now set up on my own, it is essential for me to be aware of mental health issues in young people and acquire the skills so that I am able to adopt a holistic approach towards my learner and do simple things to help alleviate (even if temporarily) some symptoms a child may be experiencing, so that effective learning is possible. This is why I do what I do – to try to ensure that a pupil learns as effectively as possible to help them get on in life. Remember the lotus flower? It needs to reach the surface before it can bloom. And ill mental health can really muddy the waters...
I wonder whether you have ever come across this...
​
​
​
We have already established, from the definition of mental health, that mental ill health can adversely affect the ability to learn effectively. It can interfere with memory, attention, concentration, decision making and therefore educational achievement. And, put simply, this is why. We have a hierarchy of needs and, if our needs at the bottom have not been fulfilled, we are less likely to be able to manifest our higher needs, such as fulfilling our (educational) potential.
There are certain things we can do to help the development of a young person who is suffering from poor mental health. Early intervention is very important. On the course, we were taught that there are five basic steps in helping to manage a young person who is experiencing a mental health issue, whether the young person is depressed, anxious, psychotic and / or suicidal. Anyone can do this and, if we stick to the guidance, I am sure that we can have a positive impact on someone’s life. So what are the five steps? Together, they make up the acronym ALGEE, which makes each step easier to remember. The steps are sequential, as follows:
​
1. Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis
2. Listen and communicate non-judgementally
3. Give support and information
4. Encourage the young person to get appropriate professional help
5. Encourage other supports
​
There is a separate ALGEE for each mental health issue – say, for depression, anxiety, psychosis, self harm, eating disorders etc. However, the basics are the same. Here I will deal only with the basics; if you want more detailed information, please visit the MHFA England website at https://mhfaengland.org/ where you will find details about future courses, as well as some excellent resources, one of which can be found at https://mhfaengland.kokodigital.co.uk/frame_content.php
Let’s briefly re-visit each of the five basic steps, as stated in my course manual:
1. When approaching someone who has a mental health issue it may be wise to ask what support they need or want. Try to find a time and place where you are both comfortable. Do not exert any pressure on the young person to talk, emphasising instead that you are there to listen.
2. As a Samaritans volunteer listener, this is a step which I am absolutely passionate about. On no account must we judge, label, make assumptions, criticise, become frustrated or immediately offer advice! To do so would almost certainly be counter-productive.
3. When giving support and information, we must be careful not to blame and, at all times we must treat the young person with dignity and respect. What will help is the offer of consistent emotional support, giving the person hope for recovery, and providing practical help, where appropriate.
​
4. This step, of encouraging the young person to get appropriate professional help will differ according to the type of mental ill health being exhibited. However, the young person’s GP may be a good place to start.
5. Other supports which can be encouraged include family, friends, self help strategies and support groups, such as Samaritans or Childline. (Please see my list of useful links.)
​
I hope that you have found this interesting. Please don’t be shy – do share your thoughts with me. I hope that you don’t ever have cause to use the guidance given above from MHFA England. However, the likelihood is that either you, or someone you know, will benefit from knowing – and being able to use – this advice to help others to grow and prosper.
​
Wishing you a fantastically festive December. Happy Christmas and a Very Happy New Year, when it comes. I look forward to sharing more of my musings with you in January, although after my experiences this month, I will not commit in advance to a particular topic, choosing instead to surprise you!
​
Bye for now,
Kathy
Reference: Youth Mental Health First Aid Course Manual; MHFA England, 2017
​
Book Recommendation:
There are so many! But let's start with Breathe by Jean Hall
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breathe-simple-breathing-techniques-happier/dp/1849497745/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543683871&sr=8-1&keywords=breathe+jean+hall
​
Inspiring Quote:
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Inspiring Music:
I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FscIgtDJFXg
​
Forthcoming Events:
Although nothing is currently in the diary, I've been thinking... I would really like to run some workshops (in Hampshire) for parents whose children may be struggling at school. I am thinking of offering advice on 'Helping with Homework' and 'Study Skills' initially. For this to happen, I would need sufficient interest. If you are interested, please email me. Once I've got enough people I can go ahead and organise something.
​
​
​
​
​
​
November 2018
​
Hello and a warm welcome to my website!
Each month, from now on, I will share my thoughts and experiences on a variety of topics, which I hope you will find interesting and relevant. I intend to cover topics ranging from meta-cognition (i.e. looking at the learning process itself) to child mental health, self esteem and the importance of becoming an independent learner.
​​
This month I am taking a brief look at the effect that different teaching methods can have on the learning process. This is a huge topic, which I may struggle to do justice to in this short space, so I intend to touch only the tip of the iceberg.
When a learner is performing below the expected level for his or her age, this can be due to many complex and overlapping reasons. It is sometimes tempting to blame the learner for the lack of progress. Indeed, let’s face it, lack of effort on the part of the learner is at times to blame! However, what about those students who are working tirelessly for very little benefit? Those who are paddling furiously below the surface of the water just to stay afloat... This is an unenviable situation to be in and one, I would like to suggest, that students do not voluntarily put themselves in. In these cases, it is vital that parents and teachers remain vigilant so that any signs of a major imbalance between effort and performance are picked up and acted upon at the earliest opportunity before a student’s self esteem begins to suffer and well before he or she becomes disengaged from the learning process.
​
​
​
​
​
It is not rocket science to suggest that attainment in the school environment is, in the first instance, dependent on whether a young person is able to access the curriculum. I feel strongly that it is a responsibility of the teacher to ensure that each one of their students can access the work set. If learning material can be accessed by a student, through a teacher’s effective differentiation of the work, the learning journey can commence. If not, it is highly unlikely that any effective learning will occur.
For many learners – particularly those with specific learning differences or other additional needs - problems tend to arise when new learning is presented in a way which does not play to their strengths. Fortunately, in my experience, teachers now appear to be increasingly aware of the need to adopt a variety of age-appropriate multi-sensory teaching and learning techniques in order to capture the attention, and secure the buy-in, of a higher proportion of students. Such multi-sensory techniques, which can engage the learner and often make learning less abstract and more enjoyable, can also increase the effectiveness with which new material is lodged in the long term memory, for retrieval at a later date. In my view, it is the education system which needs to flex in order to ensure that learners are given the chance to succeed, not merely the learners to put in the effort with their learning. I have seen, and am in no doubt, that the ‘one size fits all’ approach does not work. Each child’s needs – what they need to work on, their strengths and their interests – are unique and, in order for these to be catered for, a more pupil-centred approach to teaching and learning is essential.
As I said previously, there are many complex influences at work in ensuring that a student can achieve; whether this is possible is not solely governed by teaching method! For example, the relevance of the curriculum is also vitally important. I would like here to draw your attention to the quote opposite. Einstein suggested that, if a task is plainly unachievable, this will set a young person up to fail. A fish cannot – and, in my view, should not ever be forced to try to – climb trees, as Prince Ea so eloquently and passionately states in the Youtube video below. If anyone is told to do something that is plainly unachievable, their self esteem is destined to plummet. In my experience, I have seen, in the worst-case scenario, some pupils become disengaged from the learning process due to their having been set work which bore no relevance to their life situation. Worse still, they were not given the appropriate (multi-sensory) resources or guidance to enable them to succeed. The result? As predicted, there was a tendency for them to think that they were at fault by their inability to do the work they had been set. Not only were they paddling furiously, they were also disillusioned and doubting their ability to succeed. This can be a difficult, but not impossible, situation to climb back from.
​
​
​
​
​
​
We already established above that what is required is a more pupil-centred approach to teaching and learning. Young people of all abilities must, in my opinion, be given greater opportunity to succeed by allowing them to learn in ways which play to their strengths. The fish can swim down the stream and the monkey can swing through the trees, both arriving at the same place eventually. Giving individual learners the freedom to learn in a way which suits them will then hopefully, in very simplistic terms, lead to a virtuous circle of achievement where everyone is happy!
Below are suggestions of some simple questions it might be helpful to ask any young person prior to a parent / teacher consultation at parents' evening to find out how they feel they are doing. An honest conversation before an occasion such as this can make the discussion with the learner's teachers much more constructive and beneficial in the long run.
- What do you feel you are doing well at school? Why?
- What do you feel you are not so good at? Can you say why?
- How do you feel that you learn best?
- Are you given the opportunity to work in this way at school?
- Do you have access to learning resources which could help you to understand what you have been asked to do?
- Do you get frustrated or upset by not being able to do the work you are set?
​
I hope that you found this interesting and thought-provoking . If you have any comments – positive or constructively negative - about the above, please do email me, as I’d be really interested to hear about your experiences. In the meantime, I wish you an enjoyable, productive month and I will be back with December’s Monthly Musings at the beginning of next month! The next topic will be child mental health.
Kathy
​
Book Recommendation:
Learning and the Brain Pocketbook by
E. Dommett, I. Devonshire and R. Churches
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Brain-Pocketbook-Richard-Churches/dp/1906610258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539877645&sr=8-1&keywords=Pocketbook+E.+Dommett
​
Inspiring Quote:
See the image opposite by Albert Einstein.
See also Prince Ea's 'I Just Sued The School System!!!' on YouTube:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sue+education+system+youtube&view=detail&mid=560B799976F6412AC75C560B799976F6412AC75C&FORM=VIRE
​
Inspiring Music:
Fight Song by Rachel Platten
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZxO7Uy2E-g
​
Forthcoming Events:
Memory Lite Classroom: Making it work for our quick forgetters, presented by Neil MacKay
Saturday 17th November 10.30 - 12.00 at Frensham Heights School, GU10 4EA
N.B. This event is arranged by Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre and MUST be pre-booked at a cost of £25 per person.
https://www.helenarkell.org.uk/courses/saturday-morning-presentation-with-neil-mackay.php
​
​
​
​
​
