I have just been saying to my ever patient and loving partner, as she stood beside me, asking what I was up to, that this will be the fourth article I’ve written for Littleport Life for which the phrase ‘lockdown learning’ could apply. I sincerely hope that we will be out of this soon, but, as I write this, in the throes of a cold and miserably wet January day, none of us know, as…
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Modern life has always had the ability to bring out the emotional side of each of us, and never more so than now, with its uncertainties and the ever-changing scenarios, and anxieties prevalent at this time. We have all been in situations where our emotions have got the better of us and led us to do things that weren’t, how shall we put it, ‘in our best interests’. We have all, I am sure, said…
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I don’t know if any of you remember the Sure Start programme? It was a government funded initiative targeted at children under the age of four, living in the most disadvantaged areas. The aim of the programme was to provide a host of joined up services to support families, as well as to provide a high-quality educational setting which children under the age of four could attend. These settings were aimed at being cognitively enabling…
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While I love the above quote by FDR, (and it has a particular resonance now) the use of the word ‘build’ is interesting, harkening back to a more mechanistic age, when the language of engineering and ‘making’ was widely used to make sense of the world. I think now we might have issues with that word, ‘build’ – can we really build people? Can we even build a future? Instead of ‘build’ we might use…
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As our thoughts turn to spring, and with summer just over the horizon, learners and parents across the county are starting to look at how things are shaping up for the end of the academic year. So, I wanted to turn the focus of the next two articles on the practical steps, aside from taking on a tutor, that everyone can work on to improve their end of year achievement I carry out many consultations…
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Welcome to Littleport Life’s winter issue. Although the weather might be cold outside, we hope you find warm words, interest and encouragement within our issue. I would like to begin by saying a very big thank you to Lyn, who first introduced me to Littleport Life magazine. It has been a great pleasure to edit the magazine alongside her for the last six months or so, and to learn from her. As a former managing…
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I was at a consultation recently and came across a situation that I often see. The student was a very willing, and a very well-meaning student; keen to do well, and keen to please. But she was struggling with learning and school. Something I kept hearing her say was “I don’t like school.” It felt like she was comparing herself to her friends and, in her mind’s-eye, coming off worse. In one particular case, the…
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‘There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots. The other is wings.’ – Hodding Carter Jr. A Collection of Poems. I love this quote, because for all the noise and chatter of the modern-day world it cuts through to two simple truths that have guided parents, carers and educators throughout history. The quote highlights two important roles that those who bring up and work with children, of all ages, should…
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It could be thought of as paradoxical that I, a brand-new-comer, and life-long out of towner, should find myself contributing to Littleport Life Magazine. Most believe that it is important to remain open to life’s paradoxes and possibilities. This is definitely a new possibility for me! I’m definitely in a new space, a new place, and I’m loving it. This possibility began to unfold for me a few weeks ago when Lyn Gibb de Swarte,…
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