Jul 23, 2021 | Communication, Leadership, Partnerships, Primary, Professional development, Secondary, Updates
I’ve just read Nancy Kline’s book “Time to Think” – over 20 years too late. As a new middle leader in the 90s I could have done with her sage advice. However, I think that many of us in education naturally use these summer weeks as ‘time to think’ (once we’ve slept for a few days and reacquainted ourselves with our families!). It’s part of the ebb and flow of the school year. For school leaders it’s a time to zoom out and think strategically. And that might include reflecting on partnerships with other schools: how do these fit...
Jun 18, 2021 | Communication, Primary, Science, Updates
This week I delivered a workshop on plastics and their eco-friendly alternatives to an entire primary school – VIA ZOOM! As somebody once said “we don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges”. But it doesn’t half help if there are others around to give you a hand! I thought I’d mastered the art of delivering CPD via Zoom/Teams/Adobe/Google. I can use polls, virtual whiteboards, breakouts, chat and padlet. I have my gorgeous visualiser for small experiments and live...
May 6, 2016 | Communication, Primary, Secondary, Updates, Young Scientists Journal
I have a postcard glued onto my notebook with a quote from Maria Mitchell: “We especially need imagination in science. It is not all mathematics, nor all logic but is somewhat beauty and poetry.” I like to think that Harry Kroto would have approved. He was driven by imagination and creativity, and spent his life inspiring these qualities in others. I knew Harry was very ill but the news of his death still came as a shock last weekend. I was at a science show, witnessing a dynamic science communicator...
May 4, 2016 | Communication, Secondary, Updates, Young Scientists Journal
Sometimes, a series of fortunate events in the course of a week make you smile. Together, they can bring into focus something you’ve been thinking about in your subconscious. Three things intersected this week to make me reflect on how important it is to ignite sparks in science, to illuminate people’s imaginations – and there are so many ways of doing that. Last Monday I was lucky enough to be invited to the UK final of Famelab, a wonderful competition where young scientists stand up in...
