Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

We had an afternoon of over indulging at Brandon today after Max's family brought in a cake to celebrate his scholarship to Winchester College. Having successful students is reward enough but having cakes is an added bonus!

The Rain  - Anonymous (from The Folio Book of Humorous Verse) The rain it raineth every day, Upon the just and unjust fellow, But more upon the just, because The unjust hath the just's umbrella

Hong Kong is in a temporary state of suspended animation as we wait for the next onslaught from Typhoon Vicente. Rather than the traditional Typhoon pursuits of eating junk food and entering a catatonic state in front of a DVD, how about spending a few minutes looking at our world through the eyes of the Canandian Inuit? I found the following Inuktit word in John Julius Norwich's 2001 book,  A Christmas Cracker . Looking out of my window, it gives a new dimension to the outside world. Tartitartuq : The sea has dark moving patches, or shadows, playing over it; when sky and sea are story, black shadows ripple and play over the chop of the sea. Such a delicate observation; a poem in one word.

I have written three recipe booklets for Singtao newspaper (星島日報) Baking is one of my passions and I had an enormous amount of fun producing the booklets. The first two focused on cooking with children, the third on dinner party food and the next one which will be published tomorrow will have ideas for drinks parties. I can't find a link with public speaking other than one of the most important parts of giving a speech is sharing your passion. If you start from here, no matter how many mistakes you might make, your audience will be carried along by your enthusiasm and will be sympathetic and inspired.

If your child is one of the entrants in the Brandon Learning Centre poetry reading at Harbour City, here are some last minute tips for you! For anyone contemplating a speech festival or making a presentation, these ideas may be useful in the future. Before presenting: Firstly, make sure that your body is relaxed by shaking out your limbs. The voice needs to be warmed up before you present. Try to take four or five deep breaths and then start to move through the vowels to engage your vocal chords. Scan your poem/notes for the last time. Take a deep breath, throw your shoulders back, stride onto the stage as though you own it. Tomorrow, our aim is to give the children a positive experience on stage. If you are around Tsim Sha Tsui, drop by!

Amongst the many gifts my parents gave to us was the love of reading. My memories of spending time listening to them read to us are extremely precious. For anyone who isn't sure how to start reading with their children, try the following: 1: Find a quiet place where you can focus without distractions 2: Choose a book with dialogue so you can use different voices (don't be shy!) 3: With older children, take it in turns to read 4: Try to avoid turning your reading into a lesson 5: Enjoy, these are times to be cherished This weekend, my Brandon Learning Centre colleagues and I are giving a series of workshops aimed at encouraging the habit of reading to children. Anyone who is near the Harbour Centre (Tsim Sha Tsui) on Saturday or Sunday is very welcome to come! Kidxperience - Harbour City

Carl Sandburg writes powerful, energising poetry. His peon of love to Chicago explodes with the vibrancy of that wonderful city. One of my favourites is his entertaining Arithmetic in which he muses on this confusing topic. The images of numbers as flying pigeons is one which will return to you again and again. When reading this poem, pay attention to the pauses and vary the pace for additional confusion! For anyone who struggled through those hideous O level questions about walking a mile in one direction, turning 45 degrees and then walking another mile, this is for you! Arithmetic - Carl Sandburg Arithmetic is where numbers fly like pigeons in and out of your head. Arithmetic tells you how many you lose or win if you know how many you had before you lost or won. Arithmetic is seven eleven all good children go to heaven — or five six bundle of sticks. Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.