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The imperfection of perfection - reading to children

I have just acquired a copy of Muriel Young's 1967 recording of Jellyco the Magic Budgerigar. I had the record as a child and have always wanted to hear it again. The story is simple but magic lies in the sound or Mrs Young's voice. The spoken word has a power of its own. Even over the hiss of a record, you can hear every word clearly and become enmeshed in the world of the story. I was fortunate, as a child my parents read to me daily and I grew up listening to Radio 4 ( www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 ) Research has formed links between reading to children and their emotional, health and academic development. You don't have to be a Shakespearean actor to create a special relationship between your family and books. Try the following: 1: Go to a quiet area of the house 2: Make sure that you will not be disturbed or distracted 3: Throw yourself into the world of the book: use voices, change your pace to create excitement 4: Have fun!  If you are looking for ideas, UK charity

Fight the Stupids! (and support independent bookshops)

I have just finished listened to a fascinating interview with Timur Vermes on BBC Radio 4's Frontrow programme (the heaven of getting Radio 4 wherever you are!) His book, Look Who's Back , a satirical novel in which Adolf Hitler returns and is stunned by the modern world, is definitely one I will be reading. One of the interesting points which arose from the interview was that his publisher had suggested that the language of the book was too complex and that it should be simplified. The gist of Mr Vermes's response was: there are some jokes in there but why shouldn't readers have to work to get to them? New Orleans is particularly rich in independent book sellers and the slogan of one, Maple Street Book Store is "Fight the Stupids!" In a world filled with reality television which reduces our humanity and creates caricatures which convey of the worst of the human condition, it is wonderful to know that there are people fighting against the tide of ignorance!

Spring has Sprung!

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"Aprile is the cruelest month" according to Chaucer who had clearly never spent March in Louisiana battling the howling winds! Today, however, all the misery is forgotten as spring appears to be making a guest appearance after a weekend of truly miserable rain (I volunteered for Hogs for the Cause www.hogsforthecause.org  which degenerated into a mud bath within minutes of opening. Fortunately the turnout was incredibly good and the barbecue was nectar of the gods. I spent a wonderful morning discussing Chinese culture with the bright students of Isidore Newman School http://www.newmanschool.org/home  and emerged into brilliant sunlight which made me think of the last lines of ee cumming's poem "if i have made, my lady, intricate" which sum up the creeping of delight into the psyche; if i have made, my lady, intricate if i have made, my lady, intricate imperfect various things chiefly which wrong your eyes(frailer than most deep dreams are

Happy Saint Patrick's Day - celebrate with a poem

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Parades... green rivers... flashing shamrocks... Saint Patrick's day is unrecognisable today!   New Orleans becomes Irish! I am in New Orleans which is packed with people wearing green. It is wonderful to see people celebrating Ireland and the diaspora. Rather than buying the Made in China Leprechaun's hat, how about reviving the Irish custom of entertaining family and friends with a dance, a song or a poem? The following is the first stanza of The Exile's Return , by John Locke which tells the story of an exile returning from Texas after longing for his homeland for so long. The entire poem is eight stanzas long and does teeter on the Plastic Paddy territory but St Pat's is a day to be as sentimental as you like! Read proudly and remember the generations who gave up so much for us. The Exile's Return Glory to God, but there it is- The dawn on the hills of Ireland! God's angels lifting the night's black veil From the fair, sweet face of my s

Managing your revision or study

As I try to finish my thesis, I am reminded of all my poor study habits! Including: Procrastinating Overworking when I am on form resulting in exhaustion  Distraction... jumping from one topic to another All the above are common experiences. I suggest the following remedies! Get on with it. You know you have to start! The arranging of your desk/books/papers isn't really preventing you from studying. Try to work in blocks with some flexibility. Give yourself breaks. Run around the room to get the blood flowing. Add exercise/eating/time out into your study plan.  Create a study guide. As you think of new topics, write them in and schedule them within your existing plan. That way, you are acknowledging that there may be something you need to also study but you are not neglecting existing work.  If your plan is too rigid, you will find sticking to it challenging. If you do get behind, rework your plan, don't panic and try to cram everything in. Most importantly; be r

The wonderful Aaron Kwok 郭富城 and Jessica at the Helping Hand Cookie Day

Revision Planning - IGCSE, Pre-U, A Level, Common Entrance, 13+,11+

The exam content may differ but the basic premise is the same; you study for a period of time, assemble the facts and techniques and attempt to distill your learning into a few short hours. One of the common consequences of this situation is a month of blind panic during which you know that you should be revising and can't think where to start. So here is an idea: 1; Acquire a copy of your syllabus 2; Go through the above, dividing content into three columns marked "confident I know this," "need to go over it," "not the faintest clue" 3; At this point, you will need to seek help with anything that falls into the latter category 4; For the remaining topics, start allocating revision time. Clearly, your focus is on updating your knowledge of the familiar but consecrating more time to the unfamiliar 5; Break down your time into realistic blocks (seriously, are you going to cane through a topic a night?) Factor in time-cushions for unexpected del

Double ordination - double blessing

This morning the Congregation of Rosary Hill School Church had the wonderful experience of witnessing the ordination of Fathers Sebastian and Paul. The service was incredibly moving; the sincerity of the celebrants was evident as was the devotion of the families. In a world in which we hear daily stories which make us question our faith, it is inspiring to see two men and two families who have dedicated their lives to the service of God. My prayers, utter respect and gratitude are with them.

Dancing between cultures

I am in the middle of writing a thesis on how an institution can create a "third space" learning environment in which all students can excel. I am procrastinating and, as part of this process, am re-reading "A Hero of Our Time" by Lermontov in which I found the following reflection: "I was struck by the ability of this Russian to reconcile himself to the customs of the peoples among whom he happens to live. I do not know whether this mental quality is a virtue or a vice, but it does reveal a remarkable flexibility and that sober common sense which forgives evil wherever it feels it to be necessary, or impossible to eradicate" Mikhail Iurevich Lermontov - A Hero of Our Time Personal experience and observation has illustrated to me that people brought up between multiple cultures do demonstrate a flexibility towards unfamiliar situations. The desire to adapt is strong, sometimes at the expense of denying your own culture (my own experience of the "

Spring CE has just finished - now let's prepare for Summer!

It was a with a massive sigh of relief that our 11+/13+ candidates finished their last exam today. Their papers are now winging their way to Wycombe Abbey, Downe House and Radley College. They worked hard and their results should demonstrate this to their chosen schools. And as for us at Brandon.. we wish them well and turn our thoughts to the Summer candidates! If your child is preparing for 11+/13+/IGCSE here are some tips to help them to succeed: 1: Talk to teachers now to flag any areas of concern 2: Start thinking about the remaining time and how you are going to manage revision. At Brandon we have intensive 11+/13+ revision classes during the Easter holidays but there is no reason why you can't replicate a tutorial school at home! 3: Start to gather your materials now. Do you have text books, past papers, school notes? Don't rely on your child to bring them home. As we all know, the school bag can be a black hole! Most importantly... try not to create an atmosph

Brandon Learning Centre Annual Charity Show - Advice for Performers!

Tonight is the Brandon Learning Centre Annual Charity Show. We have more than ninety students performing in both English and French. Last minute advice: Make sure that you know where the venue is so you aren't rushing. It is the Duke of Windsor Social Services Building at 15 Hennessy Road. Doors open at 6.45 pm. Wear something which is comfortable for you! Warm up your voice. Take three deep breaths. On the fourth breath, say "ah" as you exhale. Repeat for "ee" and "oh" Look over your words again. Have fun! This is a wonderful opportunity for you to speak in public in front of a crowd of admiring parents and to raise money for Helping Hand's elderly. See you at the show!