If you read my previous post about using our creation ‘Bolt’ to help with open ended lockdown learning, you will know that Nick and I were trying to make a site where grown ups could access open ended and creative learning for children. This blog is now Live here. It is a work in progress and one that we hope to add to regularly. We … Continue reading Bolt and Friends is now live…
Lockdown 2021 has hit harder than ever. People are struggling and some parents trying to home school their children are feeling frustrated and confused. Many are feeling guilty that they aren’t ‘getting it right’. Part of that is due to parents obviously wanting to do their best for their children but not fully understanding the emphasis that is placed on things that ‘weren’t around’ when … Continue reading Learning in Lockdown – Meet Bolt!
I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to my photography. I shoot in Manual as I like to set my own, shutter speed, aperture and ISO. I have my ‘go to’ editing apps and programs, different lenses for different situations and whilst I’m happy with the results on the whole I decided this morning to abandon control. I’m fortunate to be returning … Continue reading Lose control in a positive way
Children don’t come with a manual. All children are unique and have their own strengths and areas where they need encouragement. We love them, we protect them and hopefully they thrive. We then have to give them the skills to cope on their own. My Tommy D is four next month and starts school in September. I’m heartbroken, he’s my Tommy, he’s too little, he’s … Continue reading Growing up
I have a confession to make – I am addicted to Pinterest and can spend hours looking at ideas and thinking ‘maybe I’ll have a go at that’. I’ve not done any photography just ‘because I wanted to play’ for ages (done weddings and proper stuff but nothing just for fun). I saw some images of #frozenflowers and immediately created a new Pinterest Board. The … Continue reading Learning can be messy – Frozen Flowers
Buildy Ouse Is Tommy favourite saying at the minute. He loves cardboard boxes and whenever he sees a large box he gleefully demands that you build him a house with it. Along with generations of children before him he is fascinated with cardboard boxes. He will climb in, on, under them, or failing that he will walk round with them on his head. A door … Continue reading The joy of a cardboard box
There was an interesting article published in the Guardian today saying that 300 million children live in areas of extreme pollution. Guardian article It made me think about the little things I saw in Shanghai last week about how pollution is a part of a school’s daily life in China. On the front door every day is placed an update about the atmosphere that day … Continue reading Taking air quality for granted
Eleanor Roosevelt said ‘Do one thing every day that scares you’, well last week I was terrified. The offer of presenting at The Festival of Education, Wellington College, Shanghai was too good an opportunity to miss. BUT and it’s a big but, I’ve never actually flown anywhere by myself, I’ve never visited China and as you know i’m just an ordinary person ‘A granny from … Continue reading Out of my comfort zone
Surely in this technological age it wouldn’t take too much to design and manufacture a left handed camera? I’m a right handed photographer so didn’t give this a thought before Tommy was born with a missing right hand. He is now at an age where he is curious about everything but he loves my camera. Let’s be honest he rarely sees me without it. He is … Continue reading Why are there no left handed cameras?
…you encounter an amazing group of people. This morning I had the privilege of thanking a group of around 1,000 pupils who had ALL, along with staff, parents and the community, raised £5,600 to build a classroom in Kakuma Refugee Camp. The classrooms such as the one above are in a desperate state and often house classes of anything up to 200 children. The morning … Continue reading Sometimes …
Jane Hewitt 