Blog posts in December 2011 
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Follow your star...
Thursday 22 December 2011
Categories: Careers, Role Models, Science
Now girls have a role model who parents will heartily endorse – Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock – a female Professor Brian Cox. She may not have been in a rock band in a previous incarnation but she has triumphed over her dyslexia to become the lead scientist at a British space technology company. Dr Pocock now tours inner city schools urging pupils, and especially girls, to study science.
Appropriately in this festive season her message is one of hope. As Dr Pocock goes round schools breaking...
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Should children do homework in the Christmas holidays?
Monday 19 December 2011
Categories: Extra curricular, Family Relationships, Homework
I’m actually a big fan of homework. I think the school-related work children do at home can be important consolidation or extension of what they have learnt at school. Time spent reviewing work at home can provide the valuable opportunity for reflection and reinforcement. Sometimes if your child’s interest is sparked by something at school, they can find the space to do further reading and research in their own time, including on the internet, which can extend their learning and...
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Seeking role models for women's sport
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Categories: Extra curricular, Health, Media Influence, Role Models
I am encouraged by the recent press coverage in response to the BBC Sports Personality shortlist, particularly concerning the responsibility the media have for raising the profile of women’s sport.
Last week I turned to the section in a Sunday newspaper laughingly entitled sport. Of the 20 pages dedicated to sport I found no mention of women other than an article in which an American skier in her twenties had accompanied a much younger skier to his high school dance. The point? ...
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Help - I've got homework!
Wednesday 7 December 2011
Categories: Education, Extra curricular, Family Relationships, Homework
Homework is a bit like riding a bike. You have to practice to get it right but, once you’ve mastered the skill, you never forget how to do it.
Like it or not, homework is part of school life – or should be. Yes, the teaching day ends around mid afternoon and young people need downtime to re-charge their batteries. No, that does not mean lessons should be forgotten until class the following day.
Why? Because children need to get into the habit of thinking for themselves and doing...