Posts by Mark Taylor
213: Educational travel with Garrett & Mandi Oler
Garrett & Mandi Oler discuss how travel and enrolling their children into a bilingual school has enhanced their educational experiences, confidence and world citizenship.
Garrett & Mandi are a married couple that love to help people travel abundantly – and affordably – with their families. They cringe every time they hear parents say that travel is a luxury only for the “lucky,” and are on a mission to change that mindset.
We discuss:
- Making friends abroad
- Learning in a foreign language
- Whole family trip planning
- The skills learned from foreign travel
- Know what you want to experience in trip
- Know the cost of a trip
Through their online course, Frequent Traveler Academy, they significantly shorten the learning curve and effectively cut through the clutter of rewards programs, frequent flier status and budgeting tactics so that students know what to immediately focus on to give them the best results (including free travel).
Between them and their students, they have amassed over two million credit card points, flown over 500,000 miles and visited 10 different countries – all using the simple strategies that they figured out by trial and error.
Garret and Mandi live in Utah with their two sons, who love to join them on their adventures – and even planned a few of their own!
Website
https://connectedfamilytravel.com
To get the ‘Letting the Kids Take Over!’ FREE guide to help plan your family trip.
https://connectedfamilytravel.com/kidplan
Social Media Information
https://m.facebook.com/connectedfamilytravel
https://www.instagram.com/connectedfamilytravel/
Resources mentioned
Beyond Good and Evil – Friedrich Nietzsche
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The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal
212: Reading, Writing and Spelling with Jane Considine
Jane Considine is an Education Consultant who energises and inspires thousands of teachers every year, helping them to transform the teaching of reading, writing and spelling in the primary education phase. Jane’s research-informed and evidence-based systems provide structures for success, enabling teachers to continually deliver outstanding results.
Jane has authored two best-selling books, Hooked On Books and The Write Stuff, that have sold thousands of copies all over the world. Jane’s books outline her clear and systemic approaches to the teaching of reading and writing. This June, Jane will be releasing her next publications, a series of spelling systems. Like her books on the teaching of reading and writing, The Spelling Book – Transforming the Teaching of Spelling will revolutionise the way spelling is taught in the classroom.
Jane is a popular presenter, training thousands of teachers every year across the world. Having amassed almost 1 million views on YouTube, Jane adapted to the difficult climate of 2020 and took her CPD online, providing a much-needed lifeline to teachers and parents during the national lockdown. Anybody who has witnessed Jane in action finds the experience hard to forget.
Now in her 25th year in the education profession, Jane’s incredible knowledge and expertise provide a solid framework for teachers, enabling her to support, enrich and sharpen the teaching of reading, writing and spelling. Jane’s Live Lessons have helped thousands of teachers and parents in lockdown, offering children fun and easy-to-follow writing exercises to gain confidence with written English.
Website
https://www.janeconsidine.com/
Social Media Information
@janeconsidine (Twitter)
@TrainingSpace (Twitter)
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The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal
211: Superheroes of Science with Katy Alexander
Superheroes of science set to come to life in new comic book from The Remarkablz
A new comic book is turning real-life science heroes into superheroes, bringing diverse pioneers of science and engineering to a new generation of young readers in an exciting and engaging format. The Remarkablz is the brainchild of London-based illustrator and game designer Katy Alexander, bringing the stories of scientists and engineers – particularly women, individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities – to life for children aged 6-12.
Radioactive Fallout: Katsuko’s Story reimagines the life and accomplishments of Japanese biochemist Dr Katsuko Saruhashi, known for revealing the spread and impact of radioactive fallout from atomic tests in the Pacific, helping bring an end to above-ground nuclear testing. The comic book traces the amazing adventures of young Katsuko as she gains her superpowers, battles supervillains and discovers her passion for science.
Created for children aged 6-12, and produced with dyslexia-friendly fonts, the new comic is designed to inspire, educate and excite young readers, with 24 pages of exciting artwork and storytelling backed up with engaging educational activities and a full biography of Katsuko.
The Remarkablz is a small family-run business set up to help combat the lack of diversity in games and books. Building on the success of its Top Quarkz card game, The Remarkablz is partnering with educational comic specialists Dekko Comics and artist Fernando Corrales Linares to raise £7,500 through a new Kickstarter campaign to produce and print the full book.
Creator of The Remarkablz, Katy Alexander, said:
“I am in awe of Dr Katsuko Saruhashi’s scientific discoveries, incredible life and positive impact on our world. Radioactive Fallout reimagines Katsuko’s life as a young girl, how she gains her superpowers and comes to join The Remarkablz as one of our science superheroes. I’m excited about blending her real-life story with imagined superhero adventures. The comic book creates an engaging educational tool for parents and teachers wanting to share the huge achievements of diverse scientists, engineers and inventors who have shaped the world in which we live. Our Kickstarter campaign will help us to produce and print an amazing 24-page comic book full of fun and fast-paced adventure for young readers, interweaving Katsuko’s real-story with superhero fantasy.”
The Kickstarter campaign will reward supporters with copies of Radioactive Fallout and more depending on their level of support, including science superhero posters, stickers, colouring sheets, The Remarkablz: Black Hole card game and The Remarkablz: Top Quarkz card game.
Through her games and books, Katy Alexander explores the importance of diversity in science through the power of storytelling and play.
“I created The Remarkablz to inspire the next generation of science superheroes. Positive and diverse role models shape attitudes, ignite aspirations and transform lives. When my daughter was three, she only ever saw depictions of male astronauts and questioned whether she, as a girl, could go to space. As a person with dyslexia, I grew up with no dyslexic role models, and the impact this had on the choices I made and how I saw my place in the world was enormous. I didn’t want the same for her. I developed The Remarkablz to find role models that my daughter, nieces and nephews could relate to. The people who create rockets, travel through space, discover comets, stop above-ground nuclear testing, are – to me – superhuman, so I turned them into actual superheroes where their real-life superpowers can be celebrated.”
The Kickstarter campaign for Radioactive Fallout: Katsuko’s Story is live now for supporters to get behind: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/katy-alexander/radioactive-fallout
Website
https://www.theremarkablz.com/
Social Media Information
https://www.instagram.com/theremarkablz/
https://www.facebook.com/TheRemarkablz/
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The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal
Children’s books on Climate Change and Ocean Plastics – NAPE 071
Ellie Jackson is the bestselling children’s author of the Wild Tribe Heroes series of true environmental books for primary children. Each book follows a well loved animal as it gets into trouble due to an environmental issue such as ocean plastic, deforestation or climate change. Free teaching resources and curriculum maps support the books for each key stage.
Ellie is a teacher and mother of four from Cornwall who is passionate about inspiring the next generation to protect our planet.
Website
Social Media Information
Fb, Insta & Twitter
@wildtribeheroes
The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal
210: The Resilience Project with David Gumbrell
Recruitment, Retention and Resilience are intertwined and have become the new Three Rs. If we accept that Recruitment is hard, then Retention becomes that much more important. If Retention is hard, then Resilience becomes the key. Put simply, we need to start more conversations in school about well-being and Resilience. Luckily, The Resilience Project can do just that and can provide you with multiple ways to start this vital dialogue.
David Gumbrell is an author and speaker on resilience and well-being. He has been a teacher in Surrey for over 20 years, in five different schools across the county. He has worked his way up from NQT to Headship, holding positions of responsibility, including NQT mentoring, along the way. Throughout his career, he always endeavoured to develop a team, to nurture an individual teacher’s career and to protect the well-being of children and staff. The Resilience Project is a natural progression to this and David now offers you a diverse range of opportunities to get a conversation on resilience started in your school or context.
Website
www.theresilience-project.co.uk
Social Media
Twitter @Auribins
Resources Mentioned
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The National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal