Skip to main content

The Children Are The Future

#I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier #

Yes, the lyrics of that Whitney Houston song are completely smaltzy. But you have to admit that there's a certain something to them, particularly the second and third line of the chorus.

Now I truly believe those words. I'm not going to be around in about 70 years but my cousin's kids will be. And all those kids I chained to their desks when I was a full time teacher will be too. If obesity and all its related illnesses doesn't get them first, but that's a whole other blog.

So these kids, they're a kind of legacy. Right?!

And childless though I am, I still have this weird maternal instinct to do right by them.

Crazy – I know.

With this in mind, my dream job has always been to combine my passion for writing with my desire to pass on knowledge.  Even better if I could also foster a love of reading and literature in the young people I work with. When I was a teacher I was able to do this to some degree. But I always felt that the strict perimeters of the curriculum meant I couldn't quite do it justice.

Then last year I was approached by a young teacher called Darren Goode. I had been his mentor when he was a student teacher. And he had this brilliant idea for a supplementary school. He wanted to know if I'd be interested in helping him create a curriculum with a focus on creativity.

Hell, yeah!”, was my response.  




So I've had a full year of working with Darren and his team at KEYS and Part 1 of my dream agenda seems to be panning out.

But what about Part 2?

So imagine my delight when I found this.



I'd love to be a part of this. It sounds like the perfect addition to what I'm doing at KEYS.

So with my heart in my hands, I dashed off an email to Louise (founder of Inkhead) and then sat chewing my nails to the quick as I waited for a response.

On opening Louise's reply my heart was beating a ridiculously loud tattoo that could equal anything produced by the Scots guard in Edinburgh.

The result...

  • This September KEYS begins its new academic year with little old ME heading up their Deptford centre. Because, yes, they've got another centre opening in Sydenham.

  • And... I venture into the exciting world of Inkhead where I've already had the privilege of being The Magician's Assistant.


Kids, watch out - I'm coming and I have a mission.

Because...

I believe the children are the future!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Faetaera: A Triumvirate

  A Triumvirate Brairton’s minions slipped through a barely noticeable fissure.  The tear would close shortly.  Despite the increase in their regularity the breaches rarely stayed open very long.  To the three insidious spies, the stink of the new world was almost unbearable.  But in time the triumvirate would each become so used to it they would scarcely notice it at all.  That it poisoned them they did not know.  Brairton was not in the habit of informing his operatives of fatal consequences.  Their programming precluded any thought beyond the mission they must complete.  In this Brairton had been exact and had performed the necessary rituals himself. Each had their mission branded into their being.   They would travel together for some time but then slip off to their secret destinations one by one, never to see each other again. The threesome latched on to their individual targets and began their particular brand of individual mis...

#Review: A Storm of Swords II

A Storm of Swords II by George R R Martin After starting on the set in September last year, I’m getting through the Game of Thrones series at quite a clip now. This is no doubt due to their intriguing nature and Martin’s writing style which makes reading this collection of books so easy. So far, my favourite character in every one of the books in this series is Tyrion Lannister. I find myself rooting for him at every step on his life journey.  He works so hard to be a better man despite people’s preconceptions. When he was made The Hand in the previous book I was not at all surprised that he did a good job of it. Tyrion reminds me of some of the talented yet underrated children I’ve taught in the past. Once they were given a task which excited and involved them they relished the challenge and surpassed all expectations. Unlike my students though, Tyrion receives no praise for his efforts and achievements. Perhaps I like him so much because he almost always has his now...

Faetaera: Through The Rabbit Hole

  Larell’s heart was full to the brim.  His audience with Aurelia had been unexpected and full of wonder.  He was not surprised she was aware of his plans to send a force through to the other side.  Aurelia always knew everything going on in her world.  At times he thought he saw the weight of it bearing down upon her.  Then he wished to take her in his arms and carry her as well as the burdens she bore.  But of course he would never do this, merely imagine it.  It made him love her all the more.  She thought he did not know how she came by her information and he planned on keeping it that way.  It was the only way he knew to express his love for her without feeling foolish.   In the crystal lined chamber he felt her load more palpably than usual.   He knew it was simply his foolish love-sickness for his Queen but he let the feeling soak through him regardless.   Aurelia's lips twitched briefly as though she was...