From the Dragon’s Den!
January 2013
Earlier this evening I was idly watching television – something to do with the fact that Blackpool had been the show business Mecca of the North of England in times gone by. During the annual ‘Wakes Week’ works shutdown, whole families from the northern cotton towns would flock to Blackpool to see the shows and view the illuminations. For many it was the highlight of the year.
A singer called Alma Cogan flashed across the screen and that reminded me of a time during the 1950’s when I enrolled in a night school class in order to learn shorthand and typing. I hated shorthand but really enjoyed the typing and my memories of Alma Cogan are associated with typing a s d f g and the rest of the qwerty keyboard in time to a 78 rpm recording of Alma singing ‘Bell Bottom Blues’. Some of us lead a sad life!
During my teaching career, as all teachers do, I sought ways of motivating and assisting children to learn – through practice, through repetition, through discovery – many, many ways to stimulate learning for life.
This is one of the reasons that we provide certain experiences for our Little Dragons. Opportunities to learn and repeat fine skills at our art and craft table; providing means of developing larger physical skills whilst using the bikes, cars, prams; time to develop listening and learning skills as we sit ‘quietly’ (hopefully) whilst listening to the story and joining in by saying or singing action songs and nursery rhymes.
You may perhaps recall someone or something in your own past which taught you or inspired you to learn a life skill which still plays a part in your life. If, like me, these memories are easier to recall than what you did yesterday, or last week – then be assured – you are not on your own!!
Enough said! Val B.
