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Daisy Education

Competition Winner!

12/12/2014

I'm very excited to be able to announce that one of our students has won a writing competition!

The fabulous Moontrug, a very talented author, runs competitions on her website http://moontrug.com one of which was open to 6-12 year olds. They had to write a descriptive passage about a sea or a forest and all those of us who were eligible entered.

Hadar chose to write about a forest and I am so pleased to say that she won! You can read her winning entry below. She was so thrilled, especially as she wants to be an author when she is older. I'm sure you'll agree that she has talent. Well done Hadar!

Trees whispered words unknown to man, while the wind hissed and whistled through the crackling, dry leaves being scampered on by the forest inhabitants. The sun pushed her rays to try and penetrate the seemingly invincible shield that the immense branches were creating, but still, no light got through. The hostile bloodthirsty creatures lurking on the ground were, indeed, not welcoming things at all; for every mouse, squirrel, bunny, dove and deer was captured, killed and eaten. Nothing and no one was safe. Dark and wicked, the atmosphere inside the trapped biome continued to make the forest look ill. It destroyed anything bright in its midst and slowly any source of light perished, and so did the soul of the forest.

Hadar aged 10.

New Website

3/12/2014

I know I've been very quiet of late, but that's because I was working on a project, which I'm happy to say is now complete. My website update! I am thrilled with the revamp and hope you agree that it's much more reflective of Daisy Education. Please do take a look and let me know what you think. www.daisyeducation.co.uk

Here at work we're busier than ever. We've just started sorting out lessons for the holidays. As there's no school, children tend to move their lessons to the morning instead. It's also a great time to carry out assessments on new or prospective children, so if you're thinking of hiring a private tutor, now's a good time to give us a call.

We've been focussing on fairy tales recently and have written our own. We used 'Roll A Story' to identify our setting, good character, bad character and prop. The children then wrote their stories, keeping in mind the features of a fairy tale. Some are particularly funny. If you want a go, just give me four numbers between 1-6 (you can use the same number more than once) and I'll let you know what you picked. Then you just have to write it. In case you're wondering I got a Bridge, Mermaid, Goblin and Potion. What will you get?

'Roll A Story' is a fantastic activity to get children writing stories. First, decide on your headings. For Fairy Tales you can use ours, otherwise, you might like to pick Character, Setting, Exciting Event and Ending. Together with your child create six possibilities for each heading and record them in a table (great for your child's Maths skills too!) Then simply roll a dice four times to get the ingredients to your story. Get your child to talk through their story with you before they write it down. Display the different stories to add value to their work. Challenge everyone else in the household (or visitors!) to write a story too. Happy rolling and writing!

New Year

2/10/2014

So the new school year has arrived and with it the challenge of getting back in to the routine of work and clubs. I love the start of the new year. It's so exciting. I love getting to know a new class and seeing what makes them tick. It always takes a few weeks for the children to settle down and start to show their personalities clearly. Children can be shy or simply want to impress you, so it's only really now that you can see their true characters shining through!

It's no different this year either. I've said goodbye to some of our pupils, as they've gone off to Secondary School or no longer need a private tutor any more, and said hello to the new children who've arrived. They also take a few lessons to settle down and start to become confident. I love it when they do so that I can tailor the lessons to their interests. I also adore it when they start to interact with each other.

We have a Weekly Wonder that I post on the wall each week, as well as Twitter and Facebook, which all the students contribute to, with me adding any responses from social media. The children simply love to read what everyone else has written and feel that they know each other - even when they've never met. There's one response they all look out for and they're disappointed if there's no post yet - @LorriMR from Twitter is always guaranteed to get them smiling.

The Weekly Wonder is great for so many reasons. Not only does it get the children thinking but they feel part of a community. It's also a great way to get them talking and discussing, both with each other and with their families. All too often when parents ask their children what they did at school they get a shrug or, "I can't remember." but this regular activity means they know and look forward to it, discussing it with their families, who often join in too.

If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook you too can join in with our Weekly Wonder and become a part of our Daisy Education community. I look forward to hearing from some of you and reading your contributions!

Summer Holidays

22/8/2014

Gosh, it's been way too long since I posted. I can only apologise and promise to do better! I hope you've all been enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having, well, apart from the last few days. It's been so rare over the last few years to actually have glorious weather during the school holidays.

Things have been a bit quieter around here as families go on holidays and children often attend 'camps'. A few new faces and some returning ones have been lovely to see. Getting busier now as people start to think about the new school year. September can be a busy time if you're looking for a private tutor, so I'm looking forward to meeting new children who want to start tuition.

I haven't linked to Kidz First Childcare for a little while. I'm still guest blogging for them and you can visit and read my August post titled 'I'm Bored!' www.kidzfirstchildcare.co.uk/index.php/community/the-blog

Finally I'd like to congratulate one of our Year 6 pupils for achieving Level 5 across the board in her KS2 SATs and one of our Year 1 pupils for getting in to Abbot's Hill School. Well done to both of you! A big 'Well done' to anyone who took their GCSEs and A Levels too. I hope all your hard work paid off. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the holidays!

World Cup - Wonderful? Or waste of time?

16/6/2014

Well, the football World Cup has started and England have played their first match. It seems the majority of people are split in to two groups. Those who couldn't care less and can't wait for all the fuss to be over, and those that have already rearranged their schedule so that they can watch every match without interruptions.

So how are we coping here at Daisy Education HQ? Well, I kind of fall in the middle. Personally I don't follow football, but we have students who do, so why not utilise that interest? It would be a wasted learning opportunity not to! Here are some ideas to get you started if you have a child who's football mad and want to exploit that too...

Children who are interested will happily read articles on the World Cup. Get them to read and explain them to you, which will help their comprehension. Ask them to explain football terms to you. Ask for their predictions and get them to explain why they think that.

If you have an older child you can start looking at probability. All betting works on probability. Or, if you don't want to introduce the idea of betting to your children, simply look at fantasy football leagues. For younger children, look up the scoring system and see if you can work out who is going to win each group. After a few matches it can often be quite obvious if a team is going to win or will find it impossible.

Why not read some football related stories? I love Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman, which is a beautiful story, and Cinderboy by Laurence Anholt and Arthur Robins, which is both funny and cleverly written. You could write a football poem or create your own football terrace chant. You can also join in with us on Twitter and Facebook as our Weekly Wonder this week is football related!

That's just a few ideas, but as I always tell parents, follow the children's interests. If they love it, adapt the work to fit. You and they will achieve more.

SATs. Stressful or Stress-free?

12/5/2014

So that time of year is upon us once more. SATs. For those of you with children in Year 2 hopefully the children are already half way through their SATs and are also, hopefully, fairly oblivious to them. Certainly at one of my schools we downplayed them to the point that the children were unaware that they were taking them. Unfortunately children in Year 6 don't have this luxury.

SATs, which stand for Standardised Assessment Tasks/Tests, were introduced at the beginning of the 1990s, so are nothing new. There have, however, been many changes since then. Year 2 SATs are now Teacher Assessed so you don't actually have to do any of the tests provided. The children instead have to prove their ability consistently across all their school work. A much more accurate and less stressful way of assessing them. For the children, at least! Do have some thought to the teachers who have to provide in depth evidence for every objective, for every child.

Year 6 is a whole different ball game. These children do take tests, under exam conditions, on set days and are judged on them. So are their school. The schools are under intense pressure to 'prove' that they have moved every child on and the children do feel this pressure. The writing test has, thankfully, been abolished and the children are now assessed as the Year 2s, by Teacher Assessment. This has helped somewhat, but children still have a week of exams. So how can you help?

Firstly, don't make a big deal of the SATs. They might seem vitally important now, but in the grand scheme of things, they aren't. How many of you who have applied for a job have been asked what your KS2 SATs results were? That's not to say that you should tell children that they don't matter at all. Just reassure them that it's their chance to show off everything they've learnt and all they can do is their best, which is good enough for you.

Ensure that they eat and sleep well this week. Most schools stop homework this week and make sure that your children make the most of this. Exercise will make them feel good and will help them to relax. If you do want to revise, do it earlier in the afternoon and leave the last hour or two before bed as a time to relax. Trying to cram them with information now is counter productive.

So, as the saying goes, Keep Calm and Carry On. This week will be over very soon and then the children can continue with another half term of school before they leave Primary School forever. Doesn't time just fly?

Easter Break

15/4/2014

It's finally here! The Easter holidays are upon us. All the schools have now broken up and the weather has co-operated by being wonderfully sunny. Holidays are a busy time for us here, as we get some children who can only make it then and others who have extra lessons now that they can fit them in.

The majority of our pupils also move their lessons to earlier in the day, seeing as they don't have school. It means that on some days, like today, I have an afternoon free to do some spring cleaning. Today's task was the art cupboard. Cue very large box of mixed paper stars and sequins that opened up and went everywhere! Myself and the classroom are now covered in a fine layer of glitter and the odd sequin I missed. Oh dear.

The second part of my reading blog on Kidz First Childcare is up, with a focus on comprehension. Look out for something different next month.
You can find the blog on www.kidzfirstchildcare.co.uk/community/the-blog

I often get asked by parents how to keep their children learning during the holidays. There are many ways, but the key is to make it fun. If the child doesn't enjoy it, they're not going to be encouraged to continue. Why not try a holiday diary? Make sure to include lots of pictures, both drawn and photographs. Get the children to take them. You can also discuss layout and presentation at the same time. Keep souvenirs such as postcards and entrance tickets to make your diary more interesting. You, as the adult, could write alongside your child so that it becomes a collaborative effort.

If you're taking part in an Easter egg hunt, it's a great opportunity to include some Maths. Count the eggs and ask questions like "How many more did you get than Holly? How many more would you need to make ten? If you eat two, how many will you have left?" Ask them to describe the eggs they found. Boil up some eggs and then decorate them. Ask them to describe the patterns they have made. Can they design an egg using only stripes? Or spots?

Children love to make things. Can they design a box to keep their egg safe? They're only allowed two sheets of A4 paper and 30cm of sellotape. Why not test it? Use some hard boiled eggs (not their decorated ones) and put them in the box. Drop them from a height of 10cm. Were they kept safe? Now drop them from 20cm. Keep going.

Let me know how you get on. You can send photos of your decorated eggs or boxes to @DaisyEducation on Twitter or post a picture to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Daisy-Education/1450738115147023 or leave a comment below. Have fun!

What's new?

25/3/2014

What a busy few weeks! I hope you're all gearing up to the Easter break and the chance (hopefully) to relax and unwind. So much has been going on here, that I'm excited to update you on.

Firstly, our sock monkey mascot has a name! Murray has settled in beautifully and is adored by our children (and parents). He especially loves reading and that leads me on to the next exciting piece of news.

I've been asked to guest blog for Kidz First Childcare and my first post appeared a couple of weeks ago on the topic of reading. Check it out at www.kidzfirstchildcare.co.uk/community/the-blog Part two is coming in a week's time, so look out for that too.

I visited the Education Show at the NEC in Birmingham last week. For those of you who don't know what it is, imagine a massive hall with hundreds of companies, on various size stalls, all trying to get your attention and get you to buy their products. It can be a little overwhelming. Luckily this is my seventeenth year running of going, so I'm an old hand! It can take some super sleuthing to discover some gems and discover them I did.

The first is a fantastic new game brought out by a company who have recently started out. It's brilliant! It's called Cognosis and you can find out more by visiting their website www.cognosisgames.com I can't wait to use it with my older pupils and I'm fairly certain my sister will love it!

The second thing that stood out is The Phileas Fogg Theatre Company. They conduct a First World War Experience with Secondary schools and were so engaging it was just wonderful to see. Anyone with a child in Secondary school or who has influence should definitely recommend them! They can be found at www.phileasfogg.org.uk

The last thing to note was a talk given by comedian Dara O'Briain. I was lucky enough to be just a few centimetres from him as he gave his talk and it was both fascinating and inspiring. It was just a shame that we ran out of time to ask more questions. Dara was talking about Maths and Science in the curriculum - he studied Maths and Theoretical Physics at university - and he told us a little about his experiences. A truly interesting individual.

Well, that wraps up the news over here. I have a couple of lessons to teach and a new little one to assess, so I'd better get cracking. Ooh, that reminds me of one more thing. Wallace and Gromit have a Cracking Ideas competition. It runs every year and this year it's food related! Open to children aged 4-16 check it out at www.crackingideas.com/competition/ Let me know how you get on!

World Book Day

6/3/2014

It's World Book Day today! Hurrah! As an avid reader I love today. All over the country schools are getting involved and children are dressing up as their favourite book characters. I'm often asked what my favourite book is. I find it an almost impossible question to answer. It's like asking a teacher who their favourite child is! Or a parent the same question. I just love books!

However, I have developed a response over the years. When I was tiny I adored The Enchanted Wood and over the years I've read it to every single class I've ever taught. Children of all ages engage and enjoy it, especially boys. It's also from this book that I choose my character to dress up as. Everyone I've ever taught can tell you who my favourite character from the book is...The old Saucepan Man.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the book (go and read it!) The Saucepan Man is introduced part way through. He is covered in saucepans and they make quite a lot of noise, so he gets a bit deaf and mishears things - usually for rhymes. For example when he's asked if he'd like to go to tea he mishears it for sea and bee. He's hilarious and I get to spend the whole day 'mishearing' the children and hearing rhyming words instead. You certainly have to think quickly to come up with the rhymes and the children will often do the same. I love their enthusiasm and the fact that they're practising rhymes without even knowing it.

Another thing I'm often asked is when children should start reading. The answer is, it's never too early to start reading. Obviously I'm not expecting newborns to read, but that doesn't mean that they can't enjoy books. I know of several people who have introduced books to their babies from a couple of weeks old, usually integrating it in to their bedtime routine. These children will always pick out books as one of their favourite toys and have gone on to be avid readers themselves. Besides, snuggling up with a book is a brilliant way to spend time together.

From a child's point of view, some children will start to read at three, others not until they're seven. All children are different. Most children however, will start to learn some sight words and be able to sound out simple words from Reception. As they progress through Infants they build on their knowledge and the aim is for children to be reasonably fluent readers by the time they leave Year 2.

If you want an idea of what level they should be by the end of Year 2, pick up a standard picture book. They should be able to read it with 90% accuracy and answer questions about the text. I'll be going over this in more detail next month, so check back if you'd like to know more.

Until then, grab a book and get reading!

Half Term

21/2/2014

Well, half term is coming to a close. Children up and down the country have hopefully had an enjoyable week of activities. We've been very busy here, as we continue to teach throughout the holidays. No school means the majority of the children come during the day but I have said goodbye to the last class of the week. Only an afternoon meeting to go and then I get to enjoy my weekend. I'm looking forward to watching our Men's Curling team take on the Canadians in the Olympic final! Good luck Team GB.

We have had a wonderful sock monkey mascot made for us by the lovely Emma. A photo of him reading a book in our book corner is above. We've been trying to come up with a name for him. Any suggestions?

Reading to a sibling or a teddy bear (or other soft toy) is a great way to get children reading more. The toy option works particularly well if a child is concerned about making a mistake, as our cuddly friends are very forgiving. Even as children get older they still benefit from being read to, so as half term is ending take the time to snuggle up together with a book. Happy reading!