The Modern Meaning of Life

August 5, 2018 · 2 Comments

Careers Advice

I’ve recently found SO MANY amazing resources that are helping me in my work. Firstly, a colleague recommended me the books GCSE Mindset and the A Level equivalent (A Level Mindset) which are excellent resources for motivational activities to do with students. The books are teacher-centred so wouldn’t be the kind of thing you’d just give a young person (unlike the book I’m writing…)

At work I’m slowly creating lesson plans for these books’ activities which I’ll be sharing on my brand new resources page! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Careers, Education ·

What’s Going on with Gangs and Stabbings?

July 8, 2018 · 2 Comments

suffolk gangs

A few weeks ago, they Steggalls enjoyed a weekend away for Dad’s birthday. As we were packing up our stuff to leave, my sister and her boyfriend were hunched over their phones.

It turned out there had been a stabbing of a 17 year old boy, a friend of a friend of theirs. It happened in broad daylight in Ipswich, Suffolk. By a few grown men.

They explained that it was gang-related, that Ipswich is torn in two between rival gangs; the J Block and the Q Block.

I couldn’t believe it. Gang stabbings are something that happen in London – they don’t come near us.

How wrong I was. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education ·

Young People’s Biggest Fear? Failure

June 16, 2018 · 1 Comment

One of the towns I work in recently surveyed the employers about skills and young people in the town. Reading through the findings, employers were keen to stress that they sought soft skills in their young staff. Things like resilience and communication skills…but also, there were a couple of comments regarding a fear of failure.

They said that they find it hard to get good people to work for them because fear of failure prevents young people from trying new things, from stretching themselves and from putting themselves out there. If everyone stays in their comfort zones, progressive work simply doesn’t get done. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Careers, Education ·

Why We Need to Fight for WH Smith

May 29, 2018 · 2 Comments

Bookshop

According to Which? readers, WH Smith has been voted the worst shop on the high street.

When describing Haverhill, the working-class town I grew up in, I often say that it had no bookshop, it didn’t even have a WH Smith. However, in many similar towns, WH Smith is the only place people can have access to cheap books.

I once had an argument with a German friend about cheap books. I had commented to him that in Germany books are much more expensive and that they don’t ever have deals (like buy two, get one free) like we do in the UK. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education ·
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