[A friend asked me for advice for her brother, who’d been recently diagnosed. So I opened a bottle of wine.] Dear W, I’m so sorry to hear the news – good luck with the operation. A has asked me to write to you with some advice. I’m not a big fan of giving advice, I’m afraid – I dread it … Read More
Very impressed
A student at my school called Mia has made a great website to show off her photography – please drop by and leave a comment! She’s spent two years coming to Coding Club and worked away teaching herself javascript and more. And she’s 10. Am seriously impressed!
Gossip
Really enjoyed Doubt. This parable definitely going to be reused with students. “A woman was gossiping with a friend about a man she hardly knew— I know none of you have ever done this—that night she had a dream. A great hand appeared over her and pointed down at her. She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt. … Read More
I teach in Grange Hill
via the indispensable Mr DuPlessis this video shows: a) a large slice of my childhood b) the same school I now teach in (the playground hasn’t changed)
Oxford, Chainsaws and Trampolines
I found out on Saturday that a friend of my mother’s is in hospital at the moment with numerous cracked ribs and a punctured lung. How she got there is, somehow, wonderfully “Oxford”. Her husband has been very ill and is now in a wheelchair. He felt that a tree needed pruning in their back garden. Rather than ask in … Read More
The Hospital Vicar
Yesterday, a little bit before being sent home, a reverend came round our ward. Two had gone to theatre so there were four of us: two cabbies called Pete and Rob, a thirty-something and me. The reverend started with Pete and they had a long chat. Then he moved on to Rob, and again had a long chat. When he … Read More
Pericles, or Why the Ancient Greeks deserve study
Yesterday, I had another one of those conversations about classics. Anyone who studied Latin, Greek or both to any level will have had something similar. “Really, ancient Greek? Wow. What’s the point of that? I mean, I’m sure it’s interesting but why bother? What jobs does it set you up for?” Everyone who treasures their classical education has their own … Read More
Bellos, Monkeys and Memory
Just been to a great ‘maths lesson’ by The Idler Academy’s Head of Mathematics, Alex Bellos. Much of it I’d read in his book, Alex’s Adventures in Numberland but there were enough interesting asides – and a refreshing lack of portentous ‘thinkers’ – for it to be a good evening. One of the astonishing bits was seeing monkeys outperform adults … Read More
So we made it ourselves
I still resent how difficult skateboarding is but I do love this. from Digital Czech via Matt Jones
Leo Tolstoy or Lee Child?
I saw Jerusalem last week. It was 3 hours long, some of the country folk a little generic, but fabulous. Then I went to a night out at the new Bush Theatre. It was smaller, less hyped, but in its own way just as wonderful. Both were a relief. Recently, I have found bookshops, music and the like harder and … Read More