Inspiring creativity, positivity and an adventurous spirit. Teacher, writer and blogger.
One of the best things about publishing my novel in the last few months has been talking to people about it. As an independent author, I don't want that to stop there, I want to get to know you and what you like about my stories. In this short video, I start by introducing myself. …
As teachers, we always talk about the progress of our students. We watch them arrive (if you're a secondary school teacher like me) bright-eyed in year 7, and grow almost unrecognizably through to year 11 and sometimes even on to the sixth form. It's one of my favourite parts of the job, which I always …
Continue reading "Five things being a teacher has taught me"
In modern times the idea of boundaries have picked up a bit of a bad rep. You wouldn't be blamed if images of a glass ceiling, elitism or even xenophobia came to mind when boundaries were mentioned. This is the notion that there is a boundary stopping you, holding you in, or keeping you …
Continue reading "Set boundaries to protect your creativity"
Over the few weeks before the Christmas break, I was feeling burned out. To an extent, I know that's normal - the evenings are getting darker, work's busy, and I put myself under pressure to get things done. The result though wasn't nice, I felt irritable, unfocused, tired, lethargic and apathetic. If you've read my …
Are you one of those people, like I was a year ago, who feels they have a novel inside them, but doesn't know how to get it out? I want to help you get it written! How do I know it's possible? Because over the last 12 months that's what I've …
I love setting targets for myself. When I'm relaxed over a holiday or at the start of term, it's great to think about what I would like my life to be. The challenge comes when I'm back into the thick of teaching, planning and marking and the targets I set have to take a back …
As a teacher and a writer the six-week break to me is golden. It's the time I can really get to grips with my writing, get a handle on the story and look at the piece as a whole as opposed to the micro view of an hour every day. However, writing doesn't just have …
This week, we secondary school teachers, are saying goodbye to another group of students. We'll attempt to say something poignant in the final lesson, maybe pose for photographs - then they'll be gone, walking out into the sunlight, towards the school gates, as they have a thousand times over the last five years. From the …
Thousands upon thousands of words are written each week about what you should or should not put into your body. This additive may be poisonous, tonka beans may have pretentious side effects, carbs after midday may fill you up.
As I write this it hurts to sit down, it hurts to type, it hurts in places that have nothing even to do with walking! On Saturday, along with 5 friends, I walked the Yorkshire Three Peaks - a 25-mile hike between, up and down three (very big) hills in North Yorkshire.
