Happy Lessons

Happy Lessons 6  Developing Literacy Skills Hi I can't believe I am up to blog number 6 and have had 1869 views so far, which I hope means people are finding it useful. If you are new to my blogs you might not know that up until 6 months ago I was a fun and I like to believe effective full time Primary Teacher and Key Stage 1 Leader but due to chronic ill health   I could no longer follow my passion. I felt I had lost an amazing opportunity to share my knowledge and exchange ideas, but then I realised there are lots of different learning platforms and lots of different life lessons to be shared and so this blog was born Over 20 years of teaching I have learnt a very important thing about children and that is the only predictable thing about children is that they are unpredictable. Just like all children do not learn to walk on the same day,  neither do they all read, write nor tie their own shoelaces. Each child is unique and will run to ...

A HAPPY LESSONS17 SPECIAL HAVE FINLAND FOUND THE SECRET TO SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS? Finland is not a country most of us know much about, but maybe we should? It continually reaches the top of surveys measuring personal happiness, success and quality of life. More significantly it also reaches the top place for successful and happy children and operates the most successful and progressive education system in the world. I believe these facts are closely related and that our child ren are the roots of any society and need to be given the room to grow, socially and academically. Finland have got it right and are enjoying reaping the rewards of their child centered approach.  Take a few minutes to watch this video and see what you think? In the UK today we sadly read of increasing mental health problems in our young people and regrettably I believe our educational system is partly to blame. We put far too much pressure on very young children before they have d...

HAPPY LESSONS 5 – HOW TO BE A BRIGHT SPARK! DEVELOPING CREATIVE THINKING IN YOUNG CHILDREN     Hi All I hope you have been enjoying reading these blogs as much as I have writing them! The opportunity to still be involved in education despite not being able to be in the classroom is really rewarding and to put 20 years’ worth of experience into words is proving both challenging and interesting. So this week I am going to tackle developing creativity in young children. Developing Creativity By its very nature Creativity is not something that can be taught in isolation or even easily defined. In essence it is about "thinking outside the box" and problem solving, combined with being able to explore and express your ideas and feelings through a wide variety of media. The earlier children become creative thinkers the better, as the most successful people in any activity use these skills to resolve the obstacles in their way. Creative Play When helping you...

Developing Early Social Skills An Apology I am sorry I have not written for a couple of weeks but I am now back on form.  Also I am slightly concerned that this week’s blog comes over a bit preachy and if it does I apologise.  The only excuse I have is that I feel so passionate about it and over 20 years have seen how important these skills are. Why are Social Skills so Important? Social skills are one of the most important skills anyone can develop, as however intelligent we are, if we cannot fit into or get along with the world around us, it will have a significant effect on our personal happiness and achievement. However, many parents and even some schools focus primarily on academic or physical progress. The most vital time for your child to be forming significant relationships is between 0 and 4. The close bonding experiences developed with a parent, grandparent or even a key worker in a nursery setting will have a deep effect on your child’s li...