by Charlotte Hankin As I type these words on my laptop, I am sitting in a wooden chair at my dining room table. I am not ergonomically positioned and as a result, I sense a dull ache in my lower back. I hear the gentle whirring of the fan trying to cool the room down. [...]
During this period of lockdown, our family, like many other families, has experienced a shift in lifestyle. Saudi Arabia has largely been under 24-hour confinement and we haven’t left our compound in nine weeks. Finding ways to keep our bodies, minds and spirits engaged and buoyant is increasingly challenging. Add to this another common problem: [...]
In the world of education, the needs of the very brightest learners can all too often be overlooked because it is assumed that they’re the lucky ones. After all, their intelligence gives them a head start in life, doesn’t it? We may tell ourselves, “These smart kids don’t even need teachers because they can just [...]
This photograph popped up on my iPhone recently and got me thinking about innovative education and the growing tension between preparing students to be future-ready while also retaining more traditional elements of the practices that we believe are beneficial for students and their learning. Is it possible for schools to be innovative in the presence [...]
Cultivating an attitude of life-long learning is key to supporting this generation’s ability to respond to change and to adapt. Alvin Toffler, the late American futurist, explained how the impact of the post-industrial age and its digital revolution is changing the fabric of our societies so rapidly that it is resulting in social confusion, information [...]
Some time ago, I made a conscious decision to sign off all of my emails with Kindest, Charlotte. Not, Best Regards, Best, Sincerely or Yours, but a salutation that intentionally affirms the type of collaborator and leader I aspire to be. I hope this small step communicates to all those with whom I exchange messages [...]
Last summer, I embarked on a European train expedition spanning 11 countries in 8 weeks with my husband and two children. We all stopped on our backpacks along with an adventurous spirit, our inter-rail train passes, and expert knowledge of Trip Advisor. Reactions from family and friends ranged from, ‘You must be mad!’ to ‘Wow, [...]
How do we learn? For Confucious, the explanation was simple: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. The simplicity and relevance of Confucious’ words still resonate in learning environments around the world, particularly in the context of education for the under 16s. The process of ‘learning through [...]
Coconut Thinking 