C.E. Jottings

Pensioner overcomes 'locked-in' syndrome

What should we in conductive education make of the story of Graham Miles? I first heard his story - told by Graham Miles, himself - in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme around 8.45am yesterday. This morning I came across it again while scanning news headlines online: "Pensioner tells how he beat 'locked-in syndrome' after massive stroke." Following a stroke, Graham Miles was left with movement only in his eyes. He now drives. As reported here in the... Read more →

Enterprise & the emergence of identity #CondEd

I was reminded via Facebook, today, of a posting on his blog back in February 2009, by Mike Chitty: I have been banging on about enterprise as being a process for the emergence of identity for a long time now. Enterprise provides the (nearly) perfect vehicle for us to explore our talents and passions and have the results of our efforts judged in real time by real people. In the link that Mike provided (which I urge you to follow),... Read more →

Dog Days

It is after all, still August. In the UK, apparently intent on emulating Parisians who have long since abandoned the business of their capital for holidays by the sea, our politicians, journalists and media-types have done likewise. My journey to work takes me along near empty roads that in two weeks’ time will jammed solid. “Dog days”; the “silly season” for news; no news. Maybe bloggers too are scratching around for something to write about. Here and there, though, among... Read more →

Funny you should ask that.

Speaking entirely personally for once: Most of us understand that the correct answer (in England at leas) to the question "How are you?" is a simple "Fine" or "Very well thank you". A friend often responds "Fair to rubbish", which has always amused me. I had a much loved uncle - he sadly died some years ago - who, when politely asked "How are you?" would draw a deep and ominous breath before replying "It's funny you should ask me... Read more →

Partnerships? Don't! - On the contrary ...

Partnership. Don't. The title of a blog post by Andrew Sutton. Alluding to the 'first principle' in a book on collaborations that he's been 'dipping into' by Chris Huxham and Siv Vangen, called Managing to collaborate: the theory and practice of collaborative advantage. Actually, I'm with Rony Schenker on this one, who I hope will not mind me quoting the Comment she added to Andrew's post: "My experience with partnerships is totally different, and partnerships are my default option as... Read more →

Facebook CE2.0 Group and some social media tools - #CondEd

Just a reminder of the Facebook Group CE2.0 - "the interface between conductive education and Web2.0 I've added a post with a link to some useful tools for tracking conductive education across social networks on the internet. -------------------------- Nb #CondEd is the hashtag for conductive education for those on twitter. Read more →

Seizing the challenge

From The Star newspaper, 3 August 2010 "City Ready to Lead the Way" My italics. "We are in a new, exciting time, with new ways of working and a new political process, throwing out new challenges. Those who seize this challenge will be the ones that moved forward," says Martin Havenhand who chairs the Sheffield City Region Forum, which has been doing the ground work for creating a Local Enterprise Partnership or LEP. "This gives business leaders an opportunity to... Read more →

引导式教育

The title of this post (if I am lucky - and maybe someone will correct me if I have it wrong) is "Conductive Education" in Chinese. I took a very simple pleasure, prompted by following a link in a posting on Andrew Sutton's blog, in using Google Translate, to work it out. If you reverse the process, and ask Google Translate to translate "Conductive Education" into Chinese, you can then click on the 'speaker' symbol and have it read aloud... Read more →

Mzee Peter Chiera - a great Kenyan

This might at first sight seem like a nostalgia piece. It is not. Nor has it anything to do with conductive education. Though you may learn something of my very early career in teaching from it and some hint of the inspiration that drives me still today at Paces. My singular aim in posting this in my blog is the very remote chance that someone, sometime, googling the name of a great Kenya educator and Headteacher, Mzee Peter Chiera, might... Read more →

Home Access for kids needing assistive technology

Free to eligible families - check out the Home Access programme: "The Home Access programme offers computers, internet connectivity and specially adapted equipment known as Assistive Technology, for children with profound disabilities or Special Educational Needs. "If you satisfy the eligibility criteria and the child you are applying for would benefit from the technologies such as those listed below you could receive a personalised Assistive Technology package to help your child get online for learning at home. Please pass this... Read more →