Reading
When a Story Travels Beyond Its Pages
Badger's words in Fantastic Mr Fox — "I love you, Foxy." — became a real message between friends, after a video greeting from Norway reached my young readers…
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The Journal
Small moments. New thoughts.
A journey still unfolding.
Here I share reflections on teaching, reading and life — some are big ideas, others are small discoveries, but all are part of the journey.
Reading
Letters Before Goodbye
Two letters from two heavy novels — Anna Semyonovna's farewell to Viktor in Life and Fate, and Stephen Wraysford's letter to Isabelle in Birdsong. Some words really do stay with us…
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Teaching Reflections
When a Story Leads to Different Opinions
Reading Chapter 14 of Fantastic Mr Fox, we met four new expressions — and a conversation between Badger and Mr Fox that left Oliver thinking hard about whose side he understood better…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Reading
Before We Judge, We Read
A passage in Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate has stayed with me: what is "good", and for whom? Novels let us stand where someone else stands — and pause a little longer before we judge…
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Learning Notes
Learning Vocabulary Through Sound and Images
A learning note on the sound-and-image approach — how pairing a word's sound with pictures, actions and situations can help vocabulary become meaningful…
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Teaching Reflections
When a Child Makes an Expression Their Own
A child asked what “What a super day!” meant. By the end of the lesson, he was using the expression to describe his own day — a sentence truly made his own…
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Teaching Reflections
Reading Roald Dahl Aloud: Bringing Humour to Life
Mr Fox keeps saying they should take only a few choice morsels, while the list of delicacies just keeps growing — Dahl's humour is made for reading aloud…
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Teaching Reflections
From Picture Books to Chapter Books: A Growing Love of Reading
Twelve chapters of Fantastic Mr Fox with Oliver — a word that keeps coming back, a reading world slowly opening up, and one small step still ahead…
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Teaching Reflections
Reading Fiction Is Also Learning to Think
Who caused the trouble in the forest — and why did Mr Fox apologise first? Two short discussions showed how a novel can teach children to think…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Reading
The Books We Keep Coming Back To
Some books are read once; others stay with us. All the Light We Cannot See has travelled with me through three readings — and a fourth is already waiting…
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Teaching Reflections
One Word, Nine Chapters Later
The word plump was learned back in Chapter 2. Nine chapters later, it found its way back into Oliver's retelling — along with one lovely deep breath…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Teaching Reflections
A Small Moment of Care
Oliver's question about Mrs Fox reminded me that reading is not only about following a story. It is also about…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Teaching Reflections
A Three-Minute Retelling
Instead of answering questions one by one, Oliver organised a whole story in his own words — continuously for three minutes. A lovely step forward…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Teaching Reflections
A Little Boy with Great Determination
Asked what he was determined to do, Oliver answered without hesitation: "I am determined to read this book." One word, and a whole heart behind it…
Read more →A note on names “Oliver” is a pseudonym used to protect the young reader's privacy.
Teaching Reflections
What Does Reading Aloud Really Give a Child?
Reading aloud gives children much more than pronunciation practice — familiar words, a feel for the language, and a confidence that grows day after day…
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