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APRIL 2024
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33 April

Friday 5 April 2024
Richard writes

After a brief Easter break, our blog is back, although, as we explained, now just appearing once a week on a Friday. What is more, over the next five weeks, we will use it to explain, in even more detail, what you can expect for each of the five days our School of the Air will operate on from September 2024. Let's be conventional and start with Monday.

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - MONDAY

The Monday video, which will last for a maximum of 30 and a minimum of 25 minutes, neatly links to our English Counties section already on our website. There is never any harm in better understanding the country in which you live and this we seek to do. Indeed, although we do not claim to follow any specific curriculum, the current geography curriculum for Key Stage II, intended ages in schools between 7 and 11, specifies that pupils should be taught (I hate that word - don't get me started) to name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers), and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time.

Our intention in these 43 videos is, through the material we will produce, to identify all those counties, plus a few extra places, and by doing so cover most of the other long-winded stuff that the curriculum says pupils should be taught. However we will not teach anything; we will introduce our followers to some interesting information that they can either absorb or, quite freely, in their own way, use a base for further independent study.

Each Monday video will be divided into two distinct parts. One part will, through video and picture with a voice-over explanation, examine something that has happened within the county, area, that is being featured that week. There is no specific time for the event to have happened; it will be somewhere in the last 10,000 years, i.e. since the ending of the last ice age.

The second part of the video, using the same format, will focus on something weird and amazing that happens, exists or was built inside that area.

At the end of each video, it will be suggested to our followers that they might like to go out and research something else that would fit either topic in their own locality and even prepare their own package explaining it. The package could take any form from a piece of writing to a short video or they could just have some fun and find it out without producing anything.

On the web page that the video will appear, we will identify any particular places in England where they could find examples of what they will have seen in our video. As an example, if we were to talk about the site of a famous battle, and I can assure you that only a few of our topics for where something happened will relate to battles, but if it does we would mention other famous battle sites that can be visited within our country.

At the start of each video we will give a short introduction to the area and a few other interesting things about it. We hope, from all this, that our followers will gain knowledge about each county but from a fun, non-prescriptive source and that it will encourage them to explore in their area and give some thought, imagination, as to what else they could find out.

We know that we will have aroused the traits with which every child is born, namely curiosity, imagination and creativity and that these are so important to our ethos. At the same time we will be allowing our learners, our followers, the freedom to roam wildly in their own learning landscape.

As you know, if you've listened to Molly and me over the last months, we believe, no, we know, that every child develops differently, with different interests, different ways of learning and, therefore, should be allowed to learn in their own way. The 7-11 cruelly defined age range within the national curriculum is not fixed in our eyes but could, very loosely, be used as a guide.

Showing the only signs of normality I have ever displayed, next week we will follow Monday with Tuesday. See you then.

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Friday 12 April 2024
Richard writes

Following on from last week, we continue to give you a more detailed explanation of our School of the Air programme. This week we look at our Tuesday programme.

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - TUESDAY

The Tuesday video is intended for our younger followers, those in the Early Years group. Once again, we repeat, every child develops differently and at different speeds but, if we have to give an age range it would be 2-5. Each video will last between 6 to 10 minutes, no longer, as this is a good length of time to hold the interest of this age group

Our aim here is to enthral our followers with the magic of nature by reading them a story and then to encourage them to get outside and immerse themselves in the awe and wonder that nature provides while also learning to treat it with respect.

Molly spent some time thinking about what book we could read to them and remembered one which her mother had read to her. That book is the The Adventures of Pip the Pixie by Enid Blyton. The book comprises 65 different short stories and Molly has picked out 43 to take us through our first year of School of the Air. Each story chosen will be related to the season of the year in which it will be uploaded.

To add to the enjoyment factor for our young followers, Molly has built a little den (in my spare room) from where she, with the help of Owlbut and Colin, will tell the story. Each story will be illustrated with a selection of photographs.

At the end of each story Molly will talk directly to the children and give them some ideas of what they could do to find out more about something in that story. The story will also, where possible, be linked to the Making with Molly videos which will appear on Thursdays, more later.

At the start of each story Molly will show the children one or two examples of sign language which relate to the story.

We know that Molly's own enthusiasm for the natural world and her genuine rapport with young children will come across from these videos and with the sometimes mischievous appearances of Owlbut and Colin we are certain that we can hold their attention, encapsulate the wonder of our world, arouse children's natural curiosity and ignite their imagination.

Sticking with the unusual trait of normality I displayed last week, next week we will look at Wednesday but, you knew they'd be a but didn't you, I have decided to combine Wednesday into one blog.

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Friday 19 April 2024
Richard writes

Wednesday is different from all the other days as we will have two different topics on alternating weeks. It is also the most academic of our days. The alternate topics will be history and geography based.

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - WEDNESDAY

Let's look first at the videos relating to history. In the Times Past section of our main site we have divided English history into 24 separate time periods. In that section we take children on a journey through those time periods in three separate ways. We have the timeline, which looks at major events; we have Owlbut's hoots which, in a series of short, maximum 280 word, pieces, look at more personal aspects from the past, namely homes, clothes, food, daily life and culture and we have a story about sometime in the period available to read or to listen to and with the option for children of using their imagination and creativity, maybe with a small dash of curiosity, and drawing their own picture relating to that story. The best of the pictures that are sent to us will then be uploaded on to our site.

On Wednesday's School of the Air videos, we will look over the course of 22 alternate weeks at the 24 time periods (mathematicians don't fret, we've combined a couple of the periods to fit them in). Each video will be 30 minutes long.

The videos will begin with some pictures from the period on half the screen with a riddle, puzzle, linked to some of these events, for children to solve on the other half. It will then move on to a short chat from Richard about the major events in the period, the riddle, puzzle, remaining in the corner of the screen. As an event is mentioned the answer to the riddle, puzzle, will be shown on full screen.

The location will then change and Richard will talk about the changes as covered by the five hoots topics.

At the end of this section Richard will introduce the children to an activity, sometimes activities, relating to the period and that they could try to do. These will be fairly simple and easy for children and parents to copy, inexpensive but fun. It could be as simple as folding a napkin in a Victorian style, making your own toga or making pottage.

At the end of the activity, Richard will sum up the period and give some more ideas on things to make, do or simply check out about the period.

The video will end with our take on the endings of the Vicar of Dibley. Don't remember that? You'll have to wait and see.

On the alternate weeks we will look at a topic relating to geography but, as with most things we do, it is not only fun but interactive. During the COVID lockdowns we ran a weekly session where Richard, and some friends, produced a dish, food item, relating to many of the counties in our English Counties section. Those videos are still there and will be for a very long time.

What fun, we thought, to do something similar while helping the children become more aware of the other countries in Europe. Following an identical format to those “England on a Plate” videos, we will now do the same thing for 21 countries in Europe. We will take a signature dish, simple (don't forget Richard will be cooking most of these) and fairly cheap, give you the ingredients needed and then show you how to make it.

Before the start of the cooking part, Richard will give a little information about the country we have chosen that week. At the end he will taste the dish and, if all's gone well, he'll be back in a fortnight with another. Cooking videos invariably go wrong somewhere so these videos will finish with a brief selection of out-takes.

I recently had my yearly medical check-up, at my age it's a good way of seeing if you're still around, and all results for blood and everything showed normal so I'm really digging this idea of normality. Next week it will be Thursday we look at, assuming the tests were correct.

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Friday 26 April 2024
Richard writes

Over halfway through this more detailed explanation of our School of the Air programme and this week we look at our Thursday programme.

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - THURSDAY

In the same way as our Tuesday video, the Thursday one is also intended for our younger followers, those in the Early Years group. However, once again, we repeat, every child develops differently and at different speeds but, if we have to give an age range here it would be 2-5. Each video will last between 6 to 10 minutes, no longer, as this is a good length of time to hold the interest of this age group

The aim of these videos is threefold. Firstly to give our young followers something to do or make; secondly to help them realise that play can happen without the need for an expensive item but simply by using something that nature can provide and thirdly to get them outside and again realise the awe and wonder that nature provides.

The main part of all these videos will be filmed outside. It will start with a brief introduction from Molly, a look at the finished piece that they are making that week and a list of the materials needed and where to find them.

The children can then watch Molly making the item, telling them what to do and also, while making, giving them some fun facts about things (multi-talented, multi-tasking, multi-Molly - sadly there is only one). Again I know that Molly's enthusiasm for the natural world and her genuine rapport with young children will come across from these videos and the young children will be fully engaged as she explains things and recounts some stories. I know I always am. You can almost bet that Colin and Owlbut will find a way in somehow too and, quite literally, I may have a hand in that.

Each video will end with Molly summing things up and asking our followers to send in a photo if they have followed her instructions. These photos will be displayed on our website.

As we said in our blog a couple of weeks ago about the Tuesday story time video, many of these "Making with Molly" videos will be linked to the story the children will have heard earlier in the week.

It seems a shame to now break with my new found tradition so, in the normal way, next week we will finish with Friday.

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Friday 33 April 2024. Yes I know there aren't 33 days in April but I wanted these five blogs on the same page. My apologies to Pope Gregory X111 for readjusting his calendar.
Molly writes

The final more detailed explanation of our School of the Air programme and this week we look at our Friday programme. As it's called "Walking with Molly" I thought I had better write it.

SCHOOL OF THE AIR - FRIDAY

"Walking with Molly" aims to encourage and inspire children to get outside. Whether that be in their own garden, across the road to the park, a local nature reserve or anywhere local with a natural space.

The videos will look at various topics such as identifying flora and fauna, insects, birds and mammals, nesting spots, animal tracking, fossil hunting, pond dipping and bush-craft and survival skills.

I'll be visiting various locations; woodlands, meadows, riversides, beaches, gardens and nature reserves. I want to make our material as relevant and relatable as possible to those watching and also for them to discover and learn about other places which may not be in their locality.

I am really keen to share with you my enthusiasm and love for the natural world and pass on to you my knowledge and fun facts about lots of things which you can find outside.

More and more children are spending less time outside and we are hoping that we can change this. We are aware of how essential having a relationship with the natural world is to children's health and well-being, as well as to that of our planet. It's not just the children but adults too need to find time to spend in the natural world, even if it's just in your own garden. Our brains are constantly overwhelmed by modern day society and the addictiveness of social media and video games. No wonder more and more people are claiming they suffer from anxiety!

The simple solution is to find time to switch off. To return to nature, our home, a place that we are meant to be in tune with. It has been proven that our brains aren't designed to cope with being overloaded with images, videos, games etc. but when out in nature, simply going for a walk somewhere, our brain activity has shown an increase in focus, cognitive flexibility and creativity. We hope that "Walking with Molly" will also reach out to parents and care givers too, giving them a reason to spend more time in nature and thus improving their mental health and well-being as well as their child or children.

Each video will last between 20 and 30 minutes and will, where possible, relate to the current season, time of year. I hope you will follow me and get outside for a time in nature and a bit of a walk.

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