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Teaching, learning, music, heritage, nature, theatre, stories, art, cats, community, diversity. Kent, U.K. Instagram: @ret_uk

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When I moved back from Austria to the U.K. Summer 2022 with two cats by train and the help of my sister :)

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Last week looking at perspective to tie in with the kids learning about castles with their class teacher… love it when I get to do an art lesson as part of being an English native speaker teacher :) (3rd year primary) lesson plan from @accessart.org.uk #inspiredby https://www.instagram.com/p/CaF4lPYMWWU/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Bit of learning.... we’re going on a bear hunt... found the ‘worksheets’ online.... kids colour their own map for the bear hunt then make little figures to move around the map as in the story :) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXbOuAKs6bx/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Behind the mask activity…. We worked up to this by learning describing words and writing words about each other. Then the kids could choose what they wrote about themselves…

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Over a year ago now! Teaching at the second primary school I taught at in Vienna… The Very Busy Spider…

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‘I wish I were a cat’ .... trying to follow the style of the book to create art works... either an origami cat/dog or cut out clothes and trees etc from origami paper.... Native English Speaker at a Vienna Primary School... 

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‘Tickle Monster’ ... make your own monster and something it transforms into... as in the story... or colour a monster... this book and the laminated shapes were kindly borrowed from a friend of mine here :) Native Speaker Teacher in a Vienna Primary School...

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‘Emergency” lesson plan, which included making a collage of places where people work... This was three classes work put together :) Topic was ‘jobs’.. we also played bingo, memory and charades... Native English Speaker in a Vienna Primary School...

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‘Rosie’s Walk’ encouraging the kids to copy and create doodles to create a similar style to the book :) Native Speaker Teacher in a Vienna Primary School...

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‘Bear Shadow’ Teaching in Vienna Primary School as a Native Speaker Teacher... Drawing where the shadow falls and making our own individual and group shadow pictures using overhead projectors :) Sure we sung a couple of bear songs too :)

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The Past on Glass: Sutton Archives, Heritage Lottery Funded Project

March 2016

In March 2016 I had the pleasure of being asked to further develop and deliver three accessible sessions for young people with learning disabilities from Sutton Mencap.The Past on Glass project was created by Sutton Archives with Heritage Lottery Funding. The project digitises and uncovers the stories behind the Knight-Whittome glass plate negative collection. I worked alongside Abby Mathews, Project Officer and Kathleen Shawcross, Borough Archivist and Local Stidies Manager.

Here is an extract from the blog post about that Abby wrote:

One highlight on our activity plan – and something that we have been looking forward to for a long time – was a series of pre-arranged workshops with Sutton Mencap, a local charity, established in the 1940’s by parents and carers. The charity supports over 80 children and 200 adults with a learning disability in the Sutton area ‘to have fun, learn new skills, socialise and make friends’.

Throughout March we ran a series of workshops for a small group of visitors from this charity based on the idea of self-image and photography – using our glass plates as a starting point to think about some of the issues surrounding portraiture, both now, and in the historical context.

We were very lucky to have the help of Sarah Glover an heritage education facilitator, in the running of these sessions. Over three weeks, a group of nine participants plus their carers attended both Sutton Central Library and a local historic building, Honeywood Museum, to learn about the collection and be involved in activities designed to explore the collection: what it is; what it represents; and to see if it held any resonance for them, as young people who have grown up in a world ruled by technology and convenience.

Read more here:

The Past on Glass Blog Post

Abbey Mathews wrote the following recommendation:

Sarah worked with us at Sutton Archives throughout March 2016 to deliver a series of workshops to Sutton Mencap. Her professionalism, creativity, delivery style and flexibility to the needs of the group made the sessions a huge success. It was a pleasure to work with her and we would recommend her without reservation to any Heritage projects looking to offer creative and worthwhile learning sessions.

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Remembering Carol and Michelle

(Carol, J, me, Michelle)

February 2019

I have always known the my experiences in L'Arche London (formally known as L'Arche Lambeth) were special times. Explaining the experience of living with and supporting adults with learning disabilities is something that you can't explain in a way to give justice to it. It transformed my very being and allowed me to experience some of the very hardest and some of the very best moments of my life. I don't want that previous sentence to sound too cliche - but its true.

Before joining L'Arche fresh from University I naturally had a limited experience of life - mostly myself and my family. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for as such. I was going to a community that was very much rooted in beliefs of a traditional faith nature and I was/am of a spiritual nature but not of a religious background. I was also informed unofficially that I would be fine there in any home as long as I wasn't going to be in a certain home that had been experiencing some stressful months. Yes of course I then found out that that was the home where I was going to be! I had had no previous experience of working with adults with learning disabilities and when I first arrived I was met with a busy corridor - full of adults with and without learning disabilities. I can honestly say that my first feelings were those of anxiety. How on earth was I, literally just out of University going to be able to support adults with learning disabilities?!

However, it was in these early days that Carol was really the first person with a learning disability that I got to know. I can't say that I remember too much in terms of details from the early days or any of the days in a way that would be nicer to remember - as my memory is pretty awful sometimes. I was desperately looking for photos on my external drive, but sadly believe most of these early day memories are real photos in an album (which is also quite good) in another country from the one where I am now. I'll hopefully find them in due time. I do of course remember a sense of the time I spent in L'Arche.

What I do remember is Carol's welcome of everyone who arrived in the house - short or long term visitor - friend or acquaintance. I remember her interest in and knowledge of everything that was going on in the house. I remember her sense of humour and the persona she played when having fun. Although she naturally took a while to allow me to support her fully - something I respected - as why should she straight away with someone she doesn't know - and someone who is younger and has less experiences in life than her and who is also anxious about dong something wrong when first getting to know people. This is what I first respected about Carol, and the same with Michelle. They both knew who they were in terms of what was their personal space and what and who they did and didn't like. They also knew and expressed who their long term friends were and I knew that if I did anything Carol didn't like that she would let me know that she wanted to tell one of her friends in particular about it! However, over time we developed a trust between us and I can hear the way she called and said my name as I write now. I can also remember her taking my arm when walking somewhere. What I remember most fondly was her concern for others - she knew if you were not 100%. She would ask if you were ok. I remember her smile and her willingness to have a go at new things - such as when a colleague and I started doing some sensory storytelling in L'Arche a few years back. Carol is also one person who I can clearly see how she maintained her personality but also seemed to be able to find more peace and relaxation as life went on. I can't believe that I knew her over the span of 20 years  - is quite something for any of my friends.

As when remembering Carol I remember the house where I was first living in L'Arche - when I remember Michelle, I remember the stone workshop - which was the first craft workshop in L'Arche that I worked at. I was quite nervous around Michelle at the beginning and I guess she probably was of me as a new person too. However, through the great idea of my then boss and continued good friend, we started doing the health and safety checks together. We got an A4 ring binder folder and I printed off some accessible symbols and photos for the weekly checklist. Michelle could lead on the job, by carrying the folder and ticking off the checklist. She was so thrilled at the thought that she was 'learning' and had responsibility. From that moment on we could be friends. I can't remember when she first went to college but this was in 1998 (same year I came to L'Arche) but I will never forget her thrill at saying that she was learning and the pride she took in that role. She taught us that you really need to give opportunities, responsibility and let people with learning disabilities take the lead.

Both Carol and Michelle had a great love of music and for me I remember the 50s/60s audio cassette we had in the stone workshop. Wish I knew what the playlist was - but do remember the song 'I remember You' - that Carol sung along to often - with a beautiful, passionate voice. She also liked the song about 'No Milk Today'... Michelle - I mostly remember her love of 'Michelle My Belle' and Abba tunes! Michelle was also a keen joiner in of the first music and storytelling sessions that I started doing with some colleagues as a freelancer out of L'Arche- and for that I am also grateful to her for her continued friendship.