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Retired RAF Service Woman Realises Her Dream at BGU
A Lincoln woman who spent over two decades in the Royal Air Force before retiring and returning to education will graduate with a degree from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln this week. After moving to the UK from the Caribbean, Amanda Betts (47) joined the RAF and served as an Aerospace Systems Operator for 22 years before deciding to go to university. With an interest in primary school teaching she attended Lincoln College to study an Access to Higher Education course in teacher training in 2013. At the same time, she began volunteering as a Teaching Assistant at Chad Varah Primary School in Lincoln, before starting a three-year BA (Hons) degree in Education Studies and History at BGU in 2014. Amanda said: “It was always my intention to do some aspect of teaching, but it was only after getting into university that I thought that being a primary school teacher would be my next role,” While at university Amanda joined the Networking Club through the BGU Employability Award which helps students prepare for the workplace after graduation. After initially wanting to become a primary school teacher, she decided that she would be better suited in a slightly different role. “It’s not always easy knowing if a career or particular job will suit you but the Networking Club allowed me to speak to a range of teaching staff and experts all in one place. I soon realised that full-time teaching was not the path for me. “Instead I wanted to work in an environment with children using a wider range of activities and services which would help the child in life, not just academically.” Once back on track Amanda applied for a voluntary post to work with vulnerable children and adults at the St Giles Sure Start Children’s Centre during her third year. She said: “I met a variety of social workers and outreach workers who were dedicated to making sure each child received the best start possible. “I knew that by volunteering I could make a difference to children’s lives too, and this is when I discovered where my skills and interests would be best suited.” The road to graduation has not been an easy ride for Amanda, who not only found out she was dyslexic during her time at university but also got married part way through her degree! “I never did many academic examinations in the RAF apart from oral exams so getting used to reading and writing essays in a short space of time was hard for me. I just thought that I was having difficulties with the workload, especially being a mature student, but I never considered myself dyslexic. As well as all this I was adjusting to married life!” After graduation, Amanda will start volunteering at the St Giles Sure Start Children’s Centre and plans on using skills from her degree to facilitate activities for the children who visit the centre. Amanda Betts will graduate at Lincoln Cathedral with a BA (Hons) degree in Education Studies and History at 10.15am on Wednesday 19th July 2017. -
The Enigma of Autism explored in BGU lecturer’s new book
A senior lecturer from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln has edited a new book on autism. Dr Maria Efstratopoulou, Senior Lecturer in Special Educational Needs & Inclusion at BGU, launched her new book ‘The Enigma of Autism: Genius, Disability, or Just Different?’ at an event on campus this week. ‘The Enigma of Autism‘ is intended to serve as a resource for everyone who is dedicated not only to research but also to the education and wellbeing of children and adults on the Autistic Spectrum. The book presents the latest research findings in the field and provides coping strategies for professionals working with students with Autism in special education or mainstream settings. It is not only a research textbook for researchers and professionals but also aims to serve as a user-friendly guide and resource for the families who have a child in the Spectrum. Other contributors to the book from BGU are Dr Julia Lindley Baker who has written a chapter on strategies to cope and Dr Graham Basten who has written the foreword. ‘The Enigma of Autism: Genius, Disability, or Just Different?’ by Dr Maria Efstratopoulou was published in 2017 by Nova Sciences, New York. Find out more about studying Special Educational Needs & Inclusion -
New edition of popular resource celebrates family diversities
The Family Diversities Reading Resource at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln has been updated to mark its tenth anniversary. Originally produced at BGU by Janice Morris, Teaching Resources Librarian and Richard Woolley, then Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, the booklet showcased over 100 high quality children’s picture books. “Children live in a variety of homes – of different sizes, in houses or apartments, in trailers or on boats,” said Janice. “They also live with a diverse range of others, including one and two-parent households, with mum and dad, dad and dad, mum and mum, grandma or an uncle, with siblings or in public care. Some have a parent who works away from home, or who stays away from home. Some live between two homes.” The Family Diversities Reading Resource helps those involved in education or caring to identify high quality resources to use in classrooms, libraries and in the home. Janice and Richard (now Deputy Head of the Institute of Education at the University of Worcester) began refreshing this key educational resource last year, and have incorporated 50 more titles into the 2017 edition. The updated resource is published as a joint venture between BGU and the University of Worcester. Many of the books listed in the resource can be found in the Teaching Resources Collection at BGU and at The Hive, the public and university library, in Worcester. Family Diversities is free to download as a pdf document. It is freely available to all educational and not-for-profit groups. -
Free conference at BGU to 'Improve Relationships in Schools'
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln has partnered with Think2Speak to again support their annual conference #T2SLive17. The event is aimed at staff working with young people to discuss the importance of 'Improving Relationships and Communications with a Whole School Approach'. The conference features expert speakers, including BGU's Dr Sacha Mason and Dr Richard Woolley, who will share the latest research, resources and practical guidance to teach relationships education and communicate more effectively; in the staffroom, classroom and between school and home. Delegates are also able to choose from a selection of workshops including RSE for SEN, Mental Toughness and Resilience, Recognising & understanding the signs & impact of shame on relationships and Leveraging Digital Media to Improve Communications in Your School. The conference takes place on Tuesday 28 November 2017 in BGU’s Hardy Building and is free of charge for staff employed in educational settings and school governors. Full details of the agenda, online booking and all the available workshops are on the website. -
BGU students to present at Lincoln’s first TEDx Youth
Students from the Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln will present a workshop at the inaugural TEDx Youth Brayford Pool on Saturday. The team are running a workshop titled ’10 minutes to make 10k’. They will be using an innovative learning model for entrepreneurship to challenge understanding of business and idea creation in the modern world. Will, Max, Beth and Lewis are a group of students who run a registered company, Kinetic BGU Ltd, as part of their degree programme at BGU. Their business projects have included an Italian coffee brand, men's grooming products, a low-cost supermarket and container fabrication service. They are all individualistic and have different goals in life, but through a modern learning process have come together as a cohesive, efficient and ever-evolving team. Will Nuttall, Director of Kinetic BGU Ltd, said, “Our workshop will push the audiences understanding of business, learning and ultimately making money. 10k in 10 Minutes will hopefully prove to be an immersive and action-packed workshop for all those who attend.“ Also at Saturday's event Lewis Smith, BGU graduate in Education Studies with Special Educational Needs & Inclusion, will present a talk titled 'Exploring Our Future: Schooled, or Educated?' Find out more about studying Business at BGU. -
Tree-mendous Event Will Plant Seeds of Knowledge for Future
Two trees will be planted at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln and school children will learn about the importance of trees and forests at an event marking the 800th anniversary of the Charter of the Forest. On the same day The Woodland Trust, a national charity based in Grantham, will launch its new Charter for Trees, Woods and People at Lincoln Castle – home to one of the two remaining 1217 Charters of the Forest. BGU has invited school pupils onto its campus in Lincoln on Monday 6th November as part of a major campaign, sponsored by the Woodland Trust, to work on Britain’s environment for future generations. The schools involved are Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Horncastle, Ravensthorpe Primary School in Peterborough, Morton Trentside Primary School near Gainsborough and Brockley Primary School near Chesterfield. They will take part in educational activities relating to the Charter of the Forest and the Charter for Trees, Woods and People. The primary school pupils will make lanterns with handles made of sustainable, locally coppiced hazel, and they will be invited to attend a lantern parade being held as part of the TreeCharter launch that evening at Lincoln Castle. They will also be invited to think about why woods and trees are important to them and to add their thoughts to the lanterns. PGCE secondary Art and Design students will work with the primary school pupils on art activities using natural forms, with a special emphasis on materials derived from trees to create artworks that can be displayed in natural environments. The grammar school students will learn more about the 1217 Charter of the Forest and how it became part of the ‘Ancient Constitution’ of the kingdom, a notion of vital importance for the political and constitutional history of the British Isles, and eventually its American colonies. The event, from 10.45am until 2.30pm on Monday 6th November, will end with the ceremonial planting of a hornbeam tree and a wild cherry tree on campus at BGU. Robert von Friedeburg, a Reader in History at BGU who is organising the event, said: “England has lost a lot of historic woodland over the centuries and the Government’s reforestation plans are behind schedule, so civil society needs to jump in and engage for the good of us all. “This Woodland Trust campaign is almost too good to be true, and we’re pleased to be taking part in it. At BGU we teach good people to become good teachers, and good teachers are essential to teaching our children well. “For the younger pupils the event will help them to understand that nature is important, that we can do stuff with nature, but that we need to preserve it for future generations. The world does not only consist of electronically made illusions on smartphones!” The Charter of the Forest was sealed by King Henry III in 1217 and re-established for free men rights of access to the royal forest that had been eroded by William the Conqueror and his heirs. It was in many ways a companion document to the Magna Carta signed by King John two years earlier. More than 70 organisations and 300 local community groups have helped The Woodland Trust to collect over 60,000 tree stories from across the UK, demonstrating the important role that trees play in their lives. These stories helped to define the 10 Principles of the Tree Charter, ensuring that it stands for every tree and every person in the UK. Find out more about History at BGU. -
Awards for Heritage Sites Where Learning Comes First
Writer, historian and TV presenter Dr Lucy Worsley will celebrate the best in heritage education when she presents the Sandford Awards 2017 next month. Palaces, castles, cathedrals and museums are among the 39 UK heritage attractions that have won an award celebrating their excellent educational programmes. Dr Worsley, who is also Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, will present awards to the famous (Blenheim Palace and the Warner Brothers Studio Tour) and the less well known (Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall and the Winding House Museum in new Tredegar, Wales). The Sandford Awards, which will celebrate their 40th anniversary next year, are administered by Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln in partnership with the Heritage Education Trust. This year’s award ceremony will take place on Tuesday 21st November at the Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms in Bath. “It is wonderful to see another hugely varied range of Sandford Award winners this year, many of which have never entered the scheme before,” said Dr Tracy Borman, Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust. “We are particularly delighted to be presenting the awards at the Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms in Bath, a city so closely associated with Jane Austen, whose 200thanniversary is being commemorated this year. Councillor Cherry Beath, Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council, will welcome guests to the ceremony, which begins at 2.30pm on Tuesday 21st November 2017. Sandford Award Winners 2017 Abbey House Museum and Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire Attingham Park, Shropshire British Motor Museum, Warwickshire Cardiff Castle, Wales Chawton House Library, Hampshire Cooper Gallery- Barnsley Museums Corinium Museum, Gloucestershire Coventry Cathedral Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms, Bath Geevor Tin Mine, Cornwall Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, Norfolk Hull and East Riding Museum Jane Austen’s House Museum, Hampshire Jewish Museum London Knole, National Trust, Kent Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire Leeds Castle, Kent Leeds City Museum, West Yorkshire Lion Salt Works, Cheshire M Shed, Bristol Mansfield Museum, Nottinghamshire Museum of English Rural Life, Berkshire National Football Museum The Navan Centre & Fort, Northern Ireland Norwich Castle Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Scotland Sentry Hill Historic House and Visitor Centre, Northern Ireland Temple Newsam House, West Yorkshire The Englefield Estate, Berkshire The Geffrye Museum, London Valence House Museum, London Verulamium Museum, St Albans Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Weald and Downland Living Museum, West Sussex Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Cheshire Weston Park, Shropshire Winding House Museum, Wales York’s Chocolate Story Find out more about the Sandford Award. -
New forum for local nurses takes place at BGU
A new monthly forum for nurses working in General Practice has been established at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln. Nicki Walsh, Programme Leader in Health and Social Care at BGU, in collaboration with Terry Vine, Deputy Chief Nurse at Lincolnshire West CCG, set up the forum, which met for the first time this week. The forum’s vision is to promote knowledge exchange around best practice, to provide regular and relevant educational updates and as a means of peer support. The forum came about in response to current pressures on health and social care systems. As more people live longer, they are living with long-term conditions (LTCs) such as diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and musclo-skeletal disorders such as arthritis. As understanding of these diseases improves, life expectancy increases. Dr Graham Basten, Head of School of Social Science at BGU, delivered the first keynote speech exploring the effective utility and interpretation of blood results. The speech was followed by a floor discussion, which looked at how the forum should be utilised and how key partners can facilitate this. Further ideas for future forums were collated as well as an opportunity for nurses to discuss general working practices within their settings. Nicki Walsh said, “There is an absolute need for safe, effective, evidence based provision, which is achieved by ensuring that those providing care have the appropriate knowledge and skills for their area of clinical delivery. “Consequently, effective education is critical. Continuing professional development (CPD) is a vital part of this.” Find out more about Health & Social Care at BGU. -
Talking Trans on the agenda as BGU lecturer speaks at Literary Festival
Lyndsay Muir, Senior Lecturer in Drama Education at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln, will be speaking at two events over the next week. On Wednesday 18 October Lyndsay is taking part in ‘Beyond the Binary: Stories from Trans and non-binary people’ at the University of Dundee’s Literary Festival. Lyndsay is a member of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Adam World Choir; a digital community of transgender and non-binary people around the globe. Together with the Mental Health Foundation and Freight Books, they are creating a new book of first-person accounts by transgender and non-binary people worldwide. The book, which aims to increase understanding and acceptance, and empower others to share their own stories, will be discussed at the event. As well as reading an extract from her own autobiographical contribution to the book, Lyndsay will help to facilitate informal conversations with people at the festival. Lyndsay is also taking part in ‘Interdisciplinarity as Resistance: A seminar and roundtable with Elisabeth Lebovici’ at Manchester University on Friday 13 October. Elisabeth Lebovici is a French art historian who is visiting Manchester for a two-day event. Lyndsay will be part of the panel of four experts at the roundtable discussion. Lyndsay said, “It's a great privilege to have been selected as a panel member for the round table discussion with Elizabeth Lebovici, whose work crosses boundaries between academic scholarship, artistic practices and politics.” -
Darcey Bussell brings DDMIX programme for schools to BGU
Ballerina and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell visited Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln today to speak to trainee teachers about DDMIX for Schools. Darcey and her DDMIX team worked with over a hundred trainee teachers from Primary and Secondary programmes from the School of Teacher Development at BGU. DDMIX is a full-body aerobic workout for children created by Darcey Bussell and based on 26 different dance genres, from Arabic and Japanese to the Charleston and the Flamenco. The day opened with a special lecture for all year groups where Darcey introduced the programme. Students then split off into smaller groups to participate in sessions with the DDMIX team. Speaking about DDMIX Darcey said, “Movement to music makes children come alive and changes the way they feel. With the DDMIX programme, children get an exciting and diverse learning experience that is physical, aerobic and high time on task. These benefits should be enjoyed by every child. “Dance fitness can stimulate the child’s interest in sport, in the arts and give them the confidence to explore their own creativity in other fields." An Amazing Experience DDMIX came to BGU through the work of Helen Thornalley, Subject Leader for PE and Dance for the PGCE Secondary course at BGU, who arrived at the University in January. Helen has worked with Darcey and DDMIX for the past three years on training teachers and reflecting on how this work is implemented within schools. Feedback from the trainee teachers is vital for DDMIX to find out what works for children in schools. Helen said: "The opportunity for trainee teachers to work with these professionals who are at the top of their game, and the sharing of their materials with prospective teachers for schools is amazing. “(It was) unique, rich and cathartic for all involved, a very exciting project that I have seen teachers embrace and make it their own." Members of the DDMIX team introduced BGU students to a range of different dances and activities that can be utilised when students go into schools on placements. Jessica Castro, first year BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS student, was full of praise: “The session was really good. I thought it was great how they split everything up into sections, which will help us with how to teach the children. “They haven’t just thrown us into the deep end, they’ve shown us how to work with the children and taught us the dances as well so I thought that was really clever. “I’d love to use (DDMIX) in schools. When we go into placements and we have to use PE I’d definitely use something like this rather than what you’d expect PE to be.” Find out more about Training to Teach at BGU.
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