Barry Smith - Learning about Learning

Today I learned a lot.  I went down to see the new facility at the Pennypit Centre in Prestonpans which will be hosting some of our Alternative Curriculum activities.  It is fantastic, with catering facilities and internet access as well as teaching and meeting rooms.  The possibilities are enormous for developing the partnership between the school and this wonderful community facility.

I also learned about Young People Speak Out (ypso) who are an organisation that create an expressive platform for young people to explore, develop and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings on any subject which affects them personally, socially, emotionally, spiritually, creatively or politically, through the medium of Film and Television Arts.  Alternative curriculum bells started ringing immediately!  I’m hoping to get them involved with what we are doing.  Their website www.ypso.tv seems to be down at the moment. Hopefully it’s not terminal.   I’ll be following up my email tomorrow.

I further learned that I can advertise in our community newsletter, an offshoot of www.prestonpans.com so every person in Prestonpans will potentially hear about the Alternative Curriculum plans and have a chance to explore and add to the ‘wiki’.  Fantastic!

My final piece of learning, more good news than learning I suppose, was that Angie Davie at the Pennypit had been evangelising about the Alternative Curriculum and has got some volunteers for our mentoring idea from the staff at Meadowmill sports centre and from her outdoor education colleagues.  She is a fantastic person to have on the team!  We are going to try and match up the young people involved with a mentor who will meet regularly with them to listen to and ‘coach’ them through the programme. 

On a different tack our under-18 football tie was cancelled last night after everyone had travelled up to George Heriot’s at Goldenacre.  The all-weather pitch was waterlogged, that was a learning experience too, I didn’t know it was possible, but it is!  I’m hoping we can negotiate this tie because we are away to my old school Eyemouth High in the next round if we win!