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Single Steps Learning Blog

New World, Old Values

23/7/2021

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​ 
We first encountered the phrase ‘indivisibility of principles’ in a book called ‘Leading the Learning School’ by Colin Weatherley. It immediately resonated with our personal beliefs and values. Fundamentally, it describes an aspect of integrity.
 
If we are asking learners (of any age) to develop certain ‘principles’ (values, skills, attitudes, attributes, etc.) then, as practitioners or leaders of learning, we should be modelling those same principles rather than establishing a ‘division’ of principles of the ‘One rule for you, another rule for me.’ or ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ variety! Indivisibility is about ‘walking the talk’.
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Meeting Colin for lunch at The King's Manor Hotel, near Edinburgh.
​When we began designing and running our ‘in person’ training events, it was important to us that we did so with an indivisibility of principles. 
 
‘In this event or design, are we engaging safely, fairly and fully?’ is one of the questions we continually reflect upon. Over time, we have adapted, modified and created learning experiences in response to our self-reflection and the feedback from participants.
 

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​As a result of the global pandemic in 2020/21, like the rest of the world, we were challenged to adapt our training to an ‘online’ format. 
 

While there are times when we need to share information directly, our events are not lectures where participants are passive recipients of information. Our in-person events involve participants being immersed in collaborative problem-solving experiences. They work in small groups as they learn tools and processes, engage in reflection and feedback and develop ideas about how to adapt their learning to their individual settings. The close interaction also helps to quickly generate a strong sense of community. 
 
We summarised our challenge in the following question:
‘In an online environment, how do we facilitate active, real-time collaborative problem-solving and nurture a sense of community when participants are remotely connected?’

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Yet Another 'Single Step...'

15/5/2021

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​Greetings! Your curiosity has led you to our Wedding blog! On 15th May 2021, without the warning of a formal engagement period, our marriage ceremony took place at Nash Point Lighthouse, in South Wales.

​It was yet another ‘single step’ in our ‘journey of a thousand miles’! 

The last year has been challenging in all sorts of ways. It has been full of the unusual and the unexpected to which all of us have had to adapt. So, instead of bemonaing circumstances, we decided to fully embrace them and work within whatever restrictions were placed on us by the global pandemic. Collaborative problem-solving!​
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 From ‘big decision’ to ‘big day’ was just 10 weeks. We wanted something meaningful, unique, personal and memorable for ourselves and our small number of attending guests. When we discovered that the ceremony could take place in a familiar lighthouse on our local coastline, we were overjoyed! We both have a boat-load of sea-faring ancestors, and the lighthouse, which is still operational, is maintained by a charity which supports mariners and their families. This made it even more poignant.

Nash Point Lighthouse Website
 
It's well worth a visit if you find yourselves on the South Wales coastline. 
​As the day approached, we began checking the weather apps every few hours, noting, to our dismay, the gradual change from an expected day of full sunshine to an overcast day with a high certainty of heavy rain. Astonishingly, Nash Point appeared to support its own microclimate and we were blessed with clear skies and sunshine, even though we could see rain further along the coast in both directions!
 
This meant that our planned reception meal – a picnic on the grass – was able to take place. Each of our limited number of guests received their personalised, individual ‘goody bag’ containing bottled water, pre-wrapped foodstuffs and a piece of ‘wedding cake’ – a Tunnocks’ Tea-Cake! A thoughtful guest supplied surprise bottles of Prosecco and No-secco! There were, however, some uninvited guests in the form of small caterpillars, who seemed to like some official guests more than others!
​For those who were game enough, the picnic was followed by a post-wedding paddle in the sea, in which the bride and her sister demonstrated sibling rivalry in action by soaking each other! Finally, an evening meal of take-away fish and chips in the garden. However, the celebrations concluded with the biggest surprise of the day – a tiered wedding cake, made and decorated by Lynne’s mum which featured a model lighthouse on the top.
 

​Our last task of the day was to announce our marriage on social media. Huge thanks to everyone who sent their congratulations and best wishes.
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#CharacterMatters

9/11/2020

 
During last weekend, you may have been enthralled by the unfolding of events in the presidential election of the USA - the political opinions, the observations, the predictions etc. However, this is not post about policies or political leanings. It is a post about people. 
 
At time of writing, the YouTube clip of CNN commentator Van Jones has been seen by four-and-half million people…and that’s only one posting of it. We saw it live and it was an extremely moving. He spoke very emotionally about how ‘character matters’. 
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When we work on collaborative problem-solving, whether it be adults or children, one of the biggest hurdles to success is attitude. Not just our attitude towards solving the problem, but our attitude towards the people we are working with. 

​​Building community is not always easy. Maintaining community is not always easy. Repairing community is not always easy. However, it becomes easier when we approach each other with respect instead of animosity; when we listen instead of just speak; when we empathise instead of persecute; when we include instead of isolate; and, when we are truthful instead of deceitful.
 
Who we are is important. Our identity, our beliefs and our values make up our sense of self. How we are is a manifestation of those beliefs and values – the way we interact with other people – our character.
 
If we are to build communities which are fair and safe, then character matters. It matters not only in uniting people through commonalities but also how we manage and work through our differences to make things better for everyone not just a few.

Back To School 2020 #2

31/8/2020

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It's now the turn of our colleagues in Wales and England to return to schools/settings. The beginning of the new academic year in 2020 is like no other experienced in our lifetime. There will be so many differing emotions and new situations to deal with on a daily basis. However, we know our colleagues. We know how quickly everyone responded in March 2020, despite the stress. We know that teams of staff united to support each other and their learners and families. That will continue. We are sure. And, we are also sure that those learners who have been physically away from their school/setting will be desperate to see everyone again...and, however they display it, they will need that connection with their teachers/educators and their peers. Relationships have never been more important. Taking time to build community is essential...and maintaining it just as important. 

Take care everyone. Support each other. Be kind to yourselves. We look forward to seeing everyone again as the year progresses - either online or 'in person'. 
​
#community ‬#relationships #kindness #compassion #strength
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A Decade On...Raise A Glass (Or A Mug) To Celebrate With Us!

28/8/2020

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2010 - 2020
Today, we celebrate ten years of Single Steps Learning!   

​At the beginning of March, we were trying to decide when it would be best to take two or three days summer holiday, during July, as we prepared for a full event schedule in the academic year 2020/21. 

 
Then coronavirus arrived and lockdown happened. Like everyone else, we had to figure out how to deal with the ‘new normal’ as our own personal circumstances dictated – different boats, same storm. For the first time in almost 10 years we were ‘off the road’ and facing a future that was, and still is, very uncertain. 
 
In thinking about the future, we inevitably reflected on the past and what an incredible journey it has been…

We have enjoyed friendships with people, whose support and generosity has been so important to us and our survival. We have met so many inspiring people, who don’t recognise how good they are due to their genuine humility. We have had the opportunity of working with learners of all ages - being able to share in their challenges and achievements. Moreover, we have had the privilege of learning from them too.
 
In ten years, a lot has changed. On a professional level, we have been doing more settings-based projects than off-site training courses. On a personal level, we have climbed 17.6 Munros, and have 1760 more grey hairs between us!
 
What hasn’t changed is our belief that our thoughts and actions can make a positive difference to the lives of other people. For the last ten years, we have chosen to do that via Single Steps Learning by creating and designing experiences, which provoke engagement in the process of learning and building community, through collaborative problem-solving.
 
Whatever awaits us in the future, as Single Steps Learning or not, that belief will continue. 
 
Thank you to everyone who has helped us, inspired us, supported us and, on occasion, challenged us. So, raise a glass (or a mug) with us tonight to celebrate! You are all part of Single Steps Learning.
 
Andrew and Lynne ​
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A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. 
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Back To School 2020

11/8/2020

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​We are thinking of all our friends and colleagues in Scotland this morning. We wish you well as you return to your school/setting for the start of the new academic year. Sending positive thoughts your way....
#community ‬#relationships #kindness #compassion #strength
​

(Photo of our sunflower - taken a few minutes ago - to help with that positive feeling. It was a gift from a couple of children across the street at the start of lockdown).
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Plus ça change, plus ce la meme chose!

14/7/2020

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​Plus ça change, plus ce la meme chose!
The more things change…the more they stay the same.
 
Lockdown, social distancing, shielding, family bubbles. How quickly these words have become part of our everyday vocabulary. With the arrival of the covid-19 coronavirus, the world changed and the world had to respond to change.
 
Just days before lockdown, we witnessed education professionals, grappling with the challenges of how they were going to provide some kind of education continuity for their learners. How? When? What? Who? Why? All valid questions which were often met with responses which would sometimes be invalidated the following day. 
 
It was, and still is collaborative problem-solving, which we could not have imagined three months ago. 
 
However, despite the unprecedented nature of the challenge (perhaps requiring specific, new knowledge and technical skills) the ‘big questions’ remain the same and so do the generic skills and attitudes required to respond to them successfully?
 
‘How do make sure this is learning environment is fair?’ ‘How do make sure this learning environment is safe (both physically and emotionally).’ ‘How do we make sure everyone feels valued?’ ‘How do we make sure everyone engages fully?’
 
However different the ‘new normal’ appears, if we are able to respond effectively to these ‘old’ questions, then continuity will be achieved.

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Keeping Connected

21/8/2019

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We've just realised that we published our last post over a year ago. 🤔
​Time really does fly when you are busy! It also makes you reflect on which social media platforms you use, how manageable they are to maintain and whether they are the best way of communicating with our followers, colleagues and friends.

We will be updating and streamlining our main website in the next few months. If you have a preferred way of connecting with us regularly, please let us know by completing the survey. 

    Keeping Connected

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Embedded CPD/CLPL Projects

1/11/2017

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It's November already and we can't quite believe that 2017 is passing so quickly. This year, we have been involved in an increasing number of Designer Projects. 

Our Designer Projects have grown in popularity since 2016, with forward bookings in place until July 2019. Each project involves 'Embedded CPD/CLPL' for the staff involved, as well as a series of linked learning experiences for the children over a 2-week period. A project website is developed and updated daily, a photo-book produced and a family engagement event organised and led by the children involved. ​

We must say 'thank you' to David Lewis (Headteacher), the staff, children and families of Aberbargoed Primary School for being the pioneers of these type of projects. It was been a pleasure working alongside you all.
Please download this PDF for links to all project websites.
Project Websites
File Size: 2213 kb
File Type: pages
Download File

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Class 6 at Aberbargoed Primary Sing 'THE STATE SONG'

2/7/2017

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On Friday, it was the turn of Class 6 to have an audio recording of The State Song. They performed the song with an echo and a change in tempo. Enjoy! 
Take a look at the project website.
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Single Steps Learning is the trading name of Single Steps Learning Ltd. Single Steps Learning Ltd is a registered company in England and Wales. 
Company Number: 9570731    Registered Address: Ground Floor Offices, 1 Heol Mostyn, Village Farm Industrial Estate, Pyle, CF33 6BJ

'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who Are We?
    • Creating Single Steps Learning
    • Acknowledgements
  • Contact Us
  • Principles
    • Our Values
    • Five Key Concepts
    • Curriculum Connections
  • Events
    • Training Events
    • Online Training
    • Projects: Embedded CPD
  • Inspire
  • Blog
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy