Vine Academy

One of my favourite church memories from my youth is seeing Brother Victory, a tall deacon from our church, stooping to tie the shoelaces of one of the naughtiest little boys in our Sunday School.  The image was so heart-warming and it has stuck with me as a metaphor, for the humility with which I want to live my life.  There are four main times when we most need to adopt humility as a mindset.  The first is when we are wrong about someone or something. Self-preservation can cause pride if it goes too far but holding one's hands up when wrong, can build relationships as well as our own character. Secondly, and probably more difficult than the former point, is when we are right about something or someone.  The temptation here is to gloat inwardly and position oneself as the fount of all wisdom, but not only is that not very endearing, it is good to remember that being right doesn't mean that we are all the way right.  The passage of time can uncover n...

The definition of attitude on the internet is an established way of thinking or feeling about something.  A more informal definition is to have a slightly rude way about you.  This blog focuses on the first definition and on how changing your attitude can change your life. Have you ever tried walking in a straight line with your head bowed down?  If you have, maybe in a snowy park or a sandy beach, you might've realised that a linear path is easier if you focus on a fixed goal.  When driving on a narrow country lane, with traffic going both ways, it is tempting to look at oncoming vehicles as you drive.  Good drivers will, however, focus on their side of the road because inevitably, you will end up moving towards what you stare at. The same is true in life.  My ability to reframe situations that I had no control over, was a game changer for keeping me sane.  For instance, when it rains, most people in the U.K. moan, but I found a bible verse that says,...

My relationship with pen and paper goes back a very long way.  For as long as I can remember, I have loved writing poems, stories, essays etc.  My love affair with writing led me to complete a doctorate, even when I promised to give myself a break after completing my Master's.  Now that I've finished them both, I find myself still putting pen to paper to shape ideas, create frameworks and depict narratives. I trust that you are well aware of the power that lies in writing down your feelings and thoughts in a journal of some sort.  The healing flow that transfers trauma from your heart through your fingertips to the pages of a book, is both mysterious and awesome.  It helps to clarify thoughts, firm up decisions and review regrets.  It's a discipline well worth investing in. In addition, encouraging your loved ones to write, is a worthwhile endeavour.  Because of our busy lifestyles, we have lost the art of writing letters, but think how ref...

Reading is about more than just decoding words.  The ability to pick up on writer's intentions, cannot be relegated to merely an action of the mind.  With practice, we can learn to sensitively read situations, body language and tones of voice from deep within.  Even to the point where we are unable to express it intelligibly.  When this happens, we should be careful not to allow frustration to set in, but instead allow ourselves to flow in the direction of practical love. Reading is also about more than gaining new information.  When we read, we enter new worlds, make new friends and cause time to stand still, momentarily.  The changes that occur in the brain are unquantifiable but rest assured they are life-enhancing.  The Good Book, however, warns us against excessive study and devotion to books (Ecclesiastes 12:12 AMP.). This warning guards us against the imbalance of taking in too much, without finding practical use for it. I trust that...

As a woman of faith, I am interested in how our faith disciplines show up in the Education field.  Reading is a common practice amongst Christians in all denominations, so it's no surprise that there is a high correlation between Christians and upwardly socially mobile people.  I do wonder though, if we are making the most of our reading practices.  Reading the Bible aloud is a good practice, however, how do we go about teaching people to comprehend the Bible?  Studying the Bible contextually or thematically is not only good for the spirit, it is also good for the mind.  Studying our hymns and choruses contextually would really enlighten us.  My late grandad - Elliot Linton - was instrumental in changing the words of a chorus that used to unwittingly instil fear in the singers at our local church.  "I'm running for my life..." became, "I have a new life..." simply because my grandad studied what we were singing. Our faith is col...

Unless you're a teacher, you've probably never heard of a P.E.T.E.R. paragraph.  It is a useful analytical framework that English teachers use to help their students to respond to texts.  There are a few variations like P.E.E. or P.E.E.D., but I have found P.E.T.E.R. to be the most useful one (as well as being the one least likely to cause disturbing giggles in the classroom).  P.E.T.E.R. stands for Point, Evidence, Technique, Explain, Reader's response. Point - this is where students are required to show that they understand the question and what is required of them.  They need to directly and succinctly state their intention for the question. Evidence - here, they will need to either directly quote from the text given or refer to it explicitly.  They'll get more marks if they choose a quote that is relevant to the question, and has got language techniques in it that they find interesting.  Technique - they will now need to correctly identify and describe ...