Helen Burge has a Proustian moment
O
ne of my favourite memories from primary school was the nature table. There it sat in
the corner of the room, playing host to displays that metamorphosised with the seasons. In autumn, the cones and crunchy, coloured leaves. frogspawn transforming into tadpoles. There were always a couple of magnifying glasses so two explaining a wonder of nature. The nature table had its own unique smell, different from the disgusting pot-cleaning corner.
these happy memories in one of my Trust’s primary schools by a smell which reminded me of the earthiness of the nature table. It made me smile, and I nodded sagely middle distance. This was, apparently, a Proustian moment – when a particular scent conjures up a certain experience, time or place.
encapsulates the meaning of the 1960s phrase ‘stop and smell the stop and appreciate life and contemplate the moment. Of course, stopping to smell the
roses could also provide the moment and consider your achievements and accomplishments, you actually associate a smell with them – that new carpet in the entrance foyer you found the funding for within an already stretched budget; the fresh coat of fence paint as a result of the Saturday morning parents’ project tech areas you ensure are compliant.
children with one of your well- planned projects is something you should congratulate yourself for. And yet we often accept that we are
just doing our job, forgetting that children love the new playground fact that the refresh of the school website encouraged more families to come to the Year 7 open evening seats means more income for your school during a cost of living crisis). So this spring, if there is such a
thing as a nature table in your school, or maybe a school pond or garden area, go and breathe in the roses near you. Start listing the positive impacts you are having on children and young people, who in 40-odd years might have their own Proustian moment reminding them of their school days, which you played an important part in creating.
Helen Burge is deputy chief operations officer at The Priory Learning Trust and SRMA with Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust. @DeputyCOOatTPLT
42 SPRING 2023 FundEd
IMAGES: GYZELE; VECTORMINE/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
