VIEWS From the pen of... Hope Virgo
In our regular feature on authors working in the field of education, this month we speak to Hope Virgo, author of Stand Tall Little Girl, in which she details her battle with anorexia.
“I know how anorexia makes you feel; you think she is your friend, you think she can solve everything and make you feel amazing… but she will destroy you and everything around you, piece by piece.
“1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 - 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder - that means around three children in every class and 1 in 5 children will
experience a mental health difficulty before the age of 11. It is essential that we help young people deal with their feelings and learn how to process them in a healthy way.
“I struggled with anorexia from the age of 13, becoming a master of deception, somehow managing to keep my disorder a secret from my family and friends for four years. I was 17 and on the brink of death when I was admitted to a mental health hospital and finally began to receive the help I needed. Looking back, I didn’t know what was wrong with me and I felt so alone.
“Anorexia nervosa disorder affects millions of people each year, the majority of them teenagers, and 20% of sufferers die prematurely because of it.
“The government are now prioritising mental health and people are opening up more in the media and across society, however it is clear that many young people are still not comfortable talking about it or reaching out for help when they need it. I am using my story to help society talk more about mental health, and to show those with mental health difficulties that recovery is possible. “After a relapse in 2016 I decided I needed to start sharing my story so that others know that the battle to beat anorexia may be hard but is is well worth it. Through my work as an ambassador for The Shaw Mind Foundation, I have now begun to share my story with schools.
“In Stand Tall Little Girl, I share my journey. Through my letters and diary entries, I tell you how I fought from rock bottom to beat the ‘friend’ that had controlled and nearly destroyed my life. The story of my recovery will inspire countless others. It will also give the chance for parents and staff to understand more about living in the grips of anorexia.
“I would love to come and share my story in your schools for your parents, students and staff. It is vital that we get young people talking about mental health and that we make sure that it is just as important as physical health. From speaking in schools and sharing my story I have met so many young people who are afraid to reach out for help. Afraid because they are left with tormenting thoughts in their head.
“We must start talking about mental health in schools so that no one else suffers in silence.”
Please get in touch with Hope (
hopevirgo@hotmail.com) to find out more about how she can work with you, your young people and your school network.
British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) A call for more practical
science in schools This month, regular Education Today contributor PATRICK HAYES, Director of school suppliers’ trade body BESA, argues for a new focus on practicals in class to help bring science to life.
While the world-leading EdTech event, the Bett Show, falls at the end of January every year, the annual unmissable rendezvous for science teachers and technicians takes place at the very beginning of January, at the Association for Science Education (ASE) conference. This year, the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) partnered with the ASE to organise a special workshop on practical science. Seven BESA members, including Data Harvest, Gratnells, IDS Education, the RSC, Scientific Labs and Timstar, demonstrated engaging experiments which the teachers were eager to share with their teaching assistants to then reproduce with the students.
Indeed, the teachers stressed the crucial need for teaching assistants, without whom STEM classes would not be as interactive. “Headteachers don’t realise what’s going on in the science departments, they don’t see that TAs are basically training science teachers on how to demonstrate the experiments, etc.”, said one teacher.
“The science practical is when magic happens,” she continued. “That’s when children become enthusiastic and passionate about science, so it’s imperative we don’t cut practical science from the curriculum.”
The views of this teacher were similar to those featured in the recent Gatsby report in support for practical science in schools, which developed a series of ten benchmarks for schools to use when planning their own approach to delivering practical science. STEM BESA members firmly agreed with the report too. Paul Harrington, Managing Director of Timstar and Chair of BESA’s Science Special Interest Group, commented on the report: “The fact that only 3% of schools have enough facilities and equipment ‘to do frequent practical science’ is not only damaging to the short-term educational performance of students in UK schools, but also puts in jeopardy the future state of our UK workforce and the STEM industries which depend on it.”
He added: “As a passionate advocate of practical science in schools, Timstar strives to promote its benefits in supporting the next generation of scientists, engineers, and STEM professionals. And we will continue to drive the opportunities presented by practical science, actively encouraging educational institutions to invest in this area for the benefit of their students.”
Another BESA member, Gratnells, also took part in the workshop. Its Managing Director Murray Hudson told BESA: “Gratnells are firmly behind the programme to maintain and improve the level of practical science being conducted in secondary schools. We believe the excitement and enthusiasm young students show for practical science creates the firm bedrock of interest and enquiry that drives continued engagement in all areas of science.”
Looking to the future of STEM skills and jobs, he said: “Future scientists and engineers need to have their investigative and experimental skills nurtured from an early age to maintain a lifelong interest in science, creating the practical capacity to be at the forefront of our future advances, rather than just acquiring knowledge for the purpose of passing exams.”
We can only hope the government and headteachers hear them.
For information from BESA contact: Patrick Hayes 020 7537 4997
patrick@besa.org.uk
www.besa.org.uk
February 2018
www.education-today.co.uk 13
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 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
