Subscribe
Never miss an article, competition, book news or giveaway! PLUS: 10% off your first order in my shop (excl live events/external links). Already subscribe but missed the discount? Ask me! Your details will not be shared and you can unsubscribe easily. For data protocol, go here.
Join over 10,000 followers
How can we sleep during exam stress?
This was the question asked by Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Lancashire, and here is my answer. If you’d like to ask a question, do! The
Amazing trip to the UAE
Back from the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival in the UAE and still processing the whole thing. What an amazing trip! Such a privilege and a
No more sedentary me
A few weeks ago, I joined the band of people who work while walking. I type and do almost all my desk work while walking on
Help your brain FLOURISH – for schools
For years, I’ve taught a model of brain health which I call FLOURISH. My BRAIN STICKS™ classroom materials are based around this and it’s eye-opening, simple and
In which I get stressed in a swimming pool
I went swimming in an actual swimming-pool yesterday. I’m still recovering from the trauma. I hadn’t been to a public pool (and I don’t have
Amputating an audience member’s leg
One of my favourite occupations! It’s amazing they let me into schools nowadays, to be honest. This was part of Larbert High School’s S2 trip
Free breathing/relaxation audio
This audio is suitable for people of any age, including teenagers approaching exams. The recording takes just over four minutes. But when you have learnt the
Book ideas for an anxious teenager
There are some teenagers who contact me when they’re worried about something and, of course, I always try to help. This time, I need your
Reading is not spinach, even with squid
I’m doing the closing keynote at Dyslexia Scotland’s Education Conference conference today. Dyslexia Scotland is a wonderful organisation, working so hard to improve the lives of
Is your brain too noisy?
Everyone has different needs for quiet time, time when not being bombarded by demands and questions. But everyone surely needs some of it. Enough of
When book festivals pay and when they don’t
Yup, that old issue again. Thing is, it just doesn’t go away. I’m going to sing the praises of two book festivals, one very large (Edinburgh)
Remembering my grandfather
Today, on the centenary of the outbreak of World War 1, I’m thinking about my grandfather, Harry Robert Spencer. He was (like many others) too young
