7 minute read
LOOKING BACK
MAKE LEARNING FUN WITH LEARNING LOAN BOX
What it means to be ‘educated’ is evolving rapidly, with new advances like the internet revolutionising the skills needed for an ever-changing workplace. Claire Smales, from Donaghcloney, and Debbie Farrell from Bangor, are working together to tackle that challenge by focusing on transferable skills and promoting delight driven education. Here’s how they hope to do this!
When Debbie met Claire, she realised that they shared a similar vision for what education should look like, and perhaps even more importantly, they both had some of the same frustrations. “My children enjoy doing projects, but it can get expensive when you buy new resources for each interest and passing passion”. Debbie continues; “I was also frustrated at the environmental implications of this, and I sat down one day and thought ‘what if I could supply resources to families who needed them, when they needed them’, and the concept of Learning Loan Box was born”.
Learning Loan Box is a rental scheme for topic resources. “This way, parents support their child’s learning style while having fun! It takes the stress, and expense out of investing in new resources because you can simply rent a whole box of things which have been carefully put together”.
Meanwhile, Claire was spending time rewriting resources to make them more accessible for her children, and when Debbie suggested she put this e ort to use by producing resources for her Loan Boxes, she jumped at the chance to work with her. She now runs TopicTeach, producing educational resources with a slight twist.
“I found that a lot of displays and workbooks weren’t quite right – either they were too visually busy, cluttered or simply unappealing for my children”. Claire is a former postgraduate scientist, and she puts the skills learnt during her time in a lab to good use in preparing her TopicPacks. “TopicTeach takes a deep dive into a subject, covering all the quirky facts after building a solid factual base” she says. “This allows a more thorough investigation of a topic, but more, it gets you to a level of knowledge where you can discuss the really cool facts!” Claire’s TopicPacks are predominantly low demand, being a cross between a reference book and an activity book, which keeps in mind that some children do not engage with repetitive activities.
Debbie and Claire’s latest collaborations include a series of Loan Boxes, which include My Beating Heart, My Healthy Heart and My Historical Heart.
Learning Loan Box Debbie Farrell info@learningloanbox.co.uk www.learningloanbox.co.uk
TopicTeach – Claire Smales contact@topicteach.com www.topicteach.com @topicteach on social media
Andrea Archer, Lynsey McAuley and Elaine O’Toole from M&S at Fairhill, Ballymena.
Retailers James and Una at Sainsburys fi lling station at Sprucefi eld.
RETAILER ROUND UP
Our photographer has the been visiting various retailers to see the shelves packed with our glossy summertime special edition of the Ulster Tatler. This month we visited our retailer friends in Ballymena and as far as Newry and Warrenpoint. We would like to send another big thank you for all their hard work.
. Daughter and mum Taylor and Stephanie
Kerr at Cathcart’s mace, Ballymena.
. Dylan Linton and Sophie Moore at graham’s
newsagent in market square, Dromore.
Magazine champion Andrea Yates and asst Mgr Rachel Downes from Twelfth milestone Eurospar at Templepatrick. Fiona Dinsmore and Ellie Andrews from The Kabin on Church Street, Warrenpoint.
. Sharon Headley from Tesco Extra
at the Boulevard, Banbridge.
Lisa houston, Eva Lowry and Sammy Bones Mark Clendinning and Ruth Loney. at Broughshane street Co Op, Ballymena. James, Liam, Aaron, Yvonne, Erin and Aine from the Fresh Food Centre, Warrenpoint.
Multi Award Winning company dedicated to producing the fi nest free range eggs in the industry
• Multi award winning, including Great Taste, Irish Quality Food Awards and Blas na hEireann Gold awards • Family run business • Farm to fork • All hens are free range • High welfare standards • British Lion accredited
Cavanagh Free Range Eggs Ltd.
58 Clonkee Road, Cavanagh, Newtownbutler Co. Fermangh, BT92 8FH Website: www.cavanagheggs.co.uk Email: hello@cavanagheggs.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/cavanaghfreerangeeggs.co.uk Twitter: @cavanagheggs Phone: 028 6773 7889 Mobile John: 078 5796 4436 Mobile Eileen: 078 5796 4468
TEL: 00 44 28 9187 2798
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We cover the whole of Northern Ireland.
MULLEN GRADUATION
Ellen Mullen, the daughter of Mark and Lorna Mullen, Portadown, graduated from The University of Ulster with a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). She also has a Bachelor of Music 1st Class Honours and an MA in Arts Management from Queen’s University, Belfast.
The wedding of Miss Tanya Brown and Mr Marc Graham. The best man was Luke Hamill and groomsman was Brian McCabe, bridesmaids were Anne Graham and Patricia Haire. The fl owergirls were the brides nieces; Victoria and Natalie Brown, and the pageboy was the grooms nephew, Jonathan Graham.
Pictured at Kelly Fuel’s Junior Hardcourt Championship are Philip King, Andrea Wilson, Laura McMillan and David Johnston.
Pictured at the Glaskermore Primary PTA dinner are; Liz Heslip, Hilda Ferguson, Alison Wilson, Laura McConville, Mervyn Heslip, Sandy Ferguson, Clifton Wilson and Mayne McConville.
SIMON COMMUNITY DINNER AT THE CULLODEN HOTEL
Margaret Anderson, Ian Anderson, Alana Johnston (Miss Belfast 92), Roger Courtney and Christine Woods, pictured at the Simon Community Dinner.
The Northern Ireland Mother & Baby Appeal’s annual Midsummer Ball. Pictured are: Denis Falls, Heather Horner, Horace McCutcheon, Laura Horner, Andrew Bell, Angela Bell, Leslie Horner and John Leishman. St John’s Ambulance members Victoria Walker, Julie Chambers, Eleanor Taylor, Carol Wallace and Helen Marsden.
