School Portrait

A somewhat jaded school photographer is on his latest assignment.  The brown stuff has really hit the fan in his life and his current cynicism is reflected in the way he asks the children to pose for their photographs.

That is, until one little girl comes along...

Comedy is difficult and comedy with children even more, so hats off to director Nick Scott for attempting this and succeeding so wonderfully.  I paticularly like the little boy who says he hasn't filled out his tax form because I don't want to. Ah - if only life were that simple!

It isn’t often that a short film of less than three minutes in length can show a turning point in someone’s life so effortlessly. Despite its less than happy subject matter, School Portrait is a funny and affecting short film.

Being British - A Film by the People of Great Britain

“Wandering Film Director” Simon Mulvaney recently asked a stack of independent filmmakers a question: what does it mean to be British?  I expect he was rather overwhelmed by the response if the resulting film is anything to go by.    The short answer, many, many different things which makes the UK a special kind of place really.  I think perhaps I will mull on the message of hope this video brings when I am next feeling bleak and baffled and about Blighty’s future (and that has been regularly over the last few years since a certain referendum!).  Maybe we’re not so broken, after all.

As an aside, I think this video would slot in nicely to any number of “British Values” classes in UK schools.  It could be used as a discussion starter, a prompt for essays – any number of classroom activities could be created around it.  So, thanks Mr Mulvaney and contributors!

If you’re interested in finding out more, there are multiple versions and a directors commentary here - www.beingbritish.uk

Fun Facts About Google

If you are researching the history of Google for a high school presentation – or just want to know learn more about the history of the online behemoth without reading anything, then this motion infographic should be just up your street.  As you can embed Vimeo videos with ease in to a PowerPoint presentation this would make a great addition to your slideshow.  Of course, it only tells the bright and shiny side to Google’s history (like the company’s on-going commitment to green energy) but is full of interesting facts such as Google’s assets are so humungous that they could give each and every person on the planet a free trip to the movies.

Fun Facts about Google was the last university project for Rob Norman while at Ravensbourne (a specialist university sector college in the UK whose mission is to creatively apply digital technology to design and communication.)

Bennett School for Girls: College which Taught America's Privileged Set for Demolition

The founders of the Bennett School for Girls were decidedly aspirational.  Founded in 1890 it was soon attracting the daughters of a number of prominent American families. Yet while some educational institutions persevere and thrive for sometimes hundreds of years, the fate of the Bennett School and its grandiose buildings was somewhat different. Now it faces imminent demolition: yet how opulent times once were.

Image Credit Flickr User Stephenbley

To say the school has changed since its heyday is something of an understatement. Take a look at this remarkable series of then and now photographs.

Walk of the Immigrants – The Next Step

In 2010 Saul Flores (above) walked across ten countries to raise awareness about the issues facing people living in South America.  The Mexican-American student did this by creating a photographic record of his journey – which came to be known as The Walk of the Immigrants. The pictures you see here are all from Saul’s immense walk.

Saul captured his journey on camera to show the commonalities that we all have as people. His aim was not to simply record the lives of these people but by doing so to raise money to rebuild the dilapidated elementary school in his mother’s home town of Atencingo in Mexico. His journey inspired many people to help out – and enough money was raised to rebuild the school. Yet much more needs to be done.

10 of the Most Famous Teachers Ever

Image Credit Flickr User timdifford

It is sometimes said that those who can, do: those who cannot, teach - something to which I have never adhered as I was lucky enough to have some brilliant teachers.  They echo subconsciously every day, from each time I see my handwriting to my ability (still strong after all these years) to do fairly complex math in my head.

So, it was great to see Neatorama's riposte to this faux idiom.  They have created a list of 10 of the most teachers ever.  It is a list which may well surprise you - a number of people on the list went on to create public personas for themselves far removed from that of the gentle school teacher.  Catch the full post here and find out for yourself.

My own favourite is William Golding - one of my personal writing heroes from childhood. I was introduced to his work as a teenager by my English teacher, Dr Sally Carr, who also pointed me in the direction of Camus, Gide, Grass, Brecht and many others. I devoured his work and assumed, I supposed, that he was dead already.  When I realised he was still alive I was joyous. It meant I would get to read new stuff by him.

Golding received the Nobel Prize for Literature for his To The Ends of the Earth trilogy, which he wrote while he was approaching his eighties.  He began his professional life as a teacher - and if he was the exception that proved a rule then enough said.  However, the list over at Neatorama may surprise you.