Before you feel pressure, watch this

https://www.superinspirednow.com/jay-shetty/before-you-feel-pressure-watch-this-by-jay-shetty/


This is a very interesting presentation which I feel may resonate.


I decided not to go to study Music at the Royal Academy when I was 17. I was very competent at music, I was accepted onto the course after many auditions, interviews, theory testing etc., but I didn't love the subject enough to do it for the rest of my life. I needed a plan B. That was working in a bank. Can you imagine? That lasted less than 2 years so I went to Australia for a couple of years.


At that point I applied to University and graduated with a First Class Degree when I was 26.


I had no idea that I would become the youngest lecturer at Napier University and thereafter the youngest Programme Leader because the 'timeline' as it were hadn't been mapped out. I'm so glad it wasn't.


The person who handed me a no pressure lectureship contract in 1995 had a lot of faith in me, to pursue a career I had given NO thought to at any point in my life.


Time? It is right when it is right. I hope you enjoy the video, I know I did. Seize the moment when it is right for you. That is the essence of Further Education after all.


Mark

Food for thought?

Thank you to Cole who sent me the attached photo in light of the topics we have been discussing lately.


What do you think?


Mark

A recipe for Easter - hot cross buns recipe

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/20/hot-cross-buns-recipe-masterclass-felicity-cloake


Alternatively you could just buy some if you like them and can't be bothered making them!


Have a lovely holiday and I will see you all on Friday 20th April.


I wish you a restful break, you have all deserved it. I shall be indulging in plenty golf wearing some interesting 'fashion slacks' and plan to over indulge in Pinot Grigio and Absolut vodka, the perfect tonic for the holidays I would say!


Cheers,


Mark

Assessed Listening Presentation 1 (individual delivery)

Hi all,


This is the assessed presentation and I have noted the link below.


It is by a culinary expert called Sam Kass.


The title of the presentation is Want kids to learn well? Feed them well.


http://www.ted.com/talks/sam_kass_want_to_teach_kids_well_feed_them_well#t-7204

Sam Kass's work connects nutrition and education in an effort to make sure future generations thrive.

Food entrepreneur Sam Kass is a former White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition. He is the founder of TROVE and a partner in Acre Venture Partners.

Kass joined the White House kitchen staff in 2009 as Assistant Chef and, in 2010, became Food Initiative Coordinator. During his White House tenure, he took on several additional roles including Executive Director of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let’s Move!" campaign and senior White House Policy Advisor for Nutrition.


Kass is the first person in the history of the White House to have a position in the Executive Office of the President and the Residence. As one of the First Lady’s longest-serving advisors, he served as Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives and he helped the First Lady create the first major vegetable garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden.


In 2011, Fast Company included Sam in their list of "100 Most Creative People," and in 2012, he helped create the American Chef Corps, which is dedicated to promoting diplomacy through culinary initiatives. He is also an MIT Media lab fellow, entrepreneur and advisor.

It's International Happiness Day Today

Public Health England has warned that obesity is becoming "the norm" because some of our children are eating the equivalent of an extra meal a day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x7zb4


Above is a link to a BBC Radio programme which might be of interest to you given the subject is on the subject of obesity, the topic explored in Jamie Oliver's TED talk.


All the best,


Mark

Bacteria found in water at Glasgow Royal Hospital for Children

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-43438314

This is a worrying story I have been reading about and one worthy of some discussion potentially. I was surprised to read Dr Teresa Inkster, infection control doctor, said: "It's not unusual for children in this type of ward to suffer infections...

3 words - oral presentation assessment reflections

At the end of today's reflective feedback session on oral presentation, I asked you to jot down three words to describe the oral presentation experience. The results are noted below.

• achievement
• discussion
• manic
• fun
• interesting
• exciting
• nervous
• apprehensive
• subject
• I can do it
• oh no
• run!
• topic
• fear
• knowledge
• ahhhh!
• stress
• nerves
• nervous
• topic
• scared
• aw naw!
• 'great'
• blank
• interesting
• fun
• good content
• aarggggh!
• timing
• scary
• dread
• nerves
• embarrassed
• nervous
• interesting
• feedback
• confidence-boosting
• aw naw!
• nervous
• timing
• showtime
• excitement
• happy

Thank you to all the contributors and have a great weekend everybody.


Mark

Woman, 52, given just six weeks to live claims she has 'cured' her terminal cancer with cannabis oil

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5489775/Woman-52-cured-terminal-cancer-cannabis-oil.html


Thank you to Hannah who alerted me to the above news story. This is the topic that Cherelle presented so well on last Friday and is worth a wee read I'd say.


Have a look at the story and note some observations in the comments section below if you get a chance.


Cheers,


Mark

Jamie Oliver Presentation

Hi all,


This is the Jamie Oliver presentation that we watched in the class today.


It provides some really interesting talking points in terms of content, delivery, visual, vocabulary etc.


Jamie Oliver TED talk

I enjoyed listening to everybody's opinion in the class, all valid, but don't forget to detach from the person, the presenter, as it is the info that is being presented (and how) which is the trick for the Listening assessment.

For what it's worth, although not a particular fan of Oliver personally, or his restaurants, I think this is a truly powerful delivery with tons of merit. He is passionate, articulate, humorous, integrates a wheen of effective visual imagery and is heartfelt. He impressed me with this delivery, and the amount of hits on TED, You Tube and other platforms is astonishing. 

But what say you? Pop your valued thoughts in the comments box below please.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mark

Schedule of work for next few weeks

Hi all,


Here is how the next couple of weeks will look for us in the Communication class.


16/3 - reflect on the oral presentation assessments, teaching around the Listening assessment (slides for you to keep as we did for the reading tasks), watch a TED presentation.


 23/3 - analyse the TED talk in detail in small groups (with sample answers provided as we did for the reading). I will give you out the first Listening assessment at the end of this class. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE ASSESSMENT OVER THE EASTER HOLIDAYS, BUT I SUSPECT SOME OF YOU MIGHT WANT TO. I WON'T BE MARKING ANYTHING OVER THE HOLIDAYS.


 30/3 - HOLIDAY.


When we come back from the Easter break there will be two weeks in class time to work on the assessment, submission date Friday 27th April 2018.


There are two Listening assessments: one is an individual presentation and the other is a group discussion.


The presentation is a TED talk on a nutrition theme and the other is a discussion on children and their use of social media, so hopefully both quite interesting topics. The assessments are both new for 2018 and I am sure that you will fare well with both.


On Friday 4th May I will be giving out the final three assessments which are the social media discussion mentioned above, a 650 word essay on a vocationally relevant topic of your choosing (agreed with me) and the report you are doing for HIV.


I will be providing some notes on the writing and giving you a couple of exemplar reports to help you and materials on referencing. I will also be popping a few bits and bobs on the blog for you along the way.


Last year's Nursing students (all members of both classes) really liked the idea of working at their own pace to get the last three assessments done. You will still come in at 9 on a Friday, but you are free to go to the library should you wish (and do work at home too). This yielded the best results and I am adopting the same strategy this year. Essentially we will be communicating by e mail with your assessments, so I will need to dig out a wee assessment planner of my own so that I know who has passed what. But you know I'll be all over that, so don't panic, ha ha.


Nearly there, but not QUITE on the final stretch yet!


Cheers and have a lovely weekend. I look forward to seeing everybody next Friday.


Mark

Feedback on presentation assessment, round 2!

Hi all,


Another really interesting and informative session this morning where all presenters passed, so well done to the Magnificent 7!


The subjects were again varied and well researched: Cervical Screening, Obesity, Cyberchondria, Group B Strep, Heart Failure, Cannabis as Medicine, Pregnancy.


If the presenters could make some comment on the session in the section below, that would be great.


Well done everybody and have a great weekend.


Mark

Apostrophe catastrophe!

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/emma-watson-addresses-the-huge-error-on-the-times-up-tattoo-she-showed-off-at-vanity-fair-oscars-party/ar-BBJUVJH?li=AAmiR2Z&ocid=ientp


This is a curious wee article that has been in the media for the last couple of days. One side of me thinks it could have been an error on purpose to highlight the issue of and raise awareness of Time's Up (which it has), but if not, the mistake is still there!


Whatever the reason, Emma Watson has dealt with it well with her Tweet to be fair where she wrote "Fake tattoo proofreading position available. Experience with apostrophes a must!"


Here are some more tattoo errors...

Shocking moment a cop throws a Good Samaritan out of McDonald's because he bought a homeless man a meal to eat inside the restaurant

Thank you Darleen for sending me this quite astonishing news story for blog discussion. This one is certain to produce a lot of comment, and quite rightly so.


A McDonald's customer posted a video to social media showing him and a homeless man being told to leave a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, restaurant after he says he bought him food.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5452039/Homeless-man-customer-told-leave-McDonalds.html?ito=email_share_article-masthead


Wow.


Comments welcomed below as always.


Mark

Tips to care for your pet in the snow

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-43250025/tips-to-care-for-your-pet-in-the-snow


Something a wee bit different, but here's some handy advice from the RSPCA on how to look after your furry, and feathered, friends during the cold weather.


Stay safe, warm, stocked up on provisions and crucially, have a great weekend!


Mark

Snow joke

Hello all,


I hope you are all safe and warm. I thought I would lighten the mood by popping a few pics on the blog.


Any awful snow jokes are always welcome in the comments section! It's so cold here in the capital that I'm sure when I passed Starbucks earlier that they were serving coffee on a stick...


The golfing pic was a couple of years ago, and yes, I made the putt! Well I hit it as hard as I could towards the hole and it dropped in. The pic of my flat (not the whole school you understand) was taken this morning when I went for some provisions.


Don't forget to note some feedback on the presentation assessment sessions if you have delivered yours already. The reflections have been super so far, as have the standards of the talks.


I am very hopeful that the talks will go ahead tomorrow, but if the college is shut again, we will try and find an alternative slot for tomorrow's presentations through the week next week, so next Friday's presenters aren't disturbed. I have a plan ready to go for the rest of the session which I will post after next week's assessments. I am aware that we miss a class for Good Friday but I have factored that in.


Cheers,


Mark


UPDATE - College closed 2/3/18, so those who were scheduled for tomorrow have agreed to deliver on 9/3/18 with the original four students (Maxine, Marie, Lisa and Steph O) scheduled for that session. Thank you to all of you who replied to my e mail today.