Wise Up Wednesday: New Year – New Direction?

Happy New Year –  here’s hoping that 2013 is a good one for us all!

Regular readers of Wise Up Wednesday will know that we (the Children and Families team at Education Scotland) have used the blog to share with you news about a whole range of subjects, which we hope will have been of interest to you.

These have included:

the early years professional learning community on Glow,

professional learning opportunities more generally,

information about relevant developments in organisations such as the NHS, and

resources which are freely available to practitioners to use with children and families.

It is important that this blog is helpful to those working with young children and their families, and covers issues which are of interesting and relevant to you. As we plan for the year ahead we would like to know what you think we should cover in 2013.

Do you have an exciting area of work that you would like us to share?

Is there a burning issue which is not getting the attention it needs?

Are you looking for information about an area of work related to early years, children and families?

This is your chance to tell us what you would like us to share on the blog. Please add your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you!

Take Part in the Paper Creativity Challenge!


Over the next 4 weeks we are asking you to take part in our great new Paper Creativity Challenge which will involve exploring the properties of digital and physical paper through a variety of different and exciting activities!

We start this challenge on Monday 14th January at 11am with a visit to Dundee Contemporary Arts where we will begin our investigations with a Paper Making Workshop. During this Glow TV event you will learn how to make delicate and wonderful hand made papers from pulps.

Learn simple techniques suitable for using at home such as how to create a smooth surface texture for printing on, soaking and blendng recycled paper, and then also painting with coloured pulp. You can add decorative materials to make designs and also create your own watermark. Join us to learn more about this and then try it out in your own classrooms or homes. Sign up in Glow TV – Paper Making Workshop.

We continue our challenge on Tuesday 15th January with a visit to Bruntsfield Primary School in Edinburgh with Catherine Rayner as she reads her book ‘Ernest’. Meet Ernest who is a rather large moose with a rather large problem. He is so big he can’t fit inside his book! What is a moose to do? Luckily Ernest is also a very determined moose, and he and his little chipmunk friend aren’t going to give up easily. Will they find a way for Ernest to fit in?

During this exciting session you will have the opportunity to read and explore the story of Ernest with early years pupils (approx 20 mins) and then Catherine will work with older children and demonstrate to them how to illustrate texts, in particular Ernest. Ideally learners should have paper and paint so that they can also try the techniques. Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Ernest.

And there is more of this challenge to come! Keep watching this blog and the Glow TV schedule……..