I bought this copy of ‘Read With Me: An Apprenticeship Approach to Reading’ by Liz Waterland in the Marjon’s bookshop in Plymouth during my initial teacher training. It still bears my maiden name inside the front cover. I have treasured the book since the late 1980s. The title was the inspiration behind my ‘Read with Julia’ website and YouTube channel.
Continue reading “‘Read with me’ by Liz Waterland”
On Thursday 16th October, amid news of the UK government’s target for 90% of 5-6 year old pupils to reach the expected standard in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check (PSC), my family attended the funeral of our dearly beloved friend, Jan Britton, at Margam Crematorium in Wales.
Jan was an Early Years’ teacher. Her career began in East London and continued in Plymouth (where we met). From her eulogy, we learned that Jan had kept in touch with the children she taught – from the day they started school, into their sixties. We also heard stories and saw photos which portrayed the part shared reading played in Jan’s relationships with her pupils, her three children, and her eight grandchildren.
Continue reading “Relationship Check”
Probably the most constructive classroom observation I ever received came from the lips of an 8 year old.
If my memory serves me correctly, her name was Hannah and she would have been 8 when she joined my Year 4 class in September 1992. I must have been roughly halfway through my first year as a Newly Qualified Teacher at Bradwell Village Middle School, Milton Keynes when she shared her spot-on observation,
Continue reading ““Miss, you don’t smile anymore.””Once upon a post,
She stood and stared,
Looked out into a valley
Full of bones
And very dry.
“Can these bones live?”
She saw the dark despair of death,
She saw no sign of life, nor breath…
“Can these bones live?”
She did not know, yet dared to hope,
She listened to the Voice that spoke…
“Can these bones live?”
She sensed a power beyond her own,
She knew that she was not alone…
I penned this poem a couple of Saturdays ago, as I pondered the state of reading relationships in our world today. The more I think about it, the more convinced I become that readers are born through relationships.
Relationship breathes life into lifeless texts.
On Monday 15th September, I was delighted to give a screen-free assembly at Ledbury Primary School to celebrate International Dot Day. I wore my dotty dress for the occasion, which I found in a local charity shop (it was originally from Boden, don’t you know, AND it has pockets).
I took a bag with me, which I had received as a gift from Hayden and the Gardiner family when he moved on from my reception class at Ledbury Primary School in July 2022. In my bag, I carried a selection of books, including a poetry book, a picturebook and a children’s hymn book.
Continue reading “International Dot Day 2025 at Ledbury Primary School”
I was overjoyed to find a 50p Floppy favourite in the Acorn’s charity shop last Saturday. I couldn’t hold back my delight and, before I knew it, I was reading page 30 aloud to Dave at the counter.
My 3 children loved the Biff, Chip and Kipper stories. When my youngest started bringing them home from school, his older sisters would raid his book bag so they could read them again.
I’d like to pass on a heartfelt thank you to whoever preserved this wonderful Oxford Reading Tree book. Many ended up in the skip when the books didn’t fit in with the latest phonics fashion. Those who had to slog their way through the reading scheme year after year after year were only too glad to see them go, but let me share with you the joy I still find in these pages…
Continue reading “I’m with you, Floppy”
I went to stay with my mum in Liverpool during the May half-term. We talked – a lot. One of our conversations was about my YouTube channel and the videos I’d been quietly creating and posting in the hope of encouraging families to read together and to help adults support children in learning to read and write. My mum was an infant teacher for all of her working life. She had watched a few of my videos and, when I asked if she had any advice for me, she replied,
“Just keep it simple.”
Continue reading “Just keep it simple”I was reminded of this bible verse at our dear friend, John Britton’s funeral on 13th February 2025 at Margam Crematorium in Wales. His pastor, who was leading the service, shared a story from his final visit to see John in Penarth’s hospice. During their time together, he had asked for advice and John had encouraged him with these words:
“Cast your bread upon the waters…”
Ecclesiastes 11:1
As a subscriber to the Children’s Poetry Summit, I enjoy receiving regular introductions to poets through their blog. Last week, children’s poet and author, A. F. Harrold, shared his happy habit of sending poetry postcards.
As I began reading the article, my heart sank when I saw,
‘I know the age of the letter is dead and gone, but…‘
“Oh no, A.H. Harrold!” I gasped, “Oh no, it isn’t! It really isn’t!“
Let me tell you about the seeds I’ve been sowing for a letter-writing revival…
Continue reading “Wait a minute, Mr Postman!”When my last headteacher asked me why I had decided to decline the invitation to reapply for my job in 2022, I respectfully told her,
“I have some fight left, but not for this.”
Continue reading “Fight the good fight”
Read with Julia