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English Teacher Wanted!

July 9, 2009

We need a qualified/experienced EFL/ESOL teacher to teach English to a class of adult learners Monday – Friday 10-1 at one of our partner colleges in Ealing. The course begins Monday 20 July, so this is a matter of some urgency.

The person we are looking for is motivated, inspirational and creative and knows how to deliver engaging and inclusive lessons. You will have pretty free hands to develop the programme in co-operation with the students. The position also comes with the special perk of having Evalena as your professional mentor and course co-ordinator! =)

If you are interested, please e-mail us at evalena@atkinsacademy.co.uk or call 079800 522 32

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Be a Winner!

May 17, 2009

The winner is always part of the answer
The loser is always part of the problem

The winner always has a program
The loser always has an excuse

The winner says “Let me do it for you”
The loser says “That’s not my job”

The winner sees a solution to each problem
The loser sees a problem in each solution

The winner sees a green near every sand trap
The loser sees two or three sand traps near every green

The winner says “It may be difficult, but it’s possible!”
The loser says “It may be possible, but it’s too difficult!”

Be a winner!

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The Seven Principles of an Eagle

May 1, 2009

1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with sparrows; they do not mix with other smaller birds. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly with eagles. Never in a flock. Even when Moses went to commune with God on the mountain, he left the crowd at the foothills. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles.

2. Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites his prey, even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

3. Eagles do not eat dead things. They feed on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Do your research well always.

4. The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagle gets excited. He uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once he finds the wing of the storm, he stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings! In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. Use the storms of your life (obstacles, trouble etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

5. The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her! Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

6. Eagles prepare for training. When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then flies back to pick rugs to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass and rugs and lays them on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again. Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and picks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate. The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings. The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns. The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

7. When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until! he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out. We occasionally need to shed off old habits and items that burden us without adding to our lives…

Dr Myles Munroe (edited)

Dr Myles Munroe is the Founder, President, and Senior Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, an all-encompassing network of ministries headquartered in Nassau, Bahamas. He is a multi-gifted international motivational speaker, best selling author and business consultant addressing critical issues affecting every aspect of human, social and spiritual development.

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What Teachers Make

April 16, 2009

He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?” He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about teachers: Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests that it’s also true what they say about lawyers. Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite company.

“I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor,” he says. “Be honest. What do you make?”

And I wish he hadn’t done that (asked me to be honest) because, you see, I have a policy about honesty and ass-kicking: if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face. How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups. No, you may not ask a question. Why won’t I let you get a drink of water? Because you’re not thirsty, you’re bored, that’s why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home: I hope I haven’t called at a bad time, I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today. Billy said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?” And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids wonder, I make them question. I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write, write, write. And then I make them read. I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful over and over and over again until they will never misspell either one of those words again.

I make them show all their work in math. And hide it on their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you got this (brains) then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true: I make a goddamn difference!

What about you?

~ Taylor Mali ~

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Race for Life? Nah, Running Is Stupid!

April 1, 2009

Running is rubbish! It’s boring, expensive, and makes you fat. I just wouldn’t bother if I were you.

It makes you put on weight! Running makes you fat, flabby and overweight. You’ll be left with pasty skin and a chubby tum. Not a good look!

It’s bad for your health! Not only will running make you tubby, but it’s bad for your bones, heart and lungs.

It’s a selfish sport! It doesn’t help anyone. It’s pretty self indulgent really.

It’s lonely! There’s no team involved, so you’ll always run alone.

There’s never anything new happening! It’s always the same old thing, and the same old routes. You get really bored of running the same distances in the same towns.

It depends on the right weather! It’s completely impossible to run in wind, rain, snow, fog, cloud or gorgeous sunshine.

It’s expensive! You need heaps of kit and expensive equipment from specialist shops only accessible to the elite.

It’s too difficult! One leg in front of the other – it’s a nightmare. It takes ages to learn the right techniques.

It makes you cry! Running makes you feel sad, depressed and stressed out.

It gives you wrinkles! Nothing ages you like a long run. You’ll come back with a face full of wrinkles looking way older than your years.

So there you have it. Running really is rubbish and we really don’t want you to get involved. But if you insist , we’ll be doing the Race for Life in Battersea Park the 6 May. Walk, jog or run 5K to raise money for Cancer Reasearch, get fit(ter) for Beach 2009 and have a laugh with us. Weather permitting, we’ll organise a picnic for all who join us.

Now, who’s gonna come and do something really stupid with us?

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Happy New Year!!

March 1, 2009

Today is a special day. It’s our first anniversary!

I can’t believe it’s been a year since we formed the Academy. And I can’t believe how far we have come over the past 12 months. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have believed that day, the 29 February, that we’d be this close to having a proper independent school within the first two years.

The 29 February is traditionally the day when women are allowed to propose marriage. I proposed something that to me felt even more serious. I was ready to promise John the rest of my life, but I had never felt ready to tangle my finances up with someone else’s. But sometimes it all fits. It all makes sense. John helped me focus my energies on what I’m the most passionate about, and all of a sudden it seemed like building a school of our own would actually be possible. The thought of us establishing a learning environment in which the passion for learning is a goal in itself was too thrilling to let go of. Although he had hinted and suggested and nudged, I decided to face my fears and pop the question: Will you tie the knot with me, baby? And he said yes!

Today we are celebrating by registering a second company and drinking some pink bubbles! But we will also keep working. Over the past year we have worked seven days a week 10-15 hours day, but we have also achieved more in a year than we ever thought we could. And here we are now…

The attention we get is overwhelming. People generously donate things we can sell on eBay, or things we can use in our activities. People volunteering their services. Parents asking if we can help their kids. Young people asking for support and guidance. Young people wanting to launch projects. It’s all heart warming and humbling, but it also shows just how important our work is. And just how desperately we need our own premises. A place where we can be 7 days a week. Our kids need a safe place off the streets where they can chill, play and nurture their passion for learning. They all have it somewhere inside them, but in a world that doesn’t see them for who they are it has been long forgotten.

We believe that every child matters. We are working with young black people to raise aspirations, maximise potential and create opportunities for success. You can help us make a difference! Give them some of your time. Give them some of your old stuff that you don’t need or use anymore – we will sell it to raise money and use what we can in our activities. Chip in a little bit of money – even if it’s just a few pennies. Then when we raise our glasses to celebrate our second anniversary we will be doing it on our own premises. Together.

Happy New Year!

//Evalena

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Are Black Kids Less Academically Driven?

February 28, 2009

We’d love to hear your input on this one!

What do you believe?

Discuss…

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New Students, New Volunteers and Other Good News!

February 24, 2009

The half term holiday is coming to an end, and we have used it well! Loads of new things have happened this week and Evalena’s excitement levels are probably dangerously high. =)

Most importantly, we’ve got two new students/mentees this week, so first of all here’s a big shout out and a warm welcome to both of you! (We don’t mention students’ names as a matter of child protection privacy.)

The plans for a spring holiday activity week(s) have been met with overwhelming interest. We now know our kids want it – but for it to happen we will need your help! A special events invite will follow.

This week we have also:

  1. Recruited our third volunteer! His name is Chris Savenskog, and he will be helping out with web development and graphics work on our websites. Welcome aboard, Chis! Your help is much appreciated!
  2. Got two new fans to our facebook page! Thanks to Kimberlee- Monique Edwards and Dionne Allen for joining us! Hope to see and hear more of you in the future.
  3. Got our first donation to the Chipin Donations site! As you know we need every little penny we can get and we’re grateful for the smallest contribution! If you want to donate anonymously, that’s ok, but we can also mention you on our site.
  4. Sold consignement items on eBay! If you don’t have any pennies to spare we can either help you make some money by selling them for you on a consignement basis, or you can donate the whole profit to us. The eBay venture is run by our young peole, giving them a chance to apply literacy, numeracy, communication, ICT, problem solving and team working skills to a real life project.
  5. Got a donation of books for our future library! We would love to have loads of resources for our students and books, DVDs, arts & craft material, magazines etc etc etc are much needed and very welcome donations!
  6. Set up a networking site where students, teachers, members and supporters can meet and exchange ideas and resources. The student’s area is restricted for obvious reasons, but anyone is welcome to join us!
  7. Added new features to our website. We now have a Black Voices section where we collect inspirational texts by black writers, and a Role Models section where we present positive role models. The role models are not employed by us, they are just people we feel are worth lifting up as good examples of someone who has done something for themselves thus making a positive contribution to the community.
  8. Seen the birth of our student magazine. It looks very promising and is due to be released in March. Copies will be sold at 20p a piece.
  9. Received too many e-mails and heads-up to mention them all, but every new contact, every new facebook friend and every new supporter means the world to us. We know we’re on to something good, but part of what we are trying to do is to build a school that is more than just a school. We want to be a vibrant hub in the wider community, re-engaging our young people with the world around them and showing them that there are choices to made, rewards to be reaped and a bright future ahead for anyone who is prepared to apply themselves.

Well, that’s not bad for a week’s worth of work is it? Once again, please accept our humble thanks for your time, efforts and support. Together we are making a difference!

//John & Evalena

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Do We Need Special Schools for Black Kids?

February 20, 2009

Government research shows that black pupils, especially those of Afro-Caribbean origin, are three times more likely than white pupils to be excluded from school.

There are two conflicting, yet plausible, explanations to this phenomenon: Either black children in general are worse behaved and less academically driven than white children, or our schools are quite simply failing the black students. Wanless suggested the latter to be the case and branded our school system “institutionally racist”.

Regardless of which explanation we believe to be true, the key fact remains: black pupils are disproportionately denied mainstream education and the subsequent life chances it normally offers. As a result, these children are more likely to resort to antisocial behaviour, smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and committing serious crimes. Furthermore, they are less likely to achieve five good GCSEs (or an equivalent qualification), more likely to be unemployed and likely to earn on average £36,000 less during their lifetimes. (The Independent, 2006)

Do we need special schools for black kids in Britain?

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Obama Did It – So Can We!

February 14, 2009

Exciting things are happening in the Academy, so here’s an update for you all:

As of Monday 16 February we have a volunteer fundraiser!! John and I are proud and happy to say welcome aboard to Kate O’Donohue who will be the Project Co-ordinator for fundraising. Obama based his whole presidential election campaign on small contributions from ordinary people who believed in his cause. Education, as you probably know, is a costly exercise, but if Obama could make it to the White House we can raise the funds we need to make a difference in our own corner of the universe! I’m sure we can look forward to info and updates from Kate in the near future. In the mean time, please help us spread the word and forward the link to our brand new chip in fundraising page.

We are equally proud and happy to say welcome aboard to Donna Armitage, who is volunteering her expertise in youth work as a member of our Advisory Board.

At the moment we have two discussions going on in our facebook message board: “Are Black Kids Less Academically Driven than White Kids?” and “Do We Need Special Schools for Black Kids?“. Please, feel free to join in the discussions and to start new ones! We’d love to get your feedback on our projects, on education and youth work, on the worries we face as parents and teachers today etc.

We are currently looking for more volunteers as we need mentors for our young people and project co-ordinators to help get our Community Outreach projects off the ground. We’re setting up a MySpace page where we will be targeting young people and showing what we have on offer for them. There are also plans for a fundraising fête with a talent show and, possibly, a party during the April school holiday. Last but not least, we’ve started a mailing list for our supporters. Give us a shout if you want to be on the list and we’ll add your name and make sure you never miss out on an update.

Well, that’s it for now. As you can see we have loads of stuff going on, and you’re more than welcome to join in the fun! Every little helps and together we can make a difference!

//John & Evalena