Bill Spooner grew up in Cairns in the 1960s and attended local schools before graduating from Queensland College of Art in 1973. He taught art and worked in careers education and curriculum development in Queensland. In 1997, he resigned from Education Queensland and set up his own coaching academy focused on motivating children to learn and achieve success. The document provides 57 tips for parents on how to motivate children in their learning and development, such as establishing a dedicated study area, encouraging reading, spending quality time together, and helping children develop self-esteem and ownership over their learning.
Fit and Fine...that's our motto.
Eat right, exercise well and stay happy.
This issue of Udgam Matters focusses mainly on some simple yoga aasanas for everyday health, homeopathy for good health and the healthy food options available in our school. You will also find valuable tips to keep school bags light and comfortable, 11 top reasons why you should speak English and how to manage stammering in speech. Find out about the Proactivity Club activities and enrol today.
Read and enjoy Udgam Matters and send your feedback to matters@udgamschool.com
Udgam Matters is here with our cover story on the necessity of Air Conditioners in schools.
We have been the proud recipient of Times Education Icons and you can find out more in the pages.
Childhood depression is quite common and tips from our counsellor will enable you to deal with it.
Articles by our students and a heart tugging poem by a sister for her lost twin brother are definitely worth reading.
This newsletter provides information about upcoming events at the British International School - Ho Chi Minh City An Phu Primary. It includes the dates for half term holiday, an upcoming business and enterprise day where students will develop business ideas, and reminders about uniform policy and club pick up times. It also introduces the school's new ICT teacher, Mr. Paul, and discusses building the school community through recent family picnic and math calculation workshops events.
What does the passport mean to a primary school Udgamite?
Should we reward result or endeavour?
Which are the best museums in the world?
What’s new in this Summer Camp?
Have you filled in the Annual Survey Form?
Read this issue of Udgam Matters to find out the answers to above and more…
The document summarizes several events at the British International School in Ho Chi Minh City's Secondary Campus. It discusses the successful performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the PTG annual general meeting, a challenging Year 10 International Award trip to Dalat, a Geography photo competition, and presentations from Year 8 students on the best energy source for Vietnam as part of a Green Day event. It also provides information on upcoming exams and the April-May holiday schedule.
The document discusses the beginning of a new school year from the perspective of a child and provides guidance for parents.
In 3 sentences:
The document expresses the excitement a child feels on the first day of a new school year in a new grade, seeing it as a happy day with possibilities. It then provides parents with 13 suggestions for supporting their child's success in the new school year, such as communicating regularly with the teacher, being familiar with school rules and policies, and helping the child accept changes.
Udgam School has waged a war on diabetes, a disorder that can have debilitating effects.
This issue of Udgam Matters takes up the challenge further and covers several aspects of diabetes, right from facts, myths, precautions and how to live with it.
Soon we are going to have the much awaited Neon Run and we would like you all to participate in it and prove that running and daily exercise is a sure way to fight diabetes.
Playgroup admission is on. Please spread the word that this is a great opportunity to be a part of the best school for 16 years.
Read and enjoy another special edition of the school magazine, Udgam Matters!
1. Snehal Joshi posted on Facebook about various topics including yoga day, father's day, childhood memories, environment day, and the importance of accepting reality.
2. She discusses the health benefits of yoga and encourages regular practice. She also notes how father roles have changed over generations to become more nurturing and involved in childcare.
3. In childhood memories, she shares what young students said they want to be when older and respects their imagination, though their futures may change.
Fit and Fine...that's our motto.
Eat right, exercise well and stay happy.
This issue of Udgam Matters focusses mainly on some simple yoga aasanas for everyday health, homeopathy for good health and the healthy food options available in our school. You will also find valuable tips to keep school bags light and comfortable, 11 top reasons why you should speak English and how to manage stammering in speech. Find out about the Proactivity Club activities and enrol today.
Read and enjoy Udgam Matters and send your feedback to matters@udgamschool.com
Udgam Matters is here with our cover story on the necessity of Air Conditioners in schools.
We have been the proud recipient of Times Education Icons and you can find out more in the pages.
Childhood depression is quite common and tips from our counsellor will enable you to deal with it.
Articles by our students and a heart tugging poem by a sister for her lost twin brother are definitely worth reading.
This newsletter provides information about upcoming events at the British International School - Ho Chi Minh City An Phu Primary. It includes the dates for half term holiday, an upcoming business and enterprise day where students will develop business ideas, and reminders about uniform policy and club pick up times. It also introduces the school's new ICT teacher, Mr. Paul, and discusses building the school community through recent family picnic and math calculation workshops events.
What does the passport mean to a primary school Udgamite?
Should we reward result or endeavour?
Which are the best museums in the world?
What’s new in this Summer Camp?
Have you filled in the Annual Survey Form?
Read this issue of Udgam Matters to find out the answers to above and more…
The document summarizes several events at the British International School in Ho Chi Minh City's Secondary Campus. It discusses the successful performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the PTG annual general meeting, a challenging Year 10 International Award trip to Dalat, a Geography photo competition, and presentations from Year 8 students on the best energy source for Vietnam as part of a Green Day event. It also provides information on upcoming exams and the April-May holiday schedule.
The document discusses the beginning of a new school year from the perspective of a child and provides guidance for parents.
In 3 sentences:
The document expresses the excitement a child feels on the first day of a new school year in a new grade, seeing it as a happy day with possibilities. It then provides parents with 13 suggestions for supporting their child's success in the new school year, such as communicating regularly with the teacher, being familiar with school rules and policies, and helping the child accept changes.
Udgam School has waged a war on diabetes, a disorder that can have debilitating effects.
This issue of Udgam Matters takes up the challenge further and covers several aspects of diabetes, right from facts, myths, precautions and how to live with it.
Soon we are going to have the much awaited Neon Run and we would like you all to participate in it and prove that running and daily exercise is a sure way to fight diabetes.
Playgroup admission is on. Please spread the word that this is a great opportunity to be a part of the best school for 16 years.
Read and enjoy another special edition of the school magazine, Udgam Matters!
1. Snehal Joshi posted on Facebook about various topics including yoga day, father's day, childhood memories, environment day, and the importance of accepting reality.
2. She discusses the health benefits of yoga and encourages regular practice. She also notes how father roles have changed over generations to become more nurturing and involved in childcare.
3. In childhood memories, she shares what young students said they want to be when older and respects their imagination, though their futures may change.
The PTA plays an important role in student learning and addressing factors that discourage learning. Students may struggle due to their home environment, lack of motivation, lack of leadership skills, or issues with classroom environment. To help students, the PTA can work to increase parent involvement in education, provide support and encouragement at home, help develop students' interpersonal skills, and create a positive classroom setting. With cooperation between parents and teachers, many issues affecting student performance can be addressed.
This August issue has a blend of everything...how newcomers have adapted to Udgam, the dual role of parents (a must read for all), our new Cabinet Ministers, Book and Movie Reviews, recollections of an alumni and the right way to read to your child, besides amazing write ups and paintings by our teachers and students.
Read and enjoy another issue of Udgam Matters, our school magazine and write to us at matters@udgamschool.com
Yes, we have done it!
Our school newsletter is a school magazine now.
Udgam Matters has plenty of new features for all to read and enjoy.
We have included parents’ talk for the benefit of other parents, pages on General Knowledge along with Science and Technology, inspirational story, book review, movie review, personality test and of course articles by our teachers and write-ups and colours by our students and plenty more…
We would definitely appreciate it if you take two minutes to send your feedback to newsletter@udgamschool.com
Parent letter introducing child to teachermwinfield1
The teacher is asking parents to write a letter introducing their child to help the teacher understand each student's unique needs, interests, and how best to support them. The parent letter should provide details about the child's personality, likes, dislikes, goals, and any other information that would help the teacher interact with and teach the child effectively.
The Importance Of A Good School Environment For Creative DevelopmentKapilPunetha2
This document discusses the importance of fostering creativity in school environments. It argues that creativity is an essential life skill and schools should encourage creative development. The document provides several strategies schools can use to promote creativity, including recognizing creative efforts, allowing visual reflection, maintaining a flexible learning space, introducing novel resources, encouraging hands-on learning and conversation, not restricting assignments to single formats, and rewarding accomplishments. The overall message is that teachers play a key role in nurturing students' creativity through the school environment.
This is professional speaker Steve Maguire's 1/2 day staff training event for the Old Colony YMCA at the Whitman Middle School in Whitman, MA. This session covered many topics including... customer service, verbal and non-verbal communication, goal setting and the reality of working with families and kids.
Commencement speech - at Saint John School BSDNiwa Dwitama
This speech was given by Niwa Rahmad Dwitama at a graduation ceremony for Saint John School in BSD, Indonesia on June 8, 2013. In the speech, Niwa shares his personal story of initially wanting to become a doctor but later deciding to study international relations in university instead, against his parents' wishes. He discusses founding a youth organization called IFL to promote volunteering and empower young people. Niwa hopes his story will motivate the graduates to pursue their passions.
ODM Public School is an elite school and is the best cbse school in Bhubaneswar. It provides quality tutoring for students, lively campus and dedicated staff which makes it the best cbse school in Bhubaneswar.
The teacher introduces herself to the parents of students entering the 3rd grade. She explains that her goal for the year is to help students become independent learners who make responsible choices. She attaches forms for parents to fill out along with the class schedule. The teacher emphasizes the importance of communication, providing a classroom blog for parents to stay updated on lessons and events. She welcomes parents to contact her with any questions or concerns.
21 powerful lessons parents should teach their childrenJay Eitner
The document outlines 21 powerful life lessons that parents should teach their children to help them become the best version of themselves and find peace, freedom and contentment. Some of the key lessons mentioned include admitting mistakes, valuing friendship over power, being grateful for what you have, listening more than speaking, using obstacles as stepping stones, and taking responsibility for your own actions and destiny. The purpose is to provide wise guidance to help children develop into conscious, intelligent, and happy individuals who can successfully deal with life's challenges.
This document discusses the speaker's reflections on his career in education over the past 19 years. He notes that while there have been many initiatives proposed to change schools, he questions how much has truly changed. The speaker emphasizes the importance of building relationships and focusing on developing students' character and social skills, rather than just academic achievement. He is curious to see how schools may change over the next 18 years as his son goes through the school system.
Hostel going students are those with much more excitement and they are energetic because of the new lifestyle they are going to step into. It is always a responsible thing which should parents consider in case of hostel going students to make sure that their children are all set and fit to go outside and live their life, on their own terms, by adopting few skills and by adding extra flavour to their lives.
This document provides information for parents about the upcoming school year for a second grade class taught by Mrs. Hilda Durán at Zeeland Christian School. It outlines details such as Mrs. Durán's background, classroom procedures, daily schedules, homework expectations, and skill goals for subjects like Bible, social studies, science, math, and language arts. Parents will learn important dates, communication methods, and classroom policies to prepare their children for a successful year of learning.
Independence - The best gift you can give your childManaan Choksi
The document discusses the importance of fostering independence in children from an early age. It argues that being overly helpful and doing things for children that they are capable of doing themselves can have negative long term effects, making children dependent and lacking in confidence. Instead, parents should guide children and give them responsibilities appropriate for their age to build self-reliance. Gradually letting children learn to handle more on their own from a young age is presented as the best way to prepare them for future challenges and enable them to become functioning adults.
This document contains a speech on parenting tips given by Dr. Fikri Nasir. The speech discusses that being a good parent involves expressing unconditional love, being a good role model, listening to children, making time for them, and helping them build character. Specific parenting tips mentioned include praising children, avoiding comparisons, listening without judgment, setting aside dedicated family time, teaching independence, and disciplining consistently. The speech emphasizes that every child is unique but good parenting can help children become confident and well-adjusted adults through a loving relationship.
William ste. marie educational portfolio2besalabak
The document outlines a classroom management plan to address disrespectful behavior from a student named Michael. It describes Michael's behavior issues, connects it to Danielson's framework, and lists specific interventions to try, including pairing Michael with cooperative students, having him attend an advisory session on feedback, and arranging a criminal intervention workshop. The plan aims to slowly reintegrate Michael into classroom activities by building on positive interactions and providing reinforcement through communication with his parents.
The document is the February 2015 issue of UKED Magazine, which supports the educational community. It includes articles on early childhood intervention, teaching Mandarin Chinese, improving student learning, highlights from an education technology conference, and international school partnerships. It also advertises teaching jobs and encourages teachers to write for the magazine.
Misti Reynolds wrote a multigenre essay documenting her search for the right college. Section one describes her final year of high school and factors that led her to consider college. Section two details her struggles in the college search process, including visiting schools, applying to multiple options, and determining what programs fit her goals of becoming an elementary/special education teacher. Section three explains that after being accepted to several colleges, Misti decided to attend Ball State University because their dual teaching program was the best fit to help her achieve her dream career.
Susan Taylor has a recurring nightmare about dropping off her daughter for her first day of high school. The document provides tips for parents and students to ease the transition to high school, including attending freshman orientation where students and parents learn about the school and resources. It emphasizes the importance of parents communicating with teachers and staying involved during the student's freshman year.
This document contains a schedule of subjects for different classrooms on different days as well as a comparison of two classrooms in photographs and descriptions of the students and teachers. It also includes a list of possible subjects studied in schools and a short true/false quiz.
This document discusses the important role that parents play in preventing substance abuse. It provides tips for parents on how to get involved in their children's lives, communicate effectively, build their self-esteem, set rules, and be good role models. It also outlines steps to take if a child is using drugs or alcohol, including getting support, staying calm during confrontation, and following treatment recommendations. The overall message is that parents need to spend quality time with their children, make them feel loved and valued, and help them develop life skills to build resiliency against substance abuse.
201 Indian English Literature-Pre IndependencePandyaMayuri
The document discusses the role of parents in a child's education. It provides several ways parents can support their child's learning, such as being role models, reading together, helping with homework, preparing for tests, and taking educational trips. It also discusses the importance of providing a supportive home environment, giving constructive feedback, and rewarding academic achievement. However, it cautions against "helicopter parenting" which is closely controlling a child's life instead of fostering independence. The optimal level of parental involvement supports learning without becoming overbearing.
The PTA plays an important role in student learning and addressing factors that discourage learning. Students may struggle due to their home environment, lack of motivation, lack of leadership skills, or issues with classroom environment. To help students, the PTA can work to increase parent involvement in education, provide support and encouragement at home, help develop students' interpersonal skills, and create a positive classroom setting. With cooperation between parents and teachers, many issues affecting student performance can be addressed.
This August issue has a blend of everything...how newcomers have adapted to Udgam, the dual role of parents (a must read for all), our new Cabinet Ministers, Book and Movie Reviews, recollections of an alumni and the right way to read to your child, besides amazing write ups and paintings by our teachers and students.
Read and enjoy another issue of Udgam Matters, our school magazine and write to us at matters@udgamschool.com
Yes, we have done it!
Our school newsletter is a school magazine now.
Udgam Matters has plenty of new features for all to read and enjoy.
We have included parents’ talk for the benefit of other parents, pages on General Knowledge along with Science and Technology, inspirational story, book review, movie review, personality test and of course articles by our teachers and write-ups and colours by our students and plenty more…
We would definitely appreciate it if you take two minutes to send your feedback to newsletter@udgamschool.com
Parent letter introducing child to teachermwinfield1
The teacher is asking parents to write a letter introducing their child to help the teacher understand each student's unique needs, interests, and how best to support them. The parent letter should provide details about the child's personality, likes, dislikes, goals, and any other information that would help the teacher interact with and teach the child effectively.
The Importance Of A Good School Environment For Creative DevelopmentKapilPunetha2
This document discusses the importance of fostering creativity in school environments. It argues that creativity is an essential life skill and schools should encourage creative development. The document provides several strategies schools can use to promote creativity, including recognizing creative efforts, allowing visual reflection, maintaining a flexible learning space, introducing novel resources, encouraging hands-on learning and conversation, not restricting assignments to single formats, and rewarding accomplishments. The overall message is that teachers play a key role in nurturing students' creativity through the school environment.
This is professional speaker Steve Maguire's 1/2 day staff training event for the Old Colony YMCA at the Whitman Middle School in Whitman, MA. This session covered many topics including... customer service, verbal and non-verbal communication, goal setting and the reality of working with families and kids.
Commencement speech - at Saint John School BSDNiwa Dwitama
This speech was given by Niwa Rahmad Dwitama at a graduation ceremony for Saint John School in BSD, Indonesia on June 8, 2013. In the speech, Niwa shares his personal story of initially wanting to become a doctor but later deciding to study international relations in university instead, against his parents' wishes. He discusses founding a youth organization called IFL to promote volunteering and empower young people. Niwa hopes his story will motivate the graduates to pursue their passions.
ODM Public School is an elite school and is the best cbse school in Bhubaneswar. It provides quality tutoring for students, lively campus and dedicated staff which makes it the best cbse school in Bhubaneswar.
The teacher introduces herself to the parents of students entering the 3rd grade. She explains that her goal for the year is to help students become independent learners who make responsible choices. She attaches forms for parents to fill out along with the class schedule. The teacher emphasizes the importance of communication, providing a classroom blog for parents to stay updated on lessons and events. She welcomes parents to contact her with any questions or concerns.
21 powerful lessons parents should teach their childrenJay Eitner
The document outlines 21 powerful life lessons that parents should teach their children to help them become the best version of themselves and find peace, freedom and contentment. Some of the key lessons mentioned include admitting mistakes, valuing friendship over power, being grateful for what you have, listening more than speaking, using obstacles as stepping stones, and taking responsibility for your own actions and destiny. The purpose is to provide wise guidance to help children develop into conscious, intelligent, and happy individuals who can successfully deal with life's challenges.
This document discusses the speaker's reflections on his career in education over the past 19 years. He notes that while there have been many initiatives proposed to change schools, he questions how much has truly changed. The speaker emphasizes the importance of building relationships and focusing on developing students' character and social skills, rather than just academic achievement. He is curious to see how schools may change over the next 18 years as his son goes through the school system.
Hostel going students are those with much more excitement and they are energetic because of the new lifestyle they are going to step into. It is always a responsible thing which should parents consider in case of hostel going students to make sure that their children are all set and fit to go outside and live their life, on their own terms, by adopting few skills and by adding extra flavour to their lives.
This document provides information for parents about the upcoming school year for a second grade class taught by Mrs. Hilda Durán at Zeeland Christian School. It outlines details such as Mrs. Durán's background, classroom procedures, daily schedules, homework expectations, and skill goals for subjects like Bible, social studies, science, math, and language arts. Parents will learn important dates, communication methods, and classroom policies to prepare their children for a successful year of learning.
Independence - The best gift you can give your childManaan Choksi
The document discusses the importance of fostering independence in children from an early age. It argues that being overly helpful and doing things for children that they are capable of doing themselves can have negative long term effects, making children dependent and lacking in confidence. Instead, parents should guide children and give them responsibilities appropriate for their age to build self-reliance. Gradually letting children learn to handle more on their own from a young age is presented as the best way to prepare them for future challenges and enable them to become functioning adults.
This document contains a speech on parenting tips given by Dr. Fikri Nasir. The speech discusses that being a good parent involves expressing unconditional love, being a good role model, listening to children, making time for them, and helping them build character. Specific parenting tips mentioned include praising children, avoiding comparisons, listening without judgment, setting aside dedicated family time, teaching independence, and disciplining consistently. The speech emphasizes that every child is unique but good parenting can help children become confident and well-adjusted adults through a loving relationship.
William ste. marie educational portfolio2besalabak
The document outlines a classroom management plan to address disrespectful behavior from a student named Michael. It describes Michael's behavior issues, connects it to Danielson's framework, and lists specific interventions to try, including pairing Michael with cooperative students, having him attend an advisory session on feedback, and arranging a criminal intervention workshop. The plan aims to slowly reintegrate Michael into classroom activities by building on positive interactions and providing reinforcement through communication with his parents.
The document is the February 2015 issue of UKED Magazine, which supports the educational community. It includes articles on early childhood intervention, teaching Mandarin Chinese, improving student learning, highlights from an education technology conference, and international school partnerships. It also advertises teaching jobs and encourages teachers to write for the magazine.
Misti Reynolds wrote a multigenre essay documenting her search for the right college. Section one describes her final year of high school and factors that led her to consider college. Section two details her struggles in the college search process, including visiting schools, applying to multiple options, and determining what programs fit her goals of becoming an elementary/special education teacher. Section three explains that after being accepted to several colleges, Misti decided to attend Ball State University because their dual teaching program was the best fit to help her achieve her dream career.
Susan Taylor has a recurring nightmare about dropping off her daughter for her first day of high school. The document provides tips for parents and students to ease the transition to high school, including attending freshman orientation where students and parents learn about the school and resources. It emphasizes the importance of parents communicating with teachers and staying involved during the student's freshman year.
This document contains a schedule of subjects for different classrooms on different days as well as a comparison of two classrooms in photographs and descriptions of the students and teachers. It also includes a list of possible subjects studied in schools and a short true/false quiz.
This document discusses the important role that parents play in preventing substance abuse. It provides tips for parents on how to get involved in their children's lives, communicate effectively, build their self-esteem, set rules, and be good role models. It also outlines steps to take if a child is using drugs or alcohol, including getting support, staying calm during confrontation, and following treatment recommendations. The overall message is that parents need to spend quality time with their children, make them feel loved and valued, and help them develop life skills to build resiliency against substance abuse.
201 Indian English Literature-Pre IndependencePandyaMayuri
The document discusses the role of parents in a child's education. It provides several ways parents can support their child's learning, such as being role models, reading together, helping with homework, preparing for tests, and taking educational trips. It also discusses the importance of providing a supportive home environment, giving constructive feedback, and rewarding academic achievement. However, it cautions against "helicopter parenting" which is closely controlling a child's life instead of fostering independence. The optimal level of parental involvement supports learning without becoming overbearing.
This document provides information for a parental workshop. It discusses the important role that parents play in a child's education, noting that research shows parents are 82% responsible for a child's development compared to 15% for schools and 3% for the community. It outlines ways parents can support their child's learning at home such as promoting good study habits, talking about the school day, getting to know friends, and advocating for their child at school. The document also discusses the importance of regular sleep schedules and routines for children. It emphasizes that families being involved in a child's learning positively impacts achievement.
Lesson 9 | Real Time – faith | Sabbath School | Second Quarter 2015jespadill
The document discusses different aspects of teaching, including:
1) Dealing with an angry student who received a bad grade by being honest but also understanding of the teacher's perspective.
2) Reflecting on quotes about teaching and learning to determine which views align with biblical principles.
3) Interviews with two teachers sharing both benefits and challenges of the profession, including connecting with students but also dealing with workload, behavior issues, and not reaching all students.
4) The importance of both teachers and students continuously learning and growing throughout life.
This document discusses the experiences of a woman who was born blind and became successful despite her blindness. It begins by providing an overview of her childhood, education, career, and family. The main part of the document focuses on advice and resources for parents of blind children. It emphasizes the importance of early intervention, advocating for children, teaching independent living skills, encouraging hobbies, and maintaining high expectations. The woman credits her parents and early support system for providing her with the skills and confidence to complete her education and become a successful genetic counselor.
The disorder referred to in the document is often misdiagnosed or goes undiagnosed. Failure to properly diagnose and treat the disorder can lead to academic, workplace, physical, emotional, and legal problems. The syndrome can be easily identified and treated through the use of non-invasive colored filters, such as glasses, which lead to immediate and dramatic improvement in symptoms. Extensive research over 200 studies supports the use of colored overlays and lenses to treat processing difficulties associated with the syndrome.
Bill Spooner's Coaching Academy provides tutoring and enrichment programs that have helped many students improve their academic performance and confidence. Students and parents provide glowing testimonials about the positive impact of Bill Spooner's programs. They describe students gaining a newfound love of learning, improving their grades dramatically, and becoming more motivated and self-assured because of the academy's personalized instruction and encouragement. Parents are grateful for the support and guidance that helps their children succeed in school.
The document discusses Irlen Syndrome, a little known disorder that can cause difficulties with reading and learning for apparently bright children. It affects an estimated 10-12% of the population and causes the printed page and environment to be perceived differently. Common symptoms include issues with reading text on glossy white paper or print that shifts or blurs. It can coexist with other learning difficulties like dyslexia. Irlen Syndrome is often undiagnosed and misdiagnosed, but specialized colored lenses have been shown to help reduce perception difficulties and improve reading performance for those affected. The document provides contact information for Bill Spooner's Coaching Academy, which can provide assessments to diagnose Irlen Syndrome.
1. Page 1 of 12
ill Spooner grew up in the Cairns of the 1960’s. His father, deciding
that Sydney was no place to bring up children moved the family
north in January 1960. Bob Spooner was Cairns’ first specialist
physician and a pioneer in many areas of tropical medicine.
Bill and his sisters went to Edge Hill Primary School. Bill then went to
Trinity Bay High School and attended Cairns High for years eleven and
twelve attending The Southport School on the Gold Coast.
In 1973 he graduated from the Queensland College of Art and completed a
Post Graduate Diploma of Teaching in 1975.
Bill taught secondary art at local high schools before moving away from the
class room to work in careers education, senior schooling and as an adviser
to schools and teachers in curriculum development. This gave Bill the
opportunity to broaden his educational interests and to work at the cutting
edge of education at a state, national and international level.
He has been actively involved in many professional and community
associations and projects, all designed to further the cause of education and
to further the ties between schools, parents and the business community.
In 1997 his career saw a major change when he resigned from Education
Queensland and set up Bill Spooner’s Coaching Academy having decided
that he could make a greater contribution to children and their parents by
working in the private arena. Bill has a passion for motivating children to
learn, to achieve success and happiness.
He has five children ranging in age from 30 to 3 months and lives with his
wife Noeline and three younger children at Lake Placid.
101 Ways to Motivate Your Child
elcome to my little book. I hope that these words of encouragement will
assist you in some small way in the greatest task of your life; the raising of
your children. School and education take up a major part of the lives of
children. As a parent of four children ranging in age from twenty-six to eight
months and as an educator for twenty seven years I have had the joy and
privilege of spending a lot of time with my own children and with the children of other
B
W
2. Page 2 of 12
people. This, along with working as an adviser to teachers, has given me the opportunity
and time to think about learning and how to motivate children to learn.
I have often wondered why it is that babies and very young children embrace learning
and development with a natural joy and exuberance and so many older children are
turned off by learning, or at least by learning what the society requires them to learn. As
educators and parents, we tend to put the blame for our anxiety about their apparent
negativity on our children. I believe that instead of asking what is wrong with the
children we should be asking what is wrong with us and what we can do about their
anxiety.
Kids soon learn that education is not always about learning, but that it is a competitive
sorting and grading process. A process of elimination. They change from being the active
participants of learning that they were as little ones to be unwilling, passive recipients of
learning. Children may feel that they lose control of their learning and have it imposed on
them. The preoccupation can be with right and wrong. A black and white approach to life
and too often the emphasis can be is on what is wrong. The world is in actual fact an
ambiguous place.
I honestly believe that every child is born a genius. That every child is gifted in some
way. No child should ever be given any reason to doubt his or her self worth or ability to
achieve.
1. Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach him to fish and he eats for life. Inspire
him and he owns a chain of seafood restaurants.
2. When a baby is learning to walk, what do you do? You hold your arms out and offer
encouragement. When he falls down onto his fat, little bottom, what does he do? He
gives you a big, gummy grin and tries again. Nobody tells him he just failed.
3. Most of us are blessed with children with perfectly functioning organs; lungs, liver,
etc. The brain is also a perfectly functioning organ. Tell this to your children.
4. Your child deserves every success. Believe this.
5. If you have little ones, make it your life's number one priority that, despite
everything, you will not let them lose their natural exuberance for learning.
6. The sum total of the world's knowledge is doubling every 2.5 years. Our children will
live in a century that will see changes that we cannot possibly imagine. This is a good
and wonderful thing because it will provide opportunities for success and happiness
never before seen. Rapid change provides for new opportunities. Instil this positive
view of the future into your children. Counter the negativity of the doom and gloom
merchants.
7. Don't cling to the past. Would you really like to go back to the eighties, seventies,
sixties, fifties, let alone the thirties and forties? The world is getting better, despite
what the media would have us believe.
8. There is a big bright, beautiful, future ahead. Believe it and tell your children often.
9. Children need to know how to learn, more than what to learn. Learning how to learn
takes the stress out of learning and like everything, once you know how, it's easy.
Help them look at creative, lateral ways to achieve solutions.
3. Page 3 of 12
10. We all have different learning styles. Some of us are visual learners, others are
auditory learners and still others are kinaesthetic learners. You can find what style of
learning suits your child and help him or her to cater for this. Some people are not
good at sitting at a desk all the time. They need to get up, walk around, and talk to
themselves. Visual people learn by making pictures in their minds. An auditory
person likes to talk about what is being learned.
11. The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Encourage your
children to teach you what they are learning. You will need to be a good student and
genuinely curious.
12. If you are the father of boys it is imperative that you are a reader of books. It is never
too late to develop the habit of reading. Boys need to see that men value books.
13. Books put us inside other people's heads. They expand our minds. They teach us.
Students who are habitual readers are invariably more successful at school than those
who are not. Join the library. Buy books
14. If you read one good book a month to your kids you will do much more for their
education than the entire education system will achieve in ten years. Bruce Courtney
15. Boys need to see that men value learning and knowledge. Many boys regard learning
as a feminine activity. Most of their teachers are women. It is mostly Mum who gets
anxious about school. It is Mum who goes to the parent teacher night. It is Mum who
makes the lunches.
16. Dad, you make the lunches. You ring the school. You initiate a meeting with his
teacher. Don't make it a big deal and don't wait for a reason. Do your best to help your
child's teacher with his learning.
17. Get to know your child's teachers and establish a relationship with them. The results
of this will amaze you.
18. I have always said to my students, "Tell your parents that I am here to help them with
your learning." As a parent adopt this attitude.
19. In the past, boys learned by helping their fathers work and by watching. This rarely
happens in this post-industrial age that we live in. Fathers go to offices and come
home exhausted. Share what you do with you son. It will make him feel valued.
20. Nobody ever lay on his or her deathbed and said, "I wish that I had spent more time at
the office."
21. Children have more need of models than of critics. Be a role model for your children.
22. Surround your son with good adult male role models; his uncles, your mates. As
fathers, we all need help to raise our sons. This is how we used to do it. Some cultures
still do.
23. Go and buy the book, "Rich Kid Smart Kid" by Robert T. Kijosaki. Don't think about
it, do it. Today.
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24. Practise the art of positive thinking. If you are positive and enthusiastic about life,
your kids will be too.
25. Ask your child who is responsible for his or her learning. The answer will be, "I am."
We are talking about the concept of being an independent learner. This is a great
thing to think about. As independent learners it is the individual learner who is
running the show; who 'owns' the learning. Help your child to assume ownership of
his or her learning.
26. Teach them that dreams are not something to wait for; they are something to work
for.
27. You are the client of your child's school in the same ways as you are the client of your
dentist, doctor or greengrocer. Help the school with this concept.
28. Some parents go into schools with trepidation because it brings back memories of
their own schooling. Get over it. Show that you are positive about school.
29. Never criticise the children's teachers in front of them. Have such discussions away
from them. Make the discussion positive and if you feel that there is a problem ring
the school and make an appointment. You will often find that the problem is merely
one of communication and easily fixed.
30. Don't criticise the teaching profession. Show that you value teachers as people who
are doing the most important job in the community. They are not doing it because
they want to be rich.
31. How many children have you got? How would you like to be locked up with a
thousand of them every day? Think about it.
32. Before you choose a new school for your child, visit the school on a working day.
Walk around, get the feel of the place. Good schools are happy schools. Good
teachers are warm, happy people.
33. Don't punish. Punishment is an out of date concept and leads to more negativity. Use
rewards. Give them a treat when they do well. Come home with a pass to the movies,
have a celebratory dinner with the family, buy the doodad that you've been getting
pestered for.
34. However, be spontaneous with these rewards and don’t mention the treat until after
the accomplishment. Do not motivate children with extrinsic rewards. This suggests
to the child that the activity is difficult or unpleasant otherwise, why is a reward,
which has nothing to do with the task at hand, being offered? The wise parent says,
“You’re really enjoying that book!” not “If you read this book you can go to the
movies on Saturday!”
35. Don't criticise. Criticism is not good for self-esteem, particularly for teenagers, many
of whom are more fragile than they pretend to be. Use praise. "You got a C– for
maths? Honey, that's just fantastic! Next time it will be a C+ for sure."
36. Don’t spoil them. They know quite well that they shouldn’t have all that they ask for.
They are only testing you. It is a way of asking for discipline.
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37. Remember the only result that really counts is the final one. The rest are a practice
run.
38. In life we learn by making mistakes. The first time we do anything we usually get it
wrong. Unfortunately, in education there can be an over emphasis on what is wrong.
Emphasise what is right, instead.
39. Learn how the assessment system works. There are two forms of assessment;
summative and formative. Summative counts; formative is a progress report.
40. When your child gets an assignment, have a look at the assessment criteria. This will
tell you how the assignment will be marked. By monitoring (not doing) the
assignment you can help your child stay on task and to the point.
41. There are two kinds of homework. The homework set by the teacher and the
homework set by the student (independent learner.)
42. One of the biggest barriers to study is simple time management. You can help with
this. Children like routine and predicability. Help to draw up a table with the days of
the week across the top. Divide each day into one hour blocks (down the left column)
starting at (say) 4 pm or whenever and going through to bedtime. Include the
weekend if study is done then. For each day and hour put in everything that has to be
done; dinner, evening chores, part time job and that just has to be watched TV
program. Divide the time remaining into two lots. One for set homework and
assignments and the other for study and revision.
43. Make a pact that this has to be strictly adhered to. Offer rewards for good time
management. After the first hour or so, take in a chocolate or glass of milk and offer
quiet encouragement. Help them reward themselves. "I am going to do my algebra
first and get it out of the way and then I am going to have a five minute break and do
something nice."
44. Talk to them with the same respect that you give to your adult friends.
45. They need to always have a novel on the go. This is read in bed before they go to
sleep.
46. Help them to avoid procrastination. Do it with humour, don't nag. (If you have to eat
a frog, don't look at it too long.)
47. They need their sense of dignity. Don’t belittle them in front of other people.
48. Your (particularly high school) child needs an efficient, organised, systematic study
area. There must be good lighting and ventilation. A good-sized desk or table, book
shelves and storage systems. You can buy cheap cardboard ones at office supply
shops. Have a pinboard above the desk for assignment deadlines, timetables, current
mindmaps (some kids will know what these are), goals, etc. Include the family's
positive affirmation of the week. You can find heaps of these on the internet or from
books; eg " The power is within me!" Don't make a big deal about this, just make it a
simple family routine. Stick one on the fridge too and refer to it.
49. Head banging music is definitely not appropriate to study, no matter what your
fourteen-year-old boy may say. Calming, slow beat music definitely is. Encourage
soft Baroque (yes Baroque!) music or some of that New Age music playing in the
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background. Have an electric oil vaporiser going in the room or the house. Don't use
one with a flame. Heat calming, pleasant essential oils.
50. Any form of stress or pressure stops learning dead in its tracks. Anxiety causes rapid
brain cycle activity and puts us into "Beta". In Beta, we are only using our conscious
mind. The "here and now" where our short-term memory is. Think about it like this.
You are running late in the morning, trying to get everyone out of the house and
chaos is reigning. There is a shoe missing, the dog hasn't been fed, it's garbo day and
your car keys have disappeared. You stop; you take a deep breath, close you eyes for
a moment and turn around. And guess what? There are the car keys. Why? Because
you calmed down, slowed your brain cycles and went into "Alpha". This is where
your memory and subconscious are. This is where kids need to be to learn and study.
When they are calm, relaxed and in control of their learning, information gets into
their subconscious. If they go into an exam situation in the same state, they can
retrieve the information back from the subconscious. Don’t be anxious; relax.
51. Make sure that they drink lots of water. Brains need water.
52. Make breakfast the largest meal of the day and turn of the TV at dinnertime. Sit down
together at these two meals. Make it slightly formal; an "occasion". Observe the
conventions of etiquette. There is not enough of this around nowadays.
53. Courtesy and concern for others are society's lubricants and we learn these from our
parents.
54. Fathers, assist your sons to be ‘gentlemen’ by example. There is equal emphasis on
both the words 'gentle' and 'man'. I’m talking about those old fashioned things like the
car door, standing up, seating the lady and walking on the kerb side. A father needs to
counter the boorish behaviour demonstrated in the mass media by men towards
women. Such habits will do nothing but good for your sons’ feelings of self worth as
well as making him an even more likeable person.
55. Kids need physical activity. Find a sport and help them get good at it. It does wonders
for self-esteem. You may have to initiate this, but again don't make a song and dance
about it, just quietly do it. Get your teenagers off the couch and outside. Go for a run
before breakfast or in the evening with them. It will be good for you too.
56. Kids also need time out. Time to goof off and do nothing. Time to be kids. Time to
get dirty and go feral. Give then this time.
57. Too many kids have too much crammed into too little time. School, sport, part time
job, dancing lessons, etc. These are good, but strike a balance. Relax, they'll turn out
OK. You did.
58. Research has shown that children who are good at fantasising are far better learners
and cope better with disappointment than those who have lost this ability. But fantasy
requires time, and time is the most endangered commodity in our lives. Children need
time to dream, to think, to invent solutions to problems, to cope with stressful
experiences, and to simply fulfil the universal need for solitude.
59. Learn relaxation therapy and teach it to your kids.
60. Henry Ford once said: "Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're
right." You gotta have attitude! We talk to ourselves at least 50 000 times a
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day……and who listens? Help your kids to make their self-talk positive and to accept
themselves and others. Help them to list and write down their good points.
61. Be grateful and help your children to be grateful for life and all the good things
around - family, friends, good times and health. Rejoice and be thankful.
62. Talk to your children about classroom confidence. Identify the main purpose of the
lesson. Have water and be fed. Choose a good seat. Participate and interact. Ask
questions. Use positive self-talk.
63. Nobody has the right to interfere with another's learning. Classroom management is
part of a teacher's job. Unruly, disruptive behaviour is not on and must not be
tolerated. No excuses.
64. Your good rapport and positive relationship with the school will be of benefit to all.
65. Exams require long-term preparation and the day to day work at school is essential
for success. As the exam approaches, your child's systematic, calm routine at home
and at school will ensure success. The summaries and mindmaps are done and filed
for easy access. The questions have been asked, the problems solved. Your child is
calm, in control and confident. He or she has systematically revisited the summaries
due to the effective time management that you both put together. There has been
exercise, good food and a calm, supportive family. A family can be two people.
Success is assured!
66. Every child is born a genius and is gifted in at least one way. Recent study has shown
that we have multiple intelligences. There are at least seven of them and the old
notion of I.Q is no longer adequate. Your child is gifted in at least one of these areas
whether it be logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, kinaesthetic (these are the athletes
and dancers), musically, verbal linguistic, inter or intra personal. Put the spotlight on
the gift and nurture the others.
67. Some people learn the concept of humility from their parents. Others learn from bitter
experience.
68. Change the way that you ask your children to do things. Instead of saying ‘can you?’
or could you?’ say ‘would you?’ or ‘will you?’. Don’t say, “Could you do your
homework now?” Instead say, “Would you do your homework now, please?” Instead
of saying, “Can you take the rubbish out?” say, “Will you take the rubbish out,
please?” ‘Can’ and ‘could’ imply competence and children can think of a million
reasons why they can not or could not. Would and will still gives them the power to
negotiate but not a reason to say why they can not or could not. This works from
toddlers (“Would you not throw your toys?”) to teenagers. Consciously practise this
for a week until it becomes your habit. I guarantee that you will be astounded by the
results. To know more about this read John Gray’s brilliant book Children Are From
Heaven. He is the same author who wrote Men Are From Mars. Women are from
Venus, another brilliant book.
69. Talk to your children often about their learning. Teenagers can be reluctant to talk if
they expect a lecture or criticism. They also don’t want to know how it was in your
day. Talk in positive, affirmative ways without being demanding or pushy. Look for
every opportunity to praise and encourage.
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70. Make the mornings enjoyable, relaxed and smooth. The children will arrive at school
relaxed and ready to learn. Lateness, arguments and tension can affect the whole
day’s learning.
71. Don't tell them that their fears are silly. They are real and if you try to understand,
you will reassure them.
72. Children learn different things at different times and at different speeds. One child
may walk at nine months, his brother at twelve. One child may take to reading
quickly, the other to numbers. Still others may be putting the growth into physical
learning. Don’t compare one child to another. Don’t be anxious about the differences.
Expect them and enjoy them.
73. The fear of failure may often hold children back from learning new skills. Be
supportive when they flunk.
74. Einstein wrote, “It is a grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and
searching can be promoted by means of coercion.” When a one-year-old falls down
while learning to walk we say, “Good try! You’ll catch on soon!” No caring parent
would say. “Every baby your age should be walking. You’d better be walking by
Friday!”
75. Children are curious and risk takers. They have lots of courage. They venture into a
world that is immense and dangerous. A child initially trusts life and the processes of
life. Nurture this.
76. Young children learn by example. They watch you and they will see what you're
about by what you do, not what you say.
77. Boys should start school later than girls should. At this age, boys are mentally less
developed than girls, especially in fine-motor coordination which means that holding
pencils and scissors is more difficult. They are still in the stage of gross motor
development and want to move their large muscle around and not sit still. They see
that the girls are better than they are at writing and drawing and the teacher is a
woman. They think that school is for girls. Starting a year later gives them time to
catch up with the girls, a better chance to succeed and greater self-esteem.
78. The first three years of schooling are the most important.
79. In twelve years of schooling, the most important teacher is the first one.
80. As I write this, the thought for the week at Bill Spooner’s Coaching Academy is
“Passion is powerful….nothing was ever achieved without it and nothing can ever
take its place.” Adolescence is a passionate time. Kids want an intense and engaged
learning experience with men and women who challenge them. Learning should be
fun and energetic and the passion in the child should be matched by parents and
teachers.
81. Steve Biddulph, in his book Raising Boys, makes the point that boys make trouble to
get noticed. Girls ask for help, boys act for help. Boys who act as if they don’t care,
really do want to be successful and to be included. Often we make it too hard for
them and then we punish them. At one time, the ‘threat’ of their vitality was squashed
with the cane; now it is often done by tedious and bureaucratic ‘report’ systems.
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These are based on the psychology of distance. What they need are strong adults who
are close and involved with them so that if there is a problem, it’s easier to talk.
82. People are by nature learning animals. Birds fly; fish swim; humans think and learn.
Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing
and bullying. We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure that
they are learning.
83. John Holt, in his book How Children Learn, describes the natural learning style of
young children:
"The child is curious. He wants to make sense out of things, find out how things
work, gain competence and control over himself and his environment, and do what he
can see other people doing. He is open, perceptive, and experimental. He does not
merely observe the world around him, he does not shut himself off from the strange,
complicated world around him, but tastes it, touches it, hefts it, bends it, breaks it. To
find out how reality works, he works on it. He is bold. He is not afraid of making
mistakes. And he is patient. He can tolerate an extraordinary amount of uncertainty,
confusion, ignorance, and suspense... School is not a place that gives much time, or
opportunity, or reward, for this kind of thinking and learning." Make the time at
home.
84. Children learn by asking questions, not by answering them. Toddlers ask many
questions, and so do school children - until about year three. By that time, many of
them have learned an unfortunate fact, that in school, it can be more important for
self-protection to hide one’s ignorance about a subject than to learn more about it,
regardless of one’s curiosity. Tell them that they can always go to the staffroom
during the break.
85. Why is it that during a child’s first two years that we trust him or her to know how to
go about learning? Nobody worries that a baby will be too lazy or unmotivated to
learn things; we assume that every baby is born wanting to learn the things that he
needs to know in order to understand and participate in the world around him.
86. Praise and acknowledge your children for who they are and not just for the things
they do. It will alleviate the stress of comparing and competing.
87. The structure of schools assumes that children are not natural learners, but must be
compelled to learn through the efforts of others. From now on, no matter what the age
of your children, work toward the mindset that we are all individual learners and
others are there only to assist us in this process. Think about it this way. Pre-school
age children have this mindset. You as an adult have this mindset. If you want to
learn something new, whether it is a new accounting program, fly-fishing, or
Japanese cuisine, you go and do it. You might engage the help of others, but you
direct the learning. Why is it that the only people who do not direct their own learning
are too often children at school? We blame them for not being motivated to learn.
Perhaps as adults and as a community we should look at what we do to make learning
an onerous chore for some children for 12 years of their lives.
88. Who knows more about your computer you or your fourteen year-old boy? How did
he learn this? He and his mates taught themselves.
89. Your child is an important separate person and needs respect to be allowed to say
what he or she thinks, likes and notices, to be noticed, to make decisions.
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90. A hundred years from now it will not matter what your bank account was, the sort of
house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove...but the world may be different
because you were important in the life of a child.
Anonymous
91. Don’t imply that their inappropriate behaviour means that they are bad. It erodes their
sense of worthiness.
92. Be patient. He might be a late bloomer.
93. Teach them that dreams are not something to wait for; they are something to work
for.
94. There are three ways to get something done: do it yourself, employ someone, or
forbid your children to do it.
95. A child learns best about the world through first hand experience.
96. If you've had a bad day, don't take your frustration out on your children.
97. Don't throw away your friendship with your teenager over behaviour that has no
moral significance. There will be plenty of real issues that require you to stand like a
rock. Save your big guns for these crucial confrontations. Dr. James C. Dobson
98. Strange new problems are being reported in the growing generations of children
whose mothers were always there, driving them around, helping them with their
homework - an inability to endure pain or discipline or pursue any self-sustained
goal of any sort, a devastating boredom with life. Betty Friedan
99. We do not necessarily love our children just because they are our children, but
because of the friendship formed while we raised them.
100.Raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any task or goal they decide
upon and you will have succeeded as a parent and given them the greatest of all
blessings.
101.One day, Debbie who is our reading specialist, came in with the positive affirmations
below. I thought this so fantastic that I had it made into a sign to hang in the foyer.
You’re fun! You’re growing up! You’re learning!
You’re a winner! You’re so loving! You always do you best!
You’re my friend! You try hard! Super!
I trust you! You’re special! Remarkable job!
You’re important! Outstanding! Beautiful work!
You mean a lot to me! Excellent! You learn well!
You make me so happy! Great! Spectacular!
You’re mine! Neat! You’re precious!
You’re one of a kind! Well done! You make me laugh!
I knew you could do it! You’re my darling! You can do it!
Remarkable! You belong here! You’re so thoughtful!
I’m proud of you! Great discovery! I see you’re trying!
Fantastic! You figured it out! That’s so cool!
Nice work! Magnificent! That’s awesome!
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Looking good! Marvellous! How do you do that?
You’re beautiful to me! Terrific! You deserve a medal!
Now you’ve got! You’re important! You are incredible!
Phenomenal! A+ job! Bravo!
You’re sensational! You’re my buddy! What a happy face!
You make my day! You did it all by yourself? Super work!
It’s fun to do this with you How nice! I like sharing with you!
How smart! Creative job! You amaze me!
Exceptional performance! Good job! You’re so special!
Fantastic try! You’re unique! You are very responsible!
Super job! You’re a peace maker! You’re a good helper!
You share well! I’m so glad you said sorry! You are exciting!
You learned it right! Give me a big hug! What an imagination!
How creative! You’re fun! I can’t believe you’re so
clever!
Good for you! What a good listener! I wouldn’t want you any
other way!
Bill Spooner’s Coaching Academy
“Every child is born a genius”
Bill Spooner’s Coaching Academy brings to Cairns’ parents and their children a dynamic
and professional educational service designed to help children reach their true potential.
Children from year one to year twelve and adults are coached in all areas of learning
including maths from preschool to university level, reading, English and the sciences.
Specialist motivational, study and time planning courses are also taught.
The staff are all highly experienced, practising professionals who have all been
personally “head hunted’’ for their brilliance by Bill.
Our belief based on studies of business people, scientists and sports people is that
successful people are optimists, like themselves, enjoy the doing and feel part of
something bigger than themselves.
Students work in small specialist groups on individually tailored program in a calm,
positive atmosphere based on the principles of Alpha Learning.
Students are initially diagnosed to assess their needs before a program is put in place for
them. All parents receive a quarterly progress report.
Successful children who are achieving are happy children and at Bill Spooner’s Coaching
Academy that is the bottom line. Happy children.
12. Page 12 of 12
Do it now.
You become successful the
moment you start moving
towards a worthwhile goal.
Ensure success for your child.
To make an appointment and to arrange for a free
diagnostic assessment and further information on how your
child can improve at school phone Bill Spooner on
4041 3232.