Exploring new tech with Joanne Kaminski at Bett Last week, I attended the Bett festival of technology in education, and I was astounded by the new immersive technologies — I will leave my thoughts on AI for another week, but watch this space! This got me thinking about connecting with Latin and the world of the Romans in our modern lives: it is easier than ever, and you do not even need sophisticated technology to get immersed. But how do you motivate a teenager to practise some Latin and...
2 months ago • 1 min read
"felicem nativitatem et annum novum faustum felicem tibi exopto!" ("I wish you a happy Christmas and a happy prosperous new year!") Christmas greetings from Torre del Breny I will keep this email short, as today is the first day of Christmas celebrations in Catalonia, where I am visiting family and friends: I just wanted to send a quick email to let you know how much your support means to me: working from an office on my own could be a lonely job, but having dedicated and happy students, and...
3 months ago • 1 min read
(in this email: movie recommendations, course information and a pooing log!) I recently went to see Conclave, and let me tell you: this is a must-watch for Latin students! The movie is a 12Aa, which suits both GCSE and A-Level students. So, why should Latin students watch it? Watch the trailer, and then we can talk: The trailer does indeed do justice to this trepidant thriller: I was on edge for the whole two hours (which felt like 30 minutes anyway). And this is despite having read the book...
4 months ago • 2 min read
I have been sitting on this email for a while, and I really hope I have hit the sweet spot between Black Friday and the Christmas rush to make sure you open it! First of all, my apologies if I have been a bit slow getting back to emails recently. Between mock exams, Oxbridge interview support, career advice and (breath!) end-of-term preparations, this is a hectic time of the year. But it is also time to get ready for 2025, so here is some important information: Latin and Greek events:...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Exams are there to focus attention and showcase achievement, but it is necessary to mix exams up with lower stakes, fun projects. This is particularly important for students who want to apply to competitive universities and want to look at creative and appealing ways to stretch their skills. In this newsletter, I want to share with you a couple of currently open competitions. There are so many options that every student, both those in school or in a different setting, should be able to find...
5 months ago • 3 min read
I love hearing from you. From the way I teach to the resources I offer, it is crucial for me that I am meeting your needs. Today, I want to explain some of the recent changes I have introduced to my services for GCSE and A Level students: First, GCSE: Recently, I released the new version of my Latin GCSE Revision Course, which includes not only a definitive platform to understand the grammar but also a guided section to learn the vocabulary and exercises to test your progress. I was soon...
5 months ago • 1 min read
I have been very busy organising the new sections for my Latin GCSE self-paced revision course This is me diving near the Tavolara island during my recent trip to Sardinia, observing a Roman anchor in situ. - yes, even a little bit while on the lovely island of Sardinia! In case you wonder what type of person is thinking about examinations during holidays, I must say that it is precisely thanks to studying Latin that I developed a love for history, languages and exploration, which has led me...
5 months ago • 1 min read
On Thursday, I will be closing the doors to my self-paced Latin GCSE Revision Course, and I wanted to give you a heads-up that when I open them again on October 20, the price will have moved from £97 from £250. Below is a preview of the topics covered. If you go to the page, you can preview a small section on learning adverbs using gestures. It is well worth a look! But this is just a snapshot: the new extended version will include additional content on vocabulary learning and plenty of tools...
6 months ago • 1 min read
September is most definitely here, and students will be starting to rush to Quizlet to revise their vocabulary and get up to speed. But are they making the best use of their time? Quizlet gives us the illusion that we are working hard: Look at all the right answers! And the amount of words I have seen on the screen! But those words will probably not stick for long if you do not use them. Ultimately, you are just clicking away and committing them to memory... temporarily. So what can you do...
7 months ago • 1 min read