Personal stories and reflections from my journey as a mother of a neurodiverse child.
About two years ago, I left the classroom to embark on a new adventure as a writer and education consultant. While I love the new challenges that my new role brings, I will always be grateful for the treasured time I spent engaging with a roomful of kids who were all mine, all year long….
Exams are a significant part of a child’s educational journey, but they can also be a major source of stress and anxiety. Understanding how to support your child during this time is crucial as a parent. It’s not just about helping them achieve good grades but ensuring they balance their academic responsibilities and overall well-being….
As each school year begins, your social media feed is likely filled with proud parent posts showing excited, smiling children donning their uniforms for the first time as they embark on their grade one journey. There’s also no shortage of posts from parents marking the start of their child’s high school years in grade eight…
Bullying is not a buzzword – it’s a pandemic. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes, it is so subtle that it is almost impossible for the victim to articulate or pinpoint. It can be physical, psychological, or emotional. But, what is bullying exactly? Kids disagree. They get into moods, and some seem…
Has your child ever come home frustrated, insisting they were tested on material not taught in class? This is a common concern among students and parents alike. Teachers use a framework called Bloom’s Taxonomy to help students develop a wide range of cognitive skills. Understanding this approach can help you support your child better. I’ve…
As a specialist in gifted education and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles that parents of gifted children face within our education system. Despite their remarkable potential, these children are often underserved and misunderstood. It’s time to change that narrative and give them the support they deserve. Understanding Giftedness Giftedness…
As educators and parents, we often meet children who don’t fit neatly into traditional moulds. These children may struggle in conventional classrooms, not because they lack ability, but because their abilities far exceed what standard environments can accommodate. Gifted children frequently display traits like ADHD, Autism, OCD, and anxiety—elements of their experience but not the…
I’ve always fantasised about time travel—not to witness grand historical events, but to revisit moments that were so precious, yet so overwhelming, they slipped away. In my mind, time travel would be for observation only, like a ghost silently standing in the corner, watching without interfering. If I could go back, I’d choose the morning…
On Becoming a Mom Nothing prepares you for motherhood. And everyone who has been there tells you this when you are expecting for the first time, but somehow, you believe you have it all under control. Fast forward even a few months, and there you are, telling expectant mothers that they have no idea what…
It’s that time of year when we see our social media feeds overflowing with schools proudly celebrating their matric results. We see stats depicting pass rates, university exemptions, distinctions, and where each top achiever placed relative to their peers. For those who achieved it, it is a momentous milestone reached after years of hard work,…
By 2013 I had been teaching in mainstream schools for 12 years. I loved my relationships with my students but was frustrated and overwhelmed with paperwork and red tape. A confined curriculum stifled my creativity, and I knew something had to change. A friend of mine worked at Radford House, the only official school for…
When you think of names like Elon Musk, Nikola Tesla, Daryl Hannah, Anthony Hopkins, and Bill Gates, autism might not be the first thing that comes to mind. These individuals are synonymous with success, innovation, and creativity. Yet, they all have or identify as having high-functioning autism (HFA). The increase in autism diagnoses over recent…
