Also featuring: a journey back in time to Ancient Greece
Today is a very, very, very special day at More Than English.
A day when we celebrate students’ efforts and a day when students really, truly step outside their comfort zone. Everyone is down at the local art deco cinema for a feast of entertainment. Ladies and gentlemen, take a seat, grab some pop-corn, make a *smoothie and settle down in your favourite armchair for THE BIG SHOW:
(*no added sugar version)
On the stage tonight:
The Dance Choreographers (Get Ahead)
The Film Makers (Get Ahead)
The ‘Club Time’ Dramatists
First ladies and gentlemen, please give a huge round of applause for the greatest dancers the world has ever seen:
The Greatest dance show on Earth
Next up, our feature film: The Alien Invasion
Rated PG
Warning: contains scenes of extreme comedy.
Tonight’s featured film: “The Alien Invasion“
And now ladies and gentlemen, a feast for your eyes. This is the first year that we have had the pleasure of welcoming Greek students to More Than English, and so it gives us particular pleasure to present to you a drama inspired by the most eminent writers from ancient Greece: Homer, Herodotus, Sophocles and Virgil. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the story of The Troy War adapted for the stage by our so, so hardworking Activity Design Manager, Anna:
Come with us on a journey back in time to Ancient Greece #??????
A note for the audience:
“I could never do that.”
Is this what you are thinking? If so, we’d like you to think again.
‘Talent’ or ‘Hard work’?
Sitting in the audience and watching such an amazing show it’s easy for us in the audience to think that we could never do that. It’s easy to think “those people are so talented, I could never do that.”
At More Than English we prefer to talk about hard work and practice, NOT talent.
People are not born good at dance, acting, film making or anything else. People become good at something because of hard work and practice. Lots of practice. This is the basic idea behind “Growth Mindset”, which is the theory that every single one of us (yes, including you) can become good, very good at anything.
… Wasn’t that amazing? Let’s just say we are VERY, VERY PROUD of our young people. Thank you to all parents and students together with Activity Designer Manager Ania and Activity Designer Nerea who led on the organisation of this fantastic evening supported also by Emma and Beth.
The Masterminds: Activity Designer Nerea and Activity Designer Manager: Ania #SimplyTheBest
Represented by our young ambassadors tonight at International Night:
Poland
Romania
The Czech Republic
Ukraine
Mexico
Lebanon
Greece
France
Canada
Germany
Italy
Spain
Also in The News:
Get Ahead Leadership Business Challenge Update
Two companies have emerged. They’re both selling similar products. They are both staffed by determined teenager entrepreneurs, and they are BITTER RIVALS.
Team 1: led by the remarkable Daria from Romania, 12 years old with C1 English:
Zero added sugar
Secret recipe
Smoothies selling like hot cakes
Team 2: Vitamin Oasis: with a horizontal management structure.
Vitamin Oasis – a healthy option?
Sold out – but too soon – or just on time?
An important lesson learnt:
Daria’s team is selling smoothies with no added sugar apart from honey in their banana milkshake option.
In contrast, Vitamin Oasis are selling smoothies with Oreos blended in… Think about that name: “Vitamin Oasis”. What does it suggest to you…?
So, we have a team selling healthy products and a team selling drinks made with added sugar. Who do you think will sell the most? Should Vitamin Oasis be allowed to use a name which suggests health?
In the first Business lesson tomorrow the teams will review their sales of each product; make adjustments to their product range and meet the public for one final sales push.
The winning team will be the one which makes the most money. After that we hope that governments in every country will step in and impose legally binding regulations that ban the adding of sugar to smoothies.
Students and teachers spent the morning working hard in English lessons.
Ludlow is in beautiful countryside. But Birmingham the super cosmopolitan second city, is only just over one hour away. That means More Than English students can get the best of both worlds.
Birmingham, in the heart of the Midlands (central region of the UK) was an industrial powerhouse during the industrial revolution, but these days is probably better known for its fantastic universities including The University of Birmingham, currently ranked No 15 out of 140 in The Times) plus the biggest and perhaps one of the most modern and architecturally ambitious shopping centres in Europe.
Selfridges – part of the ultra modern shopping experience in Birmingham
Home sweet home
Interesting: students always love the fun of going to the city. But, they always seem glad to arrive back home in their international community in their countryside palace: Moor Park.
Arriving home from Birmingham Home sweet home
Preparation for international night
In the evening our lovely students working in mixed nationality teams started preparation for International Night, which is tomorrow.
Food for thought
Shopping on summer school excursions: that's controversial, isn't it?
Consumerism is destroying our planet (your planet) isn't it? Young people love fast fashion but shouldn't we avoid encouraging this altogether? In fact, shouldn't we be trying to reduce shopping time on excursions to zero?
On the other hand, teenagers just really enjoy shopping and although with globalisation we're tending to get the same shops in every country, it is still exciting to visit shops in different countries.
Let us know what you think: info@morethanenglish.co.uk
Today is the 50th Anniversary since the first person walked on the moon, and today our brave international adventurers of 2019 continue on their journey.
Focus on: The Business Project
First rule of business:
“If it can go wrong, it will go wrong”
… which is why every entrepreneur needs to develop resilience and a problem solving mindset.
Ferenc (France) sourcing raw ingredients
Mikulas (Czech Republic) remembering that a good sense of humour is important in business
Daria (Romania) discovering that the costs are higher than expected
How do you start a business? This week, our young entrepreneurs are learning how to start a business from scratch (from the beginning).
It does not matter what business you start: the basic principles are the same. This week, the students are going to experience first hand all of these elements so that in the *future they will know how to start a business:
(*By ‘future’ we don’t mean in ten years’ time, we mean, when you get home. Many teens have started successful business. Read more.)
Course components
Company vision
Marketing
Product design
Financial planning
Plant hire
Procurement
Manufacture
Sales
Law including due diligence and business ethics
Key skills:
Working in an international team
Project and time management
Resilience: dealing with pressure and overcoming obstacles
After all that hard work, it’s time to relax. But not toooo much.
Club Time – Drama
Starting today… Club Time Drama (+swimming option + unihockey option).
This is not our official drama course, which is next week. This is just a Club Time activity, and Club Time means fun. Did you say “just” a Club Time activity?
Just a warning… never, never, never underestimate teenagers and that includes the Club Time drama crew: they’ll be in the theatre on stage on Tuesday, and we guarantee you’ll be “glued to your seats” in the theatre.
What is the subject of their drama? Well, here’s a clue:
Props for the Club Time Drama CrewDo you know whose feet they are? David knows the answer. 3 House Points if you can guess.
Evening activities
We watched Johnny English – not only the greatest spy, but also the greatest teacher in the world, who gives House Points to his students in a very unique way…
The brand new £500,000 Performing Arts centre on campus at Moor Park
Tomorrow more students from around the world will be arriving in Ludlow. Some are travelling with their parents. Students are going to spend two, three or four weeks in Ludlow, but most parents only have a few hours.
Here are our tips for parents who have only 2 or 3 hours in Ludlow.
Things to do in Ludlow
The best lunch
Visit the Green Cafe for lunch by the river. The service is excellent and the food is AMAZING and not too expensive.
Address: The Mill on the Green, Linney, Ludlow SY8 1EG
From the Green Cafe you can take a stunning 20 minute walk along the river, which will bring you back into the centre of the town.
Take a walk by the river
Castle
Built in 1086 by the French, the castle is right in the centre on the main square. Climb to the top of the tower with the flag for an amazing view of Ludlow.
Don’t miss Ludlow Castle
St Laurence’s Church
This ancient and impressive church is famous for its stained glass windows. It’s right in the centre.
St Laurence’s Church
Shopping
Go shopping in the market on the central square. Today, is a great day to go shopping because it’s the Green Festival.
If you are looking for gifts, The Silver Pear is a ‘classy’ gift shop.
Address: 68-69 Broad St, Ludlow SY8 1NH
Perfect for souvenirs
Finally…
Leave at least 45 minutes to take a tour of the campus.
Come on – follow me: let’s go on a tour of the classrooms and see what is going on.
Collaborative learning
Debate on the Olympics
Who wants to listen to a teacher all day? Who wants to listen to any one person all day? No one. We like to put students at the centre of learning. Part of this involves students learning to take responsibility for their own learning by learning to reflect on their own learning and provide feedback to each other. In this lesson, C1 level Ilias chairs a debate on the Olympics and provides incredibly useful feedback to his classmates: winning an argument depends not only on the quality of your argument, but also on… well Ilias explains it best:
Student centred learning
Transforming texts
Sophisticated word choices
Another B2 class read a story analysed the themes and then transformed it into a radio play. Transforming text from one genre into another involves subtle and sophisticated language choices: a great challenge for our ambitious young B2 students.
Mobile phones aren’t always bad
Mobile phones ‘get a bad press’ and no one would deny that addiction to smartphones is a problem for all of us. On the other hand, we can argue that the problem is not the technology, but how we use the technology. A big plus of mobile phones is that they allow instant access to a wealth of information. Research is a key 21st century skill that students need to master. At More Than English we know that traditional T/F or gap-fill reading exercises can be useful when it comes to measuring basic comprehension. However, we prefer to place more emphasis on students reading to research information which they then synthesise to back up their arguments in debates, presentations, reports and essays.
Shakespeare taster
B1 students face the challenge of Shakespeare head on
Can B1 students engage with Shakespeare? They can we our teacher Zoi. This class have been exploring the story, themes and characters in a simplified version of The Merchant of Venice.
Marrying the academic and the activities programmes
Silvana, 13, all the way from Mexico – artist and diarist
You know what they say: ‘practice makes perfect’. This idiom is never truer than in the case of language learning.
Here an A2 class are writing diaries. They learn vocabulary about an activity such as, in this case, tennis. They play tennis for real and so meet the vocabulary again. Finally, they do their diary and so meet the same language again. We know that meaningful repetition is at the heart of assimilating new language including vocabulary: summer school provides the perfect context for marrying learning in the classroom, with real world experience followed by further consolidation back in the classroom.
A picture paints a thousand words:
Such a busy morning of learning. But there was also Get Ahead in the afternoon including the Leadership final Model United Nations debate plus something called… Lip-sync in the evening. Want to know how our lovely students welcomed a small Italian boy wanting to join the show when he visited with his mum? You’ll just have to click the video to find out:
A day in the life of summer school: Tuesday 16th July, 2019
How proud we were today of our wonderful teenage guests from around the world. The school inspector checked all the welfare, safety and booking systems scrutinising also the teaching of a wide range of subjects from Art to Film Making to English. It’s true that he made lots of nice comments, but there’s one that really made us smile. He watched the interaction of the children together and simply could not believe how comfortable and relaxed the children were with each other after only 4 days. He was amazed at how well they were collaborating together and working as a team. That ladies and gentlemen, is a little summer school magic right before your eyes.
Here are a few highlights from the classrooms on inspection day:
Art
Our art students told the art teachers Shirley and Garry that they couldn’t draw. However, the lesson from the lesson with Shirley and Garry is that with the right training EVERYONE can do art.
Isn’t this work amazing?
Coming soon on the blog: Art Exhibtion
Film Making
So, what happens when the school inspector accidentally walks into the Film Making class? Well, no prizes for guessing that suddenly s/he finds himself/herself with a cameo role in the film… Here’s what happened:
The school inspector has not been the only person assessing More Than English summer school. Last night the students gave their opinions too in an online mini-review and here are the average ***star ratings*** out of 5 for each area:
Food ****
Staff ****
Bedroom ****
Core English ****
Get Ahead study options ****
Club Time activities ****
Evening Activities ****
Nationality Mix ****
In short, the average mark given by the students for every area was 4/5. Not bad: but still room for improvement.
Let’s look at some comments:
We asked: “How can we improve summer school”. The students said:
Evil summer school co-Director, David Meddows, responds to student feedback
More free-time
“I want some time to rest after sports”
“Another thing, in the evening we are really tired, the evening activities are too much tiring, doing sport after dinner it’s too much for us!”
“We don’t have free time , we always have to rush like during the day and at the night. Never more than 25 mins…”
“A Little Bit more freetime”
“Decrease the activities after dinner because we’ll be more tired and we won’t have enough energy to make the activities”
More Than English response >> you spoke, we listened:
David (co-Director) “It’s very important to have a lots of activities on summer school. We do not want students to be bored. However, if students are tooooo tired to do the activities, it not fun for them at all. So, we will cancel some (SOME) activity slots, sometimes (SOMETIMES) and use this time for “chilling and chatting and listening to music and maybe kicking a football or two” in the beautiful Moor Park garden. Thank you for the useful feedback!!”
The film at the cinema
“Apollo 11 was really boring… we would like to watch something more funny next time!”
“Don’t choose a documentary for go to cinema please.”
“I enjoyed the film Apollo 11”
More Than English response >> you spoke, we listened:
David (Director) “We chose this film because it marks a very important historical moment. Moreover, when mankind stepping onto the moon, mankind achieved the impossible. On summer school, we want to inspire students to believe that they can do more. Why? Because with motivation, effort, and working hard as a team they can achieve anything. I was delighted at breakfast the morning after the film to hear Finn from Germany and Tudor from Romania having a debate about whether the moon landing was real or not and marvelling at how scientists in the 1960s achieved so much with so little technology. Clearly, some students were inspired by and LOVED the film. At the same time, on summer school, we need to balance the fun side and the learning side (and combine the two together as much as possible). So, we have decided to show as soon as possible, a very English and a very funny film. Johnny English 2.
Wi-Fi
“Improve the WI-FI”
Week 1 student
David (Director) “Technology is a blessing, but it is also a
curse” (technology has advantages and disadvantages). One problem with
technology is that young and not so young people including me and including
parents are becoming addicted to social media. On summer school, we want
students to use their technology more wisely, for example, for research, and
instead to focus on face-to-face communication and development of social skills
and the development of ‘the art of conversation’ especially at mealtimes. For
this reason, we have limited and restricted students’ access to technology to
certain hotspots and to certain times of the day. Let’s do a digital detox
together and enjoy each other’s company more.
Speaking in English
“Some Spanish and Italian students speak only on their language”
Week 1 student
“Make sure that you separate the people from the same country to make sure that everybody is talking English. Thanks!”
Week 1 student
“Too many students of one country (7 people from Germany)”
Week 1 student
David (Director) “Interesting comments! In fact we have a super
strict policy limiting the number of bookings not only in terms of nationality
but also in terms of the number of speakers of each language (for example
Spanish is spoken in both Mexico and Spain). We do not accept more than 20% of
any language/nationality. This week we have a fewer Spanish speakers than usual
(only 9). For Italians we have 11, which is exactly 20%. This week we have 14
nationalities: Mexico, Canada, Greece, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic,
Germany, France, Italy, the Ukraine, Lebanon and Spain.
However, an English immersion environment is not only about
nationality mix. It’s about more than that. It’s about organisation and it’s
about how much responsibility students take for their own learning:
Organisation: we have also created House Teams
to mix the nationalities even more. We also consider nationality when we are
create class lists and when we allocate students to bedrooms.
Behaviour: we have done a lot of ‘tricks’ to make
sure that everyone speaks English. But we also need your help students. Students:
you need to make a decision yourself to make an
extra effort to spend more time with friends from other countries and to always
speak with people from country in English too.
Today, we spoke with some (not all) of the Spanish
and Italians and already they have started to make more effort to avoid
slipping into their own language. One boy wants to change his excursion from
Manchester to London and he knows that this will only be possible if he stops ‘slipping
into’ Spanish.
Moreover, Margarita (mum of 2, 41 years old) who is one of
our SUPER-HERO House Parents, has made a new system: not for every meal, but
for some meals. She has made a mixed nationality dining room seating plan.
Finally, HOUSE POINTS! If YOU students speak in your own language, you will make your team lose House Points. So, students! It’s your job: make sure your teammates do not speak in their own language because your team will lose points.
How do the Directors and Managers at More Than English feel about their new plan to take House Parents away from students who are not making enough effort to speak in English?
Here’s the moment the Management Team decided on this evil plan in the More The English management control centre. Can you recognise Claire and David?
Food
“There is too much meat at the menu. I know that there are meals for vegetarians, but it’s about the animals ?.
Week 1 student
David (Director): First of all, we’re really glad that the students appreciate the amazing food at More Than English. It’s something we’ve really worked hard on to get right. Secondly, we agree! It’s very important for the future of the planet that everyone reduces meat consumption. For that reason, we are edging slowly (moving slowly) to a more flexitarian menu. This means fewer meat focused meals. It also means that on some days, for some meals, everyone will eat a vegetarian meal. Well done for being concerned about the animals. Anyone who loves a pet such as a dog or a cat knows that animals are a lot like us: they want to be safe, they want to be loved, they all have different personalities and we all need to respect them and look after them.
Things you LOVE ?.
Finally, here are some of the things you said you LOVE ? about summer school:
“The garden”
Week 1 student
“Everything! It’s great here. The people are great, the activities and the lessons are great! Thank you for this wonderful summer school!”
Week 1 student
“Everything”
Week 1 student
“I like the Get Ahead activity (the one we do everyday)”
Week 1 student
“I love that all the staff are so nice and so kind I just love the that it fels like home, that we learn so much English that we do sports just everything and that all the kids come from other countries it’s just amazing I love it”
Week 1 student
“David and Claire are great people, and so is everyone in the staff!! :)”
Week 1 student
“All, it’s veeery good school”
Week 1 student
“Margarita”
Week 1 student
“Activities and nationality mix”
Week 1 student
“Margarita”
Week 1 student
“Afternoon activities and morning lessons.”
Week 1 student
“The Core English and Get Head options are great”
Week 1 student
“I really like the English lessons because the teachers are really nice and the classes are small.”
Week 1 student
“Everyone of More than English is really kind. It’s nice!”
Week 1 student
“You can meet a lot of people from other countries”
Week 1 student
“That I can improve my English through speaking with others; sport activities.”
Week 1 student
“Nearly everything”
Week 1 student
“The evening activities”
Week 1 student
“The people”
Week 1 student
“That you meet people of different places”
Week 1 student
Thank you for all your positive energy students! Let’s continue TOGETHER making the best summer school experience ever. Staff and students! When you think about, we the staff and you the students are one team. This is our summer school and we all want to make it the best. Let’s do it!
Anxious parents. Nervous students. Today started very early for young teenagers around the world from Mexico, Canada, Greece, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, the Ukraine, Lebanon and Spain.
As if by magic, suddenly these young people from different cultures and different places found themselves together in a strange new world.
What better way to break the ice than with balloons?
Some nice food can help you relax also and Niko from Greece especially liked Summer Pudding. Thank you chef Tom for cooking roast dinner to make everyone feel a little more at home.
Summer pudding: berry heaven
Well there’s not much point in traveling half way across the world to speak with people from your country, so students divided themselves into three mixed nationality teams: Harry Potter, Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes.
Robin Hood, taking aim
With the ice broken the students were ready for some bad news. Tomorrow they have to wake up at:
Wakey wakey ?
Well they say that challenges bring people together. The journey on the plane was great. But the journey of friendship across borders is going to be the real source of memories that will last a life time. Welcome dear students to More Than English summer school at Moor Park, Ludlow. Your journey has just begun.
