I am an experienced and passionate educator. I teach. I write. I create.
I have spent almost all my life thinking and learning about thinking and learning.
I have been involved in many educational roles, both in and out of formal schooling situations, always combining my love of teaching and writing by creating original materials to support children’s learning.
Now as I step away from the classroom again, I embark upon my latest iteration: sharing my thoughts about education by challenging what exists while asking what could be; and inviting early childhood educators to support children’s learning through use of my original teaching materials which are now available on my website www.readilearn.com.au
I look forward to our conversations.
Best wishes,
Norah
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I was glad to find your blog as a consequence of your interview with Sally Cronin.
Being registered blind (but with some useful residual mobility vision), I attended Saint Vincents School for the Blind and the Royal School for the Blind in the city of Liverpool. The classes where small, which was positive from the point of view of learning. However the downside was that (other than the teachers, most of whom where sighted), my contact with non-disabled peers was very limited until I went on to read history and politics at University College of Swansea.
I never attended mainstream school so can not compare my experience of being educated at establishments for the visually impaired with what used to be termed as “normal” (not a word I like in this context) schools.
Best wishes – Kevin
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Kevin, thank you very much for popping over from Sally’s to read and comment. I was interested to hear about your education situation. You have obviously done very well, despite any difficulties, or perhaps in spite of any difficulties you may have experienced. Reading history and politics is quite an achievement, I think. One of my cousins is considered legally blind, though he has some ability to see shapes and movement. He attended ‘normal’ school. I’m not sure how much extra help he received, but I know that in university he did receive extra assistance. He is now a qualified geophysicist. He was blind from birth as a result of a morning sickness tablet taken by his mother. You and he have both done very well.
Best wishes to you, too.
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Hi Nora. Thanks. I was interested to read about your cousin. I went blind as a result of a blood clot on the brain. Its a small world in which we live. Best – Kevin
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It is a small world. So you have visual memories of the world. My cousin doesn’t. Interesting.
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I possess some residual vision. This is better in my left eye than my right. I can discern outlines of objects but not detail. So, for example I can see a person in front of me, but I can’t recognise them. I also sometimes, particularly in poor light, mistake a lamp post or tree for a person! I can’t see print, but use Job Access with Speech (JAWS) software which converts text into speech and braille enabling me to use a Windows computer or laptop. I also use the text to speech facility on my Kindle and learned braille from a young age. Kevin
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Hey.! I love your name, Norah.
Found a way here through someone’s blog. Now following! So looking forward to explore it more.😊
Blessings.🌸
Xoxoxo.💖
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Thank you, Jannat. Lovely to meet you too. 🙂
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Aww.😚 that’s so sweet.💖
Xxx
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Hello Norah Colvin,
Like you, I have challenged what exists. Back in 2010, after 6 years of teaching kids classified as dyslexic, I challenged the more than 35 year theory that phonological awareness deficit is the cause of kids being unable to read in English.
You may read my articles in 2010 by searching: Phonological awareness Luqman.
Or, ‘Dr.Torgessen vs. Luqman Michel.
Back then I also said that a majority of kids who are classified as dyslexic are in fact instructional casualties. I was asked for my credentials as well as scientific evidence and data.
I then embarked on a search for corroborative evidence and have now published a book which I hope you will get a copy and read and hopefully together we may reduce illiteracy.
My book is available on Amazon as well as on Barnes & Noble under the title ‘Shut Down Kids’.
The main part of the book is Part 2. Part one is made of many similar evidence to back up part 2.
Please grill me on any part of my book so that we may learn from each other.
Wish you well.
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Hello Luqman Michel.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on dyslexia. I do believe there are far too many instructional categories, as you say, and that children will shut down when they are not taught appropriately. I will have a look at your book and Amazon.
Thank you for contacting me.
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I am looking for some great bloggers to participate in my bully series and I would love to have you write something for me. Let me know via email if you are interested 🙂 hastywords@gmail.com
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Thanks for your invitation. I’ll get back to you.
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Hi, Norah. Is there a way I can contact you about a new feature I have coming up on my blog in 2018 which I’d like to invite you to participate in? You can contact me by clicking on the ‘Contact Hugh’ button on my blog if it helps?
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Sure, Hugh. Thank you. I’m intrigued. 🙂
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Hi Norah! Excited to find your blog. I am Inspired by your philosophy and passion for writing! ⭐️💫
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Thank you, Andrea. It was lovely to meet you over at Christy’s. I look forward to catching up more often.
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so nice to meet you, norah. thanks for following my blog. i love the look of your blog and look forward to following and learning from you. as an early childhood educator, i am always learning from others and appreciate others’ experiences – best, beth
p.s. i have a girl in my class this year who is named, norah )
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Thank you for following my blog too, Beth. I look forward to sharing many early childhood stories and ideas.
I’m tickled you have a girl called Norah in your class this year. Just this week I heard of a little baby named Norah. It is such an old fashioned name, I have only ever known one or two other Norahs. I can’t imagine naming a child that. I used to tell my Mum I didn’t like it (which didn’t make her happy), but as an adult I came to like it because it was different from everyone else. 🙂
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love your blog – and you and redilearn are a gift to the education community – peace….
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Thank you for your kind words of support, Yvette. Much appreciated. 🙂
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🙂
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Hi Norah – congrats – I just nominated you for ‘this & that Book Tag’ – check it out at: https://happinessbetweentails.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/ive-been-tagged-this-or-that-book-tag/
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Hi Daal, Thank you for thinking of me and for the nomination. I’ll give it some thought, but I really don’t think I can fit it into my schedule at the moment. Apologies.
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no need to apologize – just wanted to acknowledge what a great site you have & let others know 🙂
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Thank you, Daal. You’re very sweet. I’m pleased to see that your blog has also been honoured.
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Glad I found your blog. As a fellow teacher, I feel the same passion in Early Childhood
Education. I, too, love to write about the moments that happen in my classroom. Thank you for enjoying my blog, as well. -Jennie-
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Thank you. I’m looking forward to catching up on some reading on your blog after I have a break.
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Much enjoy your blog! so glad I found it!
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Thank you, Daal. Thanks for stopping by.
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Hi Norah! Lovely blog Pleased to meet you. Marina
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Thanks, Marina. It’s lovely to meet you too. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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I enjoyed reading your poetries and writings. Thanks.
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Thank you, Joel.
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You’re welcome Norah.
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Love the updated ‘about’, Norah, clear, concise and extremely positive.
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Thanks Anne. Appreciated. 🙂
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I’m going through my return visits…and well this book came up.
Apparently there is quite a bit of material available about it for teaching and I thought of you 🙂
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mouse-paint-ellen-stoll-walsh/1100058363
I actually found a used cardboard book which I gave as a gift to a 1 year old.
Enjoy…
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Thank you for thinking of me, Jules. That is a very cute book, isn’t it? I think I’ve read it before. There is indeed a lot of good stuff out there. 🙂
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I enjoyed getting to know you better, Norah. We do have a lot in common. Although I am now a retired teacher, I still love going into our local schools and library to read with the children and talk about books. It’s magical! Also, you blog header (children & butterflies) is delightful. Our little ones are indeed magical creatures too. How fortunate your students are to have you. 🙂
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Thank you so much for your lovely words , Bette. You have reminded me that I need to update this page. I am no longer in the classroom but am still just as passionate about education as ever I was. I must put an edit on the top of my to do list. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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I find that I need to update annually (usually after the holidays) and sometimes it’s hard to get to all of the profiles and stat posts that need to be revised, being we’re out there in so many places. Better mark my end of December now for a heads-up after the holidays. How the year(s) flies by… 🙂
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What a great idea to schedule in updates. Sometimes things only get done if they are scheduled. Time does fly by so fast! 🙂
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Thank you Antara. I have had a quick look at the (free) app and the demo videos. It does look interesting. I haven’t before reviewed a product on request, but am happy to to consider doing so. I would need to view the complete app so would appreciate it if you could supply a free copy please.
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Hello there,
To help bring new faces past your wonderful work, especially after all of your 99 word Carrot Ranch pieces, I’ve nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award over here:
http://loveliterarylife.com/2015/08/25/blogger-recognition-award/
I hope it helps your audience grow.
Please don’t feel pressured to follow through with Nominating others, we all have tight schedules, I understand. 🙂
You’re an incredible person Norah, and I do hope I can help you after everything you’ve done for others.
Keep writing!
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Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Rebecca. I’ll check it out and give it some thought.
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I think there were days when I would have liked to swap teaching first year medical students for teaching first graders. It would be nice to start over, but I’m not sure where I got all that energy!
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I think every day would be more fun teaching first graders than first year medical students! 🙂 But that’s just me. I’m sure that both roles require a lot of energy, and that both sets of students are very needy! 🙂
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I once taught a course for freshman non-majors (there were 350 in the class) and it was a hoot! Guess I do like the younger students.
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They’re still a bit older than my first choice! 🙂
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Teaching is a wonderful thing. We all learn new things everyday, if we are lucky we might even learn two new things 😉
I am foremost a poet – I keep two; a short and long verse sites, separate from my fiction blog. But I think your Level One students could enjoy poetry with this form found on my friends’ site:
https://simplyelfje.wordpress.com/
It is a simple Dutch form that was invented just for the purposed of teaching children poetry.
My friend and I have taken the form and transformed it for adults by making series, acrostic versions, reversing the form and combining it with other short forms to tell our poetic stories.
All the best, Jules
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Thank you for introducing me to the Elfie. It is a wonderful poetic form. It reminds me a little of another I have used for teaching children to write poetry. It appears to be such a simple form, but a lot of meaning can be packed into a tiny verse. I am interested in the ways that you and your friend have taken it and transformed it for writing adult poetry. That’s creativity in motion! Poetic! 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
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Here is one series:
https://juleslongerstrandsofgems.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/let-it-bee-miz-q-saturday/
All you have to do is put Elfje (E L F J E) into the search box at the long verse site (in short verse site too) and anything that has an Elfje will pop up.
Like this one:
https://julesgemstonepages.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/oceans-of-space-an-elfje-series-12-19/
I tend to get a tad carried away…
🙂
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Thank you. I’ll check them out. 🙂
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I like what you say about being a learner rather that an expert. I often wonder whether the moment we consider ourselves an expert, we stop growing? Am looking forward to reading more of your posts xx Rowena
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Thanks Rowena. That’s an interesting point about expert and growth. I look forward to future discussions.
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Lovely to ‘meet’ you Norah! We often RT each other on #Mondayblogs 🙂 I too have had the avatar of a teacher in my life – as a primary, secondary and university level. And though I have moved on to other areas (I volunteered in the charity sector and now work there helping the disenfranchised) I think it was a very rewarding experience – I learnt more than I taught and I am very grateful for that!.
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Thank you Anjali. I’m happy to meet you also. Thank you for introducing yourself away from the Mondayblogs hashtag. 🙂
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Yes – that’s merely the introduction and here is the ‘real’ getting to know 🙂
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Lots to learn! 🙂
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Thank you too Norah! 🙂
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Wow, fellow Brisbanite, and you’re a teacher! I’m starting a postgrad in education at ACU this year so I can teach high school science. Not quite the same as grade 1, but I hope I enjoy it as much as you!
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It’s great to connect with someone local. I wish you all the best with your studies. There is definitely a need for good science teaching, whether in year one or high school! What science is your specialty?
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Hey Norah. I’m a geologist. Not the most applicable for teaching, so I’m going to train as a biology teacher since I need two teaching areas: which will be biology and middle school science. Thanks for the well wishes 🙂
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That’s very exciting – two very different fields! 🙂
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Hi Norah,
So pleased I found your blog – looking forward to more posts!
Best wishes to you from London…
Emma 🙂
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Thank you, Emma. It’s lovely to have you on board. 🙂
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Thank you very much for the follow and the like 😀 Your support is wonderful
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Thank you Rebecca. It’s nice to meet you. 🙂
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Thanks for the follow back, Nora 🙂
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Thank you very much for following our blog. We look forward to staying connected 🙂
-www.CMeblogspot.com
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Agreed! 🙂
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Hey Norah,
I’ve nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award today. Find the details on my blog here – http://wp.me/p3AmxR-df. Best wishes, Julie.
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I think your chosen path is fantastic. Brilliant.
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Hi, Norah and thanks for following my blog. Have been reading yours with interest for a while now. We should have done this sooner!
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Totally agree. Same!
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A big thank you Norah 😊
http://sharingthestoryblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/spreading-butterfly-light/
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Thank you for the recent like, Nora
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Hello Norah! I have nominated your blog for The Versatile Blogger Award http://awomanswisdom.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/the-versatile-blogger-award/. Have a great day 🙂
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Thank you, Bodicia. I am honoured.
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Very welcome, Norah 🙂
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Lovely blog and awesome language! I love reading your posts!
Also, many thanks for stopping by Precious Awakening and for following my blog. Truly appreciate your kind gesture. 🙂
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Thank you so much. It is lovely to share and learn from each other.
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Hi there. Nice to be following you! 🙂
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Thanks Rachael. Lovely to have you on board.
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Congratulations! I like your blog, so I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award! To accept, visit my post and follow the directions: http://harrietinbloom.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/the-liebster-award/
Happy blogging!
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Hi Harriet,
Thank you so much. I am honoured indeed!I look forward to accepting the award and completing the tasks.
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How wonderful that you discovered so early that you are a life-long learner. One could argue that you began your career in 5th-grade. I’ve had teachers like you who pulled out the best in me when I didn’t know it was there. Even today, I think back on how significant of an impact such teachers had.
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Hi Charli,
Thank you for your wonderful supportive comments. How fortunate you are to have teachers who helped you find more in yourself than you realised was there. I think that is a trait of a genuine educator – one who ‘draws out’ rather than fills (I’d like to say ‘stuffs up’).
Thanks for visiting!
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Hi Norah,
just visited your awesome blog for the first time – I will be back. 🙂
Thank you very much for following my blog mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com – and for following me on Twitter (already following you back).
Have a great day,
Karen
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Hi Karen,
Thank you for visiting and following, as I have done for you also. Found your blog through Drew Chial and his 10 statements. You have lots of interesting things to follow on your blog also.
Best wishes,
Norah
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Hi again Norah!,
I just wanted to drop by and thank you for choosing to follow http://Postsofhypnoticsuggestion.wordpress.com. I really appreciate it.
Wishing you all the best
Tony
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Thanks to you too, Tony.
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