Blog
Destroying Education
In August I took part in MOOSE - massive open online sessions - facilitated by Online Teaching Japan. OTJ arose as teachers organised to help each other to transition online during the COVID-enforced lockdown. It’s a great group. This is the session I lead....
M, M, M, M, My Corona
Running a school in a time of crisis In my time in Japan as a school owner, we have seen several crises. The SARS epidemic, a massive drop in the market, the NOVA collapse, the Lehman shock, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima and the fallout and, of course,...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 8: Heading South
Leaving Cairns we headed a little further north and stayed at Port Douglas, then turned around and headed back down south, stopping off at beaches and flying kites, before arriving back in Sydney, and my old job at the CB Hotel. So much for the Never Again...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 7: Cairns
We put thoughts of anarchy and fears of violent intrusion behind us, got back on the bus and headed further up north. Stopping off at Bundaberg, the Whitsundays, Magnetic Island, and a series of islands, landmarks and beautiful spots where Captain Cook and his crew...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 6: Brisbane
The warmest summer I ever spent was a winter in West End, Brisbane. Or so I wrote, paraphrasing Mark Twain for pretentious literary effect, on postcards back home. At the beginning of July 1993, as the days drew short, the sun didn’t rise so far and fires had begun to...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 5: Sydney
November 1992 saw me arrive in Sydney. I’d crossed the equator for the first time. Once again I pounded the pavements. The results were much the same as in New York. I had no experience working in restaurants or cafés, and because I wasn’t an attractive, young female,...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 4: Thailand
After the non-appearance of the A and R man at the Dog and Parrot and the decision not to swap one air-conditioned office for another, I saved as much money as I could from my temporary job as a data input clerk, a position also known at the time as a Man or Woman...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 3: M1, M18, A1
I ran out of money and had to curtail my trip to New York and the wider U.S. I had imagined following in the steps of my sister and going down to Mexico, then possibly into Guatemala, Honduras and further on. I didn’t make it. I still haven’t made it. Back in England,...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 2: New York, Carpe Diem
Sometimes opportunities just present themselves; sometimes we have to go and make them. Back in New York in July 1989, I had made an opportunity for myself simply by opening the Yellow Pages. However, not everything was as rosy as the impression I gave. During the...
Running a School: What I learned about business from travelling the world, Part 1: New York
In the summer of 1989, I travelled to the U.S. with BUNAC, a work and travel exchange programme that provided a working holiday, J-1 visa. There were lots of opportunities to go and work with kids on summer camps, but I didn’t fancy this. I rather fancied living and...