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A reflection for World Menopause Day
In Western cultures, the average age of menopause is 51 years old. Menopause is one day in time between being peri-menopausal and post-menopausal. Perimenopause can begin up to 10 years before menopause and being post-menopausal is for the rest of life. Menopause can be undergone by cis women, trans and non-binary people. It can occur…
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Finding meaning in meaning
A recent visit to an exhibition of ice-age art in Keighley, part of the Bradford City of Culture events, alerted me to the surprising links, but also the obvious differences, between the study of our deepest pre-history and contemporary educational research. The exhibition was a display, collected from all over Europe, of small, ‘mobile’ pieces…
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A seat at the table: reflections on belonging in higher education
October always makes me pause. Black History Month is definitely a time to celebrate, but also to reckon with where we are. This year’s theme, “Standing Firm in Power and Pride”, invites us to reflect on what it means to belong, to hold space, and to stand tall in institutions that have not always made that…
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Celebrating the teachers of tomorrow on World Teachers’ Day
Here at the Sheffield Institute of Education, much of our time is dedicated to training the teachers of tomorrow. To mark World Teachers’ Day, we asked our trainee teachers to tell us about the difference they hope to make in our schools and colleges. In this troubled and cynical world, take a moment to appreciate…
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An update from the SIOE external networks
Did you know that the SIoE hosts a number of external networks? Below is a taster of those networks and some short reports on the work they did during the previous academic year. Do get in touch with the network leads if you would like to get involved. SHU Mathematics Association Lisa Ashmore The SHU…
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Things cis people need to know and do this pride month
A couple of weeks ago I attended the annual Gender and Education Association Conference. It’s a conference I last attended in 2017. I don’t have many recollections of the 2017 conference, but what I do remember is pleasant enough: chatting to some interesting people; watching a paper presented in the form of a dance; I…
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How a peer support group is supporting male students’ mental health and wellbeing at Hallam.
It’s stress awareness month again. In April last year, I wrote about the need to better support our male students with stress and mental ill-health, noting their difficulties in sharing emotions and seeking support where needed. This year I want to foreground an initiative that’s making a difference to this demographic at Hallam. Talk Clubs…
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Like a bridge over troubled water?
The water is certainly troubled at the moment – the latest chaos caused by Trump’s tariffs, threats to academic freedom, the return of coal and so on have caused huge waves across the world. But it’s important to remember that the same challenges we faced before Trump’s election – the climate catastrophe, AI, wars –…
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Improving hybrid delivery through ‘neuroflexification’
Neuro (njʊərəʊ) (prefix) relating to the concept of neurodiversity, which values the diversity of human neurocognitionFlexification (flɛksɪfɪkeɪʃən) (noun) Embedding flexible options Hybrid delivery on the MA Autism We have just completed an evaluation of our teaching and learning here at the Sheffield Hallam Autism Centre, and I am wondering if “neuroflexification” – a new word…
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Embracing Multilingualism in Education: A Call for Change
A student hesitates before answering a question—not because they don’t know the answer, but because they are translating their thoughts from their home language into English. Meanwhile, in another school, a teacher discourages students from speaking anything other than English, believing it will help them integrate. These everyday moments reflect a broader issue: the undervaluing…
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