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Great article on the importance of play, music, art and relationships in the brain development of young children.  In both my native Australia and here in Vietnam, remote/online/flexible learning is/was the norm for teachers and their students. When it all started it was a bit of a 'trial and error' time but as closures stretched from weeks to months, online learning became an essential and integral part to teaching and learning. Now that it's been happening for a while, we've been able to take a look at the impact this has had mentally on everyone. Although there are no validated empirical studies out just yet, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence around to suggest not only the need for balance in terms of screen time, but the critical importance of face to face human contact. This TED Tech article sums it all up. Even though it's aimed at adult workplaces, it easily correlates to students, teachers and educational environments.   Photo by David Hablützel Click on image for link. You may have guessed from the Blog Bites header that I'm a big bee fan. Bees are beautiful. Bees are clever. Bees are, well. pretty amazing! And they are essential for our survival. We need to stop spraying fields with chemicals and pesticides because WE are bothered by bees and insects. We NEED these tiny creatures. They might seem small but they are a huge part of the food chain because of their pollination of the plants we love to eat! Did you know that honeybees are the only insects that produce food eaten by us? Honey is not only yummy but is also used medicinally in some cultures. So - I've written a story, not just about the honeybee, but about insects in general and the important role they play in saving our planet. It's called 'An Insects Guide To Living On Earth.' If you like bees too, you can help by planting lavender and other scented flowers in your backyard. Bee - utiful! Although I can't get home right now because of COVID-19, I'm in a beautiful place by the ocean, on holiday, and safe, which is definitely something to be thankful for. I love the ocean. Our home in Australia is a 5 minute walk from two stunning beaches and we can hear the waves as we go to sleep at night. So being able to relax looking out over the turquoise waters of Ninh Van Bay, with a light sea breeze cooling me as a write, is a pretty good alternative! And the setting is definitely inspirational. Having to do a 'staycation' in Vietnam has it's perks! So I've been writing like crazy in between ocean swims and have added a new poem to my poetry page. Not one about calm, gentle seas rather the opposite. It's about the storms that gather out to sea on my beaches back home. You can read it here.
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