Fiona Mackay - Highland Tutor

Happy belated World Book Day! 🌍📚Here are some of my recent reads:

• ‘When I Heard The Bell’ by John MacLeod - exploring the devastating historical reality of the biggest peacetime maritime disaster in British history. On 1st January 1919, over 200 men travelling back from WW1 lost their lives as their boat The Iolaire was wrecked at sea, within sight of their home island. More than a century later, the reality of this disaster’s impact on the islanders and their culture is sobering. Macleod makes an excellent job of recounting facts and figures while honouring the very real sense of loss that still echoes through the communities of Harris and Lewis to this day. ⚓️

• ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson - a collection of short stories written in the 1940s-1960s which were seen as pretty scandalous for their time. ‘The Lottery’ is a particular favourite of mine for National 5 students. Its chilling setting of a nameless American town sets the tone for a tale of mindless tradition with a deliciously dark twist at the end which always takes students by surprise! 🖤

• ‘The Penderwicks’ by Jeanne Birdsall - junior fiction at its very best is when all ages can enjoy reading the story 🥰 It’s the first novel in a series about 4 sisters and their beloved dog, reminded me of the family dynamics of Little Women and was such a treat to share! 👧🏽

• ‘The Amazing Generation’ by and Catherine Price - co-written by the author of ‘The Anxious Generation’ (a fascinating eye opener), this is an excellent follow up for young people. Rather than wringing our hands about the next generation, this interactive book serves as a wonderful antidote to panic about screens and the influence of social media. It’s empowering, encouraging and a practical tool for young people- I would highly recommend. 💛

Are you all set for Christmas? No, no, absolutely not set. Not even close. But I do have a jolly set of nostalgic childhood books in my TBR pile. Before the rush for January prelim prep, it’s a trip down memory lane at what can feel like an overwhelming and lonely time for so many. ❤️‍🩹🎄

* ‘Last Term at Malory Towers’ by Enid Blyton - I really do owe Blyton a lot for creating worlds and characters with whom I was absolutely absorbed with as a young reader. It’s perhaps archaic in some regards but the focus on character building rather than indulging in teen girl drama is refreshing and not unhelpful for 21st century readers. I’d forgotten Darrell goes off to St Andrews for uni and wonder what happened to her next? 🏫

* ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R. Tolkien - a genuine classic (unlike its overblown film version), this is a Christmas gift for my son and I am looking forward to hearing what he makes of this adventure into the world of hobbits, goblins, dragons and, of course, Gollum. 🐉

* Another one I loved in primary school was ‘The Lottie Project’ by Jacqueline Wilson. Our school project was the Victorians and this book made that era come alive. Wilson has a way of telling a story exactly as an 11 year old might sound and it’s one thing I loved about her books. Charlie/Lottie is still one of my favourite narrators. 🗣️

* ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ by C.S. Lewis - with very relatable themes of betrayal, forgiveness and hope in something bigger than ourselves, what better book word to spend Christmas in than Narnia? 🦁

I hope this might help if you’re looking for ideas for young (at heart) readers. Wishing you all a very lovely Christmas, may it be filled with books, joy and hope. 📚💛✨

Exam Results Day. Not everybody’s favourite Tuesday of the year. I’m eagerly awaiting news from my lovely students, knowing they worked extremely hard and may have a lot of hopes and dreams resting on tomorrow’s results.

For some people, it will be the day they receive all the grades they hoped for and can now move onto their next goal - whether that’s moving up into Higher, Advanced Higher or further studies and beyond. 🎓

For others, the letters in that SMS or envelope (if you’re keeping it old school 📮) may be a real disappointment and leave them feeling uncertain about what’s next for them now. 🙃

There are some fantastic resources available for exam results support from groups like and . But whatever exam reaults await you tomorrow morning, remember it is your next steps that really count.

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School’s out but, like many tutors, it’s not quite the holidays yet! I’m continuing to work with all my young adult students through the hols, as well as some international students based in Austria and Germany learning English. 😊🇦🇹🇩🇪 But I’m looking forward to a little extra time for books in between my summer tutoring sessions!

* ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ by Michiko Aoyama (translated from the original Japanese by Alison Watts) - 5 different characters narrate their own story as they seek answers to ordinary yet complex life situations. Each of them encounter a librarian who directs them gently to answers in unexpected books. It’s uplifting and a totally different style of storytelling to what I’m accustomed to but felt refreshing. Thanks for sharing this gem! 🇯🇵📚

* ‘Little House in the Big Woods’ by Laura Ingalls Wilder - the first in the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ series tells the story of life in the 1870s American Midwest. Reading this with my girls and loving the lively and detailed description of everyday life, although the butchering of a pig is perhaps a little too vivid 😜 the bonus of this series is its insight into American history and geography through the life of the Ingalls family. 🇺🇸🌲

* ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert - one of my Advanced Higher students is studying this novel as part of his dissertation so I am dutifully picking it as one of my summer reads… I am happily surprised to find it is a lot more engaging than I expected given its reputation for mostly being “about sand.” The film versions may be an appealing shortcut but I’m determined to at least try the novel first! 🏜️

* A cute wee card from one of my National 5 students this year 🥹 It has been a fantastic 24/25 session and I am so grateful to all the families whom I’ve been working alongside.

I am a huge fan of Dekko Comics and would highly recommend Rossi’s work, in particular this one… available for free on the link below 👇🏻

I always love to hear how my former students are getting on in life beyond school - here is the story of Archie, one of the most motivated, encouraging and hardworking young guys in the Highlands! 🏗️👷🏻‍♂️

https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/articles/stoddart-crane-hires-youngest-apprentice-takes-his-career-to-new-heights-500-miles-from-home

The February holiday has been a welcome break after prelims so here are a few titles I’m working my way through:

• Fahrenheit 451’ by Ray Bradbury - my brother reads this every November and inspired me to pick it up again before Christmas. It’s a utopian tale of books being banned and raises questions of the importance of preserving, celebrating and sharing literature and ideas. I find re-reading this book gets more unsettling as we delve into the brave new world of AI and ever-developing technology and hope Bradbury’s poignant warning against what can become lost will not be forgotten. 🧯

• ‘Stig of the Dump’ by Clive King - an absolute classic children’s novel published in 1981, I have such fond memories of hearing this read aloud and watching a tv series based on the book (btw I absolutely endorse watching a TV/film version of a book if it helps with understanding and envisioning literature - hello LOTR…🧝‍♂️) and am enjoying reading it with my own kids. It follows Barney, a young boy who encounters a caveman in a nearby chalk pit: they exchange life skills and share adventures that twist time and reality with very funny events keeping us all highly entertained.

• ‘Knife Edge’ by Malorie Blackman- this is the second in the series by Blackman and I’m just getting started with it, after some of my S3 students have been reading the first book ‘Noughts and Crosses’. It’s full of tension and complex characters in an inverted world. ♟️

• ‘Hitler, Stalin, Mum & Dad’ by Daniel Finkelstein - Finkelstein is one of my favourite writers to use for RfUAE practice, with his liberal use of all the language techniques my Nat 5 and Higher students are seeking to familiarise themselves with. He has an intriguing history with parents as Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. I’m anticipating a fascinating and beautifully written book based on what I’ve read, although have been warned it does not make for light bedtime reading. 📖

A great supportive community for families who may have dyslexia as part of their story 🏡🔠

Our virtual get-togethers are now open to all. Please join us on Zoom, Tuesday 14 at 8pm - topic: Families of children with dyslexia.

If you’re a family supporting a dyslexic child and you'd like to connect with others, give us a try, we'd love you to join us.

Register here: https://bit.ly/421CHN5

October holidays are in full swing and so is my reading list!

* ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ by J.K. Rowling - I’ve got to say, re-reading the last few books in the Potter series this autumn has been an absolute treat. The first time round, I read them far too fast when they were first published and missed a whole heap of threads running through the 7 books; I’m so enjoying seeing little nuggets from the earlier books emerging as bigger storylines in these final books. ⚡️

* ‘Love, Interrupted’ by Simon Thomas - one of my happiest childhood TV memories is watching ‘Blue Peter’ three times a week and Simon Thomas was one of our favourite presenters. Having lost his wife suddenly to acute myeloid leukaemia, he has written about how the experience changed his life. His work in raising awareness of blood cancer as well as facing challenges of anxiety and alcohol dependency has been really moving and he writes this book with a beautiful honesty. ❤️‍🩹

* ‘Bullies’ by Ed Wicke - this remains one of my most memorable books from childhood and one of the most fun to read aloud to my own kids. It follows the story of Alex Adams, a boy who has had unfortunately too much firsthand experience of being bullied and has the funniest 4 year old sister ever to be written. While tackling the very real issue of bullying, Wicke does it with style, magic and riddles that will stick with you. I’d highly recommend for readers of all ages 🥰

* ‘Nicholas Winton and the Rescued Generation’ by Muriel Emanuel and Vera Gissing - I’d seen the viral video of Nicholas Winton being surprised by Esther Rantzen on her TV show when the audience surrounded him turned out to be the grown-up children he had rescued from N**i Germany. This biographical account fills in the story of his life and conveys some of the deep risks he took to save 669 Jewish children and bring them to Britain. It is a fascinating read and really brings to life what it cost to change history. 🇬🇧

I can’t recommend these Dyslexia Masterclass highly enough to equip parents and educators to support young people with dyslexia - book online for free! 💪🏻🧠🎨

Select tickets – Dyslexia Masterclass for Parents - online – Zoom Join our Dyslexia Scotland West Lothian branch and Sharon Hall for a whistle-stop tour of supporting children and young people ...

Exam results day tomorrow, so… “What’s next?” 📚🫠💛

The results are in… so, in the words of any West Winger worth their salt: what’s next?

As my granny told me yesterday, on her 99th birthday, if your grades are not what you hoped for, don’t let it bring you down. Try again and keep moving forward.

Whatever letters await you in the exam results this morning, it’s what you do next that counts.