Latest news with #workshops
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
College students design workshops for special needs school kids
North East college students are bringing hands-on STEM learning to life through interactive workshops. A new partnership between Middlesbrough College and Discovery Special Academy in Middlesbrough is helping young people with complex learning needs explore science and technology through creative, student-led sessions. The project began when Discovery Special Academy sought support to strengthen its STEM and careers provision, leading to a recommendation from video game developer Double Eleven and a collaboration with Middlesbrough College's Digital department. Cher Griffiths, curriculum team leader at Middlesbrough College, said: "The experience has been incredibly rewarding for our students, who have stepped outside their comfort zones and learned how to engage meaningfully with children who have special educational needs. "The feedback from both sides has been fantastic. "Watching the students work together to achieve something meaningful has been inspiring – it's what our social action projects are all about." Over the past three months, college students have designed and led practical workshops in robotics, problem-solving, photography, and more. Pupils have built cars and robots using Lego Mindstorms, taken part in digital photography activities, and created visual storytelling projects. One session involved using puppets to tell the story of a typical day at the academy. College students helped the children set up scenes, take photographs, and assemble a visual narrative. The collaboration has also led to the creation of a bank of classroom resources for Discovery Special Academy's teaching staff to use beyond the life of the project. The partnership will continue for the remainder of the academic year, with plans for academy pupils to visit Middlesbrough College and explore its digital facilities, including a professional film studio and e-sports arena. Both organisations say the project has delivered meaningful benefits for all involved. Pupils have gained new experiences in STEM, while college students have developed skills in leadership, communication, and creative problem-solving. Middlesbrough College hopes to expand the partnership in the future, exploring new areas of digital learning and building on the success of this year's social action project.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SLC Arts June events
POTSDAM, N.Y. (WWTI) — SLC Arts is located at the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center, 6-8 Raymond Street in Potsdam. You can visit the shop and gallery on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedule: Tuesday, June 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Beaded Chain Bracelets with Ginny Burnett (Registration $25) Wednesday, June 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Writers Group Thursday, June 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Texture Paintings with Brenda Maxson (Registration $45) Thursday, June 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Hooks and Needles Textile Guild Friday, June 6, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Wild Theater Speaker Series with Emily Carrollo and John Davis at Potsdam Public Library Friday, June 6, from 6 to 10 p.m. – DIY Show (Suggested donation: $10) Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Acrylic Paintings of Local Songbirds with Dana Butcher (Registration $25) Sunday, June 8, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. — Second Sunday Poetry Monday, June 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Playwriting Circle Wednesday, June 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Wednesday Open Mic! Thursday, June 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Figure Drawing (Ages 18+ only- live model) (Registration $10) Friday, June 13, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. — Wild Theater Speaker Series with Rivka Eckert at Potsdam Public Library Friday, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Swing Dance with Christopher Keach (Registration $10) Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Mushroom Bisque Painting with Nav Atkinson (Registration $12) Tuesday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. — Print is Not Dead Exhibition Opening Wednesday, June 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Writers Group Thursday, June 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Nature Prints with Sandra Nestlerode-Hale (Registration $15) Thursday, June 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Hooks and Needles: Textile Guild Friday, June 20, from 10:50 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. — Professional Headshots with Dustina Hooper (Registration $50 to 75) Saturday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Playful Palettes: Monet Inspired Bouquets Saturday, June 21, from 6 to 10 p.m. – 'Eras in Motion' Annual Gala (Tickets $110) at Eben Holden Monday, June 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Playwriting Circle Tuesday, June 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Beaded Lightcatchers with Ginny Burnett (Registration $18) Wednesday, June 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. — Wednesday Open Mic! Thursday, June 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. – Figure Drawing (Ages 18+ only- live model) (Registration $10) Thursday, June 26, to Sunday, June 29 — Community Mural Project (Fundraiser $50 to $300) Register for programs, classes and events on the SLC Arts website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Where We Are Going Today: Tar'fay cafe in Alkhobar
In historic northern Alkhobar — where tradition and the contemporary collide — lies a quintessential Eastern Province cafe: The eclectic and quirky world of Tar'fay. A kaleidoscope of color and craft, the cafe is the best-kept local secret. Everything we tried was delicious — their famous cake slice, affectionately known as 'cake heart of Khobar,' features a tiny red heart in the corner and goes for SR15 ($4). Opened in 2023, the cafe is the brainchild of a Saudi woman creative whose name it proudly carries. More than just a cafe, Tar'fay hosts a variety of artsy events; their recent calendar has been packed with workshops like junk journaling, rubber-stamp making and a teddy bear workshop. This is the place where you would take someone from out of town to show them the aura and essence of Alkhobar. It is also the spot in which locals park their laptops and work while sipping on some coffee or matcha. Tar'fay hosts a treasure trove of items and every space is full of vibrant and inspiring art to help fuel your creative energy as you fuel up on caffeine. They even have fun mugs that feel like a hug for your hands. It is an Instagram and TikTok haven but also a great spot to slow down and delve into a physical book — many of which are supplied on the coffee tables. Tar'fay is a gathering space for creatives with a large communal table and plenty of nooks to nestle in and read, or scroll on your phone. The cafe is open daily. Check out Tar'fay's Instagram page for more @
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Repeat And Refine: Why Repetition Improves Performance For Leaders
Every leadership interaction is an opportunity to repeat and refine. Earlier this month, I returned home from a two-week stretch of delivering my Leadership Biodynamics training four times—four full cohorts, four two-day workshops, all within 14 days. I've taught this material dozens of times, but never in such a concentrated rhythm. The experience sharpened my approach more than any single delivery ever had. By the end, my pacing was tighter, transitions cleaner, and my ability to read and respond to participant cues more precise. It reminded me of something I often tell the leaders I work with: repetition improves performance, not through mindless repetition, but through reflective variation. Every time you engage in a meaningful interaction, you gain a chance to observe, adjust, and improve. Stand-up comics understand this intuitively. Before a new hour of comedy hits a Netflix special, it's been tested in dozens of clubs. They repeat, refine, and adjust constantly until every beat lands. Not because they love repetition, but because they understand how feedback fuels performance. Repeat and refine isn't just a strategy for comics. It's a powerful tool for leaders. It's how you sharpen behavioral signals, improve real-time decision-making, and build a repertoire of interaction patterns that drive outcomes. Every leadership moment is an opportunity to test, learn, and optimize. Repetition, when done right, isn't rote. It's adaptive. Research on deliberate practice by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson shows that improvement comes not from repeating the same behavior over and over, but from adjusting performance based on tight feedback loops. The brain gets sharper through cycles of prediction, action, and recalibration. This kind of repetition works especially well in compressed, high-frequency contexts. When you teach something four times in two weeks, or lead four similar strategic discussions in a short span, you're not just remembering your material. You're gaining behavioral fluency. What improves isn't just what you say, but how you say it, and how you adapt to others in the moment. Jerry Seinfeld takes a scientific approach to comedy Few professions understand repetition like comedians. They obsess over timing, tone, rhythm, and silence. Jerry Seinfeld has described his process as 'very scientific.' He tests material like an experiment, gathers feedback as data, and rewrites until the flow feels right to his ear and works with a live audience. Jim Gaffigan echoed the same mindset in an interview, saying, 'The thing that I love about stand-up is that I feel like I'm getting better at it.' That sense of getting better through constant refinement is the core of the craft. Leaders may not be working toward applause, but they are constantly working toward clarity, credibility, and influence. And like comics, they get there by refining how they show up in the room. The comparison holds, especially because most leadership isn't about prepared remarks. It's about everyday moments: checking in with a team member, pitching a new idea to a funder, navigating a difficult conversation with a peer. Each of these is a live performance, and each one is a chance to iterate. The late Donald Schön called this process reflective practice, distinguishing between two forms: I've learned to rely on both. During the training sessions, I notice the way a story lands, or when a participant leans in. That informs how I tweak the next segment. Afterward, I walk through what worked, what didn't, and what to try differently. Over time, the entire experience becomes sharper, more attuned, more effective. Schön described this as the difference between technical competence and professional artistry. It's not about delivering a script. It's about reading the room and responding in real time with craft. In my work on Leadership Biodynamics, I help leaders become more intentional with their behavioral signals—especially those that convey warmth, competence, and gravitas. These are not fixed traits. They're perceivable signals, and they land differently depending on how they're delivered. Every time you interact with someone—a direct report, a board member, a client—you're sending signals. The more intentional you are about those signals, the more likely they'll create the kind of connection or influence you need in that moment. Over time, repetition with reflection builds a repertoire, not a routine. You begin to develop patterns of phrasing, tone, posture, and pacing that tend to land well across a range of situations. You can reach into that repertoire when the moment calls for it, adapting your delivery while staying authentic. This doesn't require a stage. It just requires a shift in mindset. Here's how to apply the repeat-and-refine approach to everyday leadership: This isn't about perfection. It's about behavioral precision. And that's what drives influence. For leaders, the goal isn't to perform. It's to develop a body of interactions that consistently prompt the strategic outcomes you're aiming for—especially those that create shared value. Insights from adaptive leadership support this shift toward experimentation, feedback, and evolution in real time. By the end of my fourth training in two weeks, I wasn't just delivering the material. I was tuned into it. Each session had helped me refine the message, the rhythm, the flow. But more than that, I had built a richer repertoire I can now carry into future interactions. Scientific research on feedback loops reinforces what comics and leaders alike come to know: repetition improves performance, but only when it's paired with reflection and adaptation. The best leaders don't just perform. They practice like professionals, learn like scientists, and refine like comics.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Beautiful locations to learn in': readers' favourite creative breaks
Wider Horizons is an outdoor gathering in Berkshire dedicated to reigniting young attendees' (18 to 30 years old) creative spark through workshops, music, ceremony and movement. On the glorious July afternoon I arrived, oak trees cast elongated shadows on the soft earth, a gentle breeze stirred the tall grass, and I found myself surrounded by a group of eccentric, vivacious young adults. A key element of the weekend is transformation: Wild Woman circles channelled sacred rage into empowerment, Forest Play turned ennui into childlike wonder, and poetry workshops used the surrounding woodlands as inspiration. My phone lay untouched, my mind grew quiet, and from that place of silence, the words poured out of me like rainfall. This year's event is from 22-28 July. The full price is £250 with early-bird discounts available into Serna Trigonos is a beautiful and unique environmentally conscious retreat centre in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia). Its seven hectares (18 acres) include a tranquil lake. The setting is a key landscape in the ancient Fourth Branch of The Mabinogion. Storytellers Cath Little and Claire Mace led a weekend workshop for women here, exploring the enigmatic figure of Arianrhod, a key female figure in mythology. My connections with the story and the mythological landscape were deepened by this experience; I gained new insights, enriched my own storytelling, and made wise new friends. Activities such as yoga, weaving, cycling, and forest bathing are also offered at Collins Guardian Travel readers' tips Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers' tips homepage - The best place to refill your creative cup is at Gladstone's Library. It truly is a bookish fantasy; you while away the hours reading and writing in a wood-panelled, nostalgic. book-filled space, before heading upstairs to dream in the book-themed bedrooms. Rooms start at £96 a night at this gem at Hawarden near Chester, founded by William Gladstone, which includes a delicious on-site breakfast, access to reading rooms and use of a common-room style lounge, complete with roaring fires and sofas. The UK's only residential library is the perfect getaway for creatives in any field looking to rest, write, read and be. Rosie Blincow The Solway Firth landscape painting weeks at Auchencairn House combine the inspirational scenery of the coast and the wonderful walled garden with excellent and supportive tutors and warm and friendly hosts. Breathe the calm by day, relax with stately home dining and just paint. The next course starts on 15 June. Anne Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion I have been on two photography holidays with Creative Escapes. I visited Sicily and Japan and the holidays were wonderful. The company only takes small groups and its tutors are experienced photographers. They give individual help and advice so not only did my skills improve, but I also developed my own style. There were complete beginners and experienced photographers on the trips but we all supported each other in the projects and feedback sessions. Beautiful locations for learning, accommodation and special On hands and knees, I tended to Sylvia Plath's overgrown grave with my new writer friend. We were staying at Ted Hughes's old pad up the road, Lumb Bank, atop a leafy West Yorkshire valley – learning the joys and craft of creative nonfiction, on an Arvon retreat. Over a transformative week, we shared writing and cooking skills, and bottles of red wine while dining at Ted's table every evening. That holiday kickstarted my love of creative writing. Arvon has three 'writing houses' – in Yorkshire, Shropshire and Devon. Five-day courses start at £
