British Museum Day

We're taking bookings for the 2016 British Museum Day! It's on Saturday 18th June, and is suitable for children in years 4 to 8. There are two sessions, morning or afternoon, which cost £10 per pupil. For more info email pam@nethaus.co.uk 

Download form here

It has been an incredible week...

It has been an incredible week. Last Saturday over 50 Minimus supporters- sponsors, teachers, teacher trainers et al met at the excellent Ioannou Classics Centre in Oxford for a party to celebrate worldwide sales of 150,000 copies. It was a fantastic evening- so much so that I couldn't sleep on Saturday night- far too excited as I relived it all! 

As always, Classicists love to meet and chat and offer mutual support ; we are, after all, an endangered species. 

Each member of the PLP committee spoke briefly about their area of PLP work. These talks were so clear and showcased all that we do. People were surprised that Minimus is far from just a book.

We even had messages from our 2 committee members in the USA- Ruth Ann Besse from Baltimore and Zee Ann Poerio from Pittsburgh  sent a video clip of her Minimus students ;Zee Ann herself also spoke and sent an inspiring message, reassuring us that all our work for PLP continues to spread " across the pond." 

The food was delicious and I am so grateful to Chris Pelling and Mai Musie for allowing us to use the Classics centre and for the events manager- Kate DelNevo, and her team, who arranged such an excellent evening for us. 

I have received a host of encouraging messages this week from those who attended. 

Here's to 200,000 !   Barbara

Jeremy Patterson (PLP Chairman) and Barbara Bell

Barbara and Nick Bell

Barbara Bell and Helen Forte

Catherine Jarvis, Barbara Bell, Helen Forte

Diana Sparkes, Michele Anderson

Brian Sparkes, Pam Macklin

Roger Davis, Barbara Bell

Jeremy Patterson, Michael Crawford

Barbara Bell, Sir Jeremy Morse

Zee Ann Poerio's video message from the USA

Jeremy Patterson, James Morwood

Wendy Hunt

Anna Donnelly

Jane Maguire

Elly Watson

Minimus cupcakes!

Minimus riding a discus

Minimus and a friend

Helen Forte

PLP committee meeting tomorrow...and British Museum day in 2016

Tomorrow we have our PLP committee meeting. We meet twice a year and this time we will be convening at Beechwood Park Prep.school, where Michelle Anderson teaches. I am looking forward to spending the day in such elegant surroundings .I last visited two years ago to judge their Latin play competition and to enjoy a Roman banquet! 

On a separate trip I visited  Michelle's classes. I especially remember the children acting "Odysseus and the Cyclops" with some impressive Greek  soldiers moving across the classroom floor hiding under the sheep... all great fun. 

We will be discussing future plans for Minimus  including our next day at the British Museum - Sat. June 18th -as well as long-term plans to develop the Project even further. Exciting times!

Training the Trainers on Saturday 5th September 2015

In the last year there has been a great demand form schools for me to train their staff to teach Minimus, so I have had an enjoyable and rather hectic time dashing round the country.   In order to spread the load I have gathered a group of 12 experienced Minimus teachers who are going to do some of the training for me. We met on Saturday 5^th September at Birmingham University for a Train the Trainers Day. I am grateful to Classics for All who sponsored the event and Elena Theodorakopoulos at Birmingham University who agreed to host the meeting in the splendid rooms of the Classics department. 

9 of my group of 12 were able to attend (pictures as below) and we had a useful and enjoyable time sharing good practice in teaching Minimus and looking at different types of training event and how best to share resources.  These ladies are now equipped to run training events around the country and what came across was our common passion for Latin. I know they will do a great job. 

If anyone wishes to be trained to teach Minimus, please get in touch with the PLP office ( bmbellmini@aol.com ) and we will do our best to provide what you need.

 And a marvellous mosaic from St John’s Walham Green, Fulham, C of E Primary School. On their Latin Club’s recent trip to Bath on 10th July, Caroline (Y5) chose to make a Minimus mosaic:

Minimus in Somerset

In July Nick and I were delighted to accept an invitation to visit a Minimus club at Winscombe Primary School in Somerset. This was their last session of the year and their teacher, Claire Green, is moving to another school. Claire had organised a Roman Banquet, which we thoroughly enjoyed, with the children. The children then asked me questions about writing a book and this happy occasion was rounded off with a rousing rendition of Senex MacDonald! It is very good news that Claire's replacement intends to continue the Minimus club, even though she is a non-Latinist herself!

Minimus travelling in Roman Britain with his American friends...

In July I was able to meet with some wonderful American teachers in Bath and talk to them about the wonders of Minimus. I had already been in touch with them in the US via ACL (American Classical League).

 It was great meeting them again and to spend some time with them.

They, in the good company of Minimus and Vibrissa, were able to visit Chedworth Villa, Caerleon, Bath, Vindolanda and Housesteads, (Hadrian's Wall) this year...here are some photos of their visit...such as Minimus meeting with archaeologist, Beth Greene, at Vindolanda...

Minimus at Aquae Sulis

Its all happening in The Midlands!...

Its all happening in The Midlands!  Last week I was in Solihull training teachers and this week in Birmingham; as a result of the Birmingham meeting a number of vice-principals in the area are considering using Minimus. 

Also this week I have finished 5 weeks of teaching PGCE students. 

These student teachers are not Classicists but are training to teach English and Modern Foreign Languages. 39 of them completed the course and have a certificate to say they are qualified to teach the Minimus Primary Latin course.  

This teaching took place at Bristol University and other universities are showing interest. 

We had a great bunch of students with a large number of different languages between them. This was a very stimulating new departure for Minimus and I hope it will be repeated next year. Watch this space!

Latest news...

Latest news...

1. Yesterday I ran a Minimus training day here in Bristol. 3 ladies came  to my home for the day to train to teach Minimus. Amazing that this is still happening, 20 years after I first had the idea of writing the book. 

 

2. This week worldwide sales of the first book passed 150,000 copies!