A Social enterprise
Cottage Science4Good
At Cottage Science we don't just want to do well for our clients.
We want to do good - for our communities, for our homelands and for future generations.
Investing in people
Ethical Innovation
Educating the future
Making it easier to teach science, ethics and interpersonal skills in classrooms.
flexibility and eMpowerment
Technology for Teachers
One of my chief frustrations when writing for PrimaryConnections was the limitations of producing a book format. We could not provide many alternative lessons based on what the teacher discovered during the Engage phase about students' skills and interests.
I dreamed of using technology to support the cognitive load of teachers rather than replace their essential role. My idea was a bank of resources behind a simple interface where teachers could input goals, interests, and constraints and then be empowered with a flexible, place-based custom learning journey that they could trust is supported by the best in pedagogical content knowledge.
Sprouting Science is a first step in that direction. I'm in the midst of finalising the website and then uploading two free modules to support teachers in meeting the Year 4 Biological Sciences outcomes of the Australian Curriculum. One also explicitly supports the development of science inquiry skills, while the other focuses on ethics, interpersonal skills and positive action. They can be taught together or separately.
ONgoing reflection and learning
Communities of practice
It was my absolute privilege to work with teachers nationwide when I trialled each book that I developed. Many said the experience was a fantastic professional development opportunity, and I would love to offer it to more teachers.
I can see the future in my mind, where cohorts of teachers join together to teach a module across a term, with some professional development thrown in. The outcomes of this exercise would, in turn, strengthen the flexibility and thought behind each module.
For the moment, we have a Facebook page you can follow!
New paths for those in need
Too many families are negatively affected by school refusal and inflexible workplaces.
Children who can't be in school
By age ten, many children with ADHD have received 20,000 more negative messages about themselves than their peers. School refusal can be the final recourse of students who have been struggling for a long time and who find the social and sensory aspects of school overwhelming.
School refusal can be born of severe emotional distress - a trauma response to continuous unmet needs and exclusion, not a conscious choice.
Sudden Homeschoolers
School refusal means that a primary carer (predominantly the mother) suddenly needs to take full responsibility for a child's education. Unless they are lucky, they must simultaneously step away from work - losing their professional satisfaction and financial security.
The mental stress is considerable, on top of the distress felt for your child. You can learn to thrive together, but imagine having another option.
Contractors by necessity
I work with AuDHD young adults who cannot find the flexibility they need in traditional workplaces. Options like being a sole trader consultant are more difficult when you don't already have years of experience and contacts in the industry. It can also be very isolating.
The mental benefits of having a good manager and a work environment where you can bring your whole self cannot be understated.
DREAMING OF A NEW MODEL
CoWork CoLearn
I keep meeting carers who have amazing work skills. Meanwhile, I see businesses that could really use flexible workers, such as startups without income for full-time staff members and organisations with fluctuating, project-based workloads.
I am committed to prioritising the hiring of individuals from the disability community, including young adults and carers. I am eager to explore ways to provide professional discussions and ongoing skills development that many struggle to access outside of full-time work. This way, they can be equipped to meet needs as they arise flexibly.
I also want to develop a model where children and charges can remain in close proximity so their trusted adults are available for co-regulation. If gyms can have 0-5 early childhood education and care spaces, surely it is not impossible to imagine a model where a coworking space has an adjoining education and care space for children who find themselves unable to attend school?
Working Together for Tomorrow
Making choices that help guarantee the future health of our planet and its people.
Ecology first approach
Beyond individualism
My husband and I both studied Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at high levels. My brain is wired to understand behaviours and actions in their context and history and to evaluate how choices influence the systems around me, not just my own individual gain.
As such, I want to support businesses with strong ethical and environmental principles, invest in local initiatives, and grow together as a community. I reuse what I can and recycle the rest. I make gifts for significant events and love repurposing pre-loved items.
Except when I can't. I act on my principles as best I can within the capacity that I have at the time. Whilst I see all that I could do better, it is part of my personal growth to understand that burning myself out for perfection is less sustainable than growing towards success.
INtegrated wellbeing
Valuing people
I went to Nepalese villages as part of the evaluation of a disaster preparedness response program. My colleague and I were taken aback to be met by the entire village in festive attire. But upon reflection, it was a moment that brought home to me the potential impact of the work I was doing on the lives of those I was visiting.
Personal wellness is a hot topic, with everyone talking about the individual actions we can take to feel better. I don't deny the importance of those actions, but I see well-being as a joint responsibility. If someone's mental or physical health is struggling because of systemic barriers or injustices, I don't think it is up to them alone to find a way to cope with a toxic environment.
My personal commitment to this is to openly create and advocate for safer spaces for all. I will also continue to pay attention to the impacts (intended or not) on communities of any work I undertake.
