“The Great British Baking Show,” class of 2020 I never thought I would get this emotionally involved with a cooking show. Or, to be more precise, a *baking* show. It’s not that I haven’t watched them before. My 7-year-old is a HUGE fan of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. In fact, Taylor Pusha, a Northside Middle School student, won the holiday version of this kids show in 2020, dazzling the celebrity judges with her flavorful gingerbread. And, of course, who could forget Virginia Western chef John Schopp, who competed in the Halloween Baking Championship in 2016? So I’m very familiar with the competitive food TV genre … which is why I became so enchanted by “The Great British Baking Show,” which my husband and I continue to binge on Netflix. We’ve watched about six seasons already, starting from the most recent (2020), and going backward. I love this show even though I don’t really love to bake. How is this possible? Because “The Great British Baking Show” isn’t really about baking. For me, it’s about creating a little learning community — an “island of sanity,” to borrow a term from author Margaret Wheatley, whom I have mentioned… Continue Reading What ‘The Great British Baking Show’ can teach us about teaching and learningRead More
I recently attended a child’s birthday party in a beautiful city park, and it involved a piñata. After joking with another parent about why we love this tradition — where kids beat their cartoon heroes with a stick until candy falls out — I focused my attention on Birthday Dad, who was managing the festivities. I noticed how he was able to get this group of 15ish kids — most around the age of 8 and all sugared-up with birthday cake — to follow some basic rules, the most important being: Stay behind this stick I’m holding until it’s your turn. This was a critical maneuver, as the kids mobbed the ground under the piñata any time candy went flying. He ensured every child got a swing, asking them to raise their hands each round. Birthday Dad was cheerful, crystal clear, and fair. Most importantly: There were no injuries, and everyone was able to get some treats. I congratulated both parents, as they had gracefully — almost effortlessly — controlled pure chaos without feeling autocratic. “Yes, he was once a camp counselor,” laughed Birthday Mom, as she made sure my daughter’s goodie bag was full. Image by Alexander Kliem from… Continue Reading Don’t be the piñata: 5 lessons learned as a workgroup facilitatorRead More
Hello! Are you looking for information about the G3 program at Virginia Western? *** Hello, and welcome back to the Virginia Western Game of Trivia, which is really a quiz, but GOT is the only acronym that makes any sense. (Cue the laugh track) The game is a quick way to relay important data points and random bits of trivia about our college … and also an excellent excuse for our game host to learn how to use Google Forms. (Ba-dum-tisssss!) But first … do yourself a favor and play this background YouTube music to get the full quiz show experience! Can you hear those happy horns? OK, much better. Today, we have two (2) questions for you about the new G3 tuition assistance program, which you can learn all about here. So let’s get to the quiz … (and be sure to click “View score” after you answer) … Loading… In case you missed Round 1 of our Game of Trivia, catch up here. Did I hear someone ask about a prize? Ahhhhh, yes. We all win a valuable prize pack full of … knowledge! And maybe some lemon lasagna at some point? 🙂 Thanks for playing the (deep, dramatic… Continue Reading Time again for the Virginia Western Game of Trivia (G3 edition)Read More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024
- Grant Nerds Unite! March 12, 2024
- The Power of Collaboration November 17, 2023
- Time to Innovate October 4, 2023