Have you ever looked back at your school years and wondered what really stayed with you? 

Other than maybe some bad memories. 

School taught me some facts and formulas, but with undiagnosed dyscalculia, much of it slipped away, which meant I struggled without knowing why. More than that, school shaped how I thought about myself: what I was ‘good’ at, what I wasn’t, and whether I would amount to anything at all. 

Those early lessons form a mindset we carry into adulthood, often without realising it. 

I currently work in the community teaching a range of topics to a very diverse audience. One of these audiences includes people who are currently unemployed, this could be for a number of reasons, some of which include – mental health, physical health, prison, homelessness, carers, change of career and lone parent. 

I’ve had the privilege of getting to know them – not as a statistic, or a “failure” (as seen by some), but as people.

The majority are very reluctant to learn in anything that resembles a classroom. That reluctance is a huge barrier – and one I need to break down first. Because without being in the room, I’m limited in what I can do.  

And I understand why. Many didn’t enjoy school: the culture, the teaching, the rules, the subjects that may have felt irrelevant. Others missed a diagnosis that would have helped them access learning. Many were bullied- which was also my own experience. 

School is hard enough without facing bullying day in and day out. I left with a handful of GCSE’s, no self-confidence and no goals. Maybe you had a similar experience, or maybe yours was different — but almost all of us carry something from those years into adulthood.

When I step outside into nature, I’m reminded of how much we lose when we’re told to sit still, be quiet, and colour inside the lines.

A tree or wildflower doesn’t compare itself to others. There’s no sense of failure, only growth in its own way. Nature is endlessly creative, and it invites us to adopt a mindset of curiosity rather than judgement.

Nature has no lines — and neither should our creativity.

For me, nature is a reminder of what real learning feels like: open, alive, without walls or rigid rules. I believe reconnecting with the natural world can help us recover the parts of ourselves that school often pushed aside.

Education isn’t just about grades — it shapes how we think as adults, often in ways we don’t even notice. I want to explore how the education system shaped us as adults – often in ways we don’t notice – and how we can reclaim the creativity and curiosity we may have lost along the way. 

But we can rewrite that story.

That’s what I want to do with this blog: help you rewrite your story.

Through this space, I’ll share:

• Reflections on how school affects us as adults
• Ways to rebuild creativity and curiosity
• Ideas for helping you (and your children) grow with a healthier mindset
• Insights from nature as a teacher

I’d love to hear your story too —

What do you wish school had taught you, or what did it take away that you’re now trying to find again? Please comment below 👇 

If this resonates, you’re welcome to share it or sit with it.