When It’s NOT the Computer… It’s the Switch!

 

When It’s NOT the Computer… It’s the Switch!

We’ve all been there…

Web pages won’t load.
Emails refuse to send.
Everything feels just a bit broken.

So what do we do?

Reboot the computer.

Of course.

I did exactly that… and guess what?
Still broken.

Some pages would load. Others wouldn’t. Emails sat there stubbornly in the outbox like a dinghy stuck head-to-wind on a windless Thames.

At this point, it’s tempting to blame:

• The computer
• The browser
• The email software
• Or even “the internet” (whatever that means!)

But here’s the thing…

The Real Culprit: The Network Switch

After a bit of digging (and resisting the urge to throw the mouse overboard), I traced the issue back to the network switch.

Now, switches are one of those bits of kit we:

• Install once
• Hide away
• Completely forget about

Until they go wrong.

And when they do go wrong… things get weird:

• Some websites work ✔️
• Others don’t ❌
• Emails half-send 
• Connections drop randomly

Sound familiar?

The Fix

Simple.

Reboot the switch.

That’s it.

Within seconds:

• All web pages loaded properly
• Emails sent instantly
• Network back to normal

Problem solved.

Takeaway

Before blaming your computer:

👉 Check the whole system
👉 Think about what connects everything together
👉 And don’t forget the humble switch

 To Do Lists, Life Management… and Do Apps Like Notion Actually Help?

We all love a good to do list.

There’s something deeply satisfying about writing down “Fix the boat seat”, “Edit YouTube video”, “Prepare A-Level lesson”… and then promptly ignoring half of it while making a cup of tea.

But in recent years, the humble scrap of paper has been replaced by a growing army of apps—one of the most popular being Notion.

So… do these tools actually help, or are they just another way to procrastinate?

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The Old School Method (Paper & Chaos)

A paper to-do list has some real advantages:

• Quick and simple
• No login, no distractions
• Very satisfying to cross things off

But…

• Easy to lose
• No reminders
• No long-term organisation
• That one important note is always on the wrong piece of paper

Sound familiar?

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Enter Notion (and Friends)

Apps like Notion try to solve all of this by putting your entire life into one place.

You can:

• Create task lists, calendars, and reminders
• Build databases (students, lessons, sailing projects…)
• Track progress over time
• Link everything together (notes, videos, plans)

In theory… it’s brilliant.

In practice… it depends how you use it.

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The Big Advantage: SYSTEMS

The real power of tools like Notion isn’t the list…

…it’s the system behind the list.

For example, you could build:

• A lesson planning tracker for GCSE & A-Level students
• A video production pipeline (idea → filming → editing → upload)
• A boat maintenance log (because something always needs fixing…)
• A content calendar for your daily blog and social posts

Now instead of random tasks, you have a workflow.

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The Big Trap: Productivity Procrastination

Here’s the honest truth…

You can spend hours building the perfect system
…instead of actually doing the work.

Classic signs:

• Colour coding everything
• Designing the “perfect dashboard”
• Rebuilding your system for the third time this week
• Watching YouTube videos on “How to be productive” instead of being productive

At this point, the app has become the hobby.

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What Actually Works (From Experience)

A simple hybrid approach works best:

1. Daily Simplicity

• Write 3–5 key tasks for the day
• Whether on paper or digital

2. Use Notion for Structure

• Long-term projects
• Reusable systems
• Tracking progress

3. Keep It Lean

• If it takes longer to manage the system than do the task… simplify it

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A Practical Example (Your Kind of Workflow)

For your setup, something like this works very well:

• Notion
  • Blog ideas list
  • Sailing project tracker (Vanessa restoration?)
  • Tuition lesson plans
  • Video production workflow
• Simple Daily List
  • Today’s filming
  • Edit one video
  • Post blog + social
  • Respond to students

Best of both worlds.

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Final Thoughts

Apps like Notion can be incredibly powerful…

…but only if they help you do more, not just plan more.

At the end of the day:

A messy list that gets done beats a perfect system that doesn’t.

 

Getting the Shot – It’s All About Camera Placement

Having a camera with you on a boat is one thing…
Actually capturing the action? That’s a completely different challenge.

Anyone who has ever come back from a sail thinking “that was brilliant!”… only to discover they’ve filmed 2 hours of their own elbow… will understand exactly what I mean.

Why Placement Matters More Than the Camera

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using a GoPro, a Insta360, or even a high-end DSLR — if it’s pointing the wrong way, it’s useless.

On a moving boat, everything changes:

• Direction
• Heel angle
• Wind
• Spray
• Crew movement

So your camera needs to be:
👉 Secure
👉 Well-positioned
👉 Thought through before you leave the mooring

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Popular Camera Positions on a Sailing Boat

1. Mast Mount – The “Classic Sailing Shot”

This is the go-to shot for a reason.

Pros:

• Shows the whole boat and crew
• Great for analysing sailing technique
• Captures sail trim, tacking, gybing

Cons:

• Can miss facial expressions
• Needs secure mounting (and a backup tether!)

💡 Tip: Angle slightly down and aft — too high and you’ll just film sailcloth.

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2. Stern Mount – The “Chase Cam”

Perfect for capturing the crew working and the boat powering forward.

Pros:

• Great storytelling shot
• Shows helm + crew interaction
• Excellent for YouTube content

Cons:

• Can get soaked
• May miss what’s happening ahead

💡 Tip: Combine with a forward-facing camera for a full story.

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3. Bow Mount – The “Into the Action Shot”

This is where things get exciting — spray, speed, and drama.

Pros:

• Incredible sense of speed
• Captures waves and spray
• Great for social clips

Cons:

• Risk of water damage
• Can be unstable

Tip: Use waterproof kit (this is where the Olympus Tough shines).

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4. 360 Camera – The “Set and Forget”

Honestly, this is becoming the game changer.

Pros:

• Capture everything
• Reframe later in editing
• No need to aim perfectly

Cons:

• More editing time
• Can look less “cinematic” if overused

Tip: Mount centrally (mast or boom) for best results.

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The Real Secret: Think Like a Director

Before you even leave shore, ask yourself:

• What story am I telling?
• Who is the focus — helm, crew, or boat performance?
• Do I want drama, instruction, or memories?

Because random camera placement = random footage.

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Lessons Learned (the Hard Way…)

From experience (and plenty of unusable footage):

• ✔ One well-placed camera beats three badly placed ones
• ✔ Always use a safety tether (gravity always wins)
• ✔ Check angles before launching
• ✔ Batteries and memory cards matter more than you think

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Final Thought

You can spend thousands on cameras…
…but if it’s pointing at your buoyancy aid for two hours…

You’ve just made the world’s most expensive documentary about fabric.

 Creating 360° VR Videos – Step Inside the Story

There was a time when filming meant pointing a camera at something and hoping the viewer looked in the right place.

Now… we don’t even tell them where to look.

Welcome to the wonderfully disorientating world of 360° VR video, where your audience can look left, right, up, down—and occasionally completely miss the point you were trying to make. Perfect for sailing videos, slightly terrifying for teaching!

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What is a 360° VR Video?

A 360° video captures everything around the camera at once. When viewed:

• On a phone → you drag the screen
• On a computer → you click and pan
• In a VR headset → you look around naturally

It’s the closest thing we have to saying:
“Here, you take control of the camera.”

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The Gear – Keep It Simple

You don’t need a Hollywood budget. In fact, simplicity is key.

Typical setup:

• A 360 camera (like the Insta360 X3 or GoPro MAX)
• A small pole or mount (often magically disappears in editing)
• Spare batteries (you will need them!)

For sailing, I tend to:

• Mount the camera above head height
• Keep it central (so the stitch lines behave)
• Avoid putting it where ropes, sheets, or enthusiastic crew will knock it off

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Why 360° is Brilliant for Sailing

Traditional video shows what you think matters.
360° video shows what actually happens.

That means:

• Viewers can watch sail trim AND helm movement
• They can see mistakes (including yours… unfortunately)
• It’s perfect for teaching manoeuvres like tacking and gybing

And for those learning to sail at 65+…
You can pause, look around, and replay without getting wet.

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The Challenges (or “Why is everything wonky?”)

360° video is not just “press record and relax.”

Common problems:

• Stitch lines – where the camera joins images
• Camera placement – too low = lots of deck, too high = floating drone effect
• You can’t hide – the camera sees EVERYTHING (including the biscuit stash)
• Viewer distraction – they might look the wrong way at the key moment

And my personal favourite:
Spending hours editing… only to realise you were standing in shot the entire time.

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Editing – Where the Magic Happens

Editing 360° footage is different—but not difficult once you get used to it.

Software like DaVinci Resolve allows you to:

• Reframe shots (turn 360 into normal video clips)
• Add titles that stay “locked” in space
• Stabilise footage (very useful on a boat!)
• Export for YouTube VR

A useful trick:
Create BOTH versions

• A full 360° interactive video
• A “director’s cut” normal video for social media

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Teaching with 360° Video

This is where it gets really exciting (teacher hat firmly on).

Imagine:

• A physics experiment where students can walk around the setup
• A chemistry lab where they can “stand” next to the reaction
• A sailing lesson where they can choose to watch helm, crew, or sails

It turns passive watching into active exploration.

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Final Thoughts

360° VR video is not about replacing normal video.
It’s about adding a new dimension—literally.

It works best when:

• The environment matters
• There are multiple things happening at once
• You want the viewer to feel present

And on a sailing boat?
It’s about as close as you can get without handing them the tiller.

 

DaVinci Resolve 20 – Keeping Up With the Editing Arms Race

Every time I sit down to edit a video in DaVinci Resolve, I’m greeted with the same feeling:

“Ah… yes… everything has changed again.”

Not broken. Not worse. Just… more.

And if you blink, you’ve missed three updates, two new panels, and something powered by AI that claims it can edit your entire video while you make a cup of tea ☕ (it can’t… but it’s trying).

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🎥 What’s New (and Actually Useful)

1. AI is Everywhere (Whether You Asked for It or Not)

Resolve 20 leans heavily into AI tools:

• Object tracking that actually works (most of the time…)
• Auto masking that saves hours
• Smart reframing for different aspect ratios (useful for your X / Instagram posts)

For sailing videos or lab demos, this is gold:

• Track a boat automatically
• Highlight a moving experiment
• Reframe for vertical video without re-editing everything

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2. Editing is Faster (Once You Find the Buttons Again)

They’ve improved:

• Timeline responsiveness
• Multi-cam editing
• Clip organisation

Which is brilliant… once you work out where everything has moved to this time.

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3. Colour Grading Still Reigns Supreme

Resolve is still king when it comes to colour:

• Node-based grading gives you full control
• Better HDR tools
• Improved LUT workflows

For those cloudy Thames sailing days (which is… most of them), this is essential.

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4. Audio (Fairlight) Gets Even Better

The Fairlight page now feels like a full studio:

• Cleaner audio tools
• Better noise reduction
• Easier mixing

Useful when:

• The wind is howling
• The outboard is humming
• And your “clear explanation” sounds like it was recorded inside a kettle

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⚙️ The Reality: Learning Never Stops

Here’s the honest truth:

You never “learn” Resolve.

You just become slightly less confused than last week.

And that’s fine.

Because each new feature:

• Saves time
• Improves quality
• Lets you do things that were impossible a year ago

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🚤 From Lab to Boat to Studio

For what we do at Philip M Russell Ltd:

• Teaching videos
• Sailing footage
• Experiment demonstrations

Resolve 20 means:

• Faster turnaround
• Better visuals
• More engaging content

And yes… a few more hours clicking around thinking:

“I’m sure that button used to be over there…”

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🎯 Final Thought

If you’re not updating your tools, you’re falling behind.

But if you are updating them…

You’ll spend half your life learning where everything has gone.

Still worth it 👍

Learning Music the Smart Way – Why Bach Still Has It Right

There’s a funny thing about learning music…

Everyone wants to play the piece — the big dramatic number, the one that makes the neighbours think you’re a genius.

But very few people want to do the boring bits that actually make you good.

And that’s where Johann Sebastian Bach quietly smiles from the 1700s and says…

“I solved this problem 300 years ago.”

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The Well-Tempered Secret

Bach wrote The Well-Tempered Clavier, which sounds grand (and it is), but at its heart…

…it’s a training manual.

• 24 keys
• Each with a Prelude (technique builder)
• And a Fugue (brain workout of the highest order)

Then he thought… “That worked well.”

So he wrote another entire book of it.

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So What’s Going On Here?

This isn’t just music.

It’s deliberate practice.

Each piece sneaks in:

• Finger independence
• Hand coordination
• Reading fluency
• Musical phrasing
• And the terrifying ability to think in multiple voices at once

You don’t notice you’re doing exercises…

…but you’re getting better.

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Why It Still Works Today

Modern learners often:

• Jump straight to difficult pieces
• Skip fundamentals
• Wonder why progress stalls

Bach’s approach is the opposite:

Do lots of small, structured challenges
Cover every key and pattern
Build skill without even thinking about it

It’s exactly the same idea as:

• Practising past papers in maths
• Repeating experiments in science
• Doing manoeuvres again and again in sailing

(Yes… even tacking badly 20 times before getting it right )

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The Real Lesson (Not Just for Musicians)

The genius of The Well-Tempered Clavier is not just the music.

It’s the method:

Don’t avoid exercises — disguise them as something interesting.

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And It’s Not Just Bach…

Others followed similar ideas:

• Frédéric Chopin – Études (beautiful but brutal)
• Carl Czerny – endless technical drills
• Claude Debussy – studies hidden in art

Some are obviously “exercises”…
Bach just hid his better.

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Final Thought

If your practice feels too easy… you’re not improving.
If it feels impossible… you won’t stick with it.

Bach found the sweet spot:

Challenging enough to grow
Interesting enough to keep going

 

Editing Video in DaVinci Resolve – Adding Stills & Clips Without Losing Your Mind

There comes a moment in every video project where you sit back, look at your footage, and think:

This needs something… but what?”

That “something” is often cutaway clips, still images, or overlays — and this is where DaVinci Resolve really shines.

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Why Add Stills and Extra Clips?

If your video is just one long talking head… people switch off.

Adding visuals:

• Breaks up the monotony
• Reinforces what you’re saying
• Keeps attention (especially online learners)
• Makes you look far more professional than you actually feel

In teaching videos (especially science), this is gold:

• Show the experiment
• Zoom into the apparatus
• Add diagrams or results
• Overlay graphs or equations

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Adding a Still Image (The Easy Win)

Steps:

1. Import your image into the Media Pool
2. Drag it onto the timeline (above your main video if you want it as an overlay)
3. Adjust the duration by dragging the edges
4. Use the Inspector to:
   • Resize
   • Position
   • Add a gentle zoom (Ken Burns effect)

Tip: A slow zoom makes still images feel like video — otherwise it can feel a bit “PowerPointy”.

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Adding Cutaway Clips (B-Roll Magic)

This is where the magic happens.

Steps:

1. Place your main footage on Track 1
2. Drop your cutaway clip onto Track 2 (above it)
3. Trim it to cover awkward edits or pauses
4. Keep your original audio running underneath

Result:
Your mistakes disappear
Your video feels intentional
You look like you planned it all along

(We both know you didn’t — but no one else needs to know that.)

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Timing Is Everything

The biggest mistake?

❌ Leaving images on screen too long
❌ Or flashing them too quickly

Rule of thumb:

• 2–5 seconds for most visuals
• Match visuals to what you're saying
• Change something every few seconds to keep engagement

 Useful DaVinci Resolve Tools

• Inspector → resize, crop, zoom
• Transform controls → position overlays
• Cross Dissolve → smooth transitions
• Cut page → fast edits
• Edit page → precise control

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Teaching Tip (From the Lab)

In your science videos:

• Show the real experiment
• Cut to a diagram
• Then back to you explaining

This creates a loop:
See it → Understand it → Apply it

And that’s where learning actually sticks.

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Final Thought

Editing isn’t about cutting clips…

It’s about telling a story visually.

If every image, clip, and overlay answers:
“Will this help someone understand better?”

…you’re doing it right.

 

New Learning Skills and Techniques (That Actually Work!)

We often talk about working harder… but very rarely about working smarter.

After 40 years in teaching (and still learning new things myself — sailing included!), one thing is clear:

The students who succeed aren’t always the cleverest
They are the ones who use the best learning techniques

So here are some modern (and proven) learning strategies that really do make a difference.

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1. Retrieval Practice – Stop Rereading!

Reading notes again feels productive… but it isn’t.

The real learning happens when you:

• Close the book
• Write down everything you remember
• Check what you missed

It feels harder — because it is harder — and that’s exactly why it works.

Learning is not about recognition… it’s about recall.

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2. Spaced Learning – Don’t Cram

Cramming might get you through a test… but not much further.

Instead:

• Study a topic
• Leave it
• Come back days later
• Then again a week later

This strengthens memory over time.

Think of it like sailing — one quick trip doesn’t make you a sailor… regular outings do.

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3. Interleaving – Mix It Up

Students love doing:

• 10 identical questions in a row

But exams don’t work like that.

Try this instead:

• Mix topics (algebra + geometry + graphs)
• Switch between problem types

This trains your brain to recognise what method to use, not just how to use it.

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4. Teaching Others – The Ultimate Test

If you can explain it simply… you understand it.

Try:

• Teaching a friend
• Explaining to a parent
• Even talking to yourself (we all do it…) 

If you get stuck explaining — that’s exactly where your learning gap is.

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5. The “Traffic Light” System 🚦

A simple but powerful idea:

• 🔴 Red = Don’t understand
• 🟠 Amber = Getting there
• 🟢 Green = Confident

Go through the syllabus and label everything.

👉 Start with red — not green. That’s where the marks are hiding.

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6. Dual Coding – Words + Pictures

Combine:

• Notes
• Diagrams
• Mind maps

This helps the brain process information in multiple ways.

Especially powerful in science (circuits, forces, cells…) and even maths.

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7. Practice Under Pressure

Don’t just learn — practise like the real thing.

• Timed questions
• Past papers
• No notes

Because knowing something calmly at your desk… is very different to recalling it in an exam hall.

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Final Thought

Learning isn’t about talent.

It’s about:

• Technique
• Consistency
• And a willingness to get things wrong while improving

And yes… it’s a bit like sailing.

You don’t learn by reading about it —
you learn by getting in the boat, wobbling a bit… and trying again.

 

How to Start Learning in Class (Not Just Turning Up)

There is a big difference between being in a lesson and actually learning in a lesson.

I’ve taught for over 40 years, and I can tell you this:
Some students sit in every lesson… and learn very little.
Others actively engage… and seem to absorb everything.

The good news?
Learning in class is a skill — and you can learn it.

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🎯 1. Turn Up With a Plan (Not Just a Pencil)

Walking into a lesson thinking “let’s see what happens” is not a strategy.

Instead, try:

• What topic are we covering today?
• What did I not understand last lesson?
• What question do I want answered?

Even a simple goal like:

“Today I will understand internal resistance properly”

…puts your brain into active mode.

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🧠 2. Switch From Passive to Active Listening

Passive listening:

• Nodding
• Copying notes
• Letting it wash over you

Active listening:

• Asking “why?”
• Predicting what comes next
• Spotting patterns

A simple trick:
👉 Every 5 minutes, ask yourself:
“Could I explain this to someone else?”

If the answer is no… you’ve found your gap.

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✍️ 3. Don’t Copy Notes — Process Them

Many students think writing everything down = learning.

It doesn’t.

Try instead:

• Summarise in your own words
• Add diagrams or sketches
• Write a question next to anything unclear

Your notes should look like your thinking, not the teacher’s script.

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❓ 4. Ask Questions (Even the “Silly” Ones)

Here’s the truth:
The question you’re afraid to ask…
…is usually the one half the class doesn’t understand either.

Good questions:

• “Why does that happen?”
• “What would happen if…?”
• “Is this always true?”

Great learners are not quiet.
They are curious.

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🔄 5. Use the “Pause and Check” Method

At key points in the lesson:

• Pause mentally
• Check what you understand
• Identify what you don’t

Then:

• Ask
• Or make a note to revisit

This stops confusion from snowballing.

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🧪 6. Get Involved (Especially in Practical Subjects)

In science (my favourite!):

• Don’t just watch — do
• Don’t just follow — think why
• Don’t just record — interpret

The students who learn fastest are the ones who:
👉 Adjust the experiment
👉 Predict results
👉 Question the outcome

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🧩 7. Link It to What You Already Know

Your brain loves connections.

Ask:

• “Where have I seen this before?”
• “How does this link to last topic?”

Example:
Electricity → Internal resistance → Energy loss → Heating effect

Suddenly it’s not separate facts — it’s a system.

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⏱️ 8. The 2-Minute Rule at the End

Before leaving the classroom:

• Write 2 key things you learned
• Write 1 thing you still don’t understand

This is incredibly powerful.

It turns a lesson into:
👉 Learning + direction for next time

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🚀 Final Thought

Lessons are not performances to watch.

They are opportunities to:

• Think
• Question
• Explore
• Make mistakes (safely!)

If you leave every lesson thinking:

“I understand this better than when I walked in”

…you’re doing it right.

 

Exam Technique – 5 Things That Really Make a Difference

There’s a common myth in education:

“If I just revise enough… I’ll do well in the exam.”

If only it were that simple.

After 40 years of teaching, I can tell you this with absolute certainty:

👉 Students don’t just lose marks because they don’t know things…
👉 They lose marks because they don’t show what they know.

Exam technique is the difference between a Grade 5 and a Grade 7…
or a B and an A.

Here are 5 things that really make a difference 👇

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1️⃣ Read the Question Properly (Yes, Really!) RTFQ

This sounds obvious… but it’s the biggest mark loser.

Students skim-read, spot a keyword, and jump straight in.

Classic mistakes:

• “Explain” vs “Describe”
• Missing “Compare”
• Ignoring “Using the data”

👉 Top tip:
Underline the command word and key instruction.

If it says:

• “Explain using the graph” → You MUST refer to the graph
• “Calculate” → You need working AND an answer

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2️⃣ Answer What Is Asked – Not What You Know

Students often write everything they know about a topic…
…and still lose marks.

Why?

Because the mark scheme is very specific.

👉 If the question is:

“Give two reasons…”

Then:

• One reason = ❌ incomplete
• Three reasons = ❌ wasted time

👉 Top tip:
Match your answer to the number of marks.

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3️⃣ Show Your Working (Even If You’re Not Sure)

In maths and science especially, method marks are gold.

Even if the final answer is wrong, you can still pick up marks.

👉 Example:

• Correct method, wrong arithmetic → still earns marks
• No working → zero marks

👉 Top tip:
Write something. Always.

Examiners can’t give marks for what’s in your head.

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4️⃣ Structure Longer Answers (Stop Rambling!)

For 4–6 mark questions, structure is everything.

Think PEEL:

• Point
• Evidence
• Explain
• Link

👉 Example:

• Make a clear point
• Support it with data or knowledge
• Explain why it matters
• Link back to the question

👉 Top tip:
If your answer looks like one long paragraph… it probably needs organising.

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5️⃣ Check Your Work (Properly, Not Hopefully!)

The final minutes of an exam are often wasted.

Students “look over” their work… but don’t actually check anything.

👉 What you should check:

• Units (huge mark loser!)
• Signs (+ / -)
• Missing answers
• Silly mistakes

👉 Top tip:
Re-do one calculation from scratch—it often reveals errors.

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Final Thought

Exams are not just a test of knowledge.

They are a test of:

• understanding
• communication
• and technique

👉 The students who do best are not always the ones who know the most…
👉 They’re the ones who use what they know effectively.