“It takes a big heart

to shape

little minds”

All of the small business women I feature on this blog talk about their passions and talents but also, just how much they have to learn in order for their business to flourish. Whether that’s learning how to run a business economically, learning how to navigate social media, learning people skills….the list goes on. Our need to learn new things continues throughout our lives. So our focus for today is what it means to be a life long learner.

Welcome to The Bigger Picture; a blog that is all about building NETWORK and CONNECTION. Each month, I feature a woman in small business within my community with the sole purpose of showing support, building solidarity and sharing stories of passion.

I am so fortunate to be surrounded by incredible small businesses in the South West run by women in their spare rooms or out in their gardens and they each have a unique story to be told; a BIGGER PICTURE to be discovered.

Just like our feature for this month, I always knew that I would be a teacher. There was never any doubt - it felt natural to me. I have always had a passion for acquiring new skills, knowledge and understanding, simply for the joy of it. And then being able to pass that joy to students in my care? Well, that’s the drug that a good teacher thrives from! To encourage our students to be resourceful, to feel challenged, feel autonomous and feel positive about learning new things is a privilege and great challenge.

I am thrilled to introduce you to our feature for October because she is actually an old student of mine! Nothing makes a teacher more proud than seeing their students flourishing in life and pursuing their goals with passion and dedication, so I am extremely proud to share her story today. Growing up with the grounding of an agricultural family, now a teacher and passionate life long learner, please say hello to…….

Jacinta Puls

Inspired By Little Minds

Tell us about your business and what services you offer.

I’m Jacinta, a rural primary teacher, and Inspired by Little Minds (IBLM) started as an Instagram page while I was a pre-service teacher. It was a space to share what I was creating (teaching units and activities), and to find inspiration and connect with other teachers, people and brands in education.

Once I started teaching, the page naturally became more about sharing classroom and teacher life. A few years later, I decided to take things a little further and created an online store to share the activities I was already making, as digital downloads.

An online store was never part of the original plan! But after investing in a graphic designer to create my logo and branding, I loved seeing it on my resources. There was something about the “I made that” feeling, that made me want to share what I was creating beyond my own classroom.

At its heart, IBLM is about making learning fun, encouraging play and creating activities kids genuinely enjoy, while also sharing the realities of classroom and teacher life.

Is there a story behind the name you chose?

There are a few parts to it. The name ‘Inspired by Little Minds’ comes from the kids around me - the kids I teach, my friends’ kids, their interests, ideas and those little moments when something just clicks. Watching their curiosity and creativity unfold is a big part of the inspiration.

It also connects back to the creative and curious kid I once was, who always wanted to be a teacher. I regularly played ‘schools’ with my sister, making worksheets, class lists and morning rolls for fictional students like Polly Pandora, Tommy Toshiba and Sammy Samsung. Clearly, I was taking inspiration from whatever products were around me, with a love of alliteration already showing!

I think that’s why the name still fits the brand so well. It brings together the kids who inspire what I create today and the little mind I once had, who loved creating and teaching long before it became such a big part of who I am today.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Everywhere!

It might come from a conversation with kids, a need in the classroom, or a friend or parent looking for a fun way to give their child some extra practice. Other times, it’s simply a random thought that makes me think, “I could turn that into an activity.”

The Game Boards are a great example. They originally came from wanting a more engaging way for kids to practise spelling words and letter patterns. From there, the idea grew into Times Tables Game Boards and the Everyday Collection, which is all about playing just for fun. It’s a collection that continues to grow, with plenty more ideas in the making!

Sometimes I’ll simply open a blank page, start creating and see where the idea takes me.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Being able to combine teaching, creativity and technology.I love starting with a little idea, creating something from it and then watching kids actually use it. My favourite is seeing them get so caught up in one of my game boards, that they almost forget there’s learning happening along the way.I also genuinely enjoy the creative process and can happily spend far too long tweaking the little details until something feels right!

What do you offer your clients that no one else does?

I’ve always wanted IBLM to feel like more than just a teaching resource website. I want it to be a space where parents, families and anyone working with kids can find something too.

While everything is created through my perspective as a teacher, the activities aren’t just for the classroom. Some of my favourite feedback has been hearing about game boards being played with grandparents, taken on beach holidays or pulled out in the caravan on rainy days. I love that something created for learning can also become part of family time and play.

The Around the Farm Game Board will always be a free digital download on my website because it has a personal connection to my own rural and farm life. The farm prompts are inspired by my own upbringing on our family farm, with most of the ‘go forward’ and ‘go back’ prompts based on things that have actually happened over the years — including running out of fuel or leaving a gate open! I’ve even tested the board with my farmer dad, which makes it feel like a little piece of home within IBLM.

Ultimately, I want what I create to feel fun, creative and inviting, whether there’s learning behind it or it’s simply about enjoying the moment.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt since starting your business?

One of the biggest things I’ve learnt is to trust my own ideas and be more confident in the things that are my strengths and passions.

When I first created IBLM, I was adamant I wasn’t going to make and sell teacher resources. I simply wanted to share snippets of classroom life, connect with other teachers and brands, and find inspiration along the way.

However, as IBLM has grown, so has my idea of what it can be. I’ve never wanted it to feel like just a website for teachers. I want parents, families and anyone working with kids to find something too — whether it’s for holiday activity, a family get-together, a little extra learning or simply something fun to do.

Over time, I’ve embraced the creating and designing side of IBLM and given it more of a spotlight, along with more of my time and energy. I’ve learnt to back my ideas, play to my strengths and enjoy seeing where they can lead. Ironically, I seem to have more patience with the journey of IBLM than I do with the timeline of my own life!

My advice would be: back your ideas, embrace what you enjoy and give them the time and space to grow.

I hadn’t seen Jacinta since I retired from teaching nearly ten years ago, so to walk into her classroom, full of colour, craft and books was a real blast from the past! Obviously there was a lot to talk about! But what really stood out to me was Jacinta’s commitment to nourishing a love of learning in her students. This is not an easy thing to achieve. People all learn differently. But one thing is clear - when students are given a compelling reason to do a task and when they are given options to make that task more interesting, they generally thrive. That’s where Jacinta’s resources come in. And anything that helps our children foster a life long love of learning is well worth it.

Edwina xx

If you are a teacher, home educator, or just want some fun work sheets or games to entertain the kids at home, then give Jacinta your support. Jump onto the website and look at what Inspired Little Minds has to offer. For all FAQs, news, and information, give Jacinta a follow (and your support) on her social media pages…

Website: www.inspiredbylittleminds.com

Instagram: @inspiredbylittleminds

Facebook: Inspired By Little Minds