Trying again

Why do my good intentions usually come to naught? I'm going to try and be better at this, even if it is just a couple of lines every other day. Lots has happened since last I wrote- I now have a new job at the University of Chester training RE teachers- I work with post graduates training to be secondary teacher, and undergraduates doing a BEd degree. I am about 6 weeks into it and so far am loving it.

The first two weeks were a bit odd- I was nomadic for 10 days with no office (I was waiting for someone to move out), then setting up the office and getting ready for the students to arrive. This really was the clam before the storm- three weeks of teaching 830- 4pm. Ok, so I may not have been on my feet for that long but it sure felt that way. I have a group of 24 who have just gone out on their first placement (first day back in University tomorrow)- so we'll see how they got on!

I have delevered sessions on "What is RE?"; "Spirituality in the Secondary School"; "Pedagogies of RE" and the list could go on. I am really pleased with the feedback that I seem to get from them- especially as some of them are modelling teaching techniques that I hope they use in the classroon- a far cry from my University days of sitti ng listening to a lecture and taking notes.

Family life has moved on too- Eleanor started secondary school and after a bumpy couple of weeks seems to be enjoying it- she's joined teh choir and is singing at the Young Voices Concert at the MEN arena in December. Martha has started playgroup two mornings a week and loves it; Abi is in Year 5 and continued the family tradition of representing the school in the book quiz (all 60 Y5 students attempt a quiz and the top 4 get chosen for the team). Gideon turned 8 two days ago and is preparing for his baptism on Sunday.

And Ruth is the glue that holds all of these different activities together. Thoughlast night showed her fallibility for once:- we were without children for an hour (Martha in bed; the others at Faith in God at Church). Ruth can't find her phone- it must have fallen off Eleanor's lap when she got out of the car at dancing class. We turn the car upside down- I go to the car park and search every inch of it using my phone as a torch (inclding under every car); go into the pub to see if it was handed in; search the car again. Get home an hour later- go upstairs and it's in the en suite!!!