How wonderful that you really helped these children who were 'on the scrap heap' move on to a better life @Annb. Thank goodness that you had the vision, the skill and the determination to help them.I used to teach 2 different kinds of student. One group were kids and adults with learning difficulties and some with behavioural problems. The local secondary school didn't know what to do with them, nor did social services, so they were sent to me and a colleague at the college to "learn" IT skills. We were never given training or advice nor were we given information on their level of ability. Basically, we were babysitting because they were never expected to learn anything. However, I discovered that it was possible for some of them to learn little bits and perform quite well at office tasks, only to be asked by the (then) Director of Education, "Why are you bothering? They are unable to learn."
The 2nd kind of student consisted of adults who had never achieved anything at school and school leavers who, for whatever reason were not ready to go into the workforce. I often had to wait a long time, going over and over the lessons but eventually there would be that moment when I could see the light dawning. That was why I did the job. They had been assumed by the school to be "sows' ears" but when they left us, as "silk purses", they had GSVQ/HNC/HND and a few moved on to degree courses. All were eminently employable.
Great Art bit!Good morning everyone on a bit of dull start here in the dark and dangerous north. It’s Bastille Day today and my parents are off out to see the local parades where they live. Will make a pleasant change from all the protests that have gone on this year for one thing or another - mainly about upping the retirement age I think. The French are current world champions at protesting. My niece, who lives in Bordeaux is having yet another day off work (the French have a lot of days off during the summer months - mainly saint days I think but what with pont days if the day off is on a Thursday …). Meantime, I have been taken on as chauffeur today. Mrs Miggins sold her car yesterday (trade in offers were not to her liking) and I have the great privilege to be chosen to drive her to pick up her newly purchased replacement. Art bit - colour added. Have a wonderful day. I am calling this one Freda. More koffy vicar? Don’t mind if I do.
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Interesting. Thanks @dunelmGood evening. Lunch today went as follows:
1145 - bloods - 5.9
Drink 1 tbsp red wine vinegar in water
Eat veg - lettuce, cucumber, kimchi with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing.
Eat protein - tin of Ortiz Bonito tuna in oil, some mixed nuts, lump of cheese.
Then, 15 minutes of movement - including some squats - OK, 75
1330 - about an Hour later - bloods - 5.9
1430 - about 2 hours later - bloods - 5.7
Fingers like pin cushions - blooming Abbott - where’s my little discs?
Hi Dunelm,We took our grandson to see the great gathering of 6 x A4 class Pacifics in York in 2013 I think it was. Sir Nigel Gresley is at Grosmont where Mrs Miggins worked as a station foreman. When working, it can’t get down to Whitby as the wheels are too large a diameter to get round the tight bend into the station.
Yes I remember just how much work my SIL had to put in when teaching and that was at primary school level.Morning all. Anyone seen summer recently? Interesting points about one size fits all in contemporary UK schools. I retired in Dec 2013 when differentiation was the buzz word. Every lesson needed to be planned/scripted with individual targets for each child based on the highest level someone with their abilities according to a battery of tests could be expected to achieve. Most secondary schools routinely do this now. Each child was expected to know and reel off their target on request. All lessons needed a seating plan identifying various key data which had to be known and utilised in the planning. All questions had to have been planned, including learning style preference, along with expected answers for all abilities. People at my level could and would randomly enter lessons, ask to see those plans and quiz students on how well this system was implemented. Each student had feedback on the lines of what I did well, what I found challenging, what do we need to do to help me progress. All of that needed logging on a central database along with every incident of a student not having a pen/pencil etc, lateness, being off task, tie undone/shirt untucked etc. Parents would expect to be able to see all that data if their child was either disciplined or not achieving as expected. I would say from what I know if anything that system has become even more rigorous. Planning lessons that way and giving such detailed feedback takes hours The younger teachers had been trained to do this but some older teachers looked bewildered when shown what was expected. That degree of preparation and feedback is a million miles from the stystem when I started teaching in a London Borough. Success was measured by keeping all students in the room with no damage to them, you or the fabric as much as anything.
Well done BIL. Wonderful present - the train journey - BTW. As the saying goes PPPPPPP. Trouble is who wants to work for a Govt that has spent 13 years denigrating and underpaying them? Some "teams" when I left were a proper United Nations merely due to needing bodies in front of students and I know from my grandchildren and ex-colleagues that isn't getting better. One issue in UK schools is senior staff are expected to walk the walk, manage others and be excellent PR people. These are the people leaving in droves. Sunak's latest wizard wheeze will only make matters worse.Yes I remember just how much work my SIL had to put in when teaching and that was at primary school level.
My BIL taught for a while in Bradford as all the children in his class spoke Punjabi as their first language he actually went so far as to teach himself Punjabi on top of the regular work he had to do this had the added benefit of stopping them making jokes about him in Punjabi which they thought he could not understand.
I hope @Annb that they can sort it successfully and safely as soon as possible xDIL was sitting in the airport, waiting for her flight, yesterday afternoon when her phone rang and she was told that the result of her MRI scan was available and could she go in to the hospital in Stornoway for an appointment at 4 pm. Alarm bells started ringing but she explained that she was in Glasgow still and wouldn't be back in Stornoway by 4 pm. She was asked to go in as soon as she arrived on the Island. Which is what she did.
The disc in her neck, it seems, is bulging dangerously and putting pressure on nerves in her shoulder but also putting pressure on her spinal cord. It has to be fixed because any more pressure may well paralyse her. Even having the surgery could paralyse her if it doesn't work as desired. Not much choice but to take the risk of surgery because sooner or later the spinal cord will be damaged - that's inevitable. Meantime she is to do as little as possible to prevent even more damage. Poor lass - her health has been an issue for much of her life and she carries on regardless and with amazing cheerfulness.
Oh dear. Take care @lindisfel and I hope they see you as soon as possible xFound out the cardiologist is on strike at Cumberland infirmary next week and my follow up appointment cancelled.
I really needed to see him, I found out again this am I could not walk far because I was out of breath.
Thanks IanMoving on. Hugs for your DIL @Annb and you @lindisfel. @gennepher thanks for sharing the creative, photo and video.
A lot of the LNER locos were designed by Gresley, he was their chief design engineer.We took our grandson to see the great gathering of 6 x A4 class Pacifics in York in 2013 I think it was. Sir Nigel Gresley is at Grosmont where Mrs Miggins worked as a station foreman. When working, it can’t get down to Whitby as the wheels are too large a diameter to get round the tight bend into the station.
So sorry to hear about the delay but hope you get a new appointment very soon. Meantime, do take care and try to avoid doing things that leave you breathless for now. There are times when you just have to sit back and wait for your body to be ready to obey your commands. I think this might be one of them.Found out the cardiologist is on strike at Cumberland infirmary next week and my follow up appointment cancelled.
I really needed to see him, I found out again this am I could not walk far because I was out of breath.
Thank goodness we are in Scotland, where the doctors and nurses are not on strike. We complain about the service offered these days, but at least they are working and doing their best.Moving on. Hugs for your DIL @Annb and you @lindisfel. @gennepher thanks for sharing the creative, photo and video. @dunelm another awesome transformation (the art) thank you for sharing the journey from starter for ten to supreme champion. Do you always have the vision of the finished piece in your mind or does it develop?
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