2 June, 2008

Haven’t had much to say lately. I think this is the year I have well and truly bitten off more than I can chew and it’s starting to choke a bit. The frustration is that all of it is great fun and I can see everything working out. Just taking a lot of energy to get there. So, in the interests of taking stock of my life:

Secondary Teaching: what can I say. Small classes and a smaller number of students who actually want to be there. Might be the time of year but I am getting the feeling that the majority of my students are biding their time until they can get out of school… and who can blame them.

Design School: not alone on this one and, moreso, part of a great team but trying to get across the vision for teaching students a range of skills across a range of contexts without the limitation of a timetable in an institute that is driven by numbers, timetables and separated skills sets is not proving easy. We are making good progress but what it’s taking out of us is absolutely ridiculous.

ZYPE: the web projects continue. Good customers and interesting projects. This is proving to be a great balance to school and gives me people to talk to who aren’t teachers or students (in the institutionalised sense at least).

The Trouser Project: this sucker has raised its head once more and is giving me the most excitement at the moment. I am learning about clothing production and am about to put my first small run through a local factory. I like this project as it is likely to be the merger between school and business for me. I am working with another teacher on it and have the opportunity to bring interested (and interesting) students in on it over time.In my mind this is how education should work – practical, focused and meaningful.

So those are the bits that are making life very full at the moment and taking all my energy. It is proving hard to manage the little things in life and maintain a balance but hopefully it will be worth it. Certainly it would be easier if I hadn’t hurt my foot last weekend … that just makes me feel old.