A New Leaf

They say that one of the most regularly written posts in blogs is, "I'm really sorry I haven't been updating this recently but...blah blah blah". This is not one of those posts. I haven't updated this blog in a year because all has been quiet on the Section 4 front. What I mean is, nearly every student for whom I was writing, those suffering under the indignity of Section 4, have been granted Leave to Remain. I had nothing to rail against. I had no fight to fight.

But there was a whole heap of paperwork and the attendant difficulties of becoming a citizen: finding somewhere to live before your month's grace is up and you're kicked out of NASS accommodation; getting your benefit claim sorted in time to be able to pay rent; suddenly adjusting to the fact that after your life's been in stasis, you can finally work; adjusting to realisation that you have to pay tax! All these things take a whole lot of time, and though I've done very little to help, I've had to try and keep their heads straight and get them through exams. Well, the college does have funding to keep, after all.

So, I've been busy with my job. And I am happy about that. But this is where the turning of leaves begins. I've spent a few months now becoming a little more social network friendly and I have realised there is a whole world of ESOL teachers out there writing a whole lot of blogs and websites and I'm a little excited by this. I have also come to the frightening realisation that I know almost nothing about this and am having to learn pretty slowly. There are some people out there who are very knowledgable about technology or just about teaching and it's a big old intimidating world out there.

So I start up my blog again. I won't kid myself, I'm not a regular updater. But if there's stuff to say... why not?

But shouldn't I start up a new blog - entitled something to do with being a techy teacher or something equally alliterative? Nah. I am really passionate about the people I was writing for and they are, after all, my students. I don't necessarily teach for the learning. My pleasure in teaching comes from seeing some of the most vulnerable in society grow and change and improve their lives. And sometimes a little bit of that comes from me and my class, and I'm proud of that. So yeah, I am trapped in Section 4... and I kind of like it.