REFLECTIONS ON SCHOOL

There is almost one time that is important - Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.
Leo Tolstoy

 

Each morning when I come into school I reflect on the fact that I have only a limited time left.

My school

 Word on the grapevine says that interviews for the new teaching position will be held 23rd August.

I have had no official word and there is no guarantee that I will even get an interview. It is over 3 months since I found out the jobs for the new school to replace us were being advertised. It is 2 months since I sent in my application.

It is certainly a strange sort of limbo to be in. No matter what happens I should be all right for a year from now financially, but after that I will need some sort of plan. As soon as I know I don't have a position with the new school I will begin some private tutoring. It is years since I have done any tutoring but I quite enjoyed it. My area of interest is spelling and reading difficulties.

 

We are doing a simple experiment at school to test how certain plants fare without soil, water,or light. There is a plant under the box that is living without light.

 

Science experiment.

 Polyanthus seem to be quite hardy flowers. After 5 days it doesn't seem to have made much difference to the experiment as to whether they are the control plant or not. All seem to be faring very well - even the plant under the box.  Maybe I should have chosen something a little more sensitive.

The pile of jumpers for the Cambodian babies with AIDS is growing.

 

 

Jumpers for Cambodian babies with AIDS.

We have about 30 jumpers that the staff have made. The students didn't manage to complete any themselves but they added bits here and there.

 

 Interesting sites

1.

 

Photo source

 Click here to see some pictures of a little old bus turned into a mobile home.

 

2.

Photo source

Click here to read which tuna is the best to buy for sustainability.

 

 3.

 

Photo source

 Click here  to view a beautiful video entitled  The Beauty of Pollination.

THE OLD CHURCH AT WORK

Life has taught me this one thing – that just because you lose today, it doesn’t mean that you’re destined to lose tomorrow. Sunshine always follows rainfall; light always pierces the darkness, and winter is always transformed into spring.

Peter G. James Sinclair

There was a carpet of jacaranda  flowers over the ground at work this morning.

Jacaranda flowers on the ground

 I work in a building that is an old Anglican church.

Old church I work in.

The church is now a last resort school for students who don't fit into mainstream school. Most of them have some sort of behavior problems. They are mainly aged 15 to 19.

The church has some beautiful, old windows.

Church windows

In the photo above you see through windows on this side of the church, a set of stained glass windows on the other side of the church. The church has quite a history in the area. It was opened in 1928 and remained a church until 1996, when the congregation moved to larger premises down the street. We still have people coming in, looking for funerals.

Tonight we went to my mother's for dinner. P:-) and I go every week and usually my brother is there. I always look forward to it. Tonight we had delicious rhubarb crumble for dessert.

Mum has a lovely garden. The photos below are from her front garden.

Feverfew

This pretty flower above is Feverfew - once used as a medicinal pant for headaches, digestive problems and arthritis.

Coreopsis and red geraniums

Closeup of coreopsis.

Mum loves bright colors and red is one of her favorites. Her favorite flowers are daisies. Her garden keeps increasing in size as she digs more and more garden beds. She spends a lot of time gardening, although most of it is easy care. It always looks great.



Interesting sites

1.     

This is a tiny, tiny house in Japan shared by a 39 year old man and his mother. Click here to read about it and see the video.

2.

Check out this passive solar museum in China. Click here to read more about it.

3.

3D printing sounds incredible. Click here  to read about it being used in UK hospitals to save thousands of pounds.

4.

 

Click here to see photos of this black rhino being transported by helicopter. Make sure you scroll down the page and click to get the full screen.