AboutLife - Education

The Christian ESOL 'industry'

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 01:48:57 -0700

Over recent years, a number of articles have appeared in the ESOL press criticising the standards and quality of many Christian ESOL providers. Whilst there s a lot of validity in some of the criticisms, unfortunately, there is a tendency to paint the whole industry with the same brush.

I am planning a research projedt with tis as the topic, so that Christians can show that we are concerned and propose some ways forward.

Quit Complaining!

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 08:42:30 -0800

Are you focussing on the output instead of the input?

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:36:30 -0800

It's a human problem. The problem of wanting the output of a situation and forgetting that the output comes from the inputs. We crave and desire the outputs of fame, glory, affirmation, wealth, faith even - but these things are not bestowed (well often not), but come through having focussed on the inputs.
When life is not working out how we want, when we sense we're not getting what we truly desire, its good to think about what we are inputting.

Snow Day! Yay!

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:09:20 -0800

Well, we had a lovely day off because of the snow. No school! So we decided to act like kids in our back garden and have snow ball fights and make snowmen and snow angels! It was great fun! Here are a couple of piccies of our back garden untouched.... isnt it just beautiful!

Argh! Tables n Chairs!

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 04:28:14 -0800

Ok, its back to school.... new year, new lessons, new table layout and do the children like it? Yes! They've reacted really well! But do the teachers who also use it sometimes like it? Um... no........

A Home for the Soul

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:01:55 -0700

From Derek Prince-

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Psalm 84:2-4

Every human soul longs for one thing, a home. A homeless person is an unhappy person. The psalmist cries out in agony in a sense of loneliness, a sense of being cut off...

The News VS. Psalm 68

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 14:46:28 -0700

I started my day by reading the paper and various news websites. Have you noticed just how much influence the media can have in the atmosphere of your day? They can paint the most horrific pictures of situations. They can make any person look foolish, any nation look wrong, and any group appear to be insane. They pollute much of the atmosphere with such depressing news which results in the same effect in our daily life. Though some of the news is truthful, it is reported and read in such a way that it appears that our world is spinning out of control...and it very well could be. If you were not a believer, the only headlines you would read today would include the following statements with no explaination:

Clinging to God

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 15:54:39 -0700

From Derek Prince:

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:16,17

The Love we need

Tue, 06 Jun 2006 09:28:52 -0700

"Love is patient; love is kind"- 1 Corinthians 13:4

I have been guilty of being inpatient and unkind. Even to those people in my life who I love very deeply. In fact, just the other day, I was driving my fiance' up from Texas to Denver to start our life together in the same state for the first time. But, even with all of the excitement, the 16 hour drive can take a toll on a person's ability to be compassionate. I can remember being very impatient with the drivers on the road, a stop light, a little animal darting across the road, and even the love of my life sitting next to me resting peacefully. I really believe that a good, long, and arduous roadtrip can bring out some frustrations in life. But, in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (everybody has heard these set of verses), love is laid out in an amazing array of facts. Some of which may scare you if you profess to be "in love."

"I was a sex worker at 13. My mother was too. But I don't want it for my child"

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 14:33:17 -0800

This is the heading of an article in The London Times yesterday 28.2.06. It is a shocking article on the eve of President Bush's visit and a part of India that he will not see. 300,000 children involed in commercial sex earning 7p (5 rupees) a time. Girls are often sold into prostitution by their parents for about £6.
On a trip to Calcutta recently I met a twelve year old girl who had followed her mother into prostitution ~ she had totally dead eyes ~ it was heart breaking to look into her eyes. I suppose the only way to survive is to shut down your emotions. At twelve how else do you cope with the pain, the abuse, the shame, the utter hopelessness, the poverty and the almost certain daily rapes and certainty of being HIV+ in the near future.

New New Frontiers Seminar MP3s!

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:56:01 -0700

Hi all,

Not had much to say in recent times, but this seems a good platform to point to this excellent church material available on the web. I was in an NFI-related congregation (I don't say "church" coz the church is the whole body in all the world) in South Africa for a couple of years and I've always been impressed with how they live out spiritual realities practically. The congregation I visited ran a community training center which also drew together a whole bunch of congregations of various confessions who supported it.

I haven't listened to all the talks this year yet, but I'm looking forward to getting some real meat from it. It's mostly aimed at ... well, maybe it's just worth taking a look at the titles and see if anything strikes you as interesting/relevant for questions you have been looking for answers to.

You get around to the talks on the website by choosing an event from the list on the theft. (click the pic!)

Her Master's Voice

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:03:44 -0700

I just wanted to say a big
WHOO HOOOOO!!!
'cause I'm done with my Masters in Design course!!!!
The final reports etc got handed in today so I now officially/unofficially have nothing left to hand in that will affect my grades whatsoever!! :D

Wan-ted in Animation!!

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:01:30 -0700

I have just finished and submitted my 2 minute video for my final Masters project and you guys are the first so see it! It hasn't even been played to my tutors yet!!

Celtic Prayer Meeting

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:11:04 -0700

An experience of the love of God through the singing of beautiful chants, listening to the Word of God and silence. Followed by an Agape meal.
Jesus Christ the Fullness of Life (JCFL) ) takes place at 7:30pm on the first Thursday of the month (July 3rd) at St. Andrew's Holborn.

Laaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:40:36 -0700

It's so much easier to write a blog entry than do this assigment that's due on moooonndaaaaayyy!!

For others who are also hovering on the brink of boredom and/or procrastination, fill out my questionnaire (even if you don't have kids)

Taaaaaaaaa!