Well the bag is packed, and I am raring to go, well I am going not so sure about raring or not.
This week has been really hard at school; I am hoping that this weekend will be good, that it will help my fragmented class to work as a unit, watch this space and I will let you know on that one.
As for Jamie it is a life on his own for the next couple of days. He tells me it is fine but I know that life is pretty lonely ( especially at night time). He assures me that he is going to put his new guitar and recording equipment ( a 30th birthday gift) to good use, who knows maybe all of you you will be receiving Jamie's 1st album as a Christmas gift.

Jamie's new baby... it makes plenty of noise, but not quite the sounds we have been hearing from all the new additions around us!

To Russia with love

Today was another moment that was typical of our life here in Manchester. We had been enjoying the fact that Derek, Sandra and Leon had been round the corner enabling us to meet frequently and chat, eat and importantly, play Pro Evo. However, that moment was short lived as they have moved on to greater things awaiting them in St Petersburg.

As the last few years have shown, many good friends have been and gone leaving serious holes in our lives. We are totally grateful for the continuing friendships both here and beyond but it is becoming very difficult to see people go. So, you all know who you are...WE MISS YOU!!!!

To the Brower-Fachs, we really hope you have a great time over there and we would love to be able to come and visit. We hope you don't mind the picture we posted but we thought it reflected the good few weeks we shared whilst you were here in Manchester.

Hope Lev finds his monster...he has fluffy ears!

United are poor!

Eifion prepares for the match but is really looking forward to his half time coffee.

The boys prepare for kick off and another tepid display.

1-1 with 20 minutes to go. Not looking good.

Well, after just paying 26 quid to see United for the first time this season I have to agree with those worried about the future of the team. To watch a display which lacked the same passion and creative play that I have been used to enjoying was a huge disappointment.

To be fair we were several players short of full strength but I have resigned myself to a downturn of fortunes. The highlight of the night was sitting next to the away fans who created more noise than the other 63000 fans. I also think Jenks enjoyed listening to a demented Jamie screaming his way through the match joining in the few chants that came our way.

At least we got the result, I'm just not used to being in this place. We will wait and see.

Extra curricular activities

Well, for all of you out there who are wondering about the saga of my 5 boys and if my teaching career would stand the next day test.....
well.....
I am still here and today was a much better day. I really enjoyed myself, but it might have something to do with the 2 hours I had this afternoon to plan, prepare and assess (PPA).
No, it was better generally and the boys are learning boundaries, ( I think, hope and pray).

Tonight I am busy sorting myself out as on Friday at 8.30am I am off on the residential with 40 of the Year 6's. Most of my class and some of the other. I will fill you in when I get back, but for now, check out where I am going. Pretty impressive huh?

So glad the working day is over.

Today was one of the few days I have wondered why I bother teaching.
It was a struggle from the word go, but by 3.15 with only 15 minutes to go I looked out on the sea of 35 faces and just thought, " Why do I bother?"
I suppose I know the answer to my question but today was hard! I have 4 or 5 boys who just continually push boundaries and make wrong choices. I can't imagine them as 15 year olds. I look at them and hope that by Friday they realise the impact their behaviour has on me, their peers and their learning!
If I am a teacher then I teach. If they are learners, in my classroom they should learn.
Unfortunately I am not too sure if much learning went on today, but on a more positive note...
tomorrow is a new day and it is nearly the weekend! ( however it is the residential with them so there is no escaping them this Friday!) Roll on Christmas!

If you are interested in what they are supposed to be learning ( those 5 lovely boys who push me to every boundary possible,) check out my school website on...
http://www.st-marks.stockport.sch.uk/

Another end to the working day

Just about to go home to get ready for the match tonight (United vs Benfica) and thought I should post another link to some great songs. These make marking and planning that much easier at the end of school.
This time it's Stephen Fretwell providing the wind down music. Greg and I went to see Keane back in October and Fretwell was a well received supporting artist.
Hope you enjoy.

Working hard.

School is over for the day and I needed something to help me relax after a typical hectic Monday. I found this after a google search and know you Feeder fans would appreciate it. Some excellent acoustic examples from the boys.
Anyway, I should get back to planning my lessons.

Fish, Chips and Evangelism.

The world famous illuminations in Blackpool. Home of arcades, hen and stag parties, donkey rides on the beach, broken light bulbs and evangelism like I have never seen before. Do you think it works? Does it matter, if only one person takes note and thinks about what they see? Does it matter that it is ridiculed by passer bys as they compare this one to its neighbour, Fern and Phil from 'Good Morning'?





It was cold on the prom as we tucked into our cod and chips! Can you guess?

Blackpool!!!

Well, last night Jamie and I ventured out to the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. The idea was to have a stroll at the seaside and eat fish and chips on the prom. In reality it finished up like that but not without its drama before.
We were walking on the central pier, when we heard this terrible crying. We look around to see 4 children aged from 4 to 13 hanging on to their mother who was rolling around on the ground in a terrible way.
Eventually the 4 year old boy told me his daddy was a mean man and had kicked him in the mouth when he broke the door down to their house earlier in the day. His sister then went on to say that he was stalking them and they were all very scared to go home. The mother was terrified of Jamie and the male pier staff who came to try to help her, it took 20+ minutes to calm them all down so we could decide what to do. ( They had no coats, they hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was 9pm on a windy night on the coast!) Feeling helpless and unsure what to do I called the police who sent a team of 6 officers, ( and a female officer!) And off they went into the sunset, and off we went to get fish and chips!
What a wake up call!! What is beyond their sunset? How do they go about 'getting on'?
Life is so cruel for this family and for so many others... struggling to get on in life, dealing with crisis after crisis.
I suppose I realised, (yet again) that I am very fortunate, I have the life skills to interact with each other and to deal with 'stuff'.
When I moan about what life deals at me, maybe I should remember, Maria, Arlena, Nadine, Hayley and Jared, the family I met at Central Pier Blackpool.

2nd posting and counting!

It's been a long time since Bearwood! Another success for the 'Youth Group Dating Agency'.

It all started because of everyone else!

Not wanting to be left out we have decided to follow in the typing steps of our fellow friends. So here we go. We are not promising words of great meaning, in fact we are not even sure what we are going to post. However, keep your eye on this space as we may surprise you.

For all those wondering where such creativity came in the naming of this blog, "it all started at Bearwood" refers to the beginning of what you now know as the McCulloch family.