For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Earlier this week I had to fly down to KwaZulu-Natal to participate in the national standardisation of drama practicals. It was my first introduction to the Dramatic Arts examining panel, and they were – as can be expected – absolutely fabulous and thoroughly entertaining. On Monday night for dinner they elected to eat at a... Continue Reading →
I am not going to lie. I am a hardline cynic. Maybe I have been too jaded by experience, but I cannot look at the world and see it as basically good. I have no desire to stay forever young, nor to live any longer than I have to on this side of eternity. One... Continue Reading →
I need to confess to having a closet interest in Science. Many of the pupils I have taught would be horrified, given how much time I spend in my classes decrying it as the irresponsible obsession with throwing things off cliffs or buildings and timing the descent. But as many flaws as Science has, it... Continue Reading →
Blind jazz pianist, George Shearing, according to a popular story, was waiting at a busy intersection for somebody to help him across. He heard a tapping and a man spoke: “I am blind. Please could you help me across the road?” He is later quoted as responding: “What could I do? I took him across... Continue Reading →
I was explaining to a friend recently why Turner’s landscapes are among my favourite paintings. I love the savage beauty of nature, as he depicts it. Something about his wild impartial skies and wild, alien landscapes resonates with my soul. Whenever we look at a piece of art, we only tangentially see the artist. What... Continue Reading →
This is turning out to be an emotional day for me. I have accepted a job offer that will take me out of the classroom, working at an assessment body. It was not an easy decision to make, but I have come to realise that in order to influence education more meaningfully, I have to... Continue Reading →
I am racist. It is not something a man likes to admit, but it is something that has to be acknowledged before it can be addressed. Now don’t get me wrong. It is not a question of hatred. I can love and embrace people of all different cultures and creeds. I respect people no matter... Continue Reading →
Despite all the resources and the wealth of information at our disposal through the internet, I do not believe that teachers will ever be replaced by computers. I don’t believe they ever should be. You see, teaching is about much more than merely conveying information. It is also about more than simply helping learners to... Continue Reading →
A pupil asked me last week what changes I would make to the education system if I had the power to reform it. First I need to express just how thrilled I was that he had asked the question in the first place. It means that not only has he been allowed to develop critical... Continue Reading →
Some of those who know me well may see the irony in the fact that I am choosing to write a post on humility. Still, I think humility is a much underrated virtue, and one that seems largely to have been lost in the modern world, where it is misconstrued as weakness. Because capitalist society... Continue Reading →
Vapors In The Wind 