Is this a dagger I see before me?

Stardate 26 September
Is this a dagger I see before me?
Health and safety came to the fore this week. Firstly we had a near miss. The story as it was related to me was as follows. Glass that was being stored upon a cupboard began to slide off during the opening of a cupboard. This I agree sounds awful and reckless on my part however further examination of the revealed that someone appears to have been attempting to `jimmy` the door with a crowbar or some such it was during this violent forced entry attempt the large board didn’t fall off despite their best efforts to make it do otherwise. It raises a few questions in my mind, to which I didn’t receive a satisfactory answer 1 if you’re opening a locked cupboard use a key. 2 If you lose the key, get the spare key you keep in the car, so u don’t look silly in front of your learners, should the lock fail , contact a locksmith, or secondly ensuring you are wearing the correct safety equipment use a pair of bolt cutters on the padlock. I can’t imagine how they reasoned bending the metal door would help them access this locked cupboard. I think if I was looking a fool in front of my class in such a way I would also attempt to divert attention away from my own incompetence by fingering a` scape goat`. I photographed the room extensively specifically documenting other classes objects also stored on top of cupboards. Ikea cupboard all are sold with wall brackets to prevent them being toppled over if we are to ensure a cupboard remains safe whilst being forcibly shaken we could look into this option. I am not storing work there anymore and now have to question the health and safety risk present in the end of term exhibition as work on a table top could become a hazard if someone decides to go at it with a crowbar.

Back in the saddle again..

Stardate 17 september 08

Back in the saddle again

First day back so I was a little apprehensive have I got everything what have I forgotten?

Weirdly I seemed to have most things. The problem on the morning course was learners. On the register were two new names, but only one turned up is this my fault? No its not, everyone wants to do my course they tell me so all the time, oh they go Stained glass that’s interesting? Why don’t people enrol? The marketing is handled in my opinion entirely inappropriately, and seems to be aimed at people already in the educational system. I work there and saw nothing in the way of advertising outside of the facilities. I got nothing through the door saw no Billboards, the exhibition of learner work was much the same. Why isn’t it done in the town centre? A nice marquee with learner work and enrolments taking place right there would be more effective. I think it’s unusual to expect to get local people into the facilities cold, scares the bejesus out of me and I work there. The website is appalling there are moves afoot to improve it but it looks like it was designed by a 3 year old from a college that offers web design courses it’s embarrassing. Why is it so badly laid out why aren’t details of the courses laid out with photos contact details ,why can’t we enrol their directly, this argument that not everyone has a computer is wearing ridiculously thin. As it stands it’s a miracle anyone manages to find my course let alone enrol on it. The evening course faired a little better. I think largely due to changes I suggested the later starting time helps people enormously the powers that be in the college assume people will come directly from work to a night class eat in college then do the session. In my opinion people like to nip home see their family then go out we need to fit to a more realistic social model.

The lessons went well especially the evening one new blood enthusiastic and fun, makes it enjoyable for me also. I decided to bum the initial assessment forms till next week because I didn’t want to make the first session an academic experience and would rather put the learners at ease, then hopefully we can retain them, but I explained it would be something we would do next session. That said I covered the health and safety aspects of the course and checked enrolments. If we survive the numbers thing which is out of my control I expect a good term. I’m being inspected in a couple of weeks and it has been suggested we attempt something different, so I’m thinking ill demonstrate glass painting which is something I’m new to myself but with a little planning I’m sure I can introduce the topic weather we get to actually let the learners attempt anything is as yet undecided..