Singing New Songs

Ever wondered what the definition of bleary-eyed looks like? Look no further..... This is me pondering my New Normal - at 6.45am yesterday morning, waiting for the train to London. I will be doing this journey every Monday in term time for the next two years and so, although I wasn't outside the front door, it still felt right to mark my "first day at school", in the now time-honoured fashion. 6.45am doesn't sound too bad when you write it down but it felt much earlier than that, as I'm not a great morning person at the best of times. Getting up and getting going has always been M's strength, not mine, and so my 5.50am alarm yesterday got short shrift and a few choice words from me and a quietly knowing chuckle from the sleepy form next to me! The early start was worth it, though.  I really loved my first full, proper day at college.  I think it's probably safe to say that everyone took things gently for us newbies but we did have real lec...

Please meet my trusty companion of several years: my teaching suitcase. As someone who was well-trained by the girl guides, I like to be prepared. A lot of my pupils didn't seem to live by the same motto, so I have built up a store of music over the years.  If a pupil had sung it, I would carry a copy. Even if they had forgotten everything, I would always have their music so we could still practise, without me having to carry all my music books with me. Other singing teachers cope perfectly well without this ridiculous habit but I got used to it and it worked, even with up to 50 pupils across 3 schools. Apart from the practical problem it raised.... My case also held my admin folder, a folder of spare copies to give to pupils, some books for aural and sight-singing practice, a pencil case, notebooks for each school so I could keep track of pupils' progress and, to top it off, a large speaker and iPod dock. This meant it was a seriously heavy thing to tote...

This may seem a funny title for a first blog post but this week represents the "last of the lasts". For the moment, at least. My youngest son and I have both spent the last few weeks saying our goodbyes and packing up one phase of our lives, ready to embark on the next. For him, it's been about finishing at primary school, ready to start secondary school in September. For me, it's about dismantling a singing and teaching career I have worked really hard to set up and get going and have found massively rewarding, as well as challenging, ready to start training for ordination in the Church of England. Saying goodbye to schools and pupils at the end of term, ready to become a learner again myself. Perhaps I should introduce myself.  I'm Abby and I've been a singer and singing teacher for 7 years. Before that, I had a "proper job" managing communications in a government agency, where I thought I'd stay for a long time, but God seemed to have...