Inspired

I have spent the day being massively productive doing a variety of work related things, some very mechanistic and need doing because they need doing, not because I love to do them.

But then, the best bits of the day involved a cheeky couple of hours at the local pub/restaurant, catching up with a friend over a hot chocolate (with brandy) before work tomorrow and then returning home to have an unexpected but really quite wonderful conversation with this young man.

I talk often of how proud I am of him, of his maturity, his wit and humour and just what a wonderful young man he is. I often think that he can't surpasse what I already think of him. Then he surprises me!

Tonight we have discussed his option choices as he is starting to think about them ahead of the official choices process he will go through in a few weeks time. It has become increasingly apparent over the last few months that his passion lies with music and skateboarding. Unfortunately there is not an option to study skateboarding on the curriculum, but already he is being guided into choosing music and he is thinking about the routes that might allow him to follow.

He has had a measured conversation with me, directed me to the University of Sheffield site to look at a Dual or Single honours degree in Music - he has clearly already done some research. We have discussed keeping options open and all that stuff that I would advise as a good teacher and as a good parent. Ultimately, with the realisation that hard work needs to start now and has already started, but he just hadn't told me!

So now it looks like music grade exams are in his future, along with everything else he will study at school. He has been learning to play the keyboard at school, he is reading music, not just tab, and he has already upped his game.

Sometimes, motivation and inspiration are there right in front of you - tonight as he sat on Corin's chair and talked to me, I realised I was looking right at mine.

I couldn't be more proud.