*Waves a quick hello from across the pond*

[DanaC]

Hallo Cellarites! How goes it with y'all? This is my first chance to get online and post in some time......Still offline at home and the main computer at work went down ( consequently the staff are all but fighting each other for access to the backup machine)

I havent time just now to read through any posts, so I dont know what you've all been up to, or indeed which arguments are currently raging down in the Cellar *smiles* Hopefully the same ol'faces are still around ( wish I had more time to get to know some of the new ones too)

Work is going well. I've changed departments recently and am now working with the "Basic Employability" class, which deals with adult literacy and numeracy. I didnt think I would enjoy it as much as the English for Speakers of Other Languages, but have been quite surprised to find it hugely enjoyable.

Many of the people I am working with have huge social and educational difficulties which make them very vulnerable in the world. I find half the job of a tutor in this department is being a social worker.

One woman I have been working with, is entirely innumerate. She tried to hide it for a long time but has been sent to us by the Employment service after a prolonged period of unemployment. She's hard as nails and yet.....also very vulnerable. It brought it home to me how difficult her life must be at times when she completed a workbook which used coins as a means of teaching mathematics. She had great difficulty in recognising which coins were which and was unable to perform even the simplest subtraction.......

How does anyone get along in life when they are unable to even count their change? How open to abuse does that make them? How many people have ripped her off without her knowing? And how difficult must it be to seek help?

Heartbreaking really. It gave me a great deal of satisfaction when I managed to at least break down her defenses a little. She talks to me now and I am seeing her softer side. So many of them are like that. They seem hard ( and in many ways are hard) but scratch the surface and find the hurt.

Anyway, that's what I have been up to. *smiles* I am hopind to get my internet sorted out soon and then maybe I will be able to skip on down the cellar steps as I used to :P

......oh hey and a belated Happy New Year to all!

[Trilby]

Hey, DanaC!!!! So cool to hear from you! Sounds like you've found your niche! Great!