Mrs. Route, the idea you spend ALL your time looking after your dyslexic son and your family is just laughable. People may care to count up the time you spend on message boards writing. You seem to be able to reply to any comments you don't like at any time day or night.

Granted you never read anything people have written, nor think about anything you have write, but it all still takes time.

Then there is the time you spend with Sam of course.

I was never a natural teacher. I worked hard at both organisation and academic material; was happy to learn from people around me; people who came to my classes to observe me teach; inspectors and moderators who came to examine my work and the students from whom I learned so much. I was happy to go on courses for professional development and - as you do in my branch of teaching - arrange for marketing of the course; deliver leaflets to ensure recruitment; interview and counsel students to ensure they were choosing the correct course for their chosen career path; and do the thousands of other jobs that are included in the word teaching. Including meeting parents to discuss progress. Natural teacher? I never had time to find out. But of course as someone who can teach (but also admits she is useless as a teacher - not quite got my mind around that) you will know all this.

So you only ever get satisfactory? Has it ever occurred to you this is because your work is only satisfactory? In the world of education that you have chosen to inhabit, it is not regarded as sufficient to assert things. You need evidence. I am happy to hear yours that you are better than satisfactory.

As for Artisan, well - Jacey, Brian and Hilary have been good friends for more years than I care to remember and certainly not long after they started singing almost 22 years ago. What makes you think I don't like them just because you have found out about them? I'll mention it to Jacey when I am round at their house in the next week or so. I am sure they will be delighted to know they have your support.