school's back for winter....

School starts today. And it starts for me with an assembly.

I love assemblies and work in schools. Often I come out of a school class/assembly and think 'Wow, I get paid for this!'

It can be any age: 2-18 and it is fantastic (in fact, a group of 13-18s that don't want to listen feels like gladiatorial conflict- in a good way ie without the casual murder and ritual disembowling).

Today it is a primary school- lots of people that I have a link with. I read some assembly websites and the assemblies come across a bit didactic and 'Dear children- let me get you to learn something drippy.' I think a good assembly is like jazz.

I don't do jazz (think Spinal Tap and 'free form jazz')- hence my dated jazz picture here......

What I mean- you go in with something- you listen to God and the kids and suddenly what you have got starts riffing and changing. It becomes alive and creative and pregnant with possibilities.

It's 8.15am and I'm raring to go!