The character test

A wise man once said that we don't teach subjects and course, we teach people. He's right of course - there's 25-28 in our classes so it can be challenging to teach the individual, but we do. We look for the person's outlook, ethos, beliefs, how they are and what they're made of, and to paraphrase the excellent Guinness campaign, we challenge them to be made of more.

It can start in the classroom I blipped about the other day, and this is one of the views, west-facing. Love teaching in there, with the magnificent panorama looking west of Glasgow city-centre. The skies are in some way inspirational - blue sky thinking yadayada, but such a view encourages the big dream, the big idea - the in-class project or the career aspiration. Or do you see the couple of dirty patches? There's the character test. If you see the sky first, we'll get on well. If you see the dirty window, look beyond and outwith - there's a big world out there.

It's been quite a week. Lisa left in 2007 and has been working in a top London agency - in January she moves to their New York office. I couldn't be more proud of her. Was also in touch on Monday with Louise and Mark who are doing amazingly well in STV. Sheri called today and asked if I could be a reference on a funding application towards the business she's setting up. It was Graduation night last night and it was so incredible to see the Class of 2013 - three of them with awesome jobs, others in further study - love them all. Two have emailed me today the loveliest words you've ever seen - one of them interning and one of them setting up her business early 2014. Two current students were given £1 three weeks ago and have raised £190 for charity. The current students are amazing too.

These are just some examples of the (ok then) blue-sky thinkers, the ones who dream big, the ones who get it, the ones who are made of more.