She's the best!

If you have been sending emails to the school recently asking questions about courses, accommodation, social activities, London underground, the weather, IELTS exams... or anything else... you will have been in contact with Alejandra.
She is a one-woman army who fights with all her energy to get the best for her students. Sometimes there's a phone call from a student who says "I sent an email and you haven't replied yet."
"When did you send it?" asks Alejandra.
"10 minutes ago."



Alejandra is from Argentina and originally came to London in 1999 to study at Camden College of English with her boyfriend. Three years later she came back to take a Cambridge exam and the boyfriend had become a husband. And they're still here!

For the last four years she has been working with me in the office - and even though there are times of stress (moving to the new building, busy summers with lots of accommodation requests, British Council inspections), Ale is always positive.

So if you are coming to study here, be nice to her and if she looks stressed make her a coffee (with milk and one sugar!).

Stuart

Rain Stops Play

Just one minute away from the school is one of the most famous shops in London. For the last 175 James Smith & Sons has been selling the accessory that signifies the British... umbrellas.
Since I started teaching in 1988, I have always enjoyed telling my students that I don't have an umbrella, that I have never had an umbrella and that I will never have an umbrella. The reason for this? I'm a Londoner!
I don't consider rain to be a problem or a nuisance. It's part of life and not worth making a big fuss about. Rain happens.
Whenever we arrange something on the social programme our students always have one question: What happens if it rains?
My answer is always the same: We will get wet.
So yesterday we had a walking tour of Bloomsbury and it didn't rain. Today, Rob has taken a group of students to watch the tennis at Wimbledon. We have planned trips to go to the beach at Brighton and to watch Shakespeare in the open air Globe theatre. Over the summer we will also have picnics, football matches, trips to Oxford, music festivals... and all of them will be outside.
In fact, the only time rain is a problem is when I'm watching cricket. Of course, the most English of all sports, cricket, can only be played when it's not raining. And this sums up the character of the English - optimistic, open to challenges and not entirely realistic. Who else would invent a game less suited to their environment?
This afternoon I popped out to get a sandwich and the heavens opened. Monsoon. A deluge. As I ran past James Smith & Sons getting totally drenched I wished that I had an umbrella. Oh well.

Thanks Sally...

I have a lot to thank Sally for. During the time that she was a teacher and director of studies at Camden College of English she became the best and closest friend that anybody could wish for. Now that she is living in India I miss our daily chats...

One thing we talked a lot about was our shared passion for reading. We both agreed that too many recent books are about emotional breakdowns, failed relationships, mid-life crises...where are the great story tellers? we both asked.

Well, Sally, thanks for giving me a copy of "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry. It is the best book I've read in years. The four main characters are so real that they are still growing and living in my mind. If you want to go on a wonderful journey this summer then get this book... and if you don't trust me, trust Sally!

Stuart

A long, long week...

It's been a long week because Alejandra's been away. Part of her job is to answer all the emails, prepare invoices, arrange accommodation and generally be very nice to everyone. So, this week I've been Alejandra... and that's why I haven't had a chance to write the blog.

Quite a few emails have had the same request ... "I want my accommodation to be as close to the school as possible."

Of course, we don't want to place our students an hour away but.... (there's always a "but").... why AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE?

Surely, when coming to the biggest city in Europe a little travelling is expected. And you're going to be on holiday... so there's no rush (as long as you are not late for class!).

15 minutes on the bus or underground is a great experience. Look at all the faces, eavesdrop on some conversations (good for your English!), read the adverts, finish your homework, daydream, wonder what your friends are doing at home, feel very lucky to be away...

I know that it can be a bit frightening being in such a huge city but London is a gentle place where everyone is accepted.

Enjoy every moment of being here!

Stuart

An old joke...

There's an old joke that goes:
Q: How many psychoanalysts does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but the lightbulb has to want to change.

Well, we've had a wonderful week with a very special course for a group of 11 psychoanalysts from Germany. They came here to prepare for a conference and took an intensive programme from 0900 to 1600 every day.

Congratulations to teachers Rebecca and Ashleigh (at the front) for putting so much effort and energy into the week. They were nervous at the beginning because it's not every day that you have a class full of psychoanalysts but in the end... everyone was happy.

Stuart

Blast from the Past

An old friend, Jo Eastlake, popped into the school today. Jo started as a teacher at Camden College of English in about 1991 and was there when I first joined. It was great to show her the new building and also to reminisce about the old days. We looked at some photos from the early 90s and could remember most of the students.
Jo is now teaching at SOAS but it would be fantastic to get her back here for a couple of lessons because she's one of the best.

Stuart

A request to old students...

Our new computer room at the school is great... but it looks too functional. Our idea is to create a "History of Camden College of English" display with photos of teachers, students and anybody involved with the school since it first opened 17 years ago. I have pictures going back to the very beginning (including David planting the Wisteria at the front of the school). There are some photographs of the great teachers of the past (Martyn, Jo, Lesley, Katie, Kirsty, Tor, Jacqui, Sally, Sara-Jane, Matt etc etc) and lots of smiling students on trips, at parties and generally having a good time.
If you studied at Camden College of English at any time and would like your picture to be part of the new school (and that gives you a good reason to visit and say hello!) then please send it to: 42 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3QJ. Don't forget to put your name on the photo.
If you don't have a photo then write a memory of your time here and send that.
Thanks!
Stuart

What a week!

I'm shattered. Exhausted. Knackered. Drained
Week one in our new Bloomsbury home is now over. Ok, so the buzzer on the front door doesn't work and I forgot to order signs for the toilets.. And Dell haven't bothered to send some computers. Oh... and none of us can work out how to use the new phones. All small problems.

We're going to start thinking about the pretty things now. What should we put up on the walls? Is there room for a ping pong table in the garden? Do we want a mirror in the coffee room? Should we have an ipod dock and speakers so students can play their own music in the coffee room? Any ideas from you will be gatefully received!!

Now for the weekend... a little cricket on tv, a lot of playing with Ben... and then back again on Monday.

Have fun everyone!
Stuart

Day 3...

We're all beginning to relax and settle down in our new surroundings. It's amazing how you need to "learn a building".
The office has an echo and I keep telling Alejandra to ssshhh. The teachers are deciding which is their favourite classroom and the students are starting to feel at home (in the first couple of days they didn't want to touch anything because it all looked so new).

I know I've spent a lot of time talking about the building but it's because it is part of our vision to create a wonderful language school. I haven't forgotten that the most important aspect is the people: those who work and those who study here.

So... let me take this opportunity in public to say a big THANK YOU to Alejandra, Rob, Aileen, Ashleigh, Dragan, Rebecca, Steve - our fantastic team who have all done so much to help.

Stuart

Last visitors....

The school became a home today when Greta popped in with Benjamin. I'm not sure if he noticed that this place is different to the old school but he certainly found enough to touch, pull, put in his mouth, destroy etc etc...

Sofa...so good...

First lesson in our new style classroom today...

We have two rooms which are designed to help students really relax and get the most out of a conversation class. No desks or traditional chairs but sofas, beanbags and lots of red and orange!
Feedback from Ashleigh, the teacher, was that this was a dynamic speaking lesson.
Stuart

Let the lessons begin!!!!

Yes, we're in and the first classes have started. Everyone arrived on time this morning and it was wonderful to be able to welcome old and new students to 42 Bloomsbury Street.
It was a very busy weekend but I think we managed to get most things in the right position.
Thanks go to the students who came to help and also to everybody who sent Good Luck messages.

Here are the first photos of the first day in the new school!
Stuart

Saturday 02 June... 1037 am

Got to Camden this morning at 0730 to check that all the right labels were on the things we wanted to take to the new building. Rob arrived at 0815 and we sat outside the school and had a coffee. Then the removal firm turned up with 6 guys ready to get everything onto the lorry. An hour and a half later and Camden College of English was on the back of the lorry and on the road to Bloomsbury!!!

Now we're here and I'm writing this blog because there's nothing for me to do while the guys are unloading and carrying all the heavy stuff up the stairs.

It's a great feeling to be at 42 Bloomsbury Street ... in fact, it feels right.

Alejandra has come in to help (and do some cleaning) and I'm expecting some students to turn up later in the day. At some time Greta will pop in with Ben...

Right... now I have to get back to giving instructions!

Stuart

We're online!

I can now report that 42 Bloomsbury is now online... and the new student internet cafe is working. We still don't have the computers in the office - hopefully they will arrive tomorrow. Anyway, thanks to Jules and Mike, the computer wizards who have set everything up.

The big move is planned for Saturday when we are bringing everything over from the old building and then we open on Monday to teach our first classes here.

Don't worry, I'll be running around taking photos all day and will post them here.

Stuart

Quick update....

The student internet room is ready (well... the computers have arrived but haven't been networked yet). It looks fantastic. 12 brand new pcs and funky bar stools. I think we'll call the room "The Pod".
My only worry is how to stop the students spilling coffee on the new keyboards.

The conversation rooms are amazing... red and orange sofas, stools and bean bags... very relaxing.
Our plan is that classes don't belong to a room but have different lessons in different rooms during the week.

More pictures later this week.

Stuart

The winning team....

Lots of fun today as the teachers came to see the new building for the first time. I really enjoyed showing them round... the office which leads onto a terrace, the garden, the space-age computer room, the chill out room, the classrooms... and of course, the staff room.
Everyone was very positive and they can't wait until 4th June when we will move in.
We talked about how we must take the fantastic atmosphere we have in Camden over to the new building. I must say that I have total confidence in Rob, Aileen, Rebecca, Dragan and Ashleigh. In fact, the quality of a school depends on the quality of the teachers and that's why we (and you!) are very lucky.
Stuart

Chelsea win FA Cup final

Once again, this has absolutely nothing to do with running an English school but I just want to say how wonderful it was to be at Wembley to watch Chelsea beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
I lost my voice cheering and singing for the blues ... and what a moment when Drogba scored with four minutes left of extra time!

Update on 42 Bloomsbury Street

We had a problem (unresolved) yesterday with the Wi-Fi connection. I must admit that I don't really understand what happened but all I know is that it isn't working on three of the floors. Hmmm.

The building doesn't feel like a school yet because there are no people in it. We need the noise at break time, a busy office with lots of questions, teachers preparing lessons... then 42 Bloomsbury will become a school.

Here's a photo of one of the classrooms to show you how bright the rooms are. The building you can see out the window is the British Museum! This isn't the most exciting photo but in a couple of weeks this will be a full classroom...I hope!

Stuart

Moving news....

The latest news on the move to the new school building is that all the furniture has been delivered and the cabling for the computers has been completed.
We need some time to get each classroom ready now (putting up the whiteboards etc) and then we need to set up all the computers and phone system and then.... we'll be ready to open the door and welcome our students. I can't wait!

So, if you are an old student - please check you have the right address and come to visit us in our new home next time you are in London. We love visits!

If you are a new student... we know you will love the new school and have a fantastic learning experience.

I'm going to spend today opening packages and moving furniture... tomorrow I will probably report that I have a bad back!! If any volunteers want to come and help me............

Aprendiz 4 - Pedro Frazao

I've had a message from Paulo Frazao that his brother Pedro is one of the contestants in the television programme The Apprentice (Aprendiz) in Brazil.

Both Pedro and Paulo were students at this school and so I am going to follow the story closely to see how well he does. The series started yesterday and there is a possibility that he has already been sent home.

Pedro was great fun at school - very bright and full of energy and I'm sure he will do very well. If he does, then I have some good stories to sell to the Brazilian newspapers about his time in London... (don't worry Pedro, your secrets are safe!).

Here are some YouTube links.