Wrapping up 2020
This is most likely my last post of the year. However much 2020 has been a clusterf**k of the highest standard, I want to focus on the more positive things that have happened to me in the year. But before I do that, the above image I have to comment on. This comes from Gender Photos and, from what I can see, is a free image site showing different genders, non-binary, genderfluid and plus. Do check it out for artwork briefs.
In terms of paid work, I've started and almost completed 13 different projects, ranging from small projects of a couple of days, to commissions and longer projects lasting several months. There has been a mixture of editing and writing projects, and I feel I've really started to hone what I can offer clients. Many thanks to Hyphen SA, Anglia Examinations, Signature Manuscripts, Pearson and The Content Station for the work this year. I've also jazzed up my ELT portfolio page on the website.
Regarding exciting new things that are on the horizon, I've been working with a couple of new colleagues on a very exciting project - details on that will no doubt come in the New Year, but I'm massively excited for what the future may hold with regard to that project. There are already discussions going on behind doors, materials being sampled ... oh, I could go on ... but that will have to wait until New Year.
On a similar note, I've now completed the Foundations for Inclusion course run by Beth Cox. Words can't really describe what I've got from this course, both in terms of knowledge and of likeminded peers and colleagues. I'm extremely thankful to Beth and to all of the other course attendees - we did it!
In addition to that course, I've attended a few online webinars and talks, all of which have been extremely useful. In September, organised by ELT Publishing Professionals, I went to the Introduction to Avallain Author, which was very useful - I'm hoping in the future to be able to use the platform in areas of my work. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the Diversity and Inclusion webinar by Ladybird because of a certain birthday. I also attended a couple of IATEFL events; Too PC for ELT by Jemma Prior in November and also To be or not to be (tokenistic) from MaWSIG and Aleksandra Popowski - both were excellent webinars and I look forward to more. The Race and Queerness in ELT carnival, run by TDSIG and GISIG was also, I think, a huge success. There were many events to choose from attending, and all of them I wanted to attend if I could. Well done to all the organisers. As well as all this, there were two webinars organised by Lottie Galpin for the new Reflecting Realities facebook group. LGBTQI+ inclusion in ELT resources by Adam Scott was a very eye-opening and useful talk, especially for practising teachers, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Secondly, Aleks Popowski again, talked to us about No Single Stories, which I found particularly enjoyable although there were few participants. I think this is something that could easily be done again and it would continue to be useful.
Finally, we know it's been a shitshow of a year and the way things are going, things aren't going to get better soon. So I'm not going to regale you with tales from my personal life; some things are better left out of a semi-professional job. Needless to say, like so many others, it's been a trial.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, are with a few select loved ones or solitary (remember, there are many places to go for help and support - I'll post at the end) - try to have a restful break (if you aren't working, and if you are working, I hope you have some time to just stop ...) and I'll be back blogging again in the New Year. Stay safe.
https://www.welbeing.org.uk/blog/2020/12/loneliness/
The Samaritans - mental health during the pandemic