The Bureau

I'm back from the training course I was helping to run in Shanghai and now I have a team of three fresh, enthusiastic writers making their first foray into materials development.

My job is to guide them through the next three months, and try to keep their spirits up as the creativity falters and the production line mentality kicks in. Two of them are lucky - they only have one lesson to write per week, as an adjunct to teaching. In my experience, this type of contrast is invigorating: teaching informs materials development and materials development becomes a relaxing diversion from the classroom. The other writer is full-time, however, and has to write three full lessons in a week, as well as revise previous ones. I'm going to have to think of some creative ways to keep the current heartwarming enthusiasm bubbling over.