Well we are about 4 weeks into formation for this semester. Tomorrow, I will turn in my first assignment in the Church Reform 16& 17 century subject. What on? you ask. Just a bit about Luther comments on his Preface to Paul's Letter to the Romans. It is interesting. As for formation, well, I think I am just too tired. It seems to be a common song among the students in my formation group. "I am tired."
We are the group of students who are in field placement; that is we work in church for 30 hours per week plus one subject, which amounts to 7-10 per week and spend a day, 8 hours, in formation. This actually equals 48 hours which should not be too big a week. But I suspect most of us work more than 30 hours in our placements.
I also believe that some of the tiredness in formation is the fact that formation is on Monday. After a couple of worship services on Sundays, most ministers I know are tired. It is not always a physical tired, but often emotional and spiritual tiredness. Many ministers I know have Monday off. Others try to keep Monday a light work day. So if ministers know this, why does the field group have to reflect spiritually and emotionally on a Monday. Wouldn't it make more sense to do this some other day of the week? Just asking.
3 comments:
I've heard that they do this kind of thing in training pilots and astronauts.
I think it has something to do with the fact that you have to be able to do what you're meant to do when you're tired, drained and in general just find it difficult.
Maybe the philosophy is if you can reflect spiritually and emotionally on a Monday when you're tired and out of it, then it should be a breeze any other time when you're not.
Okay, you are smart but I don't have to like that answer :-)
I hope your lead-up to Easter is going well... I actually was able to put time away to go bushwalking on Monday this week.
I'm not sure why Mondays are the way they are - I expect its more for the convenience of the college schedule than the candidates. The availability of ministers on Mondays may have actually been a factor, in my opinion.
Believe it or not, Monday night lectures used to be compulsary for the field education class. They realised that Mondays were a bit long for that.
littlemissrandom does have a point though, it may toughen us up but it isn't the easiest way for this to happen.
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