EDUCATION IS FUN: working with children helps you keep it real
JULY 2020
Isabelle actually wrote this blog in February this year - before the pandemic. On finding it in the files we thought it was good to publish now to remind us all of the humanity and joy of working with children and young people.
Working with children and young people keeps you young and helps to keep you ‘real’.
From my 40+ years here’s a couple of true stories from either end and the middle of my career. As a young teacher I was delighted to receive a Christmas card and gift from my registration class. I was so pleased with my positive relationship building skills – then I opened the card and it read “To Mrs B from most of 2.4”. It was a real laugh out loud moment. I still have the card today – it is one of my prized possessions.
As Headteacher of a large comprehensive school I liked to think that I was visible and in and around all parts of the school. One late October, I was in the social area with a couple of other staff members as the bell rang for the end of morning interval. This was our daily routine at break and lunchtime. I noticed a S! girl was knocking loudly on the door of the Pupil Support Teachers’ Base. The bell had gone for next class.and the base was empty. The girl approached us and asked, “Do any of you ones know where they ones are?”? I was immediately drawn to her. I asked how I could help and she said someone had stolen her tie at PE. I assured her it was probably just misplaced but she was not to be persuaded. I invited her to come up to the admin area and I would get her a replacement. On route I chatted to her about her interim progress report and she was honest in her replies giving me lots of information about each subject.
As we passed the HT office, I said to her to wait a little until I had put my things inside. As I opened the door, she exclaimed loudly pointing at the nameplate “Are you Mrs Boyd? You don’t look one bit like your photo !”. I laughed out loud and gave her a tie free gratis. Goodness knows who she thought I was weekly at assembly and on class visits.
One of the last pastoral visits I made before retiring from a large local authority, was to a primary school. I spent time chatting to the headteacher about various things and then of course agreed to a walk around the school. I know headteachers like to show off their schools and the staff and pupils would have been alerted to my visit. This was part of the job I loved -getting out and about to see first-hand the great things going on. During such visits, I always visited each class giving them my “crap chat”, as my daughter so lovingly calls my patter.
In the P1 class the children were all seated on the floor listening to a story. They were excited to have brought in a toy from home to share with classmates. A wee boy wanted to show me his toy and so proceeded to the back of the room where he held out a small figure and told me “It’s a superhero”.
We re-joined the class and I told them that I knew a superhero with superpowers. They were aghast. I then pointed to the headteacher. No, they shouted that’s not a superhero that’s our headteacher. I told them of her superpower is to rings bells across the day. Most of them nodded and were amazed at her skills. However, one other wee lad said to me: “Is this your job? Is this what you do? Do you just go around schools telling stories about superheroes?”
Keeping it real, right enough! Working in education at all levels brings joy, laughter and many blessings.