uncleduck

A teacher's job is made easier by supportive parents.  Thankfully, our school has many of these - probably 9/10 are supportive and only a small number are a problem.

Recently, I moved a girl to the from of the classroom. This led to a note home to the mother: "Sally has been moved to the front of the room because she insists she cannot read the board... she might benefit from an eye-test."

The reply:
"Dear Mr Smith, Sally has PERFECT eyesight. You are a teacher, not an optician. Do your job and teach."

No doubt, a few years from now, she will sue the school for her poor results, citing our refusal to recognise her sight-disorder, and not mentioning her own bone-idleness. Or, maybe she will find out that in real-life, being a stroppy cow and insulting everyone who disagrees with you, does not help your career prospects. Maybe, one day she will get the glasses she needs and after discovering the world is not as blurry as it looks at the minute, realise that I was only helping her.

 

»Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 7:23:41 PM GMT    »2 comments (0 )     »Send entry    

Posted by: uncleduck    in: My entries

Modified on January 23, 2008 at 7:24 PM

I have been neglecting this blog for a while, due to work and due to getting in contact with people through Facebook.

Ths thing is, I've just realised how weird Facebook is, or at least how weird it can be. It's thanks to 'Jane', who is probably the one person outside my family who I have earliest memories of. Our Grannies babysat us together, we played together, we went to primary and secondary school together and sat beside each other on the bus. Yes, I did fancy her, though I doubt if the feeling was mutual.

Then, at around age 13, she moved away to another country, and to my continual annoyance I never said a proper goodbye. We promised to write to each other and did, twice. I knew how she was getting on via communication between our respective Grandmothers and other family members who have remained in touch. However, like any childhood friendship it was great while it lasted and is great in memory. She is one, of a few people from school, I have often wondered about getting in touch with - to see how they are.

So, thanks to Facebook, we are 'friends' once again. Hence my dilemma. I have absolutely nothing to say to her. Well, I can congratuate her on two fine looking sons and congratulate her on marrying the guy who by all accounts makes her very happy. Thanks to her Facebook profile, I know her address, land-line phone and cell-phone and could easily stalk her. I could even say "Hello" via MSN messenger.

But what do I say after that?

We once read the same books, but I doubt if she wants to borrow the Famous Five from me any more and, to be honest I have no longer an interest in her Secret Seven or Roald Dahl. We appear to like some of the same movies - but so do lots of people. No longer will we compare our exam scores. I doubt if we will meet in town at the weekend, with our other friends, or hang out together at Youth Club. I see she has added Scrabulous to her profile - 20 years on, I wonder if she can still beat me? She has the advantage of all those North American words now. What about Chess?

Of her views on things like politics, religion, travelling, food, crap Saturday night TV... I have no idea whatsoever. Is she still the bubbly tomboy who was infinitely better at tennis than I could ever hope to be? Does she remember the times we were babysat together with no warning and didn't mind, because we were able to play together nicely. Is she still the girl who an awful lot of boys in our secondary school fancied and made themselves look stupid in front of? I didn't have to make a fool of myself in front of her because we had been potty trained together and once you share a potty you can't really get much more embarrased. Is she still the girl who showed me hers after I showed her mine (in her Granny's flat, aged 3). Does she still smile like she does in the photo from a Christmas party that her Dad took of the two of us together, almost 30 years ago?

Has time clouded the memories? Am I selectively picking out the highlights? Were there times when we couldn't care less about each other and was she really only one among Simon, Lee, Stephen, Keith, Helen, Kelly, Chris and the myriad others that shared our childhoods. Yes, we shared crisps, seats on buses, toys, books - but so did others. Did we really share long summers together? I can easily pick out other people I spent time with.

Can we be friends again, or will it be a case of "Hello, I knew you once.... but who are you now?"
*fingers crossed*

»Thursday, January 10, 2008, 12:47:04 PM GMT    »3 comments (0 )     »Send entry    

Posted by: uncleduck    in: My entries

Modified on February 25, 2008 at 7:59 PM