William Parker

You know, it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be!

I can't believe I've had a week there already and am into the second.  The time has flown by and it has been really good despite not knowing what I am doing, where I am going and what on earth I can say to boys who are karate kicking each other halfway up the stairwell, sticking thermometers down the backs of their trousers ("I'm just taking my anal temperature Miss"), and setting fire to their blazer sleeves with bunsen burners.  Young boys are soooooo lovely.

Well the day I arrived (last Monday) was a very, very bad day to arrive.  You can't make this stuff up.

The last chemistry teacher had died the previous morning.  Suddenly.






Well quite.  I didn't know what to say either, so I spent the morning in maths classes before venturing over to the science labs fully expecting to be sent on my way and no longer welcome at the school, but I was not, and for that I am very thankful because I am really enjoying myself.  I was very unsure about how I would deal with 'behaviour' and what sort of 'behaviour' I would encounter (answer:  you think it, they do it), but having spent so long watching other teachers and seeing what they do I have realised that (a) there is no particular method you can use, (b) trial and error is as good a way as any of finding out, and (c) often just doing nothing can help.  Of course there is (d) call the crisis helpline, but that is hardly ever needed, apparently.

I have spent quite a lot of time being quite bored and totally disorientated by the wierd twisting split-level architecture that is so common around here, what with there being lots of cliffs and hills and stuff. But what I have loved is getting to know the boys regardless of how 'bad' they are, because they are all really fun to be around.  Yes, it's pretty difficult to make some of them concentrate and do work, and there are some classes with some very special people in who do some very strange things, but getting to interact with them really makes my day.

Well, that and the fact that I only see them for about 5 hours.  It is nice when they all go home.

So despite what was probably the worst start in history and a pretty crummy first few days, I love this job already.  Which is lucky, because the University just gave me a huge bill.  T'would be a shame to waste the money!