If anyone would like to catch an essence of the last few months of my life, the following video will cover all that I can say quite elegantly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUepEkHelk8
To say the last few months have flown by is both cliché and an understatement for this last term with Durham University and High Tunstall College of Science. I was warned at the start of the course that my ‘undergrad holiday’ is a thing of the past, my days of leisure were over and days of hard toil had begun. I’ll need someone to explain to me why I feel like I haven’t stopped dancing since September! Perhaps I slept through some lectures but you know what they say about old habits…
- Apparently I could kiss goodbye to such pleasures as dining and debate long into the night; tell that to St Chad’s SCR who willed to put such a notion to the test!
- Apparently, room for following other pursuits would be restricted by an absurd amount of paperwork and stress; tell that to the Catholic Society, the Dominican Order, Freeman’s Quay, St Cuthbert’s Choir and Durham Student Theatre!
I can only imagine what someone with a trained body feels like when they arc their body and glide across the dance floor. Their talent must make the complicated rhythms and demanding steps feel like play, that I can imagine! My life has kept pace with all pursuits that my heart enjoys, I’ve learned to arc around some of the emotional stresses and tensions of the world (though not always avoiding them completely), and I’ve leapt to feelings of comfort and satisfaction. Developing my understanding of my faith is always a singular pleasure, taking some attention in the theatre will forever play to my ego, debate and laughter with my dearest friends is always sensational. This term a new place in my heart set the stage in the likeness of a classroom.
I walked into High Tunstall terrified with little clue what would happen; would I stick with it or run in terror to some half-constructed idea of working with a PlayStation until any stage-work became available. That is, in no way, playing down my love of the stagecraft, or PlayStation for that matter!
I couldn’t claim divine providence in what followed but I quickly found myself blessed in meeting several teachers (unnamed for legal reasons and one, like me, simply doesn’t need the ego boost!) who transformed my life and opened a third possibility for the term; that I might just come to love the profession. Two teachers had clear caring instincts which shone through in their watch over this young idiot who discovered he hadn’t a clue what was happening; thank God one had volunteered to be my mentor; always asking if the young teacher was okay, sharing a joke, advice, wonderful feedback etc. The foundation stones for comfort, confidence and development were well and truly set.
One teacher had a cool clear demeanour, a clear example of how to lead a lesson making it look effortless in the process. Extra duties were similarly taken in stride. Advice was handed over freely on extra duties that come over time as well as advice on how teach one lesson or another. When one finds out that such a teacher had the same mentor that currently looks after you, the horizon immediately gets a lot brighter!
Finally, the teacher that encouraged me to execute every conceivable mistake, to get it all wrong, to learn at every possible step, brought me to see every moment in the classroom as a dynamic one. I learned to make the slides simple, explanations elegant, plenaries pleasant and so on. The phrase ‘Brains Book Buddy Boss’ will forever be cemented in my mind, among a plethora of other ideas. He knew me well enough within about 5 minutes to lift my ego, in readiness for the less-sympathetic pupils, whilst keeping me grounded and able to learn. Little phrases like ‘Don’t take rebellion personally’, ‘It’s easier to distance yourself from them to capture their interest’ and ‘That’s just what Mr Myers needs, more confidence!’ were enough to learn that I was being looked after and handed priceless advice; yes of course the third comment was set with complete sarcasm!
I’ve learned the value of relating to kids strictly without becoming their friend (a necessary lesson I feel, especially for a young teacher), how to set the stage for enthusiastic learning, and crucially, that using balls as a method for teaching SUVATs requires some precautions and common sense!
I’m forever indebted to the teachers in High Tunstall, the Maths dept. in particular, for allowing me to get it wrong, picking up the pieces around me, and picking me up when I needed it. One should never forget the greatest thing that I found in that school however: the pupils.
I taught a range from lower set year 9’s, higher set year 8’s and stellar set year 10’s. Each group came to me with challenges and gifts, be it in their personality or mathematical ability. In the end, I saw in each of them, sparks of love for Mathematics and a growing sense of laughter between us. When my year 8’s shared a moment for understanding the basis of Trigonometry, I thought my heart wouldn’t stop singing!
Before I began this course, I received many warnings from well-meaning friends, that I was stepping into the world of the “over-worked and underpaid”. I’m pleased to say I didn’t hear such a phrase once at High Tunstall. I did receive a more down-to-earth note that I would discover what hard work means if I commit myself properly. The second half of that note, I received and learned for myself; the unanticipated joy in seeing a happy, curious, educated class or individual pursuing that same academic love you know so well. There’ll be no sound for a long time that matches the grace in a pupil simply saying ‘thank you’ at the end of a lesson.
High Tunstall, it has been an absolute pleasure! Here’s to the future and new mysteries, new lessons and new laughter in a new school!
Merry Christmas folks!