Entries in Grads (1)

Sunday
Aug062017

"Up Yours" Sir

I was recently asked which of my school teachers made the biggest difference to my life. 

Looking back it is easy to say that Mr Sutcliffe, my last English teacher played an important part in what happened to me afterwards. 

Oh it's probably not what you think.

I wasn't one of the "clever" kids who liked his classes.

I can probably say that he didn't like me very much. 

The feeling was probably mutual.

His idea of "teaching" English literature was to read Chaucers Canterbury tales in the olde English out loud. Which was followed by endless discussions over the authors true meaning of a particular word. It was awful. 

Like I said, he didn't like me, and I didn't like his teaching methods. I got a D in my finals.

If you had asked him what I would do after leaving school he would probably have said - not very much - she's not particularly bright, can't write well and has no appreciation of the written word. 

I must see if I can find my report card to see if my memory serves me correctly.

6 weeks after leaving school - BTW we didn't "graduate", there was no leavers ball or a year to find yourself. Most of us who weren't going on to Uni finished school one day and went to work the following Monday. 

After a long, painfully boring 6-week stint at the local biscuit factory - thus confirming my teachers probable opinion of my chances - I got a job as a library assistant at a university library. A few years later I graduated with a degree in library and information science.

The rest as they say is "up yours, sir"

For everyone who tells you - you can't do something because ... 

Prove them wrong.

It's a great feeling believe me.