Comments

The blog has had a lot of comments lately, but I have not been able to figure out how to post them directly onto the blog. I tried, but it is obviously too difficult for a person of my intelligence. I must have missed a giant orange button that says: “TO POST COMMENTS DIRECTLY, CLICK HERE!”

Both arshia and Lily have been prescient. Arshia says: "Mick, not working? hmmmmmmm" Lily says, "Are you really not working for a year? NO WAY!"

My plan is to relax, play with the boys, read books, climb mountains and write bad poetry. But Arshia and Lily know me better than I know myself: somebody will phone and offer me MONEY, and I will succumb. Like I say, women are smarter than men.

Lily has fond memories of our Y9 class. So do I. Many students (not Lily) who did well in Y9 now tell me that they hate mathematics again. It bothers me that students who found success in my class are struggling afterwards. It means that I’m just an easy grader, or else: I failed to instill a love for the subject, only a love for the teacher. I hope that word (“love”) is not too strong, but what we do is emotional so I think others will understand.

I am thrilled that two established authors are posting comments. Arshia (one of my bestestest friends) is taking the piss (as she should) and Sara Bennett, whose book I read, is giving me advice about how to become a better teacher. I always like such advice, and I’m sure I need it. These next six months I will do “experimental teaching” and see how it goes. Today, I told my students “If a school is doing its job, it should teach the students what they need to know during the daytime, and not throw the burden of educating the students back onto the home. So, NO HOMEWORK‼” They all cheered and said, “you’re the best!” and then they put their noses down and finished their homework.