Diary of an NQT
THE ARTS THE ARTS
There’s no day like a snow day
WITH CHILD-LIKE anticipation and hushed after our courageous fight through the blizzards to
expectation, a nation of NQTs, including myself, get into school at the beginning of last week.
spent many a morning gathered around their radios Typically, my duty day fell on such a
this week, fingers-crossed, just waiting for morning. Still, gloved and with scarf, I
the announcement that “your school is managed to get all the kids off the buses
closed”! and into the school grounds snowball and
Supporting arts in schools
It took me back to my own school injury-free.
days and it actually felt only mildly They were surprisingly well behaved,
different – the euphoria still costs but I subsequently put this down to
nothing (except perhaps a day’s their aversion to the cold, despite
education). the possibility of fun, rather than a
I feel sorry for this Facebook mature effort to maintain order and
generation. In the interests of get inside the school building.
speed, it appears my students I also came to question this
had checked online to find out generation’s hardy parents, many of
early on whether our school had whom seemed to send their children
been shut. to school coat-free?
How boring. Do they not know As the day progressed, the rumours
the excitable breaking point your of imminent closure grew. Never has a
emotions can rise to as you wait memo from the head been delivered to
for BBC Essex to scroll through the my room to such an excitable response
alphabet to “S” and announce that our before – the children were told they were
school too is “closed”. going home early, to uproarious cheers
It seems not. It’s a results based and a spirited rendition of Celebrate Good
business these days. More fool Times, Come On (which I found myself
them! gleefully accompanying).
If truth be told, the snow day It was a prudent call, considering the
was a small miracle. I have been blizzards that were forecast for our normal
getting rather confused this week, leaving time.
trying to get my head around all the And so it would translate that I have
new schemes of work I am meant to be few classroom-based anecdotes this week,
teaching this term. mainly because I have not been there. Instead,
It doesn’t help that I’m teaching a working from home, I have started to prepare
couple of texts that I had not read before myself for a Shakespeare-based half-term that
my preparations to teach them, and that should see me host a Jeremy Kyle show, build a
Shakespeare requires an awful lot of thought model of the Globe Theatre, and rap to a class of
and effort to teach in an exciting way. year 7 boys – what have I started?!
Still, with the weather taking an eerily favourable
turn for the worst (many thanks Prospero) I have had • Matt Connett is a newly qualified teacher of English
some time to gather myself. at Shenfield High, a training school in Brentwood in
This mid-winter respite only occurred of course, Essex. He returns next week.
Teach it like Torno!
Thirty seconds of fame!
“If people did not do silly things, nothing intelligent for 30 seconds. This did not deter him though and
would ever get done.” Ludwig Wittgenstein. he insisted I spoke a few words into his camera so
Had a good Christmas? Welcome to 2010! Did he could prove to those back home about his brush
you get the technology you wanted? I certainly hope with fame.
on
so. And I told you that you would not escape the He then asked my wife where she came from and
marking. was equally delighted when she said Essex. “I’ve met
Camer
Anyway, this is your chance to tackle all those an Essex girl!” he wailed. “You do know,” he turned
things you have been putting off for years. For some, to his wife “that all the film stars marry Essex girls.”
Michael
however, this time of year can be depressing, so it He was not finished yet. When she informed
is always good to inject humour and him that her name was Tracy he was in his
begin the new year in the right frame element.
of mind. As 7pm arrived, it was time to make Photograph:
Did I tell you about the time I our way to the red carpet. The only well
was mistaken for a film star? known personality there was Henry Spreading the word: Paul Reeve,
In mid-November, myself and Winkler and as he walked director of education at the Royal
my wife were invited to the world onto the carpet the crowds Opera House (above) says it is a
premiere of We are the people we began to snap away. good thing that opera and ballet are
have been waiting for, a film about Finally we decided not on the national curriculum. The
the education systems around the to walk onto the carpet Royal Opera House education team
world and what we can do to help and make our way into runs a wide range of programmes
those students who are felt to be the cinema. As we and workshops for schools. Pictured
falling through the gaps. approached the doors, left are students at Gable Hall School
The screening was taking place we heard some voices in Thurrock taking part in a prop-
at The Empire in Leicester Square at shouting: “David, Tracy, making workshop, while the students
7.45pm. We duly arrived at 6pm and as can we come to your next shown below are preparing for the
we were nearing the cinema, crowds premiere?” recent ROH Sun and Heir production
of people were gathering around It was Bill and Pauline. during a workshop at its Culver
the barriers to catch a glimpse of They had followed us from Centre in Thurrock
any stars that may appear. the restaurant. Even more
I sidled up to the security comically, the crowd began to turn
man and asked, “what is the big their attention away from the Fonz
film tonight, mate?” to which he and started to take pictures of us! I
replied, “We are the people we am still laughing at the thought of them
have been waiting for”. I said: “I returning home and checking their photos
am in that!” to which he shot me to see that they had taken snaps of us.
a dodgy look. Once we were in the cinema, I introduced
I then enquired as to what happens Tracy to Henry Winkler, whom I met briefly
when. He told us that at 7pm the red before and we discussed the film. This was
carpet would be rolled out and those surreal in itself and I still chuckle to myself
in the film could walk on it to enter the about the whole evening.
cinema. “You need a ticket mind,” he Andy Warhol’s prediction that we will all be
reminded us. “That’s okay,” I said and famous for 15 minutes was not quite true – in my
bid him farewell. He continued, I am sure, case it was 30 seconds, but then you can’t have
to view me as some kind of crank. everything.
Safe in the knowledge that we knew where we The film itself is a very serious debate about
were supposed to be, we set off to have a meal in an education and can be viewed by going to the website
Italian restaurant nearby. Shortly after sitting down (www.wearethepeoplemovie.com).
we got chatting to a couple, Bill and Pauline from So there it is – my moment of stardom. I hope your
Doncaster, who were in town to see the musical term begins well and remember if things do go wrong,
Blood Brothers. try to look on the bright side. Have a great 2010!
“Why are you in London?” Bill asked. I made the
mistake of informing him that I was appearing in the • David Torn is professional tutor and an advanced
film where the crowds were milling about. “A film skills teacher at St Edward’s Comprehensive School
star,” he proclaimed, “I’ve met a film star!” in Essex. He is the London Secondary School Teacher
In vain I tried to convince him that I was nothing of the Year 2007 and is passionate that the purpose of
of the sort and only appeared in the documentary education is to change lives. He returns in a fortnight.
8 SecEd • January 14 2010
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