At the chalkface The magic space


MOST TEACHERS seem ludicrously good at their jobs, beyond the call of duty – like Pirlo with that penalty. Most pupils seem ludicrously good at their roles, against often murderous odds. They meet in a classroom for 1,500 hours – a rich, volatile, difficult, complex, intricately subtle, infinitely changing tragi- comedy.A continually astonishing experience. Sorry to go Californian on you, but it’s a magic space. Those who’ve never been in a classroom rarely get it. Worse. They’re much given to pontificating about it. Worse still, they are often politicians, who want to control, change or trash it. Well, here’s the


good news. That space is inviolate. They’re all flogging a dead duck. They can’t reach it with their tsunami of wheezes – with, say, Bonkers Phonetics, a return to O levels and CSEs and the 1950s or banging up paupers in secondary moderns. It’s gone beyond satire. What’s next? Caning or slates or gruel or the stocks or blacking factories or chimney sweeps or chopping off limbs for stealing loaves? Why get angry anymore? It’s


not going to get better. Market values have won. We’ve lost. But we haven’t lost the big one.The space is safe. I’m not, finally, going to judge children by their drear criteria. Yes, I must give them weapons for surviving a world, which doesn’t deserve them. Yes,


I must get them good grades, by any means necessary. But I’m not going to put the frighteners on small people with tales of catastrophic futures. I don’t finally care. It was never about exams. It’s always about the perpetual present tense of the classroom. It doesn’t change. It’s ours. We’re a gang and I’m the boss.There’ll always beRonaldCrumlins and Decibelles and Lilys and Dennis Plums or Dave Manias – whatever their disguise.And I’ll always miss them. Never


more than this time of year, when we must say goodbye at assemblies, parties and farewell balls. I lurch into a whoozy, benign sentimentality. What nice,


lovely, kind children! What a vile, ugly unkind world! I can even forgive their more appalling antics – hiding in the


staffroom flowerpot, pushing Mr Donut in the pond, chasing


peacocks round the playground, setting fire to dreadlocks, abseiling


from the fourth floor or calling the Ofsted “the old bill” – “It’s not funny or clever – eh, sir?” There they go. Clots zonked


on vodka at the 6th form party. All scrubbed up at the 11th year Ball, having a surreptitious ciggy, writing miss-you-forevers with magic markers on T-shirts. Shall I tell them off? Be their teacher? No more. “Chill, sir!” They’ve left that magic space. One can only shudder. Goodbye...


• Ian Whitwham is a former teacher at an inner city comprehensive school.


News


Students play their part as Olympics build-up continues


by Emma Lee-Potter


From Bollywood dancing and Olympic torches to creating flags and traditional costumes, youngsters have been throwing themselves into the excitement of the Olympic Games. With less than a month to go


before the Games begin, pupils from 5,000 secondary schools across the UK marked London 2012 World Sport Day in style. The event, held on June 25,


heralded the start of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, an annual five-day celebration of PE, sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Pupils hosted their own opening


ceremonies, organised “global showcases” to highlight global sports, languages, food, music and dance, held tele-conferences with international partner schools and took part in a host of sporting activities. Burntwood School in Tooting,


south London, marked the event by inviting along high profile guests like double Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards, soul singer Lemar and Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington. The stars all emphasised the importance of welcoming the world to London this summer and talked about how inspiring sport can be. The school’s opening ceremony


boasted a steel pan band, a brass band and a “parade of athletes” featuring international costumes and flags. Wenlock and Mandeville, the Olympic Games mascots, were also there, leading the pupils in a performance of the London 2012 mascot dance. “We value the importance


of diversity all year round,” said Burntwood principalHelen Dorfman. “But this gives us a real opportunity to work with local schools and the community to celebrate theOlympic and Paralympic values, be inspired and motivated by sport and mark the start of what will be a very special summer in London and across the UK.” Meanwhile Lord Coe, chairman


of the London 2012 Organising Committee, took part in World Sport Day festivities at his old secondary school, Tapton School in Sheffield. World Sport Day was the last


UK-wide Get Set initiative before the Olympics start on July 27. Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme, has given schools the opportunity to showcase work related to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, enhanced youngsters’ learning through sport, culture and education and has involved thousands of children in the excitement of London 2012. For more information, visit


http://getset.london2012.com/en/ world-sport-day/


London’s calling: (top, from left) Chrissie Wellington, Lemar, Jonathan Edwards, Helen Dorfman with children from Burntwood School; (above) Woolwich pupils get involved


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