I’m not ‘boring’. I’m English.
Writing………. and things
Right, I’m a bit nervous here. I’ve never Guest Blogged before. Sure, I’ve ranted endlessly on Benignintervention (My site) and yes, I tune into Outofmytree….. Daily! I’ve probably read YOUR blog a time or two. But this guest blogging makes me quite, ermmmm well nervous!
Let’s start from the beginning. I know the literary legend that is Rebecca from High School. We were in the same Education Set (apart from maths, I can’t count.) Carr Hill High was all encompassing, and still is. Elitism is not a word that school has ever known. The previous statement is not intended to insult any individual who has attended or taught at the said institution. However, there were some teachers, who have been an inspirational guide, creating amazing results in the children who have attended.
I have a mouth, and I have always been more than capable of using it, but putting down those thoughts on paper, in a sensible pattern is something else. I obviously can’t speak for Bec but my enduring memory of Carr Hill High School was that of a man call Mr Wall……………. Most of our peers did stare at the WALL rather than listen or interact, but I know I found my passion for prose from this man. I’m sure Bec will agree, whenever she gets back from the wrong side of the Pennines, that writing is not a case of paying attention in class, or passing exams, or even divulging in dialogue. It’s having the passion to THINK!
I have spent the last three days THINKING of what to post on someone else’s blog. I don’t want to enrage anyone by posting anything even slightly inflammatory. (If you want to see that kind of thing have a look at www.benignintervention.co.uk )……… (Got my cheap advert in there, Bec!!)
I went to Parent’s evening at my daughter’s school a couple of days ago. She needs to try harder with hand writing. She is eight and left handed. Her mum and I will hear that countless times before Phoebe leaves school in eight years time. I read her books. Last week she was told to write a piece of prose including similies. She wrote a beautiful passage about her Nanna, who passed away last year.
Phoebe likened her hands to soft, warm pillows. Her eyes to dark blue pools. Her clothes to the freshest flowers anyone has seen. Phoebe wrote……As time goes by she can see these things less and less……..
She got marked down because she spelled clothes wrong, What am I thinking, what are you thinking?
Is anyone…………………………….. THINKING?
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about 1 year ago
Hi Martin!
I completely agree with you that children are stifled these days and their creativity is hammered because they accidently spelled a word wrong, or misused a comma. (As you can see, I don’t worry too much about that stuff myself!)
about 1 year ago
I enjoyed your post, Martin. I think it’s great that you and Bec have stayed in touch since school. I hate Parent’s evenings. My son’s writing looks like Hieroglyphics. His teacher told me he will fail High School unless his writing becomes more decipherable. (He starts next year). I said that I thought they were allowed to use computers more in High School, so the handwriting doesn’t matter as much. She rolled her eyes as if to suggest there was no hope for the entire family. I comfort myself by fantasizing that with writing that messy my son will make the perfect doctor. LOL.
about 1 year ago
Penelope, I worry about punctuation and spelling….. unfortunatley I worry about everything. CHECK, CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK.
Apparently, I dont have OCD. But I still worry about having OCD! Just can’t win, can ya!!
about 1 year ago
Selma, I went to Parent’s Evening last year.
The Teacher told us Phoebe was at 3B at one subject and 2C at another, and 1G at another……….
After a while, she realised we we were not ‘getting’ the grading system. She started making hand movements, accompanied with strange ‘shhooopp’ noises to explain our daughter’s progress.
OH, HOW WE LAUGHTED!
Two educated sensient people, being downgraded to moron status, just because I asked if 3B is in the parameters of 1A-26Z
I asked my Sister, who is a primary school teacher. She said “Talking absolute bollocks!”
As for the “Shoop” (Hand Movement Down/Up)………….. My sibling assured me this person was officially a moron.
MORE RANTS LIKE THIS AT…..
http://www.benignintervention.wordpress.com
(I am actually quite a nice person!)
about 1 year ago
Oh do I ever remember that lunatic. For some reason he kept telling me I wrote too much. Like there were too many words pouring out of m. I mean, I have absolutely no idea where he got that from. I am a quiet and succinct individual who will never use 200 words where 20 will do… Ever…
Seriously though, I was always getting yelled at for having horrendous handwriting… I think it’s the neat handed people you have to watch out for – that much control? Scary.
Carr Hill always did have the ability to stop the thinking. I say nothing more than Mr O. and his rant at me that although when I got to the ‘real world’ I would be told to think outside the box that while in school I should stay in the box and close the lid. Mmm, High School as coffin?
Your daughter, however, will be fine. Why? A father like you.