When I was a teacher I was in Peckham, Lewisham, Brixton (I was an Ed. Psych. at this time too - larks!) and then 12 lovely years in Tower Hamlets.
After twenty years or so I left for the green remembered hills.
Different but still not easy, I suppose. By then I had left the classroom.
Now I just visit, hence the privilege.
Kids and Valves
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andrew Ivimey
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floppybootstomp
- Old Hand
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#18
SteveTheShadow:
That was good to hear, it's quite amazing how good kids can be when they're actually interested in something.
Almost all of my work is in schools all over London and I do see lots of contrasts of kids' attitudes and behaviour in different schools.
Sometimes the schools that would seem to be unlikely contenders, usually because they serve kids living in - how shall we say? - underprivileged areas, can be a pleasant surpise.
And of course the reverse sometimes applies.
When I was at school I made a trailer for my push bike from aluminium angle iron, thin plywood and a pair of old pram wheels - worked a treat
And all that despite the metalwork teacher threatening to 'punch my lights out' for bad behaviour
I can also remember gashing my thumb badly with a chisel and the woodwork teacher driving me to the local hospital's A & E.
Three stitches and got sent home for the day but I was back learning the next day. Fun and games
That was good to hear, it's quite amazing how good kids can be when they're actually interested in something.
Almost all of my work is in schools all over London and I do see lots of contrasts of kids' attitudes and behaviour in different schools.
Sometimes the schools that would seem to be unlikely contenders, usually because they serve kids living in - how shall we say? - underprivileged areas, can be a pleasant surpise.
And of course the reverse sometimes applies.
When I was at school I made a trailer for my push bike from aluminium angle iron, thin plywood and a pair of old pram wheels - worked a treat
And all that despite the metalwork teacher threatening to 'punch my lights out' for bad behaviour
I can also remember gashing my thumb badly with a chisel and the woodwork teacher driving me to the local hospital's A & E.
Three stitches and got sent home for the day but I was back learning the next day. Fun and games
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andrew Ivimey
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#19
Hello Simon, it all started with Sociology and Economics and soon went downhill to social studies and health education. I then trained as a teacher of the deaf, gave up and went round the world (highlights; Kibbutz and Electro Harmonix in New York) came home and started teaching Deaf children in Brixton while training as an educational psychologist... then ILEA broke up and I headed East to run two Units for hearing impaired children and I supported children in mainstream when I wasn't up to my neck in local politics.
Finally quit for the larks of East Sussex, set up and ran a sensory impaired service for the LEA in the new bold Brighton and Hove - hated being a manager, re-trained as an audiologist, got married and moved to Bedford. Life could be a lot worse.
My wit wasted? not altogether so but yes it was wasted on some swine along the way.
And so, I suppose, it still is but never mind, it keeps me on my toes; irony, wit, the critical eye, sceptical if light hearted (most of the time)
what a wonderful chap I am, I am
what a wonderful etc etc
I'm off for a curry!
fade down.
Finally quit for the larks of East Sussex, set up and ran a sensory impaired service for the LEA in the new bold Brighton and Hove - hated being a manager, re-trained as an audiologist, got married and moved to Bedford. Life could be a lot worse.
My wit wasted? not altogether so but yes it was wasted on some swine along the way.
And so, I suppose, it still is but never mind, it keeps me on my toes; irony, wit, the critical eye, sceptical if light hearted (most of the time)
what a wonderful chap I am, I am
what a wonderful etc etc
I'm off for a curry!
fade down.
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andrew Ivimey
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#21
It gets worse! My first year of teaching, the school was in Asylum Rd SE15 and yes the school buildings were on the site of the old asylum. It fitted.
I was the new boy so I got the worst fifth formers that no one else wanted. It was an all girl's school. Some of it was downright unpleasant and some of the girls were fine; odd, weird, sweet, vicious, nasty, racist and ... plain dull.
We did the whole health education thing. I remember one particulalry sultry Wednesday afternoon when Maxine had not only threatened to throw herself out of the fourth floor window of our room but as I grabbed her leg, the first one having disappeared and Shani rushed up to pull her in too, that lesson was all about contraception with all the freebies the FPA could provide, I announced that next week was looking after babies. Carol actually put up her hand (sweet) and said she would bring her baby in so we could all practice! Next week's lesson was a lot of fun.
I was the new boy so I got the worst fifth formers that no one else wanted. It was an all girl's school. Some of it was downright unpleasant and some of the girls were fine; odd, weird, sweet, vicious, nasty, racist and ... plain dull.
We did the whole health education thing. I remember one particulalry sultry Wednesday afternoon when Maxine had not only threatened to throw herself out of the fourth floor window of our room but as I grabbed her leg, the first one having disappeared and Shani rushed up to pull her in too, that lesson was all about contraception with all the freebies the FPA could provide, I announced that next week was looking after babies. Carol actually put up her hand (sweet) and said she would bring her baby in so we could all practice! Next week's lesson was a lot of fun.
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pre65
- Amstrad Tower of Power
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#22
Do you have that effect on people ?andrew Ivimey wrote: I remember one particularly sultry Wednesday afternoon when Maxine had threatened to throw herself out of the fourth floor window of our room
Cant imagine being a young man in front of a classroom full of nubile girls practising putting johnnies on bananas !
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
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andrew Ivimey
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#23
I don't think I had any effect whatsoever on Maxine - she wasn't on the same planet.
Nubile youngsters stopped having any attraction for me a) when I grew up and b) when I had to teach them. They can be terrifying and then can be very boring. They can be sweet too but they were only children.
Nubile youngsters stopped having any attraction for me a) when I grew up and b) when I had to teach them. They can be terrifying and then can be very boring. They can be sweet too but they were only children.
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pre65
- Amstrad Tower of Power
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#24
Sorry Andrew-I was not trying to express any suggestion of unprofessional conduct. 
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)