The last few weeks before GCSEs start are whizzing past and Daniel is working really hard. Just a shame it’s on the bass and guitar, rather than his text books. I even heard him playing the guitar in the bathroom the other day, but decided I really didn't want to know why. Wish he showed the same attachment to revision.
He is going into school over the holidays, for some extra revision days, but you can imagine how popular those are.
Dan: Look, I’m just crap at maths
Me: Course you’re not
Dan: I don’t understand anything in his lessons
Me: Well, ask then
Dan: Eye swivel
Maybe he’s right. My maths teacher wrote on my school report that “Suzanne should desist from asking questions”. She had a point because her answers never made things clearer. It was only when our teachers changed and the fabulous Mr Northover took over that everything became easy.
Still I managed to persuade Daniel to sign up for a maths revision day – run by a different teacher. I was dubious: a whole day of maths lessons is hardly welcomed by the keenest teenager, especially when it’s during the holidays and they’ve forgotten what 9am looks like.
Eight hours later he’s home again.
Me: How was it
Dan: Fantastic
Me: Really?
Dan: Yeah, we covered 40% of the course and it’s really clear
Me: It all makes sense now?
Dan: Yeah, she’s a brilliant teacher
Now I really don’t blame the teachers (they work hard, it’s a tough job, they don’t get enough credit or respect), but at the same time this makes me so cross. How you do at school depends entirely upon your teacher. And it’s not even whether they’re good or bad, for one child’s Awesome Teacher is another child’s Nightmare.
Trouble is, a teacher you don’t gel with can turn a favourite subject into your worst. No one should leave school thinking they’re rubbish at certain things, and yet we all do and those feelings are hard to shed.
So how do I think Daniel will get on with his next revision day, now that he no longer has that subject’s Awesome teacher? Best not to comment.
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