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| Stanley marching past the laptop |
It never happened very often, but very, very occasionally a "maverick" teacher would up sticks from the drudgery of SRA cards ( does anyone remember those?) and lead her class of senior 4 infants to the playing fields for a story in the sun.
Of course the girls would all make daisy chains and the boys would start thumping each other ( I can't remember if I actually did either?) but the change of routine was always something special.
This morning I am typing this on the field. Its gloriously warm and sunny and fresh....and I am enjoying being a human scarecrow during the time it takes for my water butts to be filled by next door,s outside tap...The crows have been eating the animal feed, and have taken over as number one Trelawnyd pest, so as I scare them away still dressed in my uniform pants!, I am sat in the lovely sunshine recreating that sense of outdoor teaching I recall from being a ten year old.
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| The Churchyard from the South Wall |
As I sit, recharging from the night's events, a goose nibbling at my feet ,
it's nice to realise that you are very much alive and well
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| Goose attentions |
We had a great philosophy teacher at college. One hot day, he just said, "To hell with this - let's go for a walk" and we did - about 8 of us. Life's too short, eh?
ReplyDeleteNot only do I remember that as a child, but I also did the same thing as a teacher!
ReplyDeletestanley looks brill john
ReplyDeleteNow you mention it, I do remember those outdoor lessons. They were very special. And reading your last few posts, remembering to counts one's blessings every so often is not a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI recommend a change of pace regularly. It's good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteSome people don't fully realise that when you work at the frontline in hospitals you will not only be paid in pounds or dollars but also in the emotional consequences of dealing with the death, pain and fear of other human beings. It's never like water off a duck's back... or in your case off a goose's back!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post. We all need to find our renewing spot and I believe yours is with your animals.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are so we can enjoy your posts. Have a good day, John.
ReplyDeleteI too find peace sitting with my animals.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a lovely day...
Glad to hear of your sunny weather and disposition. You need the down days to properly appreciate the up ones eh?
ReplyDeleteSunshine in a field - sounds lovely.
ReplyDeleteFor the first six grades I had a teacher in a one room school who really didn't like to teach. We got outside a LOT.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of sitting peacefully with a goose nibbling by my feet and a view of the churchyard.
SRA cards - now that really did bring back memories John.
ReplyDeleteLessons outside - oh yes plenty of those when we had lovely warm summers which now seem to be a thing of the past.
Great idea, super goose.
ReplyDeleteWhat are SRA cards?
ReplyDeleteJust being around such wonderful creatures never fails to put a smile back on my face whatever mood I'm in.
ReplyDeleteI guess you're the same John.
Did you get loads for Fathers Day pressies of your menagerie? I'm still drinking mine!
A sit down on the beach does it for me....just watching the waves come and go.
ReplyDeleteI remember those SRA cards.....I used them with kids my first few years. They worked very well with LD kids.
Bel
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Frontline hospital work over extended years leaves you emotionally and physically drained and exhausted and the scars will come back and they become real again and haunt you in later life! Believe me, I've been to that hell and now it has come back to haunt me!
ReplyDeleteYou can never beat the healing powers of a fine bit of goose attention!
ReplyDeleteAhh...sweet serenity. Looks lovely. It took me a minute for the "SRA" to register, then suddenly my mind was swirling with color coded cards and my mouth began to water remembering how I loved moving to the next level, and what the "best colors" were to be reading at. Somewhere the love of reading was instilled in me; I wish I made more time for it today. Thank you for taking me back to that place in time, at least for a moment... :)
ReplyDeletep.s. I disliked the outdoor lessons very much; I think it was the heat, buggy grass, and sun shining in my eyes. Why were we wasting a perfectly good classroom? I know, I'm not right. lol
john
ReplyDeleteI understand what you say.. but I have been lucky ......so far!
a reduction of shifts through circumstances.......has been very useful for getting balance!
Yes I do remember wonderful times like that, out of doors lessons & playing fields. Bliss.
ReplyDeleteI arrived home on Sunday afternoon from a retreat & was plunged straight back into the workings of family life which escalated to a phone call on Monday saying that Jess should be in an exam ! I felt that somehow I'd let her down.
Later I took Dillon to the beach & sat for a while with my eyes closed & listened to the waves crashing in then drawing the shingle back- a sound I love. It restored the peace.