English in year 9

English in year 9

I seem to be on a bit of a journey into my school days recently. I can remember a lot of my lessons and what happened from year 10 onwards. Years 7-9 seem to blur together somewhat. Most of them seemed crap these days and not really relevant. However, there is one exception to this. That was English in year 9 where I learnt absolutely nothing thanks to the stupidity of the school and recruiting teachers who could not cope with 13-14-year-olds.

But let's start in September. My first English lesson of the year and it was Mr. Rowley who was teaching us. Oh yes, the assistant principal that students complained about being too aggressive but managed to get away with it every-time. Oh, incidentally I was put in the set with loads of cool kids. Yes, it was one of those classes.

Everything was going okay until we had the first English lesson that was LAST period on a Friday. Mr. Rowley was clearly tired and fed up and when someone did something slightly bad (not on the really bad scale) he would lose it and we would all suffer. I don't really think we learnt anything on a Friday except how bad Him/Her (whoever got shouted at) were and how they were crap and they would be heading out to loserville etc...

He really needed to calm down.

Anyway, after Christmas, we got a new teacher (Rowley was still in the school he probably had enough of the class). And for the life of me, I cannot think of his name. I know he was Welsh but that's it. Anyway... He didn't scream or shout but he couldn't really control the class. He did okay but I don't think I really got anywhere. He lasted until Easter (then quit. Probably because of the class). Then the real fun begins.

They decided to give us two teachers instead. One was South African called Miss Van .... (once again the name escapes me) and Mrs. Golding. Who was either Russian or Italian? Can't remember. But let's start with Miss Van. She took us for all but last period on a Friday. And by god was she bad. She could not control the class and would just try to plow through without success. I remember one incident when she was persuaded to take the class onto the field by the cool kids (very stupid idea) and then half the class buggered off to have a smoke... where they were caught by Mr. Rowley. Of course.

And then there was Mrs. Golding who I actually had for two lessons. There was history where she just covered the same topics we had done earlier in the year. oh and the class was total chaos as well. Now to be fair My tutor group was not known as the bad one. So when the class got fire extinguishers out and no-one would do any work you know when you are beaten. And once again there was English Period 5 on a Friday where we had to resort to beg our spanish teacher not to let us go because we knew how bad it would be. It was the worst chaos ever. And she would just sit there and let it all happen. Well at the beginning she would try and teach but by 2pm (the lesson started at 1.55pm) she knew it was over. Occasionally there would be a member of senior management who would come in but for the most part, the music and the shouting would take over.

And I would just sit there bored and wondering if I had learnt anything this year. Maybe not in the subject but maybe I grew up. I saw how boring it was. And also I decided I never wanted to be a teacher. Never ever.

(On a final note Miss Van and Mrs Golding were gone by the time I started year 10. Pity really)