Thursday 7 March 2013

Lists - 8/52




So it's World Book Day today. Alfie's school celebrated, and he dressed up as Just William:




 
 
 
I've already done a list of favourite childhood reads. But it got me thinking about how much school was responsible for my enduring love of reading. And that got me thinking about teachers. In particular those who were the most inspiring. I'm sure everyone has a favourite teacher. These were mine:
 
 
 
A List Of Teachers Who Inspired Me
 
 
Miss Lewis
 
Dr Clough
 
Sally Knights
 
Cav Stribley & Roz Plaisted
 
 
 
 
Miss Lewis was my teacher at my last year of Primary School. She was a strict Welsh woman, who didn't take any nonsense from the unruly mob that descended upon her classroom in September 1980. I remember her reading the whole class the riot act on the first day of term. But I loved Miss Lewis. She was an imaginative teacher, who encouraged my love of story telling and poetry. When I had an eye operation, she sent me a get well card and an Easter egg. She put me forward to take an entrance examination for a private school. Had it not been for her, my educational life could have been very different. Oh and she was a very good rounders player.
 
 
Dr Clough was one of those teachers that inspired awe in some and hatred in others. In me it was awe. She was a Dr! She was very funky. She was demanding. She introduced me to Shakespeare, and I have had an enduring love of him ever since. I remember her writing this William Blake poem on the blackboard when I was twelve. As a class we dissected this poem. I absolutely loved it. It opened up a world of critical thinking. It showed me literature was more than just the words on a page. My love of words and language have remained, and I have her to thank.
 
 
Sally Knights was my Classics teacher. Unconventional, and unorthodox. I thought she was fabulous. She went the extra mile for me when I was struggling with Latin. She really cared about her students. She's obviously still doing it judging from this newspaper article. What a star!
 
 
Cav Stribley & Roz Plaisted taught and supported me while I studied for my Counselling Diploma. They were an amazing double act, who showed me that the Person Centred approach is a way of being, by their very fine example. I trusted them implicitly to keep me safe while I travelled down the often lonely path towards being a counsellor. But more than the training, they helped me to accept myself for who I am, and I can never thank them enough for that.
 
 
Five very fine women, I think you will agree.
 
 
Leanne xx
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


4 comments:

  1. Mrs Rackham - taught me in infant school - had 4 kids with a year between each including a Martha who's name I loved and used lol
    Mrs Burdis - she taught me at juniors and again at middle school
    Mr Sanderson - my form teacher and RE teacher for O and A level - hard as nails but a fantastic man - he made me want to read the bible. His wife and him had a daughter when they were quite old ( 40 I reckon ) and I knitted a matinee coat and gave it to him and he had genuine tears in his eyes when he opened the pressie.

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  2. What a great idea for a blog post. Your son is very handsome! How old is he? My son is seven, will be eight in the fall.

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    1. Hey Jennifer,

      If Alfie knew that I had posted up the photo, he would be very cross with me. He is 11, but is desperate to be all grown up. The idea for the lists came from a blog called Meet Me At Mikes. I should make that clear in evry lists posts. not just the first one I did. Oops. I sometimes forget about blogger etiquette. xx

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  3. I think it's wonderful that you remember so much about your teachers and how they shaped the person you are. I can barely remember the names of mine!

    Alfie looks very smart. Bella's school had a dress down day so long as they donated a book to charity.

    Gillian x

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