I'm actually starting to have dreams about taking Beth into school late and the teacher giving out to me! She's a lovely woman so it's nothing to do with her, just all in my head.
I was a terrible student in the last few years of secondary school. I rarely made it for 9am, sometimes not even by 10am! I'm not a great believer in formal education though, I guess I didn't know at the time why I had such an aversion to school. However, looking back now I can understand why I did the things I did. Some of it was to get attention but mostly it was to do with what I was learning.
During English class, while Ms. Rocks expounded details on Yeats and Kinsella, I read the rest of the Soundings (English poetry book in Ireland in the 1990's). I loved the American poets like T.S. Elliot and other poems she passed over, like Shakespeare's sonnets. I didn't want to stick to the regimented Leaving Cert. requirements but, of course, that's not how you get high points to get into college.
When I got my results (just scraped a pass) everyone thought I would go back and repeat, get better grades and go on to college. I did get into college anyway as I was doing all higher level subjects, even my bad grades were worth some points! I couldn't go back to another year, it wasn't for me, I had to move on.
I loved primary school though and hope Beth will too. It's a little different to 28 years ago when I started. For one, I got hit by the teacher on my very first day! With a ruler! On my knuckles!! But I still loved it, loved learning so many new things. Even now, I love to learn new things.
