Back to Skool

I really hate those three little words. Particularly when you see them in shops in JULY when you've just broken up for the year. (Or early Jan in Australia).

Well, it wasn't too painful a start to the year.

The classes I thought would be horrendous (just looking at some names on the class list is enough to give you restless nights) were really great. Some even laughed at my jokes about databases (the world of stand up is not under any threat from my one liners that's for sure). Unfortunately, the classes you would expect to be really good (Year 10s & 11s, exams around the corner) were far too unsettled for my liking. I'm hoping all this is just hysterical panic and denial of being in their last year of school which will dissolved under the incredible amount of work I'm planning on throwing at them. Mwaaahahahah (evil laugh)

I'm back down to having a Year 7 form group (11 year olds, new to secondary schooling). They actually seem like a likable bunch. Again, some even laughed at my euphemistic lecture on "not going on any websites you wouldn't want your grandmother seeing you on." Normally Year 7s take everything you say as the serious Gospel according to Ms Dunne, but there are a few in that group who have already seen through my facade & realised I'm not that scary. Dammit.

We did have the obligatory 40, 000 stoopid questions, (remember kids, there are no stupid questions, only stupid people) most of them variations of the same question;

Tuesday:

Child one: "Do we need to bring special equipment for PE?"

Ms Dunne: Yes, tomorrow you must bring trainers, shorts & a t-shirt

Child Two: " Do we have to bring our football boots"

Ms Dunne: No, you do not need your football boots.

Child Three: Do we have to bring our trainers?

Ms Dunne: Yes, you do, otherwise you'll be playing in your bare feet

Child Four: Can we bring our football boots instead

Ms Dunne: No, just your trainers. Has anyone got a question not about PE?

Child Five: When we have swimming, what do we have to bring?

Ms Dunne: A snorkel, 3 flippers and a plastic shark fin. You won't need your swimming trunks.

Child Six: Will we be playing football tomorrow?

Ms Dunne: Yes, so bring your trainers

Child Seven: Can we bring our boots instead?

Ms Dunne: What the hell, bring everything, and if anyone has any goal posts & a bit of grass from a local pitch bring them too.

Wednesday:

Child Eight: (Crying) I didn't know we had to bring our trainers today