Being a children’s author with an ethos of kindness, I can’t help but think about my school days, remembering a teacher I had who was, without exaggeration, cruel. It wouldn’t be allowed to happen today – a teacher hitting a child for no good reason, or hitting a child at all! And meted out humiliation just for the fun of it. I wouldn’t eat the lunch, so she hit me. Lined us up and beat us with a ruler. Force the child into submission why don’t you. This type of bullying is at its most generous, contemptible.
Ask me what I did yesterday, and I might have to think about it, but those school days’ memories, oh boy, those memories never fade. I was not a naughty kid, and easy pickings for the likes of her.
I remember her face as if she were next to me now. I will never forget that pointy nose!
There’s a programme on the radio where they ask people to ring in if they want to say thank you to someone who they didn’t have a chance to thank at the time. I do have just such a thank you. I would love to thank the class bully. I remember exactly what he looked like. Short spiky blonde hair, like a broom, freckles and a cheeky grin. Now, he was a naughty kid, but he took care of me when that teacher was so beastly. I was eleven years old and I’ve never forgotten it. So, Ian, if by any stretch you are reading this, thank you for being so kind to me.
It’s a rainy Wednesday afternoon, and we can’t do physical education outside. This same teacher runs a sewing class. I’m embroidering a tray cloth. She’s walking over to me. Now she’s looming over me. She’s taking the tray cloth out of my hands. She’s holding it up for all the class to see. And her exact words are, “This is the poorest piece of work in the class.” I am mortified. I am making it for my mum. Fancy remembering it was a Wednesday.
What do you do with such memories? You make them a force for good. That saying, ‘every cloud has a silver lining,’ it’s true. In its own perverse way, because of her, I am passionate about encouraging children, and maybe that’s one of the reasons I became a children’s author. From my ‘How to Build a Story’ workshops what has come back, time and time again, is my encouragement of the children. Every single child has something they are good at, and will shine in their own unique way. We as parents, grandparents and teachers can foster that self-belief in our children.
I learnt a huge amount from that teacher. She taught me how not to treat people – that kindness is more powerful than cruelty. To believe you are good enough – it’s very empowering.
And my mum loved the tray cloth.
Do you have anyone you would like to thank? Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you. And you never know, the person may even read it!
You’ll always find me 👉 here.