See Where Education Goes

But let me leave discussing the necessary education revolution (or de-volution as I think is necessary) and say simply that choices should come at a later age than it does and, only once the basics are achieved. If you don’t achieve the basics, then keep learning until you do. We had to, and it didn’t do us too much harm (apart from the nuns…. psychologically scarred for life. Me, not the nuns themselves…. Although they may have been, having to cope with various members of our family). I appreciated the effort made by most of my teachers, perhaps if I am being honest, not at the time, but in later years. And no, I was never a high achiever in many subjects, but I achieved all of the basics (apologies to my high school French, Maths and Physics Teachers. But, thanks to their groundwork, I have gone on to achieve standards in all of these subjects in recent years.) I was always amazed with my high school English teacher, who had only ever had one year of teacher training (after returning from active service in the second world war) and then spent the next thirty years teaching English (in the classical way of books, writing and reading, not the modern way of movies and reviews) and yet was he ever really qualified to pass or fail us? Apparently. Due to my education and already developing professional acting background, he and I clashed occasionally. I did manage to pass the senior years, just.

Leaving these thoughts on education, I return to the tale where I was on my bike, heading to school, down the valley road with a satchel containing a large, glass preserving jar. Inside of which was a spider’s nest full of young spiders. I was wrapped up in my thoughts, as I rode past the shop next to the primary school (more on that in a later blog) and past the fish and chip shop. The wind was cool. The bike was flying. My mind was racing

One moment there I was, riding along, proudly rehearsing the speech on spiders I was going to do to the class. A carefully balanced presentation of fact and humour. Which is the best way to present anything (Except about death and tragedy I suppose. Though Shakespeare achieved that a few times ). Over the years, I have certainly had to present many, many times. As the actual informer of necessary information, formally, as the master of ceremonies, as guest speaker, advisor, also as deliverer of bad news (not a lot of humour at those times) and I have presented as a general guide and recorded presenter. I have usually done so fairly successfully. Explaining what needed to be explained. Engaged, when needed to be engaging and entertained when needed to entertain. So I believe I do it fairly well and have been told so, many times fortunately, so I am not just basing this upon my own interpretation (in fact many people say I am my own toughest critic). The desire to entertain and the sub-desire of wanting to educate are in constant conflict today, as they were many years ago.

(Continued tomorrow)