Let The Teachers Teach!

In case you don’t know, I’m a writer.  Whether I’m a good or bad one is subjective; it’s up to you to decide, when you read the things that I write.

I, of course, get criticised for some of my books, but for me that’s good, as they have incited a reaction.

I’m also a comedian, and believe me, I can really upset people when I’m in full flow! But there are people who wake up on a morning and look in the papers or on TV just to see what is going to offend their moral high ground today; this is the nature of people.

If you have sat in the back of a London cab, or sat in a barber's chair, you will also be aware that there are lots of people who can tell you just how bad others are at their jobs, whether it be politicians, performers, football managers or teachers.

The first three, I don’t give a toss about; in fact, I think the cabbies and barbers could possibly do a better job, especially the politicians' job. But when it comes to teaching, they don’t know what they’re talking about. I do!

I write books for both adults and for children; the latter enables me to visit schools all over Britain and the world. I come into contact with more teachers than teachers themselves, just by the volume of schools that I visit.

It’s fair to say that teachers seem to fall into three categories; ‘can’t be arsed, and waiting for my pension’, ‘climbing the greasy pole of management’, and ’totally committed to the job and students’.

The first of these should be honest with themselves and admit that they are doing the students they teach no favours by hanging on. By all means stay in education for the pension, but move aside and let someone who wants to make a difference do just that.

I’m fine with the second group, every profession needs good managers and most of these people do want to make a difference, and they are best suited by doing this from the top.

The third group is the biggest group by far; men and women who more or less hand over their own life to alter the lives of others. These people, on a daily basis, take as much flak as soldiers, are confronted with as much violence as the police and mop up as many tears as nurses, but are never given the praise or the respect they deserve.

These people are among some of the most selfless people I have ever met. They regularly get blamed for the failings of lazy-arsed parents; are constantly used and abused by various governments, and not appreciated by the very people whose lives they so wish to change.

They work overtime for no pay, take home the worries of countless children, and have their pensions snatched from them at the end of it all.

I am a co founder of ‘Relight-ED’; we are a co-operative of people with various talents that organises one-off events for schools to help show young people the reason behind education, and that education can be fun.

The students involved with our projects get a lot from them. My colleagues and I put a lot of work into these events, but also do the teachers involved.

Sometimes with these projects the teachers have to deal with in house politics, parents and the students. I often wonder why they want to work with us, but then they see the response of the students and they are fired up again. Would you take all that crap for no recognition?

I have just had the pleasure of working with one of the most dedicated teachers it has ever been my privilege to work with, in a school in Leeds, West Yorkshire. I won't mention the school, for various reasons, but there are lots of dedicated teachers working there. I won't even mention the teacher by name, as, to be honest, I don’t think she would be comfortable with it. So we shall just call her Miss ’T’ (or even ET!)

No one will ever know just how much work she put into the project, which to be honest went far above the call of duty, even driving around to the students' houses to get permission slips signed, so the kids didn’t miss out.

This lady had to take all sorts of flak from all angles and she did so with grace and charm. I never once heard her complain, as long as the students were going to benefit, she was happy to do what was needed.

We hear lots about just how wonderful other professions are, and I wouldn’t argue with most of these, but teachers don’t ever get the respect they deserve.  So, to all hard working teachers the world over, and especially to Miss ET,  the little dynamo from Liverpool, please accept my gratitude for the work that you do to help change the lives of those that others have given up on!