He made his mark

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 22 Aug 2017
  • 2380 reads
10 comments
 

First day at school, in a dazzled daze,
instructions unheeded he disobeys,
wandering around after lunch in a dream,
drifting indoors, unnoticed, unseen.

Delighted when finding the big tank of fish,
and there at the side was the food tin (or dish),
he’d seen – when they’d been with his brother before –
the food being sprinkled from that little store.

No-one had told him this wasn’t his task,
or that he should go to a teacher to ask
(nor properly heard if they’d said ‘Don’t go in,
but stay on the field ‘til you hear the bell ring.’)

When found he had poured all the fishes’ food
into the tank, which for sure wasn’t good –
it had to be cleaned out by one of the staff:
not easy to scold when suppressing a laugh!

[This week’s IP: First days, or Nights]

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by airyfairy on

Lovely little snippet of life.  I'm glad the teacher (you??) had the good humour to find it funny!

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, no, I was the mother, having a report from his teacher at the end of his first day, uncertain how to respond myself. I had tried to explain how in a daze he tended to be, but they had to learn for themselves, and speak instructions personally to him not assume he was 'hearing' general class instructions! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hedgehog1 on

What an insight into one small child's experience on his first day at "High School?" I hope he went on to have a good experience of school and a career to be proud of.

Edward

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Edward. The IP stirred this family memory.

School was always a bit of a problem, and he was able to go to a specialist music school on scholorship in the end, which helped, as it was music-orientated and small, but gradually he's got over most of his problems, many related to learning to look properly and listen to others carefully! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

What a lovely story-poem. My youngest grandson starts school in a couple of weeks, and I can see him doing that sort of thing.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Jean. It must be a big experience for them, but teachers are very perceptive usually! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

A poem that I'm sure many a teacher can relate to. 

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Their jobs are hard work, but have moments of fun, and a store of odd incidents to remember I'm sure! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

The school here has a big fishtank near the entry hall. I can so exactly see a little boy trying to be helpful and kind to the fish who must seem trapped just like him. And they are not shouting at him, not making any noise or demands. I'm so glad your son grew up to be happy. I was a classroom assistant for a while. So many children find school difficult

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Di_Hard, I'm not sure he felt that 'trapped empathy' but it is an idea! I think he might have always wanted a chance to feed them, though having no idea how much food they needed, and he was certainly in a daze about the whole school thing, and much of life was a bit of a mystery to him at that time, his mind very much in a 'tunnel vision' framework. But yes, he got used to the buzz of social situations more gradually, and now is managing a work schedule of various music teaching work, and is married and recently a father himself! He still gets himself in disorganised muddles with arrangements and belongings fairly regularly I think! regards, Rhiannon