Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 9

The Year 7s are studying Shakespeare and I got really excited about the prospect of taking the students to The Globe Theatre for the day. Let’s not get into the fact that going to a theatre makes me giddy, my nerdiness is not the subject of this column!

Unfortunately, schools are among the worst instigators of bureaucratic red tape. The amount of paperwork it takes to get students out of the school is mind-boggling. Risk assessment forms, parental consents and medical forms are all required, not to mention getting approval from heads of school and organising transport and the itinerary of the excursion itself. The Amazon Forest would probably be in a much healthier state if it wasn’t for the education system!

So, I went for the ‘easier’ option and organised a theatre company to conduct a workshop to the year group at the school. All that was needed was parents to give permission and for £6 to be paid per pupil.

As soon as I mentioned the cost the students were outraged, and the famous pommy whinging began. I asked the other Year 7 teachers about their class’ reactions and it was the same story.

What staggered me was that Year 7 students should be this indignant. I’ve already mentioned that I was a nerd, but isn’t everybody in Year 7?

It just makes me really sad that these kids are already too cool for school. No wonder many teachers have given up trying to make their classes interesting or fun.

To paraphrase the Bard, the course of education never did run smooth. I’m just glad I don’t have to witness what these tweens will be like for the rest of their high school careers!

Miss Cazbar – not her real name – is an Australian teacher who has come to work in a London school. Follow their secret diary, chronicling the experience; exclusively for Australian Times each week.

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 8

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 7

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 6

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 5

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 4

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 3

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 2

Secret diary of an expat teacher – Week 1