As I was looking through my collection of ‘memories’ from teaching – I came across Gemma’s letter. Gemma was in my Year 7 form in my NQT year of teaching when I worked in Nottinghamshire. I was extremely attached to the class. I was their form tutor, I taught them English and Drama, and when I discovered none of the PE staff were running a hockey team for year 7 – their hockey coach too. I also went along and joined in in their football coaching sessions, although, I was by far better at hockey. I only stayed at the school for one year, I left there to go on my travels to London, in fact we held a goodbye party, my car was packed, and they literally waved me off, and I have never been back!My other memory of Gemma was receiving the best leaving present ever. I got all sorts from the form, flowers, chocolates, jewellery and books. But, Gemma and the lads – her gang in the class- all chipped in their own money and bought me a box of Roses. Such a gesture at 12 years old meant a great deal to me.
Four years later I received this letter from Gemma. Gemma was clever, sporty, ‘one of the lads’ kind of girl, not your average letter writing student. The fact that she had thought of me, and wrote to me is a major event. She got my address from Margaret, the librarian who I had stayed in touch with.
Here is the letter Gemma wrote to me at the end of Year 11.
Hey Miss,
Hope you and your family are all doing ok! Well back in sunny Sutton, all systems are go, as the current Y11 at Quarrydale School prepare to leave the security of the green fence of our beloved school, and go out into the big wide world.
You will be glad to know we’ve kept up the tradition of winning sport’s day every year and even won the tug of war! I hope you are doing sound at your current school and both staff and student bodies are giving you the respect you deserve, or we will have to come down there and sort them out for you.
I think its great you have started a family. I bet your little boy is a right cute little thing. You will be glad to know that we are all trying hard and I think everyone is going to get where they want to go!
I’ve taken a photo of the whole tutor group for you, so you can see how good looking we’ve all got, I’ll send it when I get it developed.
Anyway I best get some sleep!!! Hope to hear from you soon.
Luv
Gemma x
Gemma was a brilliant footballer, she played for Sheffield ladies, and was one of the best players I have ever seen – male or female. She was also, by instinct, a natural winner – she never gave up! The reference to the sports day is linked to our first sport’s day together. We were doing pretty well as a form, but to guarantee the win we had to do something drastic. The rules were that if you ran the 1500m, everyone could enter, and if you did, your form would get 2 points for every person who completed it. I said to the form that if they all did it, I would run the race with them – and they did, and we won!! And the feeling of success and winning never left them, and they won ever year after that too. If you want an academic link, think of positive mind-sets. Set a good example, join in with them, and they will respect and remember you forever!
With regards to the hockey, I wasn’t hugely confident in my ability as a coach, but I did love playing. One of the PE teachers entered us into the Nottinghamshire Junior Hockey Championship. The girls were sooo excited – and I have never been so nervous in my whole life! I can distinctly remember the journey in the mini bus to the event, the girls were starting to feel anxious, and I put on a very good front, reassuring them, telling them they were brilliant, and building up their self esteem as much as I could. BUT, inside I was thinking we were going to get slaughtered – not because of them, more because I didn’t feel that I had prepared them well enough.
We came third – a bronze medal – a miracle! The girls were ecstatic. I know if it was a film we would have got gold – but this is real life, and bronze was a brilliant achievement for us all. I learnt as much form this experience as I ever did in the English classroom. If you tell them they’re great, find ways to praise them, do everything you can to raise their self esteem – even if deep inside you don’t believe it – they will appreciate the sentiment, and achieve far more.
Closing the Gap
Such events run deep in the memory of the students – Gemma felt that in that first year of secondary school, I had set them all up for success throughout school, and in life afterwards. I don’t for one minute take the real credit for this – but what is important, is that I raised their esteem, and motivated them, and raised their expectations. I still firmly believe this is really how you close the gap in education. Show an interest, work with them, show them you care, be interested in them, share some fabulous experiences with them, and they will close the academic gap. Academic intervention is not enough on its own, teenagers need an emotional engagement to secure success.