What a sad anti-climax: my last ever
real-ish lesson was supervising a class of 2ESO who were finishing one
examination and then (supposedly) revising for another. And not even for a full lesson, but rather
the dragging, unsatisfactory trailing off of a class finishing at different
times and attempting then to look as though they were gainfully employed.
And that is it!
My strict professional duties have ended
and now there is the over-long, resentful trailing off of term into a series of
meetings trying to hold back the imaginations of teachers who will be way away
from this place with only the physical husk of teachers left sadly rocking and
nodding like Chinese good luck figures while the soporific drone of fugitive
didacticism floats somewhere outside the realm of consciousness.
The school is now virtually, thankfully,
empty of students who have gone to various locations around Barcelona and only
one group of students is intentionally here constructing our World Famous
“Tunnel of Terror” in the 2ESO classroom!
I am safely tucked away and recovering from
having put in just one, single set of results on the computer! I was under the strict supervision of a
colleague (who is Wise in the Ways of Information Entry) and I still made basic
mistakes. But on the other hand, I
couldn’t care less, as these pointless pieces of fantastical flummery are the
last that I will ever put into a wheezing computer program. Although, I have vowed never to say never as
far as education is concerned – this is, after all my third or possibly fourth
attempt at retirement!
Generally speaking, the fortunate few who
are left in school are frantically marking, as the final day for results entry
is tomorrow – or rather Saturday in the afternoon.
I regard the assumption that a weekend is
part of a teaching week as repugnant to my whole world view while, far from
braying their horrified rejection of such an outré concept our staff wearily
shrug their collective shoulders and with a rueful grin and a backward movement
of the head wryly tut their disapprobation of such a “naughty” management as if
they had caught the senior staff with sticky fingers stealing a cooling jam
tart from the rack in the kitchen after Mum had just brought the goodies out
from the oven!
I am now sufficiently recovered to attempt
to enter another class. Though I am also
conscious of that being something which I might regret.
Another class was entered and then I fled
home to La Ruta de Tapa and normality!
The one we did yesterday (stay with the
wayward chronology of this writing) was in a new location for us and had the
added advantage that it was more of a wine shop than a café and it sold bottles
of Libilis – the fabled wine that Suzanne and I discovered on a foray to
Barcelona. I bought two (expensive)
bottles and have put one in the fridge just in case. This is a strange wine which is sweetly dry
and has to be drunk at a temperate close to freezing to be enjoyed at its
best. But, at its best, it is truly
delicious!
Today is the end of course for the pupils
and there is a fiesta in school. Normal
lessons are suspended and various exciting activities come to the fore. I am linked with the tombola which is not a
competition but more of a second hand stall where my ability to get rid of the “stuff”
is legendary.
The highlight of the day will be the meal
at lunchtime when we will have a seafood extravaganza followed by the formal
part of the day when the people who are leaving are subjected to speeches before
they get their presents.
In my case, alas, I fear that I have not
been in school long enough to merit the traditional gift from the school, so I expect
kind words and a handshake!
Today is also the last day that I have to
get up at six-thirty to get up – at least in terms of formal education. Happy days!
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