The Night Mail

[coastalview]

12 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

" You are free to make your own arrangements for lunch but I shall be in the Red Lion (or whatever one of the local pubs was called)." This was understood to be code for, "Whichever pub you lot want to have lunch in, don't make it the Red Lion."

That reminds me of our Economics teacher in 6th form. He was new to the school and a bit of a revelation compared to other teachers.

[coastalview]

2 hours ago, SM42 said:

I also had my share of truly awful teachers, mainly German and RE.

I think the worst teacher in my senior school life was a Glaswegian teacher who taught French. To be honest most of us struggled to understand him when he spoke English, let alone French. He was permanently miserable and I really don't think had an ounce of humour in his bones.

[Oldddudders]

40 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

mansfield dark. 

Sounds like Jane Austen?

[Happy Hippo]

A walk up the hill to Preston on the Weald Moors is now on the agenda to deliver the last of the local Christmas cards.  This needs to be done during the happy time before it starts getting dark and the loonies get out in their cars again. 

 

I think the majority of them add the 20 and 30 mph restrictions together in order to maintain a constant speed.

 

I'll wear hi viz and carry a lamp, but what code should it be?

 

As I'm only carrying three envelopes, I'm minded to go as Class G: Light engine.

 

 

[simontaylor484]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

This lecture no doubt started at 0930 in the morning.

Close 10 am if you needed the early snurdler so to speak that was the Penny Black under neath the sorting office in Sheffield. That was next door on Pond St they catered for Royal Mail staff coming off nights. 

Economics at 9 am on a Wednesday was always interesting Tuesday night was student night in Roxys and finished at 4am. We used to turn up in some right states. 

 

[Happy Hippo]

I survived the walk and got back in time to do some sanding and to re-synchronize the Christmas light timers after this morning's power outage.

 

Earlier in the year, my old , but large and powerful belt sander finally turned it's toes to the sky.

 

At the time I reckoned I'd not need another, and decided to make do with the small one I have.

 

The conclusion after this afternoon's exploits was that I need a new large belt sander, especially with a number of large taskings on the immediate horizon.

 

I did try the new respirator and can now confirm that it is both comfortable and works very well.

 

(Well, since I'm not coughing and wheezing I assume it did it's job properly.)

 

As you all know I am always trying to plan ahead, and my full sized planning board, aka the kitchen floor (Lots of 300 mm square tiles) has now confirmed that the  small shunting plank to replace the small shunting plank which I'm still building, will fit into the space I have available.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[New Haven Neil]

I had more than my fair share of 'dark sarcasm in the classroom' teachers, which turned me against the profession for some years!  I see that school is now 'outstanding' in the Ofsted league tables, things must have changed in the intervening  44 years since I left.

 

Just the luck of the draw I suppose, although I had a handful of 'OK' level ones, there was no inspirational teaching until I went to college, when the world changed for me - I also struggled with maths at a higher level, and after a difficult first year (passed, but only just)  one lecturer in the second year was really good, patient and knew how to coach. 

 

One day it was like a light being switched on, or the last piece of a jigsaw falling in to place really, and it all became so easy.  As in engineering maths is at the heart of everything, this was a real red letter day, as I went on to gain distinctions in several associated subjects.  'Joe' Davis, thank you.  

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

I'll wear hi viz and carry a lamp, but what code should it be?

 

As I'm only carrying three envelopes, I'm minded to go as Class G: Light engine.

 

 

Isn't the term 'light engine' an oxymoron when Hippos are involved.

 

Jamie

[Northroader]

One guy I remember was Jack Cook, who had a smallholding in Hippo country. He messed around with some maths, but was mainly the sports master. PE? whats that? In his fifties, walrus moustache, hair brylcreamed back. One season we had some swimming trips, hired bus down to Bridgnorth swimming baths. You won’t find them now, I shouldn’t suppose, they were an outdoor pool north of the town, on the west bank of the Severn behind the gas works on a cinder track. As I say, open air, with a corrugated iron fence surround and a few cubicles of the same stuff, and the odd wooden bench, and we always seemed to go in November. Some poor unfortunate learning to swim would have a rope tied around his waist, and launched in the water with Jack pulling the rope on the other side. There he’d be, cloth cap, duffel coat, cord trousers tucked into wellingtons, puffing away on his pipe, lightly holding the rope, and everything so often he’d take the pipe out of his mouth to give some encouraging words, maybe stopping the pulling while he did this. I didn’t learn to swim until after I’d left school.

[Happy Hippo]

 

 

24 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

One day it was like a light being switched on, or the last piece of a jigsaw falling in to place really, and it all became so easy.  As in engineering maths is at the heart of everything, this was a real red letter day, as I went on to gain distinctions in several associated subjects.  'Joe' Davis, thank you.  

I struggled with mathematics from a very early age.

 

The army, against their better judgement, sent me to the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham at the age of 34. To study Management Science. Part of the course was all to do with statistics, and it was only then that I was shown how to do maths properly.  After that, just like Neil, everything fell into place.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

I’ve had a succession of poor to average teachers, with one good English teacher in 6th and 7th grade. 
 

My maths teachers have been the worst, 5th grade had been in the job to long and didn’t care anymore, 6th grade was very young but had no control over her students, 7th-8th grade was a elderly woman who was terrified of her students (not sure why) and had a very bad case of arthritis so her writing was often a bit hard to read. Currently I’ve also got another math teacher who’s been in the job to long and doesn’t care anymore, not good as I’m horrible at math. 
 

Most teachers in Oklahoma are like this, as they have the lowest salary of teachers anywhere in the country. The highest you can get is $40,000. Most of them are either quite old and started when the money was good (but have since given up), and the others are all very young with dreams of “helping others achieve there dreams”, but quickly see it’s not all unicorns etc and give up. Most male teachers (it’s rare to get one at any level in Oklahoma) in high school are actually sports coaches, so aren’t the greatest either. 
 

Douglas

 

(apologies for the moan)

Edited December 10, 2020 by Florence Locomotive Works

[Happy Hippo]

1 minute ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

I’ve had a succession of poor to average teachers, with one good English teacher in 6th and 7th grade. 
 

My maths teachers have been the worst, 5th grade had been in the job to long and didn’t care anymore, 6th grade was very young but had no control over her students, 7th-8th grade was a elderly woman who was terrified of her students (not sure why) and had a very bad case of arthritis so her writing was often a bit hard to read. Currently I’ve also got another math teacher who’s been in the job to long and doesn’t care anymore, not good as I’m horrible at math. 
 

Most teachers in Oklahoma are like this, as they have the lowest salary of teachers anywhere in the country. The highest you can get is $40,000. Most of them are either quite old and started when the money was good (but I’ve since given up), and the others are all very young with dreams of “helping others achieve there dreams”, but quickly see it’s not all unicorns etc and give up. Most male teachers (it’s rare to get one at any level in Oklahoma) in high school are actually sports coaches, so aren’t the greatest either. 
 

Douglas

 

(apologies for the moan)

I'd hardly call that a moan, just a statement of fact.

 

People go into teaching for all the right reasons, but can quickly get ground down and disheartened.  Some end up severely depressed, which is not helped by  the attitude and management skills of more senior staff.  I'm sure there's a few of us on RMWeb who can remember someone who fitted into that category.  Having said that, there is always more sides to a story and other factors can have a large bearing on how problems develop.

 

I remember mental health issues in the army were just not discussed until my last few years service. It was not normal!

 

Talking to a friend who remained in for longer that I did and the whole viewpoint changed.  He said it was getting to the stage in some units that if you hadn't had PTSD, you were considered odd!

 

 

[SM42]

5 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

 

I'll wear hi viz and carry a lamp, but what code should it be?

 

As I'm only carrying three envelopes, I'm minded to go as Class G: Light engine.

 

 

 

Class 3 I'd say. 

Express parcels. 

 

Andy

[bbishop]

We had two Chemistry teachers at my school.  I was taught A Level by Keith "Tiger" Ellis: small, gentle, quietly spoken, absolute control over any class, responsible for my C grade.  The Tutor was Dr Philip Carter, Phil in the Tigers Head of a Friday evening, Dr Carter on the railway station Saturday morning.  Extrovert, large, truly ugly.  Not as good a teacher, but his support over the next three years helped me to scrape my degree.  He died of a particularly nasty cancer far too young.  Both were railway enthusiasts.

 

On another thread, they are discussing vowels: a,e,i,o,u - Richard will agree with me that w & y are also vowels.  Bill

[New Haven Neil]

I have never really understood the USA's apparent obsession with sporting achievement in education.  Although thinking about it, UK Public Schools ( which are private schools, for Douglas's info!) shoe similar traits.

 

As a sporting no-hoper, this would not have gone well for me!  But why should others education suffer for the sporting laurels of the whole establishment?  Rhetorical, BTW.

 

 

[figworthy]

School teachers.  Hmm, a long time ago and a variety.  I can only think of one who was bad (always 10 minutes late for classes, and not very good at getting stuff across)

 

We had a geography teacher who was probably fresh out of training, and couldn't control a class to save her life, possibly not helped by you only being able to hear her if you were sat in the front row.

 

The physics teacher who always insisted on homework being handed in, but never marked (or returned it).  When challenged, he maintained that he was paid from 9-4 and didn't have time to mark it during school hours.

 

The Harley riding computer studies teacher, who really didn't seem to be cut out to be a teacher, but did a good job of it all the same.  Sadly, he left after a year.

 

The head of maths, who taught the 2 year O level statistics syllabus in 6 months, and everyone got either an A or a B.  He was also able to predict with a fair degree of accuracy what exam results someone would get by which of the local villages they came from.

 

The chemistry teacher who usually wore loose fitting blouses, and had a habit of leaning forwards when make a point.   Oddly one of the few subjects where there was competition for the front row.

 

The A level maths teacher who spent two years telling me that I was wasting my time (was that a subtle means of getting me to try harder ?) - I passed, and seemed slightly miffed when several of her students passed their driving tests before she did.

 

Adrian

[Florence Locomotive Works]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I have never really understood the USA's apparent obsession with sporting achievement in education. 

Now that is a sad problem. Unfortunately the honor system for parents at my school seems to be "the more sports your child does, the better parent you are." This leads to the majority of my grade going to bed at between 3-4 in the morning, and waking up at 7:30. This is because their practices will run until 11:00 at night, then they come home to several hours of homework etc. For many the only meal they can eat is lunch, as they will sleep through breakfast and don't have time for dinner. And this is the case 5 out of 7 days of the week.

 

As a result of all this, one of the "cheerleaders" in my grade recently collapsed from exhaustion, she hadn't slept in 19 hours. I don't really think the moral concept of cheerleaders belongs in this century either, but that's a different story. 

 

I have thankfully managed to escape this, as I don't do any sports besides karting, where I can only practice on the weekends. So most of my homework is done by at the very latest 9:00 pm, but I have forgotten things and worked past eleven before. 

[BR60103]

I hve mentioned before that in my final high school year I managed to get out of phys. ed, by taking an extra, extra-hard maths course (in addition to the regular 3: algebra, geometry and trig.) The math teacher was one of the markers for the extra course (called Problems) and the author of the geometry text.  I still have the paper, if anyone wants sample questions.  My score was 48, which won me a prize.  My phys ed scores tended to be at the same level and didn't win me prizes.

I never really understood games. The teacher would talk about throwing the ball to a cetain square on the field (where someone would be waiting to catch it) and I was still wondering how to throw something to a given spot. It was even worse if it had to be hit or poked with a stick.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by BR60103

[jamie92208]

I was not sporty despite having a sports teacher for a mother. At a sports mad school thiscdid causecproblems and I hated playing Rugby. However salvation came when I entered the 6th form and was allowed to drop Rugby if I did a cross country of at least 4.5 miles. I actually got really fit for the first time and also got to see the BR standard steam loco, class 3 or 4, shunting the lime sidings at Giggleswick on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I came to love running across the fells. Strangely I was appalling at French coming 23rd or 24th out of my class of 24, throughout my school career. I did pass my O level aged 15 with a grade 6. I now read and speak French every day and it's an esential life skill. Beth even takes me to medical consultations to translate.

 

Sadly, unlike Figworthy, we didn't have any teachers who wore blouses, unless it was in the privacy of their own homes.

 

Jamie

Edited December 10, 2020 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

12 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

 

 

Sadly, unlike Figworthy, we didn't have any teachers who wore blouses, unless it was in the privacy of their own homes.

 

 

We did and she was French . Her blouses and undergarments were very transluscent. Thats when my French  (as many others in the class) stopped improving.

 

Morning. Numerous tasks around the hosue before meeting up with a friend whos had the virus, for outside beers and meal at our local brewery.

 

Tomorrow my other half has got a days leave. Shes had to book all outstanding leave or lose it. We are thinking of a trip to London Bridge and walking to Brewdog at Tower Hill before the likely tier 3 restrictions come in. It will be my first trip specifically to London since early March. We have passed through a couple of times on journeys beyond.

[rockershovel]

8 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Now that is a sad problem. Unfortunately the honor system for parents at my school seems to be "the more sports your child does, the better parent you are." This leads to the majority of my grade going to bed at between 3-4 in the morning, and waking up at 7:30. This is because their practices will run until 11:00 at night, then they come home to several hours of homework etc. For many the only meal they can eat is lunch, as they will sleep through breakfast and don't have time for dinner. And this is the case 5 out of 7 days of the week.

 

As a result of all this, one of the "cheerleaders" in my grade recently collapsed from exhaustion, she hadn't slept in 19 hours. I don't really think the moral concept of cheerleaders belongs in this century either, but that's a different story. 

 

I have thankfully managed to escape this, as I don't do any sports besides karting, where I can only practice on the weekends. So most of my homework is done by at the very latest 9:00 pm, but I have forgotten things and worked past eleven before. 

 

Hence also, the stock American figure of the former High School or college sports (usually football) star, adrift in middle life with no useful life skills. The original book version of Friday Night Lights is all about this, along with the ruthless treatment and educational neglect of pupils (interestingly enough, one of the central characters would subsequently attend Harvard, practice law and succeed again by establishing trucking and service companies during the oil boom of the 2000s, which must prove something, although quite what is difficult to define.)

 

I spent a fairly committed three years or so playing County Schoolboys Colts rugby and junior national championship judo. To a fair extent it was a reaction to the disinterest shown in me at school... the fee paying sports stars mostly did rowing or cricket, and went to Balliol (Oxford) or Queens (Cambridge). No 2 Son played Junior County rugby at school but dropped it at University, because of the time required. 

[Happy Hippo]

I have little sporting prowess. However, the armed forces encourage you to dabble in all sorts of sports, because they build team spirit, morale and fitness levels.  My only attribute as a rugby player, being unable to play the game properly, was being rather good at stopping those who thought they could.

 

Any small ball games were a waste of time so I concentrated on accuracy parachuting,  shooting and dinghy sailing.  Now only the shooting remains.

 

On the other hand, my youngest nephew is a true natural when it comes to sport,  He turns his hand to anything and plays to a very high technical standard.  He was picked up very early on by the soccer brigade, and was poached and coached for greater things.  However, he didn't like the pressure that was being very subtly applied, so he basically told them to stuff it. So he started playing golf.  He's only been at it for about 6 months and has already had an approach by a talent scout.

 

He's only eleven, and has no interest in becoming a professional sportsman.  He just likes to play. 

[TheQ]

I went to  5 different Schools..

I remember 4  teachers in particular,

1 Headmistress of the second Primary school I attended , it was only a 4 classroom school, so she taught as well, definitely of the dragon variety.

2 French teacher of the 1st secondary School grumpy, very into grammar, rather than teaching the language..  often off sick.

3 "Pop Reason" Reason being his surname, at the 1st Secondary School, physics teacher very good, also taught my Dad..

4 "Happy Harry Henderson" very cheerful English teacher at the 3rd Secondary school who taught very well.

 

Sports,

1st Secondary school, Running, Cricket, Rugby, I'm useless at all of them.

2nd Secondary School, football.. on a playing field with a ditch running across it..

3rd Secondary School, Football, Shinty, Running, I was in the school cricket team on the grounds I knew the rules...

RAF.. Not including training.. If it wasn't Football, Rugby or Cricket, authorities weren't interested, Though I represented stations at Baseball, Volleyball and Sailing, never officially getting time off for any of them..

 You never got a sports afternoon off on any of my operational stations

Edited December 10, 2020 by TheQ

[rockershovel]

37 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I have little sporting prowess. However, the armed forces encourage you to dabble in all sorts of sports, because they build team spirit, morale and fitness levels.  My only attribute as a rugby player, being unable to play the game properly, was being rather good at stopping those who thought they could.

 

Any small ball games were a waste of time so I concentrated on accuracy parachuting,  shooting and dinghy sailing.  Now only the shooting remains.

 

On the other hand, my youngest nephew is a true natural when it comes to sport,  He turns his hand to anything and plays to a very high technical standard.  He was picked up very early on by the soccer brigade, and was poached and coached for greater things.  However, he didn't like the pressure that was being very subtly applied, so he basically told them to stuff it. So he started playing golf.  He's only been at it for about 6 months and has already had an approach by a talent scout.

 

He's only eleven, and has no interest in becoming a professional sportsman.  He just likes to play. 

 

Training youngsters to become professional athletes is a fraught business. One of my sons’ friends made serious efforts to become a professional rugby player, with no useful outcome. He is now approaching 30 with, in effect, no trade or profession. One of my wife’s friends was a teacher in the Manchester area, and her views on the effects on education of the general bedazzlement with the (effectively non-existent) prospects of a career in professional football, don’t bear printing in family-oriented media. 

[rockershovel]

1 hour ago, roundhouse said:

We did and she was French . Her blouses and undergarments were very transluscent. Thats when my French  (as many others in the class) stopped improving.

 

Morning. Numerous tasks around the hosue before meeting up with a friend whos had the virus, for outside beers and meal at our local brewery.

 

Tomorrow my other half has got a days leave. Shes had to book all outstanding leave or lose it. We are thinking of a trip to London Bridge and walking to Brewdog at Tower Hill before the likely tier 3 restrictions come in. It will be my first trip specifically to London since early March. We have passed through a couple of times on journeys beyond.

 

We had a French teacher of French, but he was more in the style of Rene Artois than Mimi LaBonq or Yvette Carte-Blanche, but to be fair I did  learn to speak French... for what good it ever did me. I’m actually quite fluent after a fashion, but my heavily Arab-accented and influenced manner of speaking doesn’t win me many admirers so I usually settle for looking dumb and taking an interest in what’s said by people who think I can’t understand them...