Maybe I should take an apple for the teacher!

This week I’m off back to “school” – or something approximating to it! Pat has been an active member of the local U3A (University of the 3^rd Age) for the past few years and although I am a member and help with mailing members about meetings and changes to the programme I have never really been an active participant in courses or groups.

For those not familiar with the U3A it is a very popular and successful organisation throughout the UK. It began in the early 1980s  following ideas, initiatives and plans laid by a Cambridge academic, Peter Laslett and various other national figures most notably Michael Young and Eric Midwinter. Midwinter was an internationally acclaimed social analyst and historian whilst Young had helped to write the great Labour manifesto of 1945 and subsequently achieved international fame as the author of “The Rise of the Meritocracy” and “Family and Kinship in East London” – two seminal works that influenced thinking on social policy throughout the second half of the 20^th century. Young also went on to be the major founder of the Open University – he was a man who has  had a profound influence on the social, cultural and academic life of the country. The basic idea underpinning the U3A is that older people (those over 55) have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experiences that should not be wasted – these can be passed onto others to enjoy and benefit from. So the organisation – purely voluntary – is based on the idea that those who fall into this “third age” bracket, the 55 pluses, can lead groups or join groups on things that interest them. Members pay a small annual membership fee and then usually a couple of pounds for each meeting attended simply to cover the costs of room hire etc. Our local U3A runs most of its meetings in a local church facility where spare rooms are available – thus, not only do the members benefit but so too does the church who get the revenue for room hire. A wealth of courses and groups run in our local U3A – art appreciation, painting and drawing groups, greeting card making, dance, IT for older people, sailing, psychology, play reading, book groups, various walking groups, poetry groups, Mah Jong, gardening, card playing, a film group, wine appreciation, science, singing, history, petanque, creative writing, theatre and quiz groups, French conversation, music history groups and so on – the list is quite endless and ever changing. Some groups last a short time, say 6 meetings, whilst others run month after month and year after year. Some groups are weekly whilst others are bi-monthly or monthly. For many older people it is a valuable social opportunity whilst for other it is a valuable way of keeping the mind active. Each month there is an open meeting for all members who care to attend. This is an opportunity for members to get together, discuss itmes of mutual interest or concern in relation to the U3A and this is always accompanied by a visiting speaker – for example, some months ago the speaker was an ex-diplomat who had spent time in the troubled state of Syria. He was able to give a firsthand commentary on the problems of that region. In a week or two’s time the speaker is an authority on birds and will discuss, in particular, barn owls. This week’s speaker is a gentleman who has had a life long association with the theatre and will retell anecdotes and stories about the world of the theatre and actors. Various outings are also arranged – shopping outgoings to some distant venue, visits to places of interest (for example, Pat and I joined a trip to York a few weeks ago and last week Pat went to London to tour Buckingham Palace), and there are a number of groups which may often appeal to those people who are perhaps widowed or single such as a holiday companions group or a Sunday lunch group. In short, the whole thing provides a valuable learning and support network all at a very moderate cost and it is all self running.

Michael Young - one of those responsible for the U3A

As I say, I have helped with the local administration  for the past year or two but rarely been involved with the groups, although I have helped out with one of the IT groups as an extra pair of hands assisting people who are struggling with their lap top or tablet computer skills. This week, however, is different: I begin two courses which are just starting up for the coming year: a basic philosophy course and a “meander” (so described by the course leader!) through early English poetry – Beowulf, Chaucer and the like. The two course leaders have briefed those of us who have signed up on pre-course reading and tasks to complete and we are ready to go (I think!).

And..........just like the child starting school for the first time I am terrified! Will I be able to cope with it? Will I make a fool of myself? Will others in the groups be so much more knowledgeable and confident than I? The groups, I know, are very low key, they are not great academic testing grounds, indeed, I think the social aspect is as important as the learning, but as the first sessions approach (each of these two groups meet for one session  per month, so it is hardly demanding of time) what seemed a good idea when I signed up now seems less so! I know now what the young children starting at school felt when they saw me stride across the playground or into the classroom! I know now what it might feel like to be sitting there in my seat and suddenly be asked a question by the teacher – as I did millions of times of children in my many classes. The boot is very much on the other foot! Of course, when I was a child or student myself I learned to take it all in my stride but now sixty years later it suddenly doesn’t sound so easy and for me sounds very threatening!

It all reminds me of a number of years ago when I enrolled on a night school course to learn German. I went with a friend who had a little more proficiency than I (as, I think, did every other member of the class!). Each week we were given homework tasks based upon the course text book. I did my “homework” more than diligently and even spent time working through the following chapter which I knew would form the basis of the next lesson  so that I was extra well prepared for any questions that might be asked! I was a real swot! It wasn’t that I wanted to be the star of the class – far from it – I just didn’t want to be the class fool! Put simply, I wanted not to be noticed, to be able to merge into the background and not be known either for my lack of ability or indeed my brilliance. I wonder how many children have sat in my classes over 40 years and felt exactly as I did then and do now – silently, perhaps praying “Please don’t ask me Mr Beale......”? I might laugh about that now but it was and is a salutary lesson in what we often do to children in school; there will undoubtedly be, in any class, a very significant number of children who, for whatever reason, will feel uncomfortable or threatened when they don’t know the answer or feel foolish because others do. In our modern education system where success is the only game in town I wonder how many children who find “success” difficult (and I’m not just talking about the very weak or unable children) and who will feel increasingly threatened, stressed and eventually alienated when the success demanded by teachers, parents and wider society eludes them. My two U3A courses are unimportant – if I don’t like them or find them too easy or too hard I can leave. Children don’t usually have that option - and if they do opt out then they are judged to be failures or somehow less worthy.

Poet and storyteller Allan Ahlberg

And as I write those words I remember the wonderful poem “Billy McBone” by children’s poet, author and ex-teacher Allan Ahlberg whose school (Brookside) in Leicester I used to visit when supporting, monitoring and assessing trainee teachers:

Billy McBone
Had a mind of his own,
Which he mostly kept under his hat.
The teachers all thought
That he couldn't be taught,
But Bill didn't seem to mind that.

Billy McBone
Had a mind of his own,
Which the teachers had searched for for years.
Trying test after test,
They still never guessed
It was hidden between his ears.

Billy McBone
Had a mind of his own,
Which only his friends ever saw.
When the teacher said 'Bill,
Whereabouts is Brazil?'

He just shuffled and stared at the floor

Billy McBone
Had a mind of his own,
Which he kept under lock and key.
While the teachers in vain
Tried to burgle his brain,
Bill's thoughts were off wandering free.

I think that I have everything ready .......maybe an apple for the teacher?

I wonder if, as I sit in Tuesday’s philosophy class or the medieval English poetry group on Wednesday, I, too, will be Billy McBone! Will my thoughts be “wondering free” as I gaze out of the window in a day dream? Will I shuffle and look at the floor when the course leader asks a question? I’m already getting worried! And as I sit here writing this there rests at the side of me on my desk my note book (newly bought for my courses!) all neatly written in with pre-course notes arising from the tasks set; the required text books bought and various parts highlighted as required by the course leader, my pencil case filled with new ballpoints and a highlighting pen........in other words I am ready for what is thrown at me! When I started looking at the various set pre-course tasks I dutifully drew nice straight margins on my note book and made sure that I underlined titles of the various tasks – all very school boyish! As I did it I remembered all the assemblies that I had led at the start of each academic year when I had reminded the children that this new school year was a time to start new and that everyone should try hard to make sure that their work and their books and their handwriting etc. all stayed as neat as on this first day of the year! And now, here I am; it is September the start of a new school year, my little bag is packed with all I need - new fresh note books and sharpened pencils and just like the children going to school and meeting their new teachers I am anxious and keen to create a good impression - I've just thought........ maybe I should take an apple for the teacher!

What creatures of habit we are indeed!