Awww Mr Wilkes! :(
I love this man, he was a substitute teacher employed by the school, he was the lead in a Jazz band and had led a really interesting life. We used to pray a teacher was ill so Mr Wilkes would stand in, no matter what the subject you could say "Mr Wilkes, tell us a story" and he would spend the whole lesson regaling tales of his youth and the mischief he got up to. He'd sometimes bring along his banjo and play songs for us too.
I can remember one science lesson he was talking about how he and his mates had made a paper airplane that he claimed flew the same distance as our schools astroturf pitch, we were all like "aww no way Mr Wilkes, this is a tale too far that's just not possible" the next thing we knew we were all up on the astroturf making paper airplanes and bugger me, he only went and made one that went the distance. We all thought we'd managed to get out of learning that day but when we got back in the classroom he began to teach about aerodynamics and the science behind airplanes using his little paper plane.

He also ran the schools drama club and made sure that absolutely anyone who wanted a line in his show got one, he never picked the people who got all the main parts and went for the underdogs to give them a chance. He wrote all his own plays and music and set up a jazz band where he played trumpet, piano and banjo.

He brought so much joy to learning and being at school and he is and always will be my most favourite teacher ever. Sadley Mr Wilkes passed away in 2006 - I never got the chance to tell him how awesome and inspirational he was. I learned more from him about being a decent human being than anyone else.
( Mrs. Spatum, Thu 17 Mar 2011, 11:45, 1 reply)

Sounded like a top teacher.
Click!
( Evil Bastardo, Thu 17 Mar 2011, 14:46, closed)