A friend of mine
gave up a 15 year IT career to move into teaching. I huge jump for her after feeling unfulfilled for a very long time. She did her PGCE and worked in schools etc for a year or 2. She got a proper job and on her first day she walked in to class. The first thing that happened was they noticed her red hair. One lad shouted "oi miss! Catch this yer ginger cunt!" and threw a hardbacked book at her, ultimately blinding her in one eye. She hasnt worked for about a year now and has taken it -as you'd expect - quite badly. The kid got chucked out etc and her life is not ruined, but damaged.

And thats in a 'nice' school.

However, I know better that this is not the norm folks. My parents are both senior 'educationalists' and the stories (like mine) can be sensationalist. There are plenty of good kids, and good schools. Its not all bad in the real world. It never is.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Mon 8 Sep 2008, 15:13, Reply)