Back in 2004, I was dabbling with the idea of doing a PGCE.
I'd seen 'Dead Poets Society' and liked the idea of inspiring bright young minds in their quest to learn all about compound vs. simple time, what a minim looks like and how to trap it, and why Father Christmas Goes Down An Escalator Backwards.
I thought I'd get a taste of working with kids before committing myself to a PGCE*, and a friend got me a placement helping out in the music department of a weekend kid's club. There were about 20 kids there, ranging from 5 to 15 years, learning music and pissing around with those blue plastic squeezy clarinets.

One day, I was helping one of the younger ones, and got a couple of past exam papers for Grade 1 Theory for her to go through.
"Look, here's one from 1996; I don't think you've been through this one yet, so let's go through it and see if you can work out the rhythms."
"Ooh! Miss, miss, this exam is cool! It was written the year I was born!"

I was thrown - I knew the kids were young, but I was genuinely shocked at how young. Throwing around for something to say that wouldn't betray my shock, I said "Oh! 1996, eh? I was born earlier than that, in 1982."
"How old does that make you, miss?"
"Well, I was born in 1982, and it is now 2004, so I am 21 and 3/4 years old, small child."
The small child looked at me with huge eyes, and innocently said "Wow! I thought you were at least 30, miss!"

I smiled bravely and held my tears back, but that small child killed my dreams of becoming a teacher. The little bitch.



*Which was a good idea, as it turns out I just don't like children.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 7 Jun 2012, 16:10, 3 replies)

While getting the experience to do my PGCE I helped out my sister...
...who is a good fifteen years older than me. All the children at her school thought I was her older brother. :(
( Sonic James Doom forgetting the date since... umm..., Thu 7 Jun 2012, 16:18, closed)

Escalators? Pah!
I think you'll find that Father Christmas Gets Diarrhoea After Eating Biscuits.
(grandmasterfluffles Come to my Armageddon party on, Thu 7 Jun 2012, 16:25, closed)

I went to a nice refined school.
Because I am a nice refined lady. Honest.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Thu 7 Jun 2012, 16:27, closed)