Snow has fallen and there is black ice
on the roads in Bad Godesberg. This evokes memories of my final teaching
practice in the UK, years ago.
I
cannot remember much of my teaching physics or music at a Grammar school in
Birmingham but I remember a bit about the stay with our hosts - an
elderly couple - in Aston. I would have to walk on black ice or trudge through snow to take
the train, every morning, from Aston to Birmingham and then a bus to the
school.
The host-couple did their best to make my stay with them rather comfortable. However, they were quite formal at dinners. We had to dress for every meal.
We had to dress for supper, too. After a few suppers, I told the hosts that I would like to skip the meals and prefer to go to bed early, instead, because I was quite tired after school. I did not tell them that I did not enjoy the meals as I would often sit rather tongue-tied like a shy schoolboy. I was poor at conversations during the meals.
I was too young and ignorant then not to realize that I was being quite rude to skip supper. She must have taken a lot of trouble to prepare the meals.
ltbs
The dinner hour should be more than eating. It should be about teaching, listening and loving.
The host-couple did their best to make my stay with them rather comfortable. However, they were quite formal at dinners. We had to dress for every meal.
We had to dress for supper, too. After a few suppers, I told the hosts that I would like to skip the meals and prefer to go to bed early, instead, because I was quite tired after school. I did not tell them that I did not enjoy the meals as I would often sit rather tongue-tied like a shy schoolboy. I was poor at conversations during the meals.
I was too young and ignorant then not to realize that I was being quite rude to skip supper. She must have taken a lot of trouble to prepare the meals.
ltbs
The dinner hour should be more than eating. It should be about teaching, listening and loving.
William
J Beatton
