Dear Teachers at Walderslade Girls School,
I am writing to you as a formal pupil of yours. I left the
school in 2002 and therefore you probably won't remember me but I remember alot
about my days at that school. One thing that sticks strongly in my mind is the
fact that not only did you dislike me but you made it known to me.
Every day at that
school I felt as though I was worth nothing-you helped to make me feel that
way, with the exception of maybe three teacher: Mrs. Stock, Mathematics; Mrs.
Gillingham, French & Mrs. Ford, R.E. These are the only teacher I remember
ever actually having any kind word to say to me. To those Teachers I apologise A)
if I spelt your name wrong and B) for always messing about in your classes and
not listening when you told me I was not meeting my full potential.
I clearly remember one teacher singling me out of the entire
class for stealing a patractor (what anyone would want with a protractor I am
not sure??) and making stay behind after class to search my bag, where guess
what? There was no protractor! I have no idea why it was only me that was
picked out, but I think that is how I was seen by many of the teachers in that
school. Someone who was out to cause trouble, right down to stealing a protractor!
I was humiliated and made to feel like a thief, yet when the search came up
empty, did the teacher apologise? No. What did that do instead? Insist that I
must have stolen it and I just hid it in a good place. Even the proof that I
did not have it on me was not enough, it MUST have been me.
No matter what I did I was seen as the worst pupil to attend
the school. Why? Because I wasn't bright? Because I caused trouble in English
in year 7? I will admit to causing trouble then. That is my fault and I chose
to do that. Yet I weren't like that in other classes, but I was soon branded a
trouble maker. Which in that class I was. Why that had to be spread into every
other class though, I do not know.
I also remember one teacher telling me I would never make
anything of myself and will work in a factory when I grow up. I was told I was
not bright enough to pass my GCSEs and made to feel as though this was the
truth. I honestly believed I was just stupid and had no way of making anything
of myself.
I was told I definitely did not have dyslexia and my reading
and writing age were fine. When I went to college at mid kent though, it was
discovered that my reading age was well below avarage and I needed extra time
in exams. Further to this it was later discovered that I do in fact have
dyslexia.
I eventually gave up on college and moved country, I didn't
believe in education anyway, or myself for that matter, so not going to college
didn't seem like a big deal to me. Then however I came back to the UK and
started college where I now live. Make no mistake my behaviour still stank, my
attitude stank and I am almost certain during this time, my tutors hated me.
Did they let that be known to me though? No! Not once did those teachers treat
me any differently. In fact they took time out to try and understand why I was
the way I was and they pushed me to do better. One teacher in particular gave
me so much support and understanding that I managed to complete the Access to Higher
Education course at South Cheshire College! Which got me into university.
That's right, the person you thought would make nothing of herself got into
university. Wait though because it gets so much better.
I went onto university an again had a very lovely teacher
who was always happy to listen and help. Just like my access tutor and do you
know what that did for me? Made me feel safe enough to go to her and explain
that I was struggling. I had tutors who believed in me! Tutors who actually
liked me!! Didn't tell me I was going to amount to nothing. Actually encouraged
me to do well! Wow, what a novel idea!
Thanks to having tutors that actually wanted to help their
students and wanted to see them pass, I graduated from university this year
with a second class: first division honours degree in Psychology and
counselling. (See told you it got so much better). So how is that for amounting
to nothing?
