Teaching infants is a joy, not a waste of time
i LOVED my job as a reception class teacher — and the first year of school for the children i taught was far from being a waste of time (mail). most arrived eager to learn, having been well prepared by preschool. They were like sponges, mastering skills such as reading and writing. Children were taught in short spells and they were encouraged to help each other. This was only part of a varied curriculum that included music, art, pe and a building of self-worth and respect for others. There was also plenty of free time to develop social skills. i gained a lot of satisfaction from seeing the children progress, so it was far from being a waste.
SONIA BIGNELL, Thorpe Bay, Essex. WHEN, after two years, i left infants school, i was able to read almost anything, write, spell and do simple mathematical tasks. my first lesson at junior school was learning joined-up handwriting and during the first term a group of us went into town to select books for the classroom — i picked Jules Verne’s a Journey To The Centre Of The earth. By the time i left this school i understood multiplication, long division, fractions and percentages. i had also had time for music, dance, art, scripture, geography, history, basic French and science. i did not attend private schools. i later taught for 32 years in state secondary schools, shocked by the number of pupils aged 12 and, in my final years, young teachers who had problems with the 3rs. Such is progress.
KENNETH MILLS, Hampton, Middlesex.