They fly around the classrooms like

Tornadoes, destructive to the masses

As they push and chase and shout out loud.

Yet once you have them on their own

They’re different children, quiet,

Obedient, complying to your every wish,

With reams of work flying from their pen.

I have started to tutor some of the Year 8 students who missed lots of material due to the lockdown. So many children just didn’t have the right environment for learning and so I believe that it is really important we give them the helping hand they need to catch up with what they missed.

I was a bit worried because some of these kids are a bit mad and they can be quite the handful when you teach them in a normal environment. In class, there are so many distractions and these kids have their mates who they want to show off to. It can make them highly unlikable, when actually they are really lovely kids.

I did my first session with a kid who I end up putting in detention after almost every lesson. He’s not malicious but he has so much energy that he just doesn’t know how to rein it in.

Anyway, I was absolutely blown away with how wonderful this kid was during our session together. With a bit of undivided attention, these kids have the ability to achieve so much. And this is attention that their parents should have given them – and for whatever reason they couldn’t. I just feel really sad that they haven’t had that.

I do just want to point out that I don’t blame the parents as so many things can be taken out of their control, including sickness, domestic abuse and other children with behavioural issues. It’s just sad that for whatever reason it is, there are some lovely kids that are suffering as a result.

Much Love

Rachel xx