Thursday 22 April 2010

I don't teach anymore, except I do

I really miss teaching. On any given day, I would be teaching the medieval feudal system, the slave trade economics, The partition of India, the power of potraiture in Elizabethan England, the Home Front, Napoleons' foolish stance in Russia, the Terror of the French Revolution. On top of dealing with Year 9 tutor group squabblings and VERY SERIOUS (not really) fallings outs, parents evenings and the odd shoplifting tutee. Arguing politics with 18 year olds, arguings nuclear war with 13 year olds. On one memorable occaision taking a bunch of 13year olds down a nuclear bunker and coping with 2 of them freaking out. Plus the markings, the coursework, the planning. I miss it.But son has reached the "why?" stage. I now teach more than I ever did, except regrettably it is often in subjects of which I have little knowledge. Here are the questions from today.
Why are rainbows? (explained)
But then why are there rainbows without rain? (refraction explained)
Are tv's sorts of rainbows ?(bluffed)
Are the white clouds just empty rainclouds? (explained, just about)
What is the dust in the air for? (Brownian motion explained)
Why can I breathe some things and not some things? (Lungs explained)
Why can only sharp things chop things? (states of matter explained)
But can things like logs change like ice does? (dumbfounded at expanse of matter understanding, bluff it. Then remember carbon and wood)
Can everything change the way it is? (cannot think of example that can't. Curse lack of physics knowledge)
Can I move as slowly as glass? ( Curse using glass as an example)
And it goes on.
And I never go to the loo alone like I did at work, or get paid, or get holidays. Seeking out science books now.

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