Re: I miss TH

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> From: Rob Blake <sr.lobo.75@gmail.com>

>
>Whenever I hear you talking about your teaching over there I always see you like "Goodbye Mr. Chips". Long gown and cap, welcoming the students as they file past and state their names. Sitting up front on the stage as the headmaster addresses the students at their first assembly. hehehe.

Maybe if I were at Eton or a place like that. :)

My students don't even wear uniforms, as we're an FE college (Further Education) and I'm in the sixth form. They love the fact that they can ditch their uniforms!

When I taught secondary school here (equivalent to North American grades 6-10), the students did wear uniforms, but they weren't horrible ones. When I first started there, the boys all had to wear black trousers, white shirts and the school tie. The girls could wear the same (tie optional) or a black skirt instead of trousers. Shoes had to be sensible and low heeled (especially for girls) and no trainers except for PE. Wearing the wrong shoes could have your Head of Year giving you plimsoles (plain, slip-on canvas shoes) to wear all day. Only minimal jewellery was permitted, such as just stud earrings, no dangling ones. Sikhs could wear their karas (bracelets). Only religious necklaces (crosses, stars of David etc.) were allowed. (Suddenly, girls became very devout. :) Headscarves etc. for Muslim students were fine. The Heads of Year also kept wipes for wiping away excessive make-up. The students could wear the school jumper (sweater) over the white
shirt/blouse when it was cold.

During the summer term (late April-late July), the students could wear the school polo shirt. Two years after I arrived, they were allowed to wear the polo shirt year-round and ditch the white shirt and ties. That was a relief for me, as teachers were supposed to enforce the dress code, which meant constantly reminding boys to tuck in their white shirts. The polo shirts didn't have to be tucked in.

Ian can tell you stories of his grammar school, where they had a different tie for each year.

It's no wonder that my students appreciate not having to wear uniforms. They also like that they're meant to call their teachers by their first names. It always takes the first years a couple of weeks to get used to it, but then they love it. They say it makes us more approachable.

Ellen 

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