When I was at primary school, on a couple of occasions the teacher sent us home with a very special type of homework. 'Write a story'. Just like that, yes, no other prompt other than 'make something up'. In the beginning I was very worried by it. I remember going home thinking, 'Well, I can't think of anything'. Eventually, when I really squeezed my brains, I came up with a story featuring the sun and the moon. My remembrance of it is a bit sketchy, but I think it was very dialogue-based and also involved human beings talking among themselves and to the sun and the moon. When the teacher read it, she said, 'Very nice, but you couldn't have possibly written this yourself'. Ziiiiiiiiing, thank you very much teacher.
The second time she gave us that homework, I wrote a jungle-based story with talking animals. The giraffe was very talkative, so much so, in fact, that she used to annoy all other animals. One day they painted eucalyptus leaves with glue and when the giraffe ate them, she realised she couldn't utter a word. Thus giraffes are mute. The reaction from my teacher was the same as the first time, 'Very nice, but you couldn't have possibly written this yourself'. Do you remember that beautiful ad from the mid-nineties, the one that showed images of engaged classrooms and finished off with 'Those who can, teach'? I am telling you this: also many who can't, teach.
Write a short story featuring summer and winter, not as abstract entities, but as two people.
My first story at secondary school finished with 'And she woke up and it was all a dream!' My teacher's lesson on never ever ending a story like that has stuck.
Many of my teachers were very supportive of my writing. My RE teacher said I would be 'The next Dylan Thomas, only a female version' (I had no idea who Dylan Thomas was at the time). Several of my teaches looked through my work out of school hours and gave me a bit of feedback and a lot of encouragement - even teaches who I didn't have classes with.
Looking back, I guess I didn't realise how much encouragement I got from school. It probably has a lot to do with me continuing writing.
Posted by: Sophie Playle | 23 July 2010 at 11:13
What a terrible thing for a teacher to tell you! Instead of praising you, she doubted your ability -- horrible! I hope you track her down one day and show her what you've achieved!
Posted by: Talli Rolnd | 23 July 2010 at 18:04
Steph, I had teachers like yours. When we did O level English we were told not to do the story option in the essay paper, as 'no one did them well'. Nuts to that. I took my Eng O level 2 weeks after my 14th birthday, did the story option and got an A.
I love your 2 stories, especially the giraffe.
Posted by: dirtywhitecandy | 27 July 2010 at 23:54