I retired from teaching two years ago. The best teachers are those who enjoy being with young people and can engage their interest in the subject matter being taught. I have really enjoyed watching Gareth Malone(not a trained teacher) in action, as he attempts to engage boys in reading and thus raise their reading ages. A key part of his success has been found to lie in encouraging parents, and fathers in particular, to read with their boys. When we have parents who really care what their children watch on TV, how much time they spend on their Xboxes and other computer games, how much sleep they have, and who they spend their time with, combined with teachers who love doing their job well, then schools will be places of real learning and achievement!
Rant over-back to gardening!
