News from Mr Grady
9th February 2023
Hello everyone,
I received a hand-written letter addressed to me at the school this week, which is actually quite a rarity. An actual hand-written letter. The handwriting was formal and confident, and certainly to me, promised something interesting inside.
Inside the letter was my 16 year-old self.
The letter had actually come from my GCSE Maths teacher, a formidable and good-humoured woman who had been a joy to work with, even when I was finding maths difficult, as I sometimes did.
Her letter opened with “Surprise!” which was fair enough, as she retired at the end of my GCSEs, and so I had not spoken to, nor had contact with her for 30 years. She had kept, it seems, interesting bits and bobs from her time as a teacher, and had found in her loft a letter I had sent to her during my GCSEs.
The letter was a closely argued, and mock-outraged explanation of why I felt I should have received the full 5 marks for a question, when I had only received 4. My teacher had simply grown tired of explaining this in class, and had stated that I should address my complaint in writing, which, precocious teenager that I was, I duly did. I had laid out my measurements, and made it very clear that I could not be held accountable for the blurry nature of the copying/ or the slight inaccuracy of the ruler, and so therefore, my answer of 37.9 inches (yes, inches. It was a different time) was just as right as my teacher’s answer of 37.
My teacher had also kept the reply she sent to me, outlining, that after careful consideration of my “pleading” she would award me the full marks.
Success!
With 30 years reflection on this, what strikes me is the quality of the relationship, the confidence of my teacher not to be rattled by a snotty teenage boy, but also her confidence it letting it be a moment of opportunity: She taught me not to be put off, to state my problem in mature and considered tones, and to interact with the problem, rather than run from it. It was such a good-humoured moment, and in re-reading the 30 year-old letters, what is so pleasing is seeing my own joy and curiosity in learning even back then.
I’m sure we all have memories of those little moments that really counted when we were at school, and I hope, that we, staff, students and families of RHS, continue to find and make those moments in our work together. Who knows, one day it may be one of your teachers, or even myself writing to you, 30 years down the line to remind you of your younger self, to celebrate your education, and to maintain those connections from which we all get so much joy.
Stay well and safe everyone,
With all best wishes,
Mr Grady
PTA 200 Club 2022-23
