Four cans of Blackthorn cider and a deckchair

– rain had broken and I watched droplets bounce off an illuminated traffic bollard in front of me, sheltered in the doorway of a town centre pub, guarding –

four cans of Blackthorn cider and a deckchair. 

I can’t remember the year, the month, the time, nor who I had even went to the pub with. However, I remember –

four cans of Blackthorn cider and a deckchair.

The owner of the haul returned from behind a wall, adjusting his flies. We make small talk – I am bad at it – even still – not me – feels insincere – let’s go for “big talk” – whatever that means.

Now, as a reader who may have ended up on this site by whatever unfortunate event befell you, I forgive you for thinking “What on Earth is this?” – well “this” – this is the first time that I remember anyone suggesting I be a teacher.

Now, the justification was “you’re canny clever” – and before you go about thinking this is just a story to gloat about how “clever” I am, it is important to contextualise that this was the opinion of a man who felt the best course of action after being barred from a pub was to show up and sit in the doorway, on the street – 

with four cans of Blackthorn cider and a deckchair

– and who the landlord felt compelled to allow to stay as they had “nowhere else to go”.

I’ve now been a teacher for a decade. It seems as good a time as any to start chronicling some of my thoughts, trials, successes and failures.

So without further ado, this is the “The Mark Scheme”. Where I will formulate my thoughts on teaching and learning, pedagogy, cognitive science, educational philosophy and maths – and possibly strong coffee and single malt…you know…the stuff that keeps us going.

Read at your leisure, with –

whatever you want.