Chapter 2: First ever lesson

Simon's POV

The assembly went on for 30 minutes during which time; I got significantly bored, not only by Mrs Snape waffling on about new changes at the school and new rules, but also we had to sing hymns. Well ok the hymns weren't that bad if I'm honest; I remember some of them like 'Lord of the dance', 'To the tiny ant' and 'Give me oil in my lamp'. I remember a lot of the hymns they sang, but back then I really wasn't very religious or into Christianity, but then again I'm still not to this day any part religious. The way that Christianity was shoved down our throats as Primary school children, you'd think there was a purpose, but I found nothing significant about the assemblies. Regardless of how religion was placed in the curriculum and into the general school day, I quite liked the hymns though.

Ok back in the classroom and Miss Hall gave us our first lesson of the new school year; it was literacy. She would cater the work to the year group which I thought was a very effective method of teaching. Miss Hall sat in her comfy chair next to her portable blackboard and started to teach the Reception children basic handwriting practice and after giving a demonstration she sent away to our places to practice our handwriting while she gives Year 1 and 2 their worksheets to do. I liked this a lot, the significant thing about this was the cartoon pictures on the top right hand corner of the page; it was a cartoon pencil with arms and legs to which I found odd, but amusing at the same time. I looked around at all the kids in the class and they all had their own group and they were chatting quietly to each other. Our table was in a word silent and because of my delayed speech I didn't quite know how to start a conversation so our table just did our work in silence.

My brother Alvin is in Year 4 and in Mrs Snape's class, oh I hope Mrs Snape isn't working his brain too hard.

I quite liked the fact the school takes regular 20 minute breaks, one in the morning at 10:25am then lunch was at 12pm until 1pm. We do some more learning and then have a 15 minute break in the afternoon, particularly the infant class then it be home-time.

As the Reception children were still new, they were allowed more freedom to play with the toys in the classroom, now I know what you're thinking 'This is school and they allow the new kids to play with toys in a classroom', well yeah they did, but I think now with the new teacher that's been halted. The most popular item was the train-set although we were having fun playing, I think they were actually teaching us valuable puzzle solving skills. I normally played on my own at home, but at school I was the same until we got to play with the stuff in the classroom and I played with the train-set; the tracks were wooden and they fit in a certain way. This small boy with short black hair approached me and sat with me as I was on my own. He started to put the track together with ease and with me mesmerised that he had one talent I hadn't learnt yet, I had to learn how he picked a piece up and just make it fit. He broke the ice first by introducing himself.

"Hello I'm Ross Niblett", he said.

"I'm Simon Seville", I replied quietly.

For the first time in all my life I considered Ross Niblett one of my friends and I sat with him at lunch with other kids, where I finally open up and communicating with him. It was a great feeling.

Alas the end of the school day arrived, but it didn't bother me anymore because I had a friend and I can take that into every day of school. Although I did have Ross Niblett though I still felt a bit lonely, I guess Ross was as well because he wouldn't have needed to take the initiative to come play with me if he wasn't. On days when Ross wasn't in school due to illness; those days were not the same, I couldn't function normally in a school day without the companionship of him and found myself lonely until the end of the school day hoping he returns the next morning.

Miss Hall really was the kindest teacher I've had so far though a close second to that position was Mr Taylor my electronics teacher in Secondary school, but that's for later on. Miss Hall had the most unique teaching style that never ever got old as she'd find things to keep us engaged and never get bored. I found all her lessons that she taught both interesting and stimulating, some days she'd ask us to sit in the carpet area in front of her as she has song time and I felt that this was nice to have something different. I used to love the uniqueness of the songs we sang, ah good times and the best song that I remember is "I've been eaten by a boa constrictor". Hehe yeah random song, but it was original and fun to sing along to. Miss Hall played the guitar like one the old style guitars not like the newer flat guitars; it was a proper guitar with the wooden finish with a hole for the sound too amplify. If it wasn't song time, she relax us into a story read by her. Some days she'd go crazy with the room and clear the room of all the tables; the first time she did that; I was thinking, "What's she doing with our desks". She proceeded to place chairs into a circle and she said "its circle time". The reception children were confused and Miss Hall showed them what it was. Circle time was done occasionally and we just sit in a circle and she'd ask a question that is or isn't school related for example "What did you do over the weekend?" or "What did you do well at school today?"

I quickly liked this as it gave everyone a chance to vent their concerns or worries about school or it added motivation to do better. After we did this, I thought, "right it's over right?"

No, we played some games that when I look back now they were a bit silly like "sleeping dragon" or playing catch in the classroom with a soft ball whilst sitting in our seats. Sleeping dragon was quite a good game actually for its time I suppose; the game was one person had a bunch of keys that made a sound and lay down and pretended to be asleep whilst someone picked at random had to go retrieve the keys, if they are successful then they're the dragon and the game begins again. Basically the object of the game was to retrieve the keys without making them jingle and wake the 'dragon'. Sometimes it was easy other times it took the whole class to have a go before someone did eventually do it. I was surprised how the small games we played in Primary school managed to keep me occupied and I actually enjoyed playing these games.

When the months go by as soon as Miss Hall realises that a new month has arrived she'd look at the wall, she'd point out that it wasn't the month we write in our exercise books anymore and remind us to write the new month instead.

Around December, I remember Miss Hall getting the advent calendar out and it wasn't the traditional cardboard box with doors, but it had 18 circles to represent all the days left in school before Christmas holidays begin. Each day a persons' name was hidden at random and the person revealed got a chocolate and on the 14th December I thought that my luck had ran out and went into a slump. The 15th came and my name was revealed.

I cheered joyfully as I claimed my chocolate treat, after 17th December it was the final school day of the year 18th December 1998 was a Friday I was hyped about Christmas like any other kid my age. I went to school as normal and as it was the final day; the teachers pretty much didn't do anything to teach that day. I liked doing what I wanted and that day wasn't any exception as all we did that day was watch movies and circle time.

Year reception I thought apart from loneliness couldn't have been better, but in 1999 it should be behind me.

Ok Chapter 2 done Read & Review.