Saturday 5 February 2011

A BIT WRONG

My editor said she thought I should add more description into Chapter ONE. So today I wrote this:
     
    The Learning Support Unit was a smallish room with fuzzy carpet and six wipe-clean desks, arranged in rigid formation. The teacher charged with keeping the demented element out of the way was Mr Fairs, the Learning Support Mentor.
    Toad said Mr Fairs had kicked a boy down the stairs once, and that the Learning Support Unit was actually set up to keep Mr Fairs out of the way. They only put students in there with him so he didn’t get suspicious.
    Frank wasn’t sure he believed Toad. Though there was something about Mr Fairs' expression that suggested he would like to kick a person down stairs. Frank felt it distinctly as he approached the desk. Mr Fairs looked up, eyes narrowed as the strip-light glinted off the top of his head.

Now, the thing is, is this a bit wrong? Learning Support Units are set up to promote government schemes like 'Inclusion', and 'Every Child Matters', and surely nothing like this could ever happen.

Except I did know a teacher who once kicked a student down the stairs. All the witnesses to the event swore they didn't see anything (the boy who got kicked was a menace). Which makes my imaginary Learning Support Unit sound like a beacon of 'Good Practice'.

2 comments:

  1. I love your blog. And this is a perfect example of how reality is in schools. I thought that you could have even more description of the room.

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  2. Thanks! I can't think whether to paint the walls of the Learning Support Unit 'peach' or that sick horrible green colour. Mmm.

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