Alwyn Denika Graham Joe L
Joe M Nicholas Shannon William
I was a class teacher at Alder Bridge from Autumn 2000 to Summer 2004.
I remember well in my first Class 4 how the children's characters began to show over the Autumn term. One boy would saunter in casually a few minutes late, his hair uncut and with a 'rats tail' at the back, and with good eye contact to me, place his attention on his peers to right and left, and on amusing ways of interjecting in class activities. Another boy would fizz and miao and spin during recitations and songs, but be completely charming, good hearted and remorseful at any inconvenience caused. A third would staunchly stand and sit and sing and do everything as bidden with serious good will and unflappable patience. The outnumbered 2 girls would try to decide if they were friends or not, and veer between charming and taunting the boys.
Alwyn Denika Graham Joe L
Joe M Nicholas Shannon William
Eventually the two girls left and were replaced by another girl who seemed perfectly happy among the seven boys. This silhouette of that class by one of the fathers, shows them at the end of Class 5. A few of them still keep up with each other, and I met many of them at the sad event of the funeral of Graham Davies, one of the class, who had gone on to Wynstones School. He died suddenly while on a morning jog about two years ago. Graham had great charm and wit, with a good dose of what his mother described as “Huckleberry-Finn-itis”. I remember his immensely dynamic recitation of his Birthday Verse about a dragon, which reflected his depth and power while hinting at the need to train and tame himself. I remember him very fondly.
My teaching colleagues at that time were Suzanne Davies (later Cataldo), Jaime Reininho, Caroline Brown, Deborah Pike, Simone Schieber, Paul MacMullen, Ursula Waechter, and Val Taylor. I was also living in Bridge House, and so felt very much part of the furniture at Alder Bridge. Although in hindsight it would have been beneficial to develop more activities outside the school, I found it rewarding to develop commitment and responsibility for the place through a sort of full immersion. The Saturday work-days, for instance, keeping up the grounds and buildings, were very enjoyable, and a balance to the teaching; planning and celebrating the many festivals of the year brought a wholesome, enriching aspect to the work; taking part in the visioning and management of the school led to a growing sense of care for the whole school, beyond the parts that I had personal input in.
Back Row:
Clara, Zarin, Louise
Front Row:
Fox, Henry, Barney, Florence, Amelia
In the autumn of 2002 I took on the combined Class 1 and 2. This class was a huge change to the robust boys of my previous years, with a lot of highly impressionable pre-literate children, a great naivety and wish to please. As much as guiding the children through their first steps in reading and writing with the artistic and enlivening curriculum, it was a great honour to slowly draw the children together as a social unit, through the rhythmic activities, music, routines and little class quirks (including of the teacher, I have to admit) so that they felt 'at home' at school.
One regular feature of our Main Lesson was lyre playing. Just before the first term of this Class 1 and 2, we had a lyre-making workshop at the school at which nearly all the parents of children in my class took part, making a lyre for their child to play. The children enjoyed the uniqueness of their instrument and must have felt lovingly supported by their parents in their school journey, with their parents' craft work being an instrument for their musical endeavours.
Parents of Class 1 / 2 Lyre Making Workshop (September 2002)
There were significant and difficult times among the staff and parents during these years, which left many people feeling drained, and families leaving the school. Nonetheless, I remember my years at Alder Bridge very fondly, and thoroughly enjoyed the children!