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A poem that I often think of, for reasons I will explain, is Walt Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer". Now you might be imagining me in my study, leafing through my collection of anthologies and happening upon this poem; the truth is that I came across it while binge-watching Breaking Bad.
My job requires, as most people's do these days, far too much time spent poring over documents and staring at a computer screen. Of course the documents I am working on are all connected directly to the school and to students - admissions lists, policies, policy amendments, timetable suggestions, budget proposals, recruitment long-lists - you can imagine the sort of thing (and my life is a ball of fire of excitement I can hear you think). When I have had enough of these rows and columns (usually by break time most Mondays), I will often go out and find some children to chat with. Before very long, one of them will say something brilliantly ridiculous that has me laughing for the rest of the day and which reminds me why I love this work. The list of school events since last August are too numerous to go through one by one. But it is they, and not cold spreadsheets and policies, that are the real stuff of school life. As we head–unbelievably–into our third academic year restricted by Covid regulations, my thanks to the teachers, to parent volunteers, to the Teaching Assistants, counsellors, the Facilities Staff and especially to our wonderful office secretaries who will make another year possible for the children of heart and soul school.
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
My job requires, as most people's do these days, far too much time spent poring over documents and staring at a computer screen. Of course the documents I am working on are all connected directly to the school and to students - admissions lists, policies, policy amendments, timetable suggestions, budget proposals, recruitment long-lists - you can imagine the sort of thing (and my life is a ball of fire of excitement I can hear you think). When I have had enough of these rows and columns (usually by break time most Mondays), I will often go out and find some children to chat with. Before very long, one of them will say something brilliantly ridiculous that has me laughing for the rest of the day and which reminds me why I love this work. The list of school events since last August are too numerous to go through one by one. But it is they, and not cold spreadsheets and policies, that are the real stuff of school life. As we head–unbelievably–into our third academic year restricted by Covid regulations, my thanks to the teachers, to parent volunteers, to the Teaching Assistants, counsellors, the Facilities Staff and especially to our wonderful office secretaries who will make another year possible for the children of heart and soul school.
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
- Whitman
Have a restful weekend,
Brian
Have a restful weekend,
Brian
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