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Jul. 10th, 2017 09:13 pmThe end of the year is approaching. Fry had never imagined he'd miss someone like Miss Havisham, but he finds he's glad she's not retiring after all.
She's still a good way behind Mr Irons in his favourite teacher list, but he would take some beating.
There are a few loose ends to tie off. The first is to announce that he has, indeed, won the credit chart for doing the most extra work. He hasn't beaten the all-time record, held by Rosie Sinclair, but he gets the trophy and that's more than enough.
The second, is the class gathering in the garden to do the last harvest of their garden box challenges.
"You have learned many things." Miss Havisham says. "You have learned that growing crops requires year-around dedication, and space, and money. You learned that you can achieve more working in co-operation with one another, sharing seeds and knowledge and work.
I want you to remember that I set you a challenge of five pounds because some people have even less than that spare income. Remember how difficult it is to do things, however hard you work, with very little money, and be understanding of how difficult it is for the poor.
"But if you are unlucky enough to ever be poor yourself, remember how to do things like this. One potato plant is better than none."
Finally, Miss Havisham tells them that they will be spending an afternoon with Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, their new class teacher for next year. She says a few words to them first.
"Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald is not the sort of teacher I am." she says. "In fact, I doubt you will ever have another teacher like me, who doesn't use technology, and puts so much emphasis on self-directed learning. I am a dinosaur, the last of my kind.
"If you want to get the most out of education, then you can continue to learn independently outside of school. You have all the books and resources and, dare I say it, even the internet. If you do not understand something, look it up. If you are poor at a subject, do more of it. If you want to achieve something, and you are not on track to, do something about it. Just because your next teacher will not, as I do, push you to do extra credit assignments, does not mean there is no benefit in you doing so, if you choose to."
She takes them through to the classroom next door. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald gives them a friendly wave.
"Sit wherever." He says, gesturing to the tables.
Fry pauses. He's never not had an assigned seat before. Maybe it will at least be his own seat once he's chosen one.
"Fry, let's sit here, with Noah." Teddy suggests, seeing him looking lost. Fry sits gratefully at the little table.
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald waits for them to be quiet, and when they are still chatting, holds up a hand.
"Right, this is a thing we did in the Boy Scouts. If I put my hand up, you all put your hand up, and you stop talking. Last one to stop talking is a rotten egg."
They all put their hands up and stop talking. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald puts his hand down again.
"Awesome. I don't like to shout over a class. Let me tell you a few things about the way I work.
"Number one. You are children. I want you to use your imaginations. I want you to ask questions. I want you to ask stupid questions. I want you to tell me what you want to know. That's what this box at the front is for. If you don't tell me what you want to learn, we will do dull stuff from text books.
"Number two. I want you to be comfortable. If you need to take off your shoes or your tie or roll up your sleeves, or wear shorts in summer, or wear a dress if you're a boy, you do not need to ask, go ahead. You do have to put yourselves back together again before you leave the room. You can use fidget spinners or anything you need to concentrate so long as you're not bothering anyone else. You do not have to ask permission to go pee. And..." he pauses to make sure they are paying attention. "You can have your phones or devices or whatever in class, and you can use them to look stuff up, so long as we're not taking a test. If you start mucking around or texting, then they'll go in the box.
"Number three. Don't assume that just because I can't remember your name that I don't know anything about you.
"Number four. Punishing you is a waste of your time and mine. I'm pretty relaxed, so if I do tell you to do something, do us a favour and just do as you're told, okay? Any questions?"
Fry puts his hand up.
"May I stay sitting here for the rest of the year?"
"Yes, sit where you like." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "I don't move anyone unless they're being a nuisance."
Everyone seems very happy with all of this. Fry looks over at the long-haired, bearded teacher, with his feet on the table. He still feels unsure.
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald then goes around the class, passing around some envelopes and scrapbooks.
"This is your holiday assignment." he says.
Fry opens the envelope. Inside are ten bean seeds.
"I want you all to find as many different uses for these beans as possible. I want you to use your imaginations. Each thing you find to do with them, you write in your scrapbook. Pictures even better. The only things you can't do are eat them - these are seeds, they're not edible unless you plant them - or stick them up your nose or in your ears or anything dangerous that will get me into trouble with your parents. Prize for the winner at the start of next term."
Fry stares at the beans. What a stupid assignment! Bean seeds are for planting. What else would you ever do with them?
When the rest of the class goes out to play, he hangs back.
"Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald?" he asks, when they've all gone. "Did Mr Irons or Miss Havisham tell you about me?"
"Yes." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. Fry had half-expected the teacher not to know his name. "Your name is Alexander Jefry Sandhu, you prefer to be called Fry, and you have Asperger Syndrome which causes you some sensory issues and affects your ability to adapt to change. You learned to overcome change slowly with Mr Irons. I am going to help you develop imagination and the ability to deal with surprises."
"Surprises." Fry says flatly.
"Nice surprises." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "And I won't be mad if you can't use your imagination, I just want to help you try."
Fry takes his beans and his book. He's not sure about this. But he knows Mr Irons trusts his new teacher, and Mr Irons hasn't led him wrong yet.
She's still a good way behind Mr Irons in his favourite teacher list, but he would take some beating.
There are a few loose ends to tie off. The first is to announce that he has, indeed, won the credit chart for doing the most extra work. He hasn't beaten the all-time record, held by Rosie Sinclair, but he gets the trophy and that's more than enough.
The second, is the class gathering in the garden to do the last harvest of their garden box challenges.
"You have learned many things." Miss Havisham says. "You have learned that growing crops requires year-around dedication, and space, and money. You learned that you can achieve more working in co-operation with one another, sharing seeds and knowledge and work.
I want you to remember that I set you a challenge of five pounds because some people have even less than that spare income. Remember how difficult it is to do things, however hard you work, with very little money, and be understanding of how difficult it is for the poor.
"But if you are unlucky enough to ever be poor yourself, remember how to do things like this. One potato plant is better than none."
Finally, Miss Havisham tells them that they will be spending an afternoon with Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, their new class teacher for next year. She says a few words to them first.
"Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald is not the sort of teacher I am." she says. "In fact, I doubt you will ever have another teacher like me, who doesn't use technology, and puts so much emphasis on self-directed learning. I am a dinosaur, the last of my kind.
"If you want to get the most out of education, then you can continue to learn independently outside of school. You have all the books and resources and, dare I say it, even the internet. If you do not understand something, look it up. If you are poor at a subject, do more of it. If you want to achieve something, and you are not on track to, do something about it. Just because your next teacher will not, as I do, push you to do extra credit assignments, does not mean there is no benefit in you doing so, if you choose to."
She takes them through to the classroom next door. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald gives them a friendly wave.
"Sit wherever." He says, gesturing to the tables.
Fry pauses. He's never not had an assigned seat before. Maybe it will at least be his own seat once he's chosen one.
"Fry, let's sit here, with Noah." Teddy suggests, seeing him looking lost. Fry sits gratefully at the little table.
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald waits for them to be quiet, and when they are still chatting, holds up a hand.
"Right, this is a thing we did in the Boy Scouts. If I put my hand up, you all put your hand up, and you stop talking. Last one to stop talking is a rotten egg."
They all put their hands up and stop talking. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald puts his hand down again.
"Awesome. I don't like to shout over a class. Let me tell you a few things about the way I work.
"Number one. You are children. I want you to use your imaginations. I want you to ask questions. I want you to ask stupid questions. I want you to tell me what you want to know. That's what this box at the front is for. If you don't tell me what you want to learn, we will do dull stuff from text books.
"Number two. I want you to be comfortable. If you need to take off your shoes or your tie or roll up your sleeves, or wear shorts in summer, or wear a dress if you're a boy, you do not need to ask, go ahead. You do have to put yourselves back together again before you leave the room. You can use fidget spinners or anything you need to concentrate so long as you're not bothering anyone else. You do not have to ask permission to go pee. And..." he pauses to make sure they are paying attention. "You can have your phones or devices or whatever in class, and you can use them to look stuff up, so long as we're not taking a test. If you start mucking around or texting, then they'll go in the box.
"Number three. Don't assume that just because I can't remember your name that I don't know anything about you.
"Number four. Punishing you is a waste of your time and mine. I'm pretty relaxed, so if I do tell you to do something, do us a favour and just do as you're told, okay? Any questions?"
Fry puts his hand up.
"May I stay sitting here for the rest of the year?"
"Yes, sit where you like." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "I don't move anyone unless they're being a nuisance."
Everyone seems very happy with all of this. Fry looks over at the long-haired, bearded teacher, with his feet on the table. He still feels unsure.
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald then goes around the class, passing around some envelopes and scrapbooks.
"This is your holiday assignment." he says.
Fry opens the envelope. Inside are ten bean seeds.
"I want you all to find as many different uses for these beans as possible. I want you to use your imaginations. Each thing you find to do with them, you write in your scrapbook. Pictures even better. The only things you can't do are eat them - these are seeds, they're not edible unless you plant them - or stick them up your nose or in your ears or anything dangerous that will get me into trouble with your parents. Prize for the winner at the start of next term."
Fry stares at the beans. What a stupid assignment! Bean seeds are for planting. What else would you ever do with them?
When the rest of the class goes out to play, he hangs back.
"Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald?" he asks, when they've all gone. "Did Mr Irons or Miss Havisham tell you about me?"
"Yes." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. Fry had half-expected the teacher not to know his name. "Your name is Alexander Jefry Sandhu, you prefer to be called Fry, and you have Asperger Syndrome which causes you some sensory issues and affects your ability to adapt to change. You learned to overcome change slowly with Mr Irons. I am going to help you develop imagination and the ability to deal with surprises."
"Surprises." Fry says flatly.
"Nice surprises." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "And I won't be mad if you can't use your imagination, I just want to help you try."
Fry takes his beans and his book. He's not sure about this. But he knows Mr Irons trusts his new teacher, and Mr Irons hasn't led him wrong yet.
