Back at Summerhill

I phoned Summerhill to arrange the visit of 30 odd trainee teachers from Tower Hamlets to the school and much to my surprise discovered that the job I had done some 7-8 years ago, Shack Houseparent was available.

With the hectic life in London stressing me. With the concerts, plays and opera, and beautiful night trips on the Thames from Waterloo to East London, I had been enjoying culture but doing nothing to socialise and meet new people. To return to Summerhill felt like returning home. Though I was nervous.

I am incredibly bad at learning and remembering names, and I was starting back as a Houseparent. Last time I had been a science teacher, a professional role that allows you to define who you are within the community from a point of confidence, in terms of training and experience. After some five years of science teaching at the school I then became Shack Houseparent, already being friends with the numerous children in the Shack and Carriages and the rest of the school.

This time I was starting as a Houseparent, luckily a number of the children who I taught are still here, and most of the children have seen me visit for A.S.Neill Trust meetings, reunions and watching the BBC film the children drama. But what always comes back to me is how I seem to always worry too much, and fear the worst. The children, as always, are brilliant, and apart from the lack of sun, except the first two days of term, this is going to be a great year for me.