What Makes a Teacher Great.

One who has the skill to make a pupil feel small?

One who recognises potential not at all?

One who’s way to control his class is by shouting?

The ability of each individual he’s doubting?

That was my experience of school,

When I left each day feeling nought but a fool.

Until on day  release at a technical college,

To spot potential one tutor had the knowledge.

He took me on one side and said to me,

One day you’ll be skilled, just wait and see.

He found me an apprenticeship where I could learn.

Make beautiful plasterwork and a reputation earn.

Many fine buildings I have contributed toward,

Gained a regional and national awards.

Sometimes it can take just one good man,

All he needs to do is say “You can do it, I know you can”

Meadowhead Bard.

   Decorative plastering was my first career, I worked my way up to technical manager. I was responsible for the reconstruction of the Bolton town hall, Albert Hall ceiling after a fire, and actually sculpted most of the patterns for the mouldings. The company I worked for won the regional award. I was headhunted from that company to another, where I was responsible for the ornate Arabic plasterwork of the Saudi Arabian embassy, for which we won the national award. Unfortunately no photographs were allowed for security reasons. I have a vivid memory, of going to do some finishing work prior to judging, with an armed guard at each side of me, it was a scary moment when morning prayers suddenly started over the speakers.

     I became disillusioned, when I didn’t get rewarded for my skills, and started my own company making miniature sculptures of classic cars. Two other claims to fame, Joe Eliot of the rock band Def Leopard has two of my sculptures, and Bob Dylan has a sculpture I made for him of Woody Guthrie.

     The photographs are of my work in Bolton town hall Albert hall ceiling, the hall was originally much higher, it was decided to add the other hall underneath after the fire. See second photo.

     Thank you to that lecturer at tech whose name I’m afraid is long forgotten, I knew not then what he had done for me.

     I hope you found this interesting,and I haven’t bored you too much. Tomorrow a bit of satire/Dylan style protest.