Kirsten: ‘The teacher gets an 11’

Photography: Kee & Kee

The report presentation at school is always exciting: what does the teacher say about your abilities? Have you made progress in reading? Is your writing getting better? Or calculating? What do you find really difficult? At least as important: do you feel comfortable in class? Can you help other students with something difficult? And if you find something difficult, is it easy to say so and do they help you? Is it fun to eat and play together? In short, can and dare to be yourself with all your qualities and vulnerabilities?

Report presentation

When I was still teaching, I could see the faces of the students during the report ceremony: cheerful – the summer holidays are almost here! – and a little nervous – did I do well again this year? As a teacher I found it touching, those expectant looks. And because a positive approach pays off, I had loving words for each child. Because every child has its own talent and if you name it, it starts to shine. The fire comes from within, it is your true nature that may be there and that feels liberating. So one after the other beamed to receive the report.

“With all your qualities and vulnerabilities, can you and dare to be yourself?”

An 11

Now Jackie is in front of me. She has had two teachers in recent months: her own teacher and an internship teacher. She tells me that the internship will end soon and that the internship teacher’s teacher will be visiting to see if she has learned a lot from the ‘real’ teacher and from the children in her class. And that she will receive an assessment this week. ‘A report from the teacher, to show what went well and what she still finds difficult,’ explains Jackie. ‘But no matter what the teacher says about how she explained sums or helped us with difficult words, she gets an eleven from me. Because she’s always herself.’