Seems I've reached the dizzy heights of being immortalised in print, but what a mistake that was, not the worst in my life, but a learning experience.
Several weeks ago I was contacted by an Anglof/Franco newspaper who had heard of blog and take on the two education systems of England & France. They were preparing for 'Le Rentree' and wanted a teachers comments to aid the article. "Its just a short piece, only your view, humorous or insightful".
Having never been asked to comment in all my years in the profession 'officially', here I was being asked my personal views, based on one village school in France, one hour a week, for less than half a school year, over three years. The phone call that followed was a strange affair,because the reporter had no knowledge of teaching and said he only wanted me to talk for a couple of minutes. After half an hour and constant encouragement to "keep going this is fascinating", he finally rang off.
Later came a request to send an electronic photograph, to which the response was that, it was, ' not good enough for publication'. Some what affronted that a complete stranger should make a judgement of my looks, my husband quickly rectified things by explaining that they needed greater photographic resolution; a better lit & quality picture, not a prettier person.
So today, partly on a whim, I bought a copy of said paper (there was an article listed about new tax laws) and there I was smiling into the camera and a third of a page of tabloid print. To say surprised is to put it mildly and greater still was my surprise to find what I'd said.
They say the press embellish the truth well this was like taking some of my anecdotal stories & comments, throwing them in the air and then adding a couple of inaccuracies just for fun. No harm as such, but a strangely worded/ punctuated article which referred to me "throwing a toy to teach grammar" and how parents should contact the 'British Ministry of Education to check pupil levels'.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, well it seems that this newspaper has taught one old dog it can be tricked. "It will be fine", reassured my ever supportive other half, " anyone who knows you will realise you wouldn't phrase things like that".
