The Class
to the Class of 2014
after Raymond Carver
The class with beautiful scarves
The class who learned ukulele
The class in love with their stationery
The class sipping free coffee from Waitrose
The class who went on a Bear Hunt
The class who got flooded
The class of the working wall
The class who posted on the Hive
The class who stayed up all night
Class of my nervousness
The class I taught phonics and riddles
The class who bonded in Study Groups
The class who texted me
The class who wore Christmas jumpers
The class who dressed up as fairies
The class who practised their singing
The class who vanished to the pub
The class who knew best
The class with iPads
Hardcore class
The class who asked if it was optional
The class when no one else was there
The class who said ‘I’m waiting…’
The class who scoffed all the chocolates
The class who conquered Tower Hamlets
The class who got lost in Rome
The class who shuffled out slowly
The class who danced on the grass
The class who wanted it badly
The class who discovered their calling
The class no government can squash
Brilliant class
The class who gave everything
The class who tasted perfection
The class who left
The class of my dreams
This class
Anthony Wilson 
this poem made me cry
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Thank you for saying so x a
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Raymond Carver would love this…and so do I as will anyone who loves teaching students of any age. Beautiful, Anthony. Like Caroline, I cried.
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I’m so pleased you liked it. Thank you for saying so. a
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Lovely Andrew!
I love line this particularly
…The class no government can squash..
Oh, how I wish, as teachers, they had known the 1980’s!
If they could only see or imagine their dancing
In thirty years time,
This class.
Who will have given everything
And received little thanks
From a Government who tried to
Squash them
For their sacrifices.
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Meant to say Anthony!
Just been reading R Andrews Poetry problem stuff.
Sorry! 32 years of teaching will do that to you!
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Students are so full of hope and so much better informed than I was. They have to be better now. Anthony! (Sorry for name error-end of year aberration)
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Much much much more together and informed that me too. I am seriously in awe of them. Esp given the current context, ahem. A
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Sacrifices! That’s it! Exactly the right word. And no one sees this. If I could change one thing it would be to make the discourse of derision of teachers illegal.
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This is lovely! The Christmas jumpers line made me laugh out loud. Thank you for this tribute to students, and for asking us as teachers to reflect on what gives us joy, what brings on anxiety when we step in front of a class.
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So pleased you liked it, thank you.
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