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Gutted!
Gutted!
1959
It was worse than having the school bully punch you full in the face, when our english teacher Miss Welsh spoke the words that were to be etched in my brain for the rest of my life.
"your brain is a shambles, its as random as a pigeon pecking at corn on the ground".
Over half a century later I can still recall her comment word for word. I took it as a massive insult but, at the same time, I knew she was right. What made it so much worse was that she was one of my favourite teachers and I wish I'd had the words and ability to hold a conversation with her right there and then, but unfortunately, it would be many years before I could express myself sufficiently for that. Today I could have had a good chat with her about the potential advantages that a neuro-divergeant brain can bring, but this is now and that was then.
So, reluctantly, I accepted the criticism, and hoped she wouldn't give up on me.
But, just in case, and in an attempt to encourage her to discover my hidden potential, I wrote on the front of my English exercise book:
"Creativity favours the unstructured mind"- Professor Sharman Zazhulac
I wanted her to understand there might just be some advantage to my condition, and so made up the quote as well as the source! Well, looking back, I think that was pretty creative in itself, don't you?
These days our understanding of different brain types and spectrum disorders is much enlightened, but then – in 1959 - people were solely judged on a neurotypical basis.
Today, giving free rein to my pigeon brain (unintended poetry) it occurs to me just what a powerful position the schoolteacher is in when it comes to influencing the young mind. To draw an analogy, parents prepare the basic meal but the teacher seeks to improve it with garnishing and condiments.