Mr Brown

My first weeks of teaching were so confusing. I will never forget them.

In those first few weeks there are 2 teachers that really stand out in my mind who were helpful. Not by offering suggestions or feedback on how I was going, but just by general conversation, I didn't feel like such an alien. Because seriously, when I started work full time it really did feel like an alien place... the routines, the traditions of the school, the staff members, the children... not to mention the work load!!! Every school is different it takes time to adjust and learn all this.

My first week was the toughest. Those 2 teachers... both male. One is the school librarian he's tops. So down to earth I always enjoy his conversation and no nonsense attitude. The other was a veteran teacher to the school named Mr Brown. This is how we met...

"so you must be Voldemort?" he said to me. At first I didn't realise he was talking to me, but then I realised I was the only other person in the copy room.
"sorry" I asked.
"you're the one whose name can't be spoken" he replied.

I was confused... then I clicked!

My surname is not very common, and I had introduced myself to the staff using only my first name. I must have mentioned to someone that my last name had always been an issue so I don't bother telling people what it is.

Oh haha very funny. Great nick name!!!

We had a chat, I explained I had 5 children and lived in Newcastle etc.

Mr Brown would come and visit me in my classroom some mornings and afternoons to chat about the day. Very comforting as I am painfully shy and don't approach people Mr Brown saved me from doing this. One morning he came into my classroom saying "I am sorry for your loss" ... I had learnt by now that he often spoke in a cryptic manner and this was one of those times. I waited for his explanation. Apparently he had discussed me with another staff member and they had told him that I had 3 children. So he was saying sorry about the loss of 2 of my children. Hmmm, we laughed about the power of Chinese whispers and how things can get twisted by gossip.

The following morning he breezed through my room before school saying "you better come with me" ... crap!!! Ok damn I was not going to question him so I followed him. It was Friday and there is a staff meeting every Friday morning. Of which I was not aware.

Little things like that, things that he did helped me adjust to that confusing time. I genuinely appreciated it. I don't think he ever knew how much.

Sadness about this story. Mr Brown was killed last Wednesday afternoon in a traffic accident. He's been a teacher at the school over 20 years. More sadness to this, his wife is a teacher at the school too. It's not merely losing a teacher, this situation is more like family. I feel for her.

However, I am not always sad when I think of Mr Brown and that's why I'm writing this. Many things about him make me smile. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind... who he offended in the process, well, to him it wasn't intentional they had to know what he thought. So many little conversations like that make me smile.

He was also a passionate teacher. This year he had his class create a short film for a competition. The video was submitted to Kids Witness News video competition. They won the NSW Primary school section. Awesome stuff.

This is the video the children, with the help of Mr Brown created.

Who killed the cockroaches?

This Thursday we say goodbye to Mr Brown. He will be missed. He will never be forgotten.