Advice For My Son

HOW TO SURVIVE THE FRENCH FACTORY SCHOOL

My beloved son R, you are a knight and you have to go out into this world...

• Silver Back Gorilla Behaviour:  be patient with the teachers who feel the need to establish their dominance at the beginning of term by displays of overt aggression, reassure them that you are an 

  

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  obedient little gorilla, then perhaps they won't feel the need to beat their chests so often, at least not in your direction.
• A Knight is Always Prepared...and never sets out on a quest without all his equipment and his armour in place.  Make sure you have everything you need down to the last colour-specified pen and grid-measured paper.  Not doing your homework is like leaving a chink in your armour, do it now and do it well, I am your Armourer, I will help you.
• Keep silence...give nothing away,  listen, observe...
• Do not seek Friendship...it cannot be forced...genuine friendship and goodness will come to you if it will, whether from teacher or child, but you know this better than me.  For me you will never be a number in a system, and I rejoice in your company!
• Find The Path...here are some clues, it is between having your spirit broken and rebellion, between saying too much and not saying enough...not too foward, not too backwards.  Never sit on the back row, for a teacher, that means trouble.  Always put your hand up when you have an answer, never shout out and never be seen to slump at the back or stare longingly out of the window.    After a while the teacher will see that you always put your hand up and will not ask you any more because she has to give everyone a turn.  Put your hand up anyway, think of it as gym training, use the right and then the left arm to build up your muscles.  This is called "participating in class".  However, do not doze off with your hand in the air because the teacher is sure you ask you at that moment and you will be DISCREDITED!
• Keep the flame burning inside...keep your spirit and your laughter and your jokes burning inside, and come back and share them with me and with your friends and loved ones.
• Sharpen your Sword..use this experience to sharpen your spirit and hone in your organisational skills,  to become capable and quick in your work, amuse yourself by seeing how high you can get with your marks, be happy when those around you suceed and sympathetic when they don't, and feel the same way about yourself, stay relaxed, present and alert, become strong.
• The Mission...perhaps one day you will feel called upon and capable of bringing in the changes we so need.  May you play your role in relieving the suffering of this world.