I decided to write a poem addressed to a young child. This is what came out. The play-dough eating bit is autobiographical.
Remember that although the play-dough’s yummy
You aren’t supposed to eat it, so be careful
You don’t get caught. Don’t worry if the teacher
Seems scary. It’s her job. She’s really lovely.
You’re not the only kid in here who’s frightened:
It’s not so bad, though. Soon you’ll feel at home.
You’ll have so much to say when you get home.
About whether the dinners here are yummy
Or horrible. And whether you were frightened
By bigger kids, and how you were so careful
To ask about the toilet, and how lovely
It was to be told ‘well done’ by your teacher.
Some tips on how to understand the teachers:
They’re not like grown ups you would find at home.
Though some of them, admittedly, are lovely,
And give you milk at playtime which is yummy,
They’re not all nice, so please be very careful
It’s not at all unusual to be frightened
Because your teacher, probably, is frightened
Of not being as good as other teachers.
She has to be so clever and so careful
She really doesn’t want you going home
And saying that the play-dough’s really yummy.
She wants you all to know that learning’s lovely
Which means that, sometimes, she cannot be lovely.
Sometimes she will get cross. Do not be frightened.
But even when school dinners are not yummy
Do try to eat them. Try to trust your teacher
And do those things you never do at home
Like Circle Time and Number Work. Be careful
At playtime. Cos not everybody’s careful
And not all children do things that are lovely.
The games are different than the ones at home.
So if you find that you’re confused and frightened
Don’t panic: you can always tell a teacher
If you find that your playtime isn’t yummy.
It’s not like home at all. So do be careful
Some things are yummy. Some will make you frightened.
But some are lovely. Listen to your teacher.
Tom Juniper Poetry 