Street Child

Today I finished my classes' display on the story Street Child by Berlie Doherty. It's a great book; a fictional account of the experiences of Jim Jarvis, a young orphan who escapes the workhouse in 1860's London and survives brutal treatment and desperate circumstances until he is taken in by Dr. Barnardo, founder of a school for the city's "ragged" children.

Last week the children wrote poems based on Jim's escape from the workhouse and over the weekend Graham created two large black gates for my display.

Below is one of the poems written by a pair of children in my class. Impressive work for ten year olds!

The Great Escape
My chance to escape – the gates are ajar,
If I want to abscond, I must run afar.
Blood is rushing chaotically through my head,
I am very, very cautious about how I tread.
Laughing quietly, taking no notice of me,
The carpet beater is near – but I won’t let her see.

I then hear a cart and wait, but then-
I dart through the gates,
My heart beating quicker.
And suddenly, I’m through!
And I run until there is no breath left in me.

I am free.
Free.

I'm tired tonight - I didn't sleep well last night and today as well as teaching I've had a governors' meeting and I've still got 10 Literacy books to mark. Is it really only Monday?