19/04/2008 by Aileen.

Off to Leeds Met this morning for a tutorial on the 60s (which is history now!) This block is going to be really interesting - and nostalgic for me - but I only have one week left of my website design course, and I have to produce a 3000 word report on my design for an imaginary firm. I’ve designed a web site, which all links up nicely, but the design is all over the place. I’m still prepared to fail, but at least I’ve learnt loads. Failure might be a salutary experience for me, as the only other thing I have failed is my driving test the first time round. (And of course, dozens and dozens of maths exams at school. I wasn’t even allowed to take the normal Maths O Level, and had to do somerthing called Business Maths - compound interest and stuff to get us through life I suppose. At Teacher’s Training College I had to do another exam to prove that I could actually do a but of maths. I must have passed as I got in)

That reminds me - my friend Teresa rang last night. I was at school and college with her. Her husband died a year ago on Thursday. I can’t believe a year has gone by since I last saw her. We are going to meet up once my studying is finished. Teresa went on to become a headteacher, and was/is also an OFSTED inspector. Teresa! How could you! I think she got a distinction at college. We were in the year before B.Eds came in and those with distinctions were eligible for the degreee. I think. I’ve always been a bit vague about details. Hence my problem with the website course. Every little colon or bracket actually means something!

Oops! I failed my first deputy head interview (got the second) and failed an interview at the Tooting Bec Religous Centre (or some such name) for becoming the schools adviser. I also totally failed at being a deputy. I hated being stuck between a really nice head and some nice staff who really dug their heels in whenever the (new) head tried to bring about some change. I left after four or five terms.

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05/04/2008 by Aileen.

I suppose the nuns did let us down at school. (Although putting it in context, I don’t think other schools were geared up for careers advice) I should really have done History (along with English and French) but saw how hard the girls in the year above us had to work for Miss Hammond, and decided it wasn’t for me! I told Sr Emmanuel I only wanted to do English and French, expecting her to insist I did a third A level, but she told me she thought I was wise, I probably couldn’t manage a third!!!!!!! My feelings were obviously mixed!!!!!

I could still have gone to Uni in those days with just two A levels, but as I knew I wanted to teach, Training College was the answer as far as I as concerned. Of course the nuns were delighted as they really pushed teaching.

I chose Maria Assumpta as it was situated in Kensington Square, London, and I think I had the best of both worlds as I lived in Pimlico. I could go home for home comforts, but enjoyed the community life of college.

In fact, I had more freedom with the nuns there than I would have had if I had lived at home.

The next block of my OU study is the 60s. I have such happy memories of music, Biba, mini-skirts, yoghurt!, Burke’s Law, Dr. Kildare, Gene Pitney…. I could go on and on.

But I must go to bed.

Night.

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