David's demise

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Not Just Another Brick In The Wall  (ASR) Most teachers are amazing, but sometimes . . . #2281472 by K5Rakitan

Oct 7th
Oof. It's finally Friday. I must say, this week was not a blast. I spent my Tuesday filling in a giant pile of paperwork to ensure the school can keep its access to the local swimming pool. Yesterday, we had the fire alarm going off because someone decided it was funny to waste everybody's time. I had to apologise to the fire chief and call the contractor who installed the fire doors because one of them no longer opens. This morning, David bore me again with his unending rants. Sure, he couldn't have foreseen that an avocado-chocolate sandwich wouldn't match those from the bakery down the street. Anyway, better for him to take it out on me than on the kids. I hope he keeps it that way...

Oct 10th
I have to talk to Alice about the French teaching assistant she wanted. I've received a handful of resumes, I'll let her choose. I think my favourite is the sailor-climber-skier-cyclist-skydiver-reader-writer-film director-physicist-biologist-engineer lad, but is he even real? Anyway, I'm almost worried about David, he was happier than usual today. It's not necessarily a good sign. He's been teaching here for five years, but really started to get on edge this year. I think he's having a burn-out. It's hardly surprising, sadly, with the job being valued less and less while the pressure increases. I personnally don't have too much time left, but I feel for Alice who'll have to replace me when I retire. It's a small school but the people around here are very involved, for better or for worse.

Oct 11th
Great start today. It's nine in the morning and I've already had a call from Samantha Conti's parents about David. I'll see him at lunch. No lessons this afternoon, he'll be able to relax a bit, and I know he needs it. I need to stay because the contractor needs me for the fire doors. I'm very competent at saying "No, not this one, that one."

Oct 12th
Alice came back to me, but she wants David's opinion on the matter before committing because, apparently, he told her he wanted to work with the guy. I don't see how a maths teacher could make use of a French TA, but why not, after all. Maybe he just wants to recall his time studying in Paris. He did his master's degree at Ecole Normale Superieure, which is apparently one of the best in the world, or at least that's what he says. The Parisian night life seems like fun though. I've always wanted to visit the Louvre. Not for the Mona Lisa, I think it's overrated, but for David (the painter) and Delacroix giant pieces, and all the other hidden gems in this huge art temple.
Speaking of David, he told me yesterday he knows he'd crossed a line when he spent half an hour babbling about the lack of triangles in architecture and how engineers should in fact take inspiration from industrial sandwich producers. He was supposed to teach the pupils about probabilities.

Oct 17th
The Contis asked for an appointment, they seem to want to set up some kind of after-school homework support group. I wouldn't normally find this alarming, but they specifically mentioned maths, and they were the ones to call me about David last week. I'll meet them tomorrow after my jog in the forest. I'm glad I picked that up again. Maybe I'll even register for next year's semi-marathon. I've heard that anyone with enough determination can finish it, unlike a marathon. I'm not too confident about that, but we'll have to wait and see.

Oct 18th
Turns out David's rant about architects was not an isolated incident. I'm not a big fan of parents trying to remove their kids from class, but this time, I actually think the reason is valid. I'll invite myself to his afternoon lesson. On another note, we'll be welcoming Nathalie next month who will be helping Alice and David. Maybe not David. I've just reread this diary and I have to stop assuming that French TAs are all guys. Will she dress in a beret and sailor blouse with clown make-up, or is it specific to men? I'll ask Alice, she should know.

Oct 19th
Even in my presence, he didn't manage. I saw some chatter in the ranks, but what worries me is that it looked coordinated. When I was their age, the only reason we would team up this way would be either for the teacher's birthday, which it isn't, or to cover them with snowballs, but it's too early for that. I'll try to learn more during breaktime.

Oct 20th
French people don't dress like clowns. Copy. I need some time off. Also, I had lunch with the mayor and secured our access to the swimming pool. I deserve a raise. And time off. The kids' cabal against David is starting to run on my bean, as Nathalie probably doesn't say.

Oct 31st
I feel so much better. The sound of the waves will always soothe me. Nathalie arrives tomorrow, I'll go pick her up at the harbour. She's coming by sailboat, because the carbon footprint is so much lower that way. It's admirable, but I never would have had the courage nor the stomach. It's curious how the world has felt smaller and smaller as technology improved, and now the trend is starting to reverse because flying by plane is no longer ethically neutral. And at the same time, we've never been more connected to the other side of the planet.

Nov 1st
I'm waiting for Nathalie, I think I see the sail in the distance. It's so much quieter here than in the school. I took a walk on the white cliffs this morning. It was windy and cloudy, and I wouldn't have wanted anything else. I took my old film camera for old time's sake, and took a few shots of the lighthouse. I don't think I've got the courage to develop them myself, I'll bring them to Thomas next Saturday. I should come here more often.

Nov 3rd
It took us a while to finalise Nathalie's paperwork, but I believe it was worth it. I've set her up in a small cottage up in the village, she has everything she could ask for. I've offered to pick her up in the morning, but she told me she likes walking. Good for her, there are plenty of hiking trails around here. She's up for a jog together tomorrow. It's good to see some new faces. It's only been a couple of days, and she's already been pretty helpful. The pile of papers to be marked on Alice's desk has disappeared faster than usual. I'll check on David tomorrow. I gave him my therapist's details and they've already met, but the parents' trust has been damaged. Still, it's early in the year, so he has time to get his act together.

Nov 4th
I think I have to fire David.