Journeys Beyond the Known Frontiers of Boredom

[Spoonbill]

Whose lessons set the boredom benchmark, in your own opinions?

For me, time used to stand still in the forge with Keith Stratton. Maybe if we'd been allowed to chase each other round the room with red-hot iron bars, it might've been a bit more bearable. But no - we had to make toasting forks and hacksaws instead. (To be fair, though, I still have the hacksaw and use it about once every five years - and the toasting fork still lurks in a cardboard box, mainly because it's too crap to ebay.)

As aforesaid (by Bingo), double Ron Lorimer was a formidable ordeal, like crawling across the Sahara with no water-bottle. Double Derek Turner wasn't much better. Double chemistry with Rat James was definitely a journey beyond the charted boundaries of boredom, at least for me. And the Language Lab was just one long snore after the initial novelty had worn off.

But amazingly I found Willy Lough's double French lessons pretty palatable, while everyone else claimed they came away afterwards partially mummified.

What was your own experience? And did you ever nod off?

[Richard Ruck]

Easy!

Double French with Louis Bardou and a reel-to-reel tape recorder, going through some Molière play line by excruciating line. I think we used to cover one play per term like this.

Format :

Listen to two lines, stop tape, "discuss" (i.e. listen to Louis for 15 minutes), try not to doze off. Doze anyway.

Repeat until the end of the play is reached, or pupils die of old age.

The trouble was that Louis reckoned Molière was hilariously funny, and I think he got quite upset that we weren't rolling around crying with laughter.

Apart from this, I used to love French!

[BTaylor]

Double chemistry with Rat James was definitely a journey beyond the charted boundaries of boredom

Couldn't agree more. I quite liked chemistry, but the man did make it interminably dull.

He also once told me I didn't have the intelligence to get into university and would be better suited to manual work. But that's a whole different story.

Ben Taylor MA, Grad IPD, Bsc(Hons), PGDip, MIPR

[Mid A 15]

German with "Pongo" Littlefield.

I didn't learn a thing, which is obviously partly my fault, but I don't believe I was alone!

[englishangel]

Physics, a fascinating subject taught in such a way that I used to doze off.

Failed A level theory and got an A in the practical, so I knew what to do, just could not put it on paper.

[DavebytheSea]

Far worse than falling asleep in a lesson when you are a student, is falling asleep when you are the teacher. Believe me!

I once wrote on this forum about just such a very embarrassing incident I had, but I cannot find it; I think JT must have binned it.

[BTaylor]

Far worse than falling asleep in a lesson when you are a student, is falling asleep when you are the teacher. Believe me!

I once wrote on this forum about just such a very embarrassing incident I had, but I cannot find it; I think JT must have binned it.

Mr Keeley used to do that on a regualr basis.

[99yorkpj]

Caught asleep twice in the same subject (plus been asleep on more occasions).... just cant keep my eyes open.. (I think it must have somthing to do with the RS block)... hehe... of course, not that I get bored or anything

[J.R.]

Latin with BS Gregory in prep school.

(I didn't see the point of learning a 'dead' language then, and I still don't know !)

[englishangel]

Latin was extremely well taught at Hertford By Queenie Blench and she made it come alive.


My children do not have classical educations and often want odd bits of Latin translated, especially mottos etc.

[Vonny]

Sorry Mr Simms but I didn't exactly find Polecon thrilling and very often struggled to stay awake during the lessons.

Actually, while I'm at it I apologise for Florence as well

[DavebytheSea]

Latin with BS Gregory in prep school.

(I didn't see the point of learning a 'dead' language then, and I still don't know !)

Don't know what, JR?

[J.R.]

Latin with BS Gregory in prep school.

(I didn't see the point of learning a 'dead' language then, and I still don't know !)

Don't know what, JR?

...what the point is !

[Moulam]

Mechanics lessons used to become so boring that sleep did not even get me far enough away from the classroom. I had a 2-3 week period where I spent more of the lesson time that was meant to be in the classroom in my own bed back at house, of coarse this was all accidental.

honestly though, I did not mean to sleep in quite so much but I could not will myself out of bed to go to that lessons. It did not help that most of my mechanics lessons were period 1+2, .

The other lesson that always used to bore me beyond belief was textiles on my 3rd form. hmmmm, how did I survive...

oh yea, just to let you know my opinion, the point is to bore you! and to learn about caecelius est in horto!!!!

[Mid A 15]

Actually, while I'm at it I apologise for Florence as well

Do tell