Flaming Nora: Tomorrow: A magical visit to my old Junior School

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Tomorrow: A magical visit to my old Junior School

I write this on the eve of a very special day.

Tomorrow, I am spending the day at my old Junior School. I've been invited in by the Head to officially open the school's renovated library. It's an honour and a privilege to be asked. I've already been in for a recce and library is wondrous, colourful and calm. A learning haven, a safe place to get lost in a book without fear of being unable to find your way out again.

I've asked if I can stay for school dinner and the Head has told me I can. My mam worked as a school dinner lady in the infant school across the yard from the juniors when I was there. Every time I think of mam in her green school dinner pinny I think of pink custard and coconut tart. If it's on the menu, I'll have it of course.

Not only that, but I'm also giving talks to each of the nine (gulp!) classes in the school. I'll talk about being a junior there myself and about the love of reading and libraries the school instilled in me. I'll ask the children about their favourite authors, stories and books.

I'll also tell them it doesn't matter if they hate books and writing so much it makes them cry. I was much the same with maths and still am. But I will tell them that whatever they do feel passionate about, whatever it is that's within them that makes them happy to learn more at school - art, crafts, dancing, singing, maths, science, computers - whatever it is, I'll tell them to embrace it. To ask the teachers to show them, to help them learn more. To never be afraid to do what you love. To never let anyone tell you that you can't. Because you can.

And I did.