Monday Night Blues

A Tom Waits influenced blues, to capture the essential truth that 450,000 teachers make their classrooms "learning homes" every day and are trusted by students, parents and carers to hold the power, the real power, within a system that seems to focus on examination and inspection league tables.

Monday Night Blues

I review Lesson Plans on Monday night

Scan new curriculum content and delight

In blue crossing out political oughts

From the Matters to be taught

Leaving in what I know is right

        The classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home

I open my classroom door each day

It echoes with sounds of yesterday

And in that precious time alone

I re-plan the shape and tone

And mouth the words to lead them away 

        The classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home

Cos.. I’m the trusted teacher and I care

The students know I'm always always there

Distant critics may spew derision

U-turning earlier decisions

I smile and point to why, how, where?

      In the classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home

Our learning journey starts - off we go

To wondrous places only we know

There's so much work to be done

Always time for joy and fun

I guide them, chide them, to and fro

     In the classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home

Meanwhile in dusty ivory towers

Politician and pundits spend their hours

Tapping out negative witticisms

Soundbites to silence criticisms

Whilst this maverick teacher empowers

 In the classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home

Locking my classroom every day

Those hurtful headlines fade away

I recap our classy time alone

And how we made this space our home

Travelling, imagining, on our way

 Oh the classroom, our classroom, the classroom is our home