A group of SFDC EMEAers and a few select others spent the day teaching students at Furness Primary School in Brent for a full day of teaching. Using the curriculum provided by Young Enterprise, we taught about each level of socialization in contemporary British society as measured by proximity to the home. The older the students were, the wider their subject matter. For the youngens it was ‘our family. ‘Our community’ for the next year up. Then ‘our city’, to ‘our country’, and ‘our world’. I took the 3^rd years, where we learned all about ‘our community.’

I have two points of reflections about the day. The first is that teaching is surprisingly fulfilling. I had a few problems (for instance, handing out play money turned the classroom into the floor of some sort of New Yew Stock Exchange for wild seven year olds), but overall the day gave me a rare sense of satisfaction. Talking to the students, listening to their ideas, and watching them get excited about, I felt connected to my community.

My second point is that teaching is hard. It’s very true. So true, in fact, that I’ll say it again, teaching is hard. Very hard. The effort required to keep the little munchkins engaged all day taught me a deeper respect for what it must take to do this day in and day out. I have climbed to the tops of mountains, swam oceans, battled hobbits… and never have I been so exhausted after just one day of teaching.

When I fell asleep that night (at 6pm, mind you), I had a huge grin on my face. If such an opportunity ever came up again, I would volunteer without a second’s hesitation. I will die some day. If I were a teacher, it would happen sooner. But, then again, if I were a teacher, I’m sure I’d be very happy to leave for ‘our afterlife.’ - Joe Brady