If you
can keep your voice when all about you
Are using
theirs to bellow over you;
If you
can dish out rules when all kids flout you
But see
the humour in their flouting too;
If you
can care and not get tired of caring
Or, being
dissed, maintain a steady poise,
Or, being
sworn at, not give way to swearing,
And see
the stillness in amongst the noise;
If you
can plan but not make plans your mistress;
If you
can chill and have a nice weekend;
If you
can still take care of all your business
And not
let children drive you round the bend;
If you
can bare to see the gifts you’ve given
Received by
ingrates with a sullen grunt,
Or feel the fuel diminish, but stay driven
And smile
when the Head is being a…difficult person to work with;
If you
can make an ally of a parent
And both
look out for what you think is best
For Little
Johnny when he has been errant
And hasn’t
done his work or passed his test;
If you
can force your brain and heart and sinew
To teach
the things that Ofsted says you should,
And so
make sure the governors don’t bin you
And that
the school maintains its place as ‘Good’;
If you
can talk with yobs and keep composure
Or plug away when they don't give a damn;
If you
can act when there’s been ‘a disclosure’
And not
display the news on Instagram;
If you
can keep calm while you have to wing it
With sixty
minutes worth of ‘drama games’,
Yours is
the class, and everything that’s in it
And –
which is more – you might not go insane.
