Chapter 29
“Quiet down class!” I shouted to the class. Sometimes they were just unbearable, chatting among themselves, giggling loudly about yet another Instagram post or whatever it was the youngsters was doing these days.
It took a few minutes for the children to actually settle down which gave me enough time to write my name in big block letters on the black board behind me.
MR. VAN LEER
“I am Mr. van Leer,” I said as I turned around, staring at the open faces of yet another group of children sitting in front of me. Some of them eager to learn, others wishing that they could be anywhere else than in my classroom. “And I will be your English teacher for this year. I would like to welcome you all, and also assure you that this will be a class where I promote thinking for yourself.” And also speaking up for yourself, I thought to myself although I did not add that.