A polite notice to X students

Some of you, it appears - are reading my blog. I'm not particularly bothered about that - it's a public forum - and as I have taught you - you post at your peril - the internet is a very small place and your sins always find you out. Being the only person in the UK with my surname - I'm very easy to find - I've learned to live with it.

If you must read this - please pay more attention before you run to facebook and jabber away with misunderstood information. Just so everyone is clear - once I had stopped teaching you, I cut most of my ties with the college. One reason being that I thought it was a bit unfair for me to continue - it would undermine the person who replaced me - and they should be left to build up the course as they felt best without me hanging about in the background. I know all the marks up to the point I stopped teaching - I should do, I compiled them for the exam board. I also know anecdotally that a number of you failed to complete your course work ( which happened after I had left.... in 'most' cases ) - and you all know the consequences of that - I drummed it into you enough times. I have no idea what your grades are, I have not asked - and nobody would tell me. It would be wrong of me to be told, and possibly illegal. In truth - the only marks that you as students do not know pre-exam board - are the grades for your FMP, and there is no possible way I could know what they are, I was not involved in the marking, the external examination, or the exam board. I do know what your predicted grades were - because I predicted them - I have a bad feeling I was a bit too kind to some of you - but then, I kind of assumed you would all have the common sense to complete the course - that's a bit of a no brainer.

Please don't assume I know your grades, I don't - and please don't broadcast missinformation on a public forum - it's just wrong. Quite obviously - most things find their way back to me - one way or another - generally - I don't give a toss, but try and stick to the truth, please.

I liked teaching - most of the time, but it was exhausting, very badly paid, very political and I couldn't manage to combine commercial work - I've been pretty open about that one. I was mostly motivated by the very poor teaching I received at college - and thought that you deserved better - some of you appreciated that, some didn't. Perhaps you will one day. I wrote on here recently that one of you stopped me in the street, thanked me, and shook my hand - I wasn't expecting that - and was touched. I'm also aware that some of you would cross the road if you saw me coming - I can assure you, the feeling is mutual ( and yes, you know who you are. )

Spending 3 years working for you 24 hours a day, dealing with petulance, self importance, a myriad of complex personal problems and general lack of motivation was pretty exhausting - but some of you did amazingly well and started to realise your real potential. I'm not just talking about the ones who performed really well and gained all the high marks - I was more impressed by the weaker students who might have only achieved modest success - but overcame personal problems and their own demons to get through the course in one piece and prove to themselves and everyone else that they could do it. If I offered you help, and you refused it - that was your choice.

When you get your grades - I suggest you look forward, rather than back - and move on with your lives - their really is nothing to see here. If things didn't turn out the way you wanted - learn from it, and don't repeat your mistakes - but please - don't drag me into it - you are all adults and all of you make your own decisions and are responsible for your own actions ( I might have said that a few times )

Once again - I don't know your grades - please don't ask me, please don't moan about not getting them yet - it has nothing to do with me.