Don't surround yourself with yourself (Yes)

Hot for teacher (You may say I'm a dreamer - Chapter 5, part 1)

The preacher trained in all to lose his name,The teacher travels asking to be shown the same.        

Yes (And You and I)

In my case, it was training and travelling in 1982.

Most trainee teachers will tell you that Training College is largely a waste of time while they are doing it. Going 'on section' and learning on the job is more highly rated.

Then and now, I disagree with them. I loved Training College! After fighting tooth and nail to get there, I was determined to enjoy it!

First though, I had to move out of the family home. During the five years at university I had been living at Ramelton Road. I loved my parents and saw no reason to leave home. In a first tentative independent move, I had moved downstairs to a smaller room. Ross and I had subdivided the large games room and I had that set up as my music room and study area.

My study area, Ramelton Road. Records and books man!

For a number of reasons it made sense for me to move out now. As luck would have it, Deedoo's old two bed flat was in Windmill Road, just a few streets away from the Secondary Teachers' College in Mt Eden. The existing tenant was being a problem so it all made sense.

A lovely set it up it was too - the middle flat of three with elderly neighbours either side, with it's own garage; nevertheless, it was really really weird living on my own. I didn't like it much, but I did learn three important life lessons: I prefer having people around me; I hate silence; I'm a lousy cook!

Good friend and fellow Kevin Pound fan,
Judy Snowdon with Wozza

While doing the one year graduate training programme I had some inspirational tutors, Kevin Pound and Ron Martin in particular. Kevin, it has to be said, polarised our tutor group into love/hate extremes. You were either with him and his methods, or you were against him and them. Fellow students, Judy, Cherie and I were with him, so we enjoyed life.

Ron Martin was a picture of hyperactivity, full of ideas and energy. His enthusiasm was infectious! 

The third of our English tutors was Trevor Dobbin - a cliched laid back English teacher dude maan.

Between them they had all stereotypes covered. Interesting, too, that they were all males. At university, the female population vastly eclipsed males in arts courses like English. It was what I had become used to after six male dominated years at MAGS. Our tutor group was nicely split in gender, but I guess I subconsciously synthesised all of these male teacher models and drew from them different inspirations.

It wasn't all peaches and cream: 'education' classes were bizarre, the Audio Visual technician was a boorish prat and 'social studies' classes were a bit of a joke.

Hanging out with my tutor group in the cafeteria, and 'English' with my friends made up for any negative vibe.

Three 'sections' were an integral part of the course. This entailed travelling to new and exciting places (see - told you there was training and travelling).

West Auckland, Keri Keri and Havelock North schools were going to host Wozza during the year!

Love and peace - Wozza