Bother. I was clearly more addled last night than I'd given myself credit for: I had forgot I have scheduled both tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening quite tightly with student interviews in the hopes I can get through the entirety of the fifth years in a week's time and minimise the disruptions to everyone's schedules. I can rearrange if necessary -- and I do agree it is clearly quite necessary for me to spend some time with Heads of House to discuss both the students and recent school history in greater depth -- but if you would be willing, might I invite you to dine in my office with me, say around 6pm or so, so we might have a more private discussion than the Great Hall affords?
I recognise this is a great imposition, and I apologise for the temerity in asking; I do not at all mean to imply you should dance attendance upon my schedule and my convenience and I would be willing to adjust the schedule to allow for time with you tomorrow afternoon if the prospect doesn't suit, or to instead schedule time with you for Thursday afternoon or evening (which, due to it being my day from hell, I've kept free of student interviews). The events of yesterday, however, have made it quite clear to me that the conversation is likely best handled sooner rather than later.
I will say to you in confidence that I find myself a bit at sea with some of the children so far. I had steeled myself for wariness and been prepared to spend quite some time in overcoming past bad experiences -- I had of course known Alecto and Amycus for quite some time, and while they were both powerful practitioners of their subject and both could have been suited to mentoring gifted adult apprentices, their style was not necessarily what I would consider effective with children and en masse. But though Aurora has painted me the broad outlines of what transpired, I had somehow failed to comprehend the extent of the damage influences upon the childrens' fears.
Our Lord has laid the task of education of His youth upon my shoulders, and I have promised myself to treat it as seriously, and with as much dedication, as any task he has honoured me with in the past. And I have known for years that study of the Arts -- whether in theory or in practise -- is most effective when led by someone whom the student feels secure, as my subject (more than nearly any other, in all truth) requires an element of trust between student and teacher. I can only hope I have not damaged that fledgeling bond with several of your House too deeply, and throw myself upon your mercy for information I can deploy in service to our shared charges. Aurora has been significant help so far, and generous with both her information and her candour, but it is becoming patently clear a variety of perspectives will be of great benefit.
I also regret that my infirmities have caused me to rely so heavily upon dining in my office or my quarters rather than taking more meals in company -- it is becoming clear I should at very least try to notify you, Horace, Septima, and Rolanda in advance of my plans for the week so that you might spot any potential sources of trouble. I have been meaning to consult more regularly with Razzer so we might coordinate our curricula more closely once I am past the barest introductions. Perhaps it might be wise for me to propose scheduling a brief meeting for us all on Sunday evenings immediately after supper? Though of course this year is beset by a number of scheduling challenges that appear to only be multiplying as time goes on -- I will leave it to your discretion as to whether it would be helpful or simply more tedious twaffle.
If you have the opportunity, meanwhile -- Aurora has mentioned that both you and she prefer a far more hands-on approach with your cubs -- please reassure Mr Hopkins that I bear absolutely no ill-will towards him, and in fact was expecting many more students to have the same difficulty he had. I regret I did not have the opportunity to provide that reassurance to him in person; his visible unease meant I did not wish to call further attention to him in front of the entire class and was intending to hold him back afterwards, but Mr Stebbins proved more in need of my attention. I will repeat the reassurance when I have my interview with him -- scheduled for tomorrow afternoon -- but if you see a moment beforehand, please tell him that he need not fear future retaliation, and that I was in fact quite pleased with his performance.
At your service, and hoping the rest of the week proves more free from incident, Antonin
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Date: 2012-09-18 10:00 am (UTC)Bother. I was clearly more addled last night than I'd given myself credit for: I had forgot I have scheduled both tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening quite tightly with student interviews in the hopes I can get through the entirety of the fifth years in a week's time and minimise the disruptions to everyone's schedules. I can rearrange if necessary -- and I do agree it is clearly quite necessary for me to spend some time with Heads of House to discuss both the students and recent school history in greater depth -- but if you would be willing, might I invite you to dine in my office with me, say around 6pm or so, so we might have a more private discussion than the Great Hall affords?
I recognise this is a great imposition, and I apologise for the temerity in asking; I do not at all mean to imply you should dance attendance upon my schedule and my convenience and I would be willing to adjust the schedule to allow for time with you tomorrow afternoon if the prospect doesn't suit, or to instead schedule time with you for Thursday afternoon or evening (which, due to it being my day from hell, I've kept free of student interviews). The events of yesterday, however, have made it quite clear to me that the conversation is likely best handled sooner rather than later.
I will say to you in confidence that I find myself a bit at sea with some of the children so far. I had steeled myself for wariness and been prepared to spend quite some time in overcoming past bad experiences -- I had of course known Alecto and Amycus for quite some time, and while they were both powerful practitioners of their subject and both could have been suited to mentoring gifted adult apprentices, their style was not necessarily what I would consider effective with children and en masse. But though Aurora has painted me the broad outlines of what transpired, I had somehow failed to comprehend the extent of the
damageinfluences upon the childrens' fears.Our Lord has laid the task of education of His youth upon my shoulders, and I have promised myself to treat it as seriously, and with as much dedication, as any task he has honoured me with in the past. And I have known for years that study of the Arts -- whether in theory or in practise -- is most effective when led by someone whom the student feels secure, as my subject (more than nearly any other, in all truth) requires an element of trust between student and teacher. I can only hope I have not damaged that fledgeling bond with several of your House too deeply, and throw myself upon your mercy for information I can deploy in service to our shared charges. Aurora has been significant help so far, and generous with both her information and her candour, but it is becoming patently clear a variety of perspectives will be of great benefit.
I also regret that my infirmities have caused me to rely so heavily upon dining in my office or my quarters rather than taking more meals in company -- it is becoming clear I should at very least try to notify you, Horace, Septima, and Rolanda in advance of my plans for the week so that you might spot any potential sources of trouble. I have been meaning to consult more regularly with Razzer so we might coordinate our curricula more closely once I am past the barest introductions. Perhaps it might be wise for me to propose scheduling a brief meeting for us all on Sunday evenings immediately after supper? Though of course this year is beset by a number of scheduling challenges that appear to only be multiplying as time goes on -- I will leave it to your discretion as to whether it would be helpful or simply
moretedious twaffle.If you have the opportunity, meanwhile -- Aurora has mentioned that both you and she prefer a far more hands-on approach with your cubs -- please reassure Mr Hopkins that I bear absolutely no ill-will towards him, and in fact was expecting many more students to have the same difficulty he had. I regret I did not have the opportunity to provide that reassurance to him in person; his visible unease meant I did not wish to call further attention to him in front of the entire class and was intending to hold him back afterwards, but Mr Stebbins proved more in need of my attention. I will repeat the reassurance when I have my interview with him -- scheduled for tomorrow afternoon -- but if you see a moment beforehand, please tell him that he need not fear future retaliation, and that I was in fact quite pleased with his performance.
At your service, and hoping the rest of the week proves more free from incident,
Antonin