Fosterman’s Fostering Blog
James (name changed) asked me something funny today. He asked if I could help with this Maths revision. Boy did I laugh and then he joined in. Maths was never my strongest subject at school and when I looked at the work he was revising it brought back horrible memories of not having a clue what was going on. I can actually remember the feeling of panic when I turned over the exam paper for my Maths O’level.
It was a feeling of sheer panic looking at words and figures that meant absolutely nothing. Somehow I managed to grab a B, I’ve no idea how. I recounted the story to James but suggested that Paige might be a more reliable source of information over me. James called her and she went through it with him and he seemed to be happy with what she said.
I’ve decided to buy Paige some flowers when the exams are finished as a thank you for all she has done with James.
James went off on exam day. He had Maths in the morning and then something else in the afternoon. He was nervous, I could tell but I suggested he relaxed and just did his best, nobody could ask for anymore. When he got home later he said he understood how I felt all those years ago. He turned the paper over and just froze. But he read everything through first and slowly the ‘fog’ cleared and he answered the questions but not in order.
I remember going through the paper and just answering the questions that I knew which gave me more time to sit and think about the questions I wasn’t so sure of. So he felt like he had done a decent job and I asked if he had done his best and he replied yes. He got a call later, from the player from his club, who had sent them all a message before the exam. James was almost opened mouthed.
Fostering Blog
This guy was a first team player and an international for an African team. He was ringing from home and asked James how the exams were going. He was on the phone for about 15 minutes and was repeating what he had said before about focussing on his exams in case football didn’t work out. James was like a little boy in his excitement. It was actually quite funny to see him like that. After the call, he told me everything that had been said and then called everyone he knew to tell them too.
The following day James had study leave so I granted him a lie in and he happily accepted it. Paige came round in the afternoon and they sat in the dining room revising. It was like looking at an old couple talking to each other. Paige obviously ‘wore the trousers’ and James seemed happy to let that happen.
They revised between 2 and 5 and I kept them replenished with tea and biscuits. Paige ended up staying for dinner and I dropped her home about 9. James went to bed as soon as we got back and I did all the usual stuff before locking up and heading off to bed.
