h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was going to write a little journal entry about seeing the Scissor Sisters last night, and how amazing it was, but first thing this morning I found out one of my favourite teachers died while on a school rugby trip.

Robbo was a really good bloke, one of those rare sports teachers who wasn't a complete jock, and was just as nice to the non-sporty kids (like me). He cared far more about students feeling happy about themselves than doing well in his subject. What he realised, and most of his colleagues didn't, was that this made the non-sporty kids work harder for him, because he made you feel good.

My favourite memory was him telling me, just after two of his colleagues had given me a beasting, that they were heads, that they were wrong, and that I should ignore them. He always thought that if a sport wasn't fun, then there was no point in doing it. Then he went out and found two sports that I adored.

Rest In Peace, Robbo, you'll be sorely missed.

I woke up to that news this morning (literally). My initial thought was "What sort of posh school has school trips to Australia?"...and then I heard it was mine.

I didn't know him, obviously, but I'm guessing that I knew at least one of the heads he refered to. Anyone holding such a view must have been an OK guy.

so sorry for your loss, lago

R.I.P. Ian

I read about this on the Guardian site, then saw this. These things always seem so distant until they affect someone you know. A genuinely inspirational teacher is a rare thing (of all the teachers I had I can only think of three) so this is a great loss.

By the way...I still to this day joke that my school sports experience - in which I was totally put off sport by the afore mentioned head and others - will be what kills me. Really its just an excuse for being a lazy lardo.