tools of the trade

One of the things that Béatrix does as part of her job involves her wearing an orange fluorescent jacket. 

Momo also wears one for some of the jobs he does around the school.  The jobs each wears it for are slightly different; Momo directs our mummies and daddies to available parking spaces whereas Béatrix, according to Anusha, wears the jacket ‘in the morning when she helps people get out of the bus.’  So two different jobs but one common ‘tool of the trade’.

Our task on Monday was to decide for ourselves, knowing what we already do about the different jobs of some of the people who work in our school, who might use what ‘tool of the trade’ and for what task.  As we have already seen, in our school a fluorescent jacket is used by two different people, an assistant and a service technique - for two different tasks.

So - take a telephone.  Who might use that in our school – and why?

Melina remembered that Momo uses a telephone to call someone for help if (perish the thought) he ‘has got something he can’t fix’.  Joseph remembered this too.  ‘He might call some people for help,’ he said.

Tim told me that the nurse also uses a phone.  ‘When your tummy is not good; she calls your mum and dad.’  Yanis also remembered this.  The nurse phones ‘to tell your mum and dad if you are good or not good,’ he said.

Melchior remembered that a chef also uses the phone in our school.  He uses it to ‘call about the food.’  A little vague about what exactly that means, but just as long as we don’t run out; right Nicholas?

Both Luna and Alexis remembered that the librarian in our school needs to use a phone although neither was quite sure what for.  Ella though, having been one of the people who interviewed her earlier, was certain.  She phones ‘to order new books,’ she told me.

How about one of these?  Who in our school might need to use a computer?

This too is used in the library.  Emily was clear about this.  Our librarian uses it ‘to check books,’ she told me. 

Along the way we also thought about story books and pencils; about mops and scissors; and about glue sticks and plasters and whole trays of food.  And we thought about ride-on mowers.  A lot.

Some of these ‘tools of the trade’ are used by just one person for just one job (however much fun it might be to ride around the field atop a mini-tractor!) whereas some, like scissors, are used by all sorts of people for all kinds of different things.

I wonder; which of these ‘tools of the trade’ might you use?  And no; a ride-on mower is NOT one of them!  No no no!