I am a 35-year-old English teacher and have recently returned to the north-west after eight years living and working in London. I love my job – or, at least, I love being in the classroom. The administrative burden that has built up beyond recognition has not helped anyone, be it teachers or pupils. A lot of joy has been lost. I personally don’t think that Michael Gove or his successor, Nicky Morgan, has the first idea of the reality of school life.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I started reading the Guardian. My parents were always subscribers and I latched on to it as my interest in the world awakened (initially via the sports pages, admittedly). My serious consumption of the paper began at university, where I exploited the 20p student charge. Given that I read the paper from cover to cover every day, I don’t think any subsequent purchase in my life has matched it for value for money. I regard the paper as my “natural home”.
But I don’t support everything its writers advocate. I find the more trenchant articles on gender politics and economics a turn-off; I am drawn to what I consider “saner” voices, like Rafael Behr and Matthew d’Ancona. I guess that would make me a red Tory!
Other features I enjoy are Notes & Queries, John Crace’s parliamentary sketch and, oddly, the obituaries. The long read has been a fabulous addition to the paper. I think I will always remain a loyal reader of the Guardian. My life would be the poorer without it.
• If you would like to be interviewed in this space, send a brief note to good.to.meet.you@theguardian.com
