Willy Russell has made the character of Mrs. key to be devotedly attached and an indulgent teacher towards the students we know this because she embraces the children on a school outing without the headmasters’ authorization. This may not appear like much, nevertheless these children are deprived and disregarded, and this outing was probably the first time the children have ever been away from their hometown.
Mrs. Kay is also in touch with the pupils she can relate to her pupils and give them optimistic advise as she struggles to present Carol one of the pupils to look at the good qualities in deprivation of living in Pilot Street. She is also incorrigible as she tries to boast Carols’ confidence as she says, “Well you could try, love couldn’t you”. The use of the word “love” shows that Mrs. Kay cares greatly for her pupils in a mother type manner. Mrs. Kay also showed this when sitting beside Carol with her arm linked through Mrs. Kay while snuggled up to her, it even said in the passage “They look like mother and daughter rather than teacher and pupil. Mrs. Kay is loved and treasured by the pupils unlike Mr. Briggs which all of the children loathe and detest, as he is hardhearted, strict and disciplinarian with the pupils. Mrs. Kay does her personal best to make the pupils lives more meaningful and enjoyable while they are still young.
Mrs. Kay is additionally talented with citizens as she manipulates the bus driver to get what she desires for her pupils. The motive for doing this was because the bus driver would not permit the children on the bus without examining them for chocolate and lemonade. So Mrs. Kay had a line of reasoning with the bus driver Ronnie in which she said:
Ronnie, the kids with me today don’t know what it is to look at a bar of chocolate. Lemonade never touches their lips. (We should almost hear the violins.) These are the children, Ronnie, that stand outside shop windows in the pouring rain, looking and longing, but never getting. Even at Christmas time, when your kids from the better schools are singing carols, opening presents, these kids are left, outside left to wander the cold cruel streets.
I believe that Mrs. Kay said this to originate the bus drivers’ conception of the children to be a lot more pleasurable than he previously thought. She is like a spokesperson for the children.
Mrs. Kay lives in the real world unlike Mr. Briggs she recognizes the children’s emotions and actions we know this as she said to Digga and Reilly “I wasn’t born yesterday and if I don’t ask you to bring a note you’ll hide behind that wall for two minutes and then tell me Mr. Briggs gave permission”. This is a exceedingly first-class quality in a teacher as she demonstrates that she is tactile in support of letting them go on the outing, but she also shows conscientiousness by asking for a note. Mrs. Kay asked for a note, as she knows how the children respond with particular quests in life. She is gentle-hearted and delicate with her pupils, Mrs. Kay shows the caring side of her personality when she links her arm with Carol this implies that she shows her affection, fondness and concern towards the pupils in a tactile approach. Mrs. Kay is not scared to have a close relationship will her pupils.
Mrs. Kay challenges Mr. Briggs with a heart-felt emotion as she fires rhetorical questions at him “You won’t educate them because nobody wants them education”. When Mrs. Kay says this she is trying to make Mr. Briggs realize that no matter how much he shouts at the children it will not make a difference. Mrs. Kay is fiercely protective of the children we know this as she expresses what she really thinks of Mr. Briggs approaches towards teaching. A good teacher must have patients with there pupils unlike other teachers Mrs. Kay is patient with her pupils we know this as Carol, who repeatedly asks the same questions about where they are going. However she answers Carol with patience.
Mrs. Kay only wants the children to have a festivity day “that’s the only rule we have today think of yourselves, but think of others as well”. She understands that the day out is important to the children, we know this as when she is verbalizing to another teacher she say’s “it’s a shame really isn’t it eh? You know we bring them to a crumbling pile of bricks and mortar and they think they’re in the fields of heaven”. Mrs. Kay adores seeing the children enjoying themselves.
Mrs. Kay responds to Mr. Briggs demand that the pupils get into line with sarcasm and humor “For a straight line is a wonderful thing to behold she is yet again defending the pupils. She is also determined to makes the day out be a day that the children will never forget as she takes them to the zoo and she also let them have sweets.
When Mrs. Kay paddles her feet in the water with her dress above the knees. She expresses her childish personality. Mrs. Kay does not put on an act or a front with the pupils we know this as “She takes off her shoes and had her stocking feet curled up under her. Mrs. Kay does not treat the children like children but she talks to them from one human being to another as equals, she does not look down on them as most other teachers would and she is not concerned with position and power. Mrs. Kay teaches through her personality, she does not have a teaching role she is herself and that’s why the pupils like to listen to what she has to say.
Mrs. Kay recognizes that each one of the children is unique in their own individual special way. She allows her pupils to be spontaneous and young as she lets them pick where they want to go as she took them to the fair. She worries about the pupils and their safety as when Carol goes missing and Mrs. Kay is deeply disappointed and worried about he absence.
Mrs. Kay has respect towards the other staff members, she does not judge Mr. Briggs she treats him with respect in a civil and polite manner in spit of their different approaches, we know this as she invites Mr. Briggs for a cup of tea out of her flask.
Mrs. Kay also has some bad qualities in the way in which she teaches. She has an irresponsible side to her personality we know this as she lets the children go into the shop on their own. I do not think that she knows they are stealing from the shop but as a teacher she should not leave them with so much responsibility. Mrs. Kay also lets the children wander around the zoo on there own, she is only trying to let them have a good time but she does not no where to draw the line she is too over trusting.
Mrs. Kay says while talking to Mr. Briggs “I tried to get the pupils to call me by my first name… they were outraged. Mrs. Kay does not realize that the pupils are going to end up disregarding Mrs. Kay and taking her for granted. However the fact that the children where outraged shows that they have respect for her.