Some say great teachers are born, others say they are made. But whatever the truth, new recruits to the teaching profession still need to begin somewhere.
It is usually at this time of year that bright-eyed, enthusiastic student teachers boldly go where many fear to tread - the classroom. Dozens of local trainees are now heading towards ESF schools.
Armed only with the confidence of youth and memories of their recent schooldays, they are despatched by tutors into the wonderful, mysterious world of organised learning.
These first sessions are called 'observations' but clever teachers can spot an extra pair of helpful hands quicker than the fleeting image of a flash card. Sooner than they expect, they can be faced with a reading group or be helping with a maths class.
My own induction into the joys of educating raw, untrained minds largely consisted of avoiding missiles hurled by recalcitrant members of what was quaintly termed the 'special class' in an area more renowned for producing reprobates than graduates.
Though it was not the most encouraging start, there was definitely something strangely inspiring about the passion and intensity that went beyond scoring a direct hit on the light.