Academic

 

Academic

September marks the beginning of the academic year in UK, a fresh start just as the northern hemisphere sinks into autumn.

We often say, ‘It’s academic’ in a rather dismissive way, implying that a subject is not worthy of discussion, or else that whatever one may say will not make any difference.

Being called an academic can be considered a compliment or an insult.

Many years ago, I had a problem with my back and consulted a well-known sports physiotherapist. In the course of recording my details, he asked me what work I was involved in. When I told him I was a teacher, he asked, ‘Academic?’

It was obvious that I was not a physical education teacher, but I laughed, as I was then teaching seven-year-olds. Teaching young children is certainly taxing, but could hardly be described as ‘academic.’ The physiotherapist was very well qualified and pleasant, but had no apparent sense of humour, so I swallowed my mirth and muttered, ‘Academic.’

However, I did discover through him that I had scoliosis, which was the cause of my back pain.

It is strange that the beginning of the academic year does not align with the start of the New Year.

In the UK, the start of the school year was governed by the farming year. Children were required to help with gathering the late summer harvest, leading to the traditional long summer holidays. This busy time was finished by September. It also meant that Christmas and Easter provided natural breaks.

In the southern hemisphere, the school year begins in January, while in Japan, it starts in April, the beginning of the fiscal year, and ties in with the flowering of the cherry blossom. In India, it may start at any time between March and June, depending on the region and its climate.