An authentic yet uplifting account of what it feels like to be a tutor in a youth correctional situation. The piece resonated with my own experience of being a drama tutor to female juveniles in a Women's closed security prison in the south-west of England. I loved that the account included the sensations of being close to a group of angry and apparently hostile or dismissive youths, putting yourself in a metaphorical firing line, but at the same time wanting to not only see but reach beyond the face-values ... and how it feels when you get there!

I loved too how the piece showed how the personal development that takes place in a situation like this is significantly two-way. You aren't unaffected.

Great also how the last line and the title of the piece express clearly that you leave your usual perspectives and teaching strategies at the door - well, that's the way I see the expressing, because it parallels my own experiences - having to improvise 'on the hoof', depending on the dynamics in the room, truly learner-centred approaches.

I enjoyed the rhythm of the piece and the integral humour and the method of revealing the narrator's thoughts in contrast to what she says to the youths she's with.

Suitable for inclusion in any programme about how youths are perceived by society, or about correctional organisations.