The excellent article about Lelio Spiteri – ‘The headmaster putting happiness ahead of exam results’ (July 3) – reminded me of my own experiences in 1963, as a supply teacher in Salford, England, often filling in at short notice for other teachers.

One day, I was given 10 minutes’ notice to teach music to a class of 14-year-olds. There had been massive publicity for the Red Army Choir, which was about to visit Manchester and, in the music room, I found some records of Russian music.

As a member of the University Folk Dance Society, I had learned something of the history of the Cossacks and their dancing and so I was able to talk about that. When I played the music and demonstrated some Cossack dance steps, I had them mesmerised, for we were all Cossacks on the Steppes of Russia.

Bang! The spell was broken. The classroom door swung open and the headmaster entered: a short squat man, with thick-rimmed spectacles, his eyes were blazing and he looked like an ill-tempered toad. Presumably, he had been peering through the small window in the classroom door.

“What the blue blazes do you think you are doing?”

“Taking 3C for music, Sir.”

“You were cavorting. I won’t have my teachers cavorting!”

“I was demonstrating Cossack dance, Sir.”

“Well, I won’t have it. Just play the music and no cavorting!” and off he went to spy on somebody else.

For once the pupils were stunned into silence. Eventually one asked: “What’s cavorting, Sir?” and my reply “What I was doing” provoked a laugh but the spell was broken.

Spiteri is to be congratulated on bringing the fun back into teaching and giving his students experiences that will enhance their learning and last their lifetime.