It is astonishing how a single teacher can transform the vision and life chances of a whole generation of schoolchildren, writes Jon Cruddas. That was the case with Sr Ita Conlon, a Sister of Christ and my maths teacher at the Oaklands Catholic Comprehensive in Waterlooville, Portsmouth, which I attended from 1973 to 1980.Sr Ita was head of maths and a one-person engine in terms of social mobility and nurturing education potential. My memory of her is that she was quite petite and wore an old-fashioned black habit. She never raised her voice but, my goodness, she could be fierce. There was an understanding that a certain standard of behaviour was expected and that if you didn’t meet it there would be consequences. I was a lively youngster and I remember I was in detention regularly,