Goodbye Uncle John

I remember when I was little. Visits from Uncle John were so special. He made such a fuss of us. I used to sit on his knee and he would tell us all funny stories of things he had done. He ran his own company and always brought us keyrings and pens and things with the company logo on. They were the best things in the world then. When I got a bit older he used to come down and take us out for a meal in a posh restaurant. It was the only time I ever got to go to a proper restaurant. I loved telling my friends about.

I remember once, he was showing me the credit cards in his wallet. I really liked the holographic bird on one of them. He said that when the card expired I could have it. Mum & Dad both told me not to be upset if he forgot because it would be quite a long time before the card expired. I forgot about it, then one day months and months later I got a little letter from him with the holograph attached. I was so excited. It meant a lot that he'd remembered.

I was really excited when he said they were moving closer to where we lived. He lived in Hertfordshire and we only got to see him about twice a year, so it would mean we would see him a lot more. He was selling the business and buying a couple of old cottages which he planned to convert. I never saw what it looked like before he had it renovated, but apparently it was just two old large cottages and some stables set on a very large plot of land with a pond and woods etc. When it was renovated it was lovely. I remember being amazed by how big it was. I used to get lost just going to the bathroom.

When Larry & I decided to get married, we were quite young and although we had a bit of money saved we were going to settle for a small wedding that we could afford. Uncle John said that if we wanted a big wedding we should have one. He was well off, but he had worked hard for the money he had and I told him I could not accept his money. He didn't give me a choice. He insisted on giving me the money, so I very gratefully accepted. He also let us use his Daimler as a wedding car and was our chauffeur for the day even taking us to the hotel we'd booked for the wedding night. We had a lovely wedding in a big church and couldn't have done it without him.

The following year we bought our first flat in Southampton. Again, he helped us out with lots of helpful advice about legal matters and helped us out temporarily with a loan for the deposit.

After moving away from home, we only saw Uncle John at Christmas and family occasions such as weddings. In recent years we have lost touch with him and my Aunty apart from Christmas cards. We were busy with our children and work. We haven't visited my parents so often and when we have, time has always been so short we haven't had time to visit anyone else.

On Sunday I had a call from my Dad. I knew it was important. Dad never (almost never) phones me. Uncle John was in hospital with Pneumonia. They had been to visit him and although he looked tired and pale, he was in good spirits, still telling amusing stories.

This morning, I had a call from my mum. Uncle John died this morning. He had been ill for quite a long time and for a few years now he has been warning everyone this might be his last birthday or his last Christmas. Well, he didn't make it to either this year. His birthday is next Thursday.

I am glad my dad got to see his brother before he died and that he will have a recent memory of him joking and telling stories. I am sad I didn't get to see him, but I shall remember him as my favourite uncle who used to sit me on his knee and tell me silly stories which he exaggerated so much that they bore no resemblence to the actual event, but which were amusing and entertaining all the same.

Goodbye Uncle John xxx

Why I Hate Facebook...

I really am starting to hate the bloody thing. Yes, I am just about to go off on one of my rants, so please stop now if you are in a positive mood, because you'll be reaching for the Prozac (or more of it if you are a regular reader :s) by the time I am through!

Firstly, I hate the way facebook tells you "10 of your friends think you are sexy!" Get stuffed. Most of the people on my friends list don't even think I am worth inviting out to the pub, let alone think I am sexy.

Secondly, 'friends list' - that's a joke. Hardly any of the people on my 'friends list' are true friend's. Some of my good friends are not even on there as they have either decided not to join Facebook or only use their computers when they have to. Some of the people on my list don't even know me. It's ridiculous!

Thirdly, on my 'friends list' I have parents (of children I have taught in the past), teachers I work / have worked with, parents (from the playground at Little Z's school) and real friends. You will notice 'real friends' is at the end of the list. This is because it is the category with the fewest people in it! Many of these people know each other and some of them have a 'teacher / pupil's parent' relationship. I am not very comfortable about this. Conversations on Facebook are very public. I have had some conversations with some people that I would not like certain people to read, but as you never know who is on your friend's friends' 'friends lists' (still with me?) you could be talking in front of anyone!

Fourthly, Facebook makes me miserable. I regularly see the pictures and read reports of all the great things my 'friends' are doing that I am not. I am not a jealous person, but it reminds me that I don't have any money and that even if I did I probably wouldn't be invited anyway!

Fifthly, (yes, I am still ranting, you might as well keep reading now you've started!) I just don't see the point in all these 'send your friend a snowflake', 'ooh, send your friend a different crappy snowflake'. It reminds me of when I was a boring child with no imagination (er.....??? ok, leave that one :s) and my friends at nursery wanted to play with dolls. I never understood why they wanted to. What's the point? They are not real!

Sixthly (is that even a word? I can barely pronounce it!), Groups. There are too many groups set up by people who can't spell or punctuate or at least 'check their work before they hand it in' :) Again, what is the point of these groups? I can see that some groups have been set up so that people can discuss areas of interest with likeminded facebookers. However, when people just set up a group to rant about something in the news when there are already 8 existing groups on the subject, for goodness sake, get a blog! (oh, yeah!)

There are a few things I like about Facebook. But I am not going to write about them in a post entitled 'Why I Hate Facebook...' now, am I!

I've got a new job!

For anyone who checks my blog regularly (yes, I know, just pretend, okay?!*) you will know that I am updating this very retrospectively, but as I have been whinging about not having a job for ages, I thought I ought to update my blog to let anyone who reads it (*see above) know the good news.

Over half term I received a letter inviting me for interview on Friday 7th November following my application for a maternity cover year R teaching post. I had had an interview there before and had been given some fantastic advice by the headteacher which had helped me get the next job I had been interviewed for.

I worked really hard to prepare for this one. I made resources, borrowed resources and used some I already had. I spent a long time thinking through, planning and then practising my lesson until I felt it was good. I practised interview questions & answers over and over. I did lots of reading on the new EYFS and other relevant topics so that I was ready for anything they could possibly throw at me during interview. I was lucky that most of the interview questions were the same as they were last time, so were on my list of 'likely to be asked' questions which I'd prepared answers for.

It worked. They loved my lesson (children and interviewers) and I was pleased with how it had gone. The interview also went very well. I was glad I had prepared - it paid off. I left the school at 12.15 feeling very confident, but knowing that they still had one more candidate out of three of us to interview. At 2.15 I received a call to offer me the job. I am not sure if I was more excited or relieved. If I didn't have a job for January, things would be very tough financially.

I have to remember, though, that it is a temporary contract to cover maternity leave and no matter how many times people say, "well, you never know, she may not come back." I am not taking anything for granted. I want to have a job ready to go to when this contract finishes. I am not going to hang around to see if there is a permanent job at the end of it, because there may not be one. I've been there, done that and learnt a hard lesson I'm not likely to forget for a while.

Sleepover

There are many things we do as parents that after we have done them we look back and say "Thank Goodness that's all over." Birthday Parties, for example. Having 10 of your child's friends running around your house, is something you just have to put up with once a year (per child! - glad I stopped at 2!) It is always difficult when you have other children in your house. They never have the same house rules at home that you do and they do things you wouldn't let your own children do, not because they are naughty or disrespectful, but just because everyone has different routines at home.

Little Z has been asking for weeks if Little A could come for a sleepover. Little Z has never had a sleepover before, but having just turned 9 is at that age where she feels more grown up and wants to start having her friends to stay the night. They asked so many times that I finally gave in and so yesterday I picked up Little Z & Little A from school and after watching Little Z take part in the school's last cross country race of the season we all went back to our house for dinner.

I was surprised by how calm and sensible they were. I expected to have to keep nagging them to pick their things up and not make such a mess or to stop teasing Big J (something Little Z tends to like doing when she has friends around), but they were very well behaved and Little Z was much calmer than she usually is. We watched Doctor Who on DVD during which the girls sat together quietly snuggled up on the sofa. They had their hot chocolate and then went to bed. Again, I expected to have to go in there several times to tell them to go to sleep and not to make so much noise as they were keeping Big J awake. I didn't. They talked for 5 minutes, then it was quiet. Within 15 minutes, they were asleep. It is never that easy when it's just Little Z and Big J to put to bed. Maybe we should have friends to stay more often!

What a day...

Feeling energetic, I woke up this morning and decided we would walk to school. So having hurried to get ready for school, I ushered Big J and Little Z out of the house to take Big J to the childminder's. Despite the fact that I am going to the school and could take Big J myself, it is a long way to walk for him and I don't want him getting worn out before starting the school day. I am also trying to keep him in some kind of routine so that he knows he must go to the childminder's every morning whether mummy is working or not.

So, after dropping Big J off just around the corner, Little Z and I had to just pop back home to get her bags and then we could go. That is when I realised I did not have my house keys with me. Having been in such a hurry to get out of the house on time, I had pulled the door shut behind me without taking my keys out of the other side first. Great!

Little Z and I tried for 10 mins to open the door from the outside using the very sophisticated 'twigs through the letterbox' method. We were not successful. Luckily I had picked up my car keys and so we were able to drive to school where I had to drop Little Z off without her school bag and lunch and then had to go into Big J's school for sharing time, where he gets to take me around the class and show me all the things he has made etc.

I then had to go to the Junior school for an informal meeting with Mrs C, their ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) which was very beneficial to both parties. I was able to express my concern about Little Z's recent change in behaviour at home, namely her frustration and anger, and Mrs C agreed to try to see Little Z today to give her some time to talk through anything which may be worrying her and which she has not felt she could talk to me about.

I felt very positive after the meeting with Mrs C, however, I still had the issue of the keys to sort out. Thankfully, Larry had not yet left his office to go on delivery so I was able to collect his keys from him.

After such a busy few hours, I was glad to be able to sit down and relax until at 11.55 I suddenly realised that I had not taken Little Z's bag to her at school (it had been locked in the house and so left behind) and she therefore had no lunch! So much for trying to be economical with petrol this week. I called the school. They were not answering and I was not going to leave a message. I jumped in the car and took her bag to her.

As luck would have it, the deputy, who is also the SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) was in the school front office and having just had a meeting with the Ed Psych was able to give me some feedback on that meeting and its outcomes. It is a big relief to know that finally something is being done. I have to say. I think the school are being fantastic. The class teachers and SENCO are very supportive and have been receptive to recommendations I have made. Having then also spoken to the class teacher at the end of the day, he seems to be taking the recommendations of the Ed Psych on board and in addition to the things he already has in place for her, is considering how he can support her further.

I have spent months with my 'Teacher Parent' head on, not knowing which one to be and not being able to separate the two roles. Now I can relax and just be a parent where Little Z is concerned. She already has a teacher who is doing a good job, she doesn't need another one.

Oh Deer!

Sundays are our family time. We always try to get out somewhere with the whole family and have some quality time together. Last Sunday we took Seany & Granny to Bolderwood. This is fast becoming our favourite place to visit in the New Forest. We enjoyed the walk so much last week, that we decided to go back again this Sunday. It's great whether you want to go for a long walk, short walk, cycle ride or just a picnic on the grass. As it is a deer sanctuary, there is a viewing platform and daily talks by the local keeper when the deer get fed. There is a lovely picnic area which also has barbecue facilities and there is plenty of parking. I recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere new to go that doesn't cost a lot of money. Take a look here to see for yourself.

2nd Chance?

Interview last week at one of the lovely schools I mentioned did not go well. The lesson I planned was really good, but I did not deliver it well. I did not prepare enough for my interview and it was a tough interview with some difficult questions. I am using the excuse that I had not been well for a few days prior to the interview and so was not feeling 100% on the day. Doesn't make any difference though. they are not going to give me a job because they feel sorry for me. I do have another applicatioon to send off this week to a school I have had an interview at before. It is across the other side of the city so would take about 30 mins to get to in the mornings, but I have to take what is on offer. It is a nice school with a good ethos and having interviewed there before, I know what sort of things they are going to be asking should they invite me for an interview. In the meantime, supply is going okay. I enjoy being called by schools direct as apart from getting paid more, I get satisfaction out of knowing the like me / like my teaching and are asking me back.

Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes!

Big J has been going to school for four weeks now. I am amazed we have (so far) not lost any of his jumpers, his trousers do not (yet) have holes in the knees and his shoes are not scuffed beyond repair. I wonder how they manage it. We have not been so fortunate in avoiding headlice. Even with Big J's short hair, they managed to go forth and multiply leaving the poor boy scratching and scratching. Luckily, as a teacher, I have become slightly obsessed with spotting headlice and they were gone quicker than you could say "nit nurse". As a precaution, I have taken the clippers to his hair and he now has a number 2 all over. It suits him and I think he has had long enough at school now for them to know that he is not a little thug despite his resemblence to one:)

School for all

Me & School

I have visited 2 lovely schools this week. Both about 15-20 mins away (in different directions) and both have a very similar ethos to my last school and so I'm feeling very excited at the possibility of going somewhere new and finishing (dare I suggest it!) my NQT year. I can't believe that after 2 years of teaching I am still an NQT, however I am in a good situation as an NQT as I have lots of experience of supply teaching; I have experience of having my own class and of taking over a class mid-year from another teacher and am still entitiled to my extra 1/2 day non-contact time. In addition to all that, I didn't get to go on my induction training last year as my paperwork went astray, so I have all of that to do still which will be really good for development and has already been paid for so should not be a worry for any school taking me on.

As far as supply work is concerned, there has been nothing so far. I have phoned and registered with the agency again (thought it would be handy to have a back up and as they pay weekly it would give me a bit if cash while I am waiting for the council to pay up) and have registered directly with several schools as well as being on the supply list at my last school, so it is just a case of waiting at the moment. Anyway, in one way it is nice to have the time to get on with my job applications.

Big J & school

Big J doesn't start school for another 10 days. We had a home visit yesterday from his new teacher and teaching assistant and that went very well. He told them about himself and did me proud by not talking about poo or willies despite those being his favourite topics of conversation at the moment. I think he is looking forward to it, but I think he is a bit apprehensive too. He knows the school quite well as Little Z went there and now goes to the junior school on the same site. He has also been to visit for snack time and story time etc. as part of the school's induction program for reception children. I am surprised at how nervous I am of him starting school. It's not like I don't know what to expect, but I still worry about him getting into trouble when it's not his fault or not knowing what to do if they give him something too difficult to do. I guess it is because he is still so young. He won't be 5 until next May so is really little to be going to school already. He will only go in part time to start with and then in December he will start going all day. I am looking forward to my childcare bill going down!

Little Z & School

Little Z has settled much better this term. The end of last term was really difficult as we (my friend & I) identified that she has Dyspraxia. As everyone knows children can be cruel and none more than two girls in her year who have made it their job to tease and be mean to her (and many other children) since she started school. Unfortunately she has made a good target for bullies as she doesn't always know how to react in social situations and tends to give them the reaction they want. So, having given her a couple of strategies to deal with these girls and a few others who have joined in, she seems much happier and more confident. She even stood up for her friend yesterday who was being picked on by a boy who usually picks on Little Z. I was so proud of her, although as there is something of the 'policewoman' about her, I have told her not to go fighting everyone's battles for them and to focus on her own for now. She has a few friends who are strong enough to stand up to the bully girls (who have told others not to play with little Z because she is wierd or have threatened not to be their friend if they play with Little Z) and she is now also a bit more conscious of her own behaviour, understanding that some behaviour is best kept for home (eg. pretending to be a rabbit!) so that it does not encourage others to tease her.

We still have a long way to go before I feel she is getting the right amount of support in school, but the teachers have been very good and have listened well although I could do with knowing what is going on a bit more often. In some ways being a teacher has helped me get it sorted out, but in other ways I am very conscious of not becoming one of those over protective parents who are always coming in to raise issues with the teachers. It's hard to switch off from being a teacher and be just a parent.

Larry & School

Larry went to school once. He picks up the kids and watches the playground characters (parents, not children) with amusement!

Bike Ride

We have been waiting for a couple of weeks now for the weather to be good enough to do a car boot sale. Having looked at the forecast for yesterday on Saturday, we decided again not to do the car boot sale as we were expecting showers and really did not want to have to pack up early having hardly sold a thing and having paid money for the pitch. However, the weather yesterday actually turned out to be fine. Not sunny and warm, but not raining either, so we decided to take our bikes out to Bolderwood in the New Forest. It was fantastic. I never thought I was fit enough to go on a cycle ride and so took myself by surprise when I was still cycling after 2 hours (we got a bit lost!). Big J had his tag-along bike attached to Larry's bike because although he can ride a bike by himself, he would almost certainly have got tired after a long cycle ride and so it makes sure he keeps up with us. As for Little Z, she was amazing. Considering a few weeks ago, she was scared of going too fast and kept stopping every few yards, I was astonished to see her cycling past us all at a good speed and cycling for a good distance before stopping. She has really increased in confidence and thoroughly enjoyed the bike ride.

By the time we got back to the van we were all exhausted. Having got a bit lost, we had cycled quite a bit further than we had planned to and although we had enjoyed ourselves, we were glad to see the car park.

I am really looking forward to going out for another family bike ride. Next time though I will take some padding for my seat as I am not sitting very comfortably today to say the least!

Big J learnt to ride his bike today.

He had a bit of a strop a couple of days ago when we took the stabilizers off his bike and insisted that we put them back on. Today when I suggested taking little Z & Big J out on their bikes he said he wanted his stabilizers back on or else he would not go on his bike. He was quite adamant that he would not go on his bike if it did not have stabilizers on and only wanted his scooter. I didn't pay any attention. I took their bikes and cycle helmets and we all went to the sports centre. Within about 20 minutes Big J was riding around by himself. He was still struggling to start himself off and needed a bit of a push to get himself going, but with a bit of perseverence he learnt to start himself off. I asked if he would like his stabilizers back on now. "No Thank you!" he replied.

Of course the other advantage of Big J learning to ride by himself is that Little Z was all the more motivated. She can already ride her bike but is out of practice and struggles to get herself balanced to start off. She was determined to be better than Big J and by the end of the afternoon she was much more confident.

I'm really proud of them both.

Very Surrey

We really wanted to get away for a week in the campervan this summer, preferably to Devon or the Wye Valley, but money is short and although we could probably scrape enough together to pay for the petrol to get us there and back and to pay for the pitch, we would not have enough money to do very much and would not enjoy constantly having to worry about how much things cost. So, we decided to stay at home this year and do some jobs around the house (mostly tidying) and have a couple of trips out to visit people.

Yesterday, we took a trip to Hersham in Surrey to see my Aunty Di. It is only an hour or so from here and we have been saying for a long time that we should visit her, but she was very ill last year with breast cancer and was not particularly keen to have visits from family so we didn't go. She is in her 70s so it is pretty impressive that after lots of treatment with some fairly unpleasant side effects, she has made a good recovery and is now looking very well indeed.

We arrived about 11am and had a short walk around the retirement village where she lives. We then went out of the village and walked about a mile and a half down the road to a garden centre for lunch in their restaurant. It was a lovely walk and the children enjoyed it, although Big J is not too good at walking very far as he has always been taken everywhere in the car and has never had to walk far. Unfortunately, when we got there the restaurant was closed due to no water supply and so we had to turn around again and walk back to the village. We were all worn out after the walk back, which was slightly uphill (why is it always uphill on the way back?!) and so were relieved to get to the club house back in the village where Aunty Di ordered lunch for us all. Little Z and Big J had immaculate table manners as usual (for an ogre). After lunch we had a look around the church and then took a walk to the lake where Big J warned a man to be careful of the dinosaurs. Then it was time to drive home.

We will definitely visit again and hopefully next time we will take my mum with us as she would love the village.

Lost

Oh, dear. I just looked at the last time I wrote a post for the blog and it was about 6 weeks ago. I still have the 'reports' counter on there. Reports went out weeks ago. Loads of water has flooded the bridge since then!

Okay, I can't really be bothered to do a build up to the bad news. The bottom line is that I have left my school. Not through choice, but not because they were unhappy either. I know, I have to explain this a bit as it won't make sense unless you already know what is going on.

Basically, once I heard C was likely to return, I decided to apply for other jobs. Then I decided that actually I would like to stay at my school and would go part time to be able to do that, so told them I was going to apply for the 3 day job share and couldn't motivate myself to apply for any other jobs. A couple of weeks after that, I heard that someone who used to work at my school who had been very popular was also applying for the job. This was not good news for me. I thought I was in a strong position as I already worked there, but I had nothing she didn't already have apart from the fact that I was still there.

Interview day was horrible for (almost) everyone involved. My interview went really well. I got great feedback on my application and my interview, but I was not able to compete with the other teacher. They had seen her teach before and said she was outstanding. I felt terrible. My friends were very supportive, but those who knew the other teacher and had known she was applying, knew already I could not compete. They had been kind enough not to tell me they were thinking it though.

So, I had to very quickly look for another job. There was only one and a half weeks before the end of term. I applied for a job at another school, but it went to a more experienced teacher. Again, I got excellent feedback and the headteacher of that school has given me lots of great advice and offered me supply work.

I will be doing supply in September, but hopefully for my last school as well as a few other schools I have been to in the past and not through an agency. It will be different this time. I am not so worried about doing supply now I have been teaching a while. I am also looking forward to not having to spend hours planning or assessing and sitting in meetings - wow! I am quite looking forward to it!

It will also be lovely to take Big J to school on his first day. Awww!

What you wish you could write...

Yay. I have finally finished writing reports. I actually enjoy it, as it makes you focus on the positives which we really need at this time of the year. However, staying positive isn't always easy. For example, sometimes I wish I could write:

Personal, Social, Emotional development:
Jonny is a lazy little sh*t

Instead, I write, "Jonny is a thoughtful boy who always takes time to think through his actions."

English:
Jonny produces utter rubbish and talks through most literacy lessons. Jonny has no imagination and his vague attempts at writing are unintelligible. The scrawl he calls handwriting makes reading his work impossible.

Instead, I write," Jonny produces interesting written work. He enjoys sharing ideas with his friends. He has good ideas and is being encouraged to express them in his written work. He understands the importance of keeping his work neat, but this is still a target for him."

Still, I have learnt a few things while writing them:

1. Cut and paste are under-rated!
2. He is she if you're not careful.
3. They probably won't even read the last page so just cut and paste the lot!

Of to Dominoes in Sted

Today was one of those strange days. I got up at 5am to write some reports. I was so tired last night I thought I would be more able to do it in the morning after a good night's sleep. And I was right. I got about 3 sections of the report done before I had to go and wake Little Z and get myself ready for school.

My class went on a trip to Dominoes Pizza today. They had a long walk (25 mins) from school to Dominoes and then had to walk back too. It was fantastic. It didn't cost us anything and the children had such fun. They got to see how to make the dough and got to shape it into a flat pizza shape then put their choice of toppings on. The pizzas were cooked as we were walking back and when we got back to school the pizza's were delivered to the classroom. On top of all that, the staff also go free pizzas. And that's not all. Because the whole of year 2 go, that is 3 classes on 3 separate days, the staff get free pizza for lunch for 3 days running.

What a way to spend healthy school's week!

My parents helpers were great, although I had to laugh when I asked one of the mum's earlier in the week if she could help with dominoes and she replied that she couldn't play!

While handing out the pizza boxes to the children, the headteacher arrived and announced there was a staff meeting in the staffroom and I had to go now! My TA and I took the large pizza's to the staff room and announced as we entered a packed room that we came bearing gifts. No one smiled. ??? They were all sitting there looking like they'd just found out someone had died. "I expect you know why you are here." said the head. She then told us that we were going to be working loads more hours than we normally do and that we were going to be working on our displays in and out of the classroom, that we were going to feel stressed out and quite miserable for the next few days and that we were going to think of nothing but school until later next week. Well....ok. That wasn't exactly how she put it, her exact words were, "We have had the call." (I still didn't get it. Duh!) "OFSTED will be here on Tuesday."

So, we are now all rushing round trying to get everything ready. Well, all except me evidently. I am far to busy with my Blog to worry about the inspectors.

After this week, I feel exhausted. I need another week off school just to rest. I had wondered if it was such a good idea going away for the whole of half term. I had reports to write and it was not giving me much opportunity to get any planning done and I would not have the chance to go in to school to tidy my classroom ready for the new half term. However, I am glad I did go away. It was good not to go into school all week. My classroom is a mess and will need a couple of hours one evening to get it sorted, but it is worth it.

We had a fantastic week away. We went to Elvaston Castle camp site again and visited Sarah, Ben and Toby. Toby hid under the sofa most of the time (Z & J were too noisy and lively - I almost got under there myself!), but Sarah and Ben managed to stay out from under the sofa so we had a lovely catch up albeit for only an hour as we had to be at the campsite by 7pm.

From there we went to Seany's. We stayed at a campsite down the road from him for a couple of nights and then camped on his drive for the other 2 nights. He was happy for us to stay at his house, but we like sleeping in the van and it made more sense than Seany having to move furniture around to accommodate us. It worked out really well at the campsite. We were able to put the awning up for the first time and so we had more space. That also meant that Seany & my mum could come and visit us and had somewhere to sit. There was a large grassy area for the children to run around and so there was no need to worry about whether they were touching something they shouldn't.

The main reason for the visit was my mum's 70th birthday. She had a fantastic day. Actually the celebrations sem to have lasted a whole week as various people have taken her for a drink or sent special gifts.

At the end of the week was Larry's birthday. He's not 70, but I think he feels it sometimes. He enjoyed his day and we spent a lot of it playing Seany's Nintendo Wii.

I managed to get 5 reports written while I was there (although had a day off for Larry's birthday!) so I did not feel like I had loads to catch up on when I got back.

So there it was. Half term break came around quickly and was over almost as soon as it arrived. How long till the next one?

What a Week ctd(again)....

THURSDAY

I decided to apply for the 3 day job share post. Financially it is not ideal, but with Big J starting school, It will give me 2 days a week to be flexible in case I need to go in to school with him to sort anything out.

There are pros and cons really, many of which I don't think I can write about here as some are related to my thoughts about what is likely to happen and I don't think it would be fair to publish those until those things actually happen - which they will, I am sure! Those aside, I would like to stay at S Infants and would like to finish my NQT year there, I like the people and know the children. I think I am in a strong position to apply as I already know C and how she works, so can use all that knowledge to my advantage!

FRIDAY

Half term - and not before time!

Reports to write though. Well, *&$% that, I'm going on holiday!

What a Week! ctd...

WEDNESDAY

D-Day. This was the day I had been waiting for and dreading. I was being observed first lesson (maths) by the Headteacher and, added to this, by the end of the day she would have told us all where were going to be next year. Exciting for some, not for me. I was going to find out if I had a job for September or not. Although it felt like I was being observed to see if I could keep my job, it was just an unfortunate timing of events and the two were not related.

The observation could not have gone better. Although I didn't get feedback until the end of the day, she made a point of telling me she was very happy with it, so that I wasn't left wondering. She said my planning was fantastic (wow!), I had differentiated (planned for different abilities) well and loads of other really positive stuff. What was really nice, was that she said she appreciated that this was a model lesson and said, "I don't expect every lesson to be like that."

Later that day (ooh, time connective - 1 point! See what too much SATs does to you!) she told me C would be coming back and that unfortunately I would not be staying on next year. She asked if I would like to apply for a 3-day-a-week job share with C, which I said I probably wouldn't. She explained that she would have to advertise it anyway even if I did want it. I felt sick. I love my school. I don't want to go. I considered chaining myself to the railings, but was not sure that would convince them I was the right person to work with their children for the rest of the year! I just wanted to go home and cry, but there was staff meeting in 10 minutes. just a short one in which she was going to announce where everyone else was next year. "...and in class # will be C who is returning 2 days a week." Silence. I looked around and no one looked back at me. The head finished telling us the staffing arrangements. No one seemed desperately unhappy, except me. I smiled politely & probably quite insincerely at the few people who made humourous comments about where they were going to be next year and the children they were going to have. The meeting finished. I was saved the question time about whether I would apply or not by the head who left promptly at the end of the meeting and indicated me to go with her. She then gave me the super feedback on my lesson which made me feel slightly better, for a while...

What a week!

MONDAY
I started the week by phoning school to tell them I wasn't coming in. Little Z had had toothache since Friday night and contrary to my prediction that once Big J's birthday party was over with, she would not be feeling so left out any more and the toothache would mysteriously go away by itself, she was actually feeling worse on Monday morning. I phoned the dentist. They apologised, but as they were down to one dentist (they usually have two) and he was going home at 3pm they were fully booked for today. They could fit her in tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9.20am. Not only did that mean leaving her in pain for another day, but also meant I'd be taking another day off work and at SATs time that is far from ideal. I asked how I could get her seen today as she was in pain. They told me I could call the Primary Care Trust helpline, but they would not necessarily be able to see me today. I called them and, in short, they called my dentist, who managed to fit Little Z in within the next hour! That's like going to the city centre via Totton (which I have done once when I'd just learnt to drive and got into the wrong lane of traffic!). Did they need telling they could not leave an 8 year old in pain overnight? I called the dentist to confirm times etc. They said to come at 10.30 but I would have to wait (like I was going to decide not to come and admit I had been lying all along!). We went at 10.30 (with a bag of SAT papers to mark while waiting) and were seen by the dentist at 10.40. What a wait! We were out again by 10.50 having had pieces of Z's broken tooth removed and the rest filled / sealed. That was not the big event of the week....

TUESDAY
SATs finished. Yes, I know we shouldn't call them SATs anymore, but whatever you call them doesn't change the fact that we are all relieved when they are over - the teachers more than the children! Still not the big event of the week though....

Back to School

Yesterday started well. I wasn't going to be teaching all day as I had NQT time in the morning and year group PPA time in the afternoon. I only had to plan for the supply teacher for the morning as PPA is already planned for us and the TAs just pick up the planning and teach from it, so I don't even have to talk anyone through it. I had a list of things I wanted to do before meeting with my mentor after assembly, so got straight on with them. Then the headteacher came in and dropped a bombshell:

"I have had a call from C (teacher whose maternity leave I am
covering). She is thinking of coming back."

So what? If you are covering maternity leave, you know it's only a temporary contract and the person on leave will return.

Well, I knew there was always a possibility of her coming back, but as she had told me it was unlikely she would come back, had put her house on the market and moved with husband (who has a new job) to London, I thought it was a safe bet that she wouldn't.

She may still decide not to come back, but I have to be prepared to leave in case she does. Part of me is glad they have told me now so that at least I have time to look for another job for September so I can finish off my NQT year, but I can't help feeling sad at the thought of leaving my school. I can imagine working there for a long time.

It did cross my mind that maybe she wasn't going to come back and that it was an excuse not to renew or extend my contract, but I don't think the head is like that. I think if she was unhappy with something, she would say so and actually I think they are really happy with me as I have had nothing but positive feedback especially from the head.

I just hope C changes her mind and decides that it is not the best option to return to school when her hubby is working in London. In the meantime, I am arranging to look around schools and applying for jobs. At least my time at one of the best schools in Southampton is going to stand me in good stead for getting a job elsewhere if I have to.

The head said she will let me know in the next 2 weeks. With SATs as well, the next 2 weeks are going to drag.

Free lunch? Is it low fat?

So, what's that? An upside-down canoe? Well, more than that, it's MY upside-down canoe!

We were all in the staffroom talking about freecycle and how some people give away some really good stuff for nothing. I was then saying how I had once phoned up about a free canoe but it had already gone, when Liz (who also happens to live 2 minutes away from me) said, "I've got a canoe if you want one. It will need a bit of paint and might need to be patched up, but you can have it if you want it. I don't want anything for it."

So, a week later Larry and I collected it from Liz's house. I can't believe it. I finally have my own canoe. I am so excited!

Now the problem is not so much how and when am I going to do it up, but how am I going to fit into it. This brings me to my next point: After much "putting off till tomorrow what is too difficult for today" I am finally back on my weight loss plan.

I want to lose another stone by the end of May. Well, when I say another stone, some of it has been lost already and was unexpectedly found again which is why the weight loss tracker on the front page of my blog has been stuck at the same figure since February. It has made me feel a bit sad really as I know how much effort I have put into changing my eating habits and becoming more fit and healthy and although I am by no means back to square one, I have a lot of work to do to get myself back to where I left off. I'm lucky to have the support of my friends and family though, so that will help me keep my head out of the fridge! I now need to rally some support from friends at school to help me to resist eating the treats which are always on the table in the staffroom.

Volltanken Bitte!

I once heard that giraffes bump their head once and never do it again. They learn from their mistakes. Hmph! Smug b**t**ds!

Little Jonny = boy in my class. Thankfully (for him) this is not his real name.

Little Jonny: "Mrs L, why were you late for school today?"

Me: "Because my car broke down."

Little Jonny: "Did you get it fixed?"

Me: "No. It is at the garage being fixed at the moment."

Jonny: "What's the matter with it?"

Me: "It was my fault. It ran out of petrol and now the fuel pump doesn't work." (are you still with me, Jonny?).

Jonny: "Mrs L, How much is it going to cost you to get it fixed?"

Me: "£307"

Jonny: "Oooh! Mrs L, you know, you could have bought your children a playstation 3 for that.

Me: "Thanks for that. Jonny, you are not star of the week. Goodbye!"

(okay, I didn't say the last bit)

Amazing discovery!

Although I have been in my classroom almost a term, I still find things I have never seen before. At half term I rearranged my classroom furniture and found lots of things I never knew we had. I sometimes open a drawer when looking for something and find not the thing I am looking for but something new and interesting. A few weeks ago I walked along the corridor and noticed all the other classrooms had a notice board outside. In my usual grown up way, I thought to myself, hey! Why haven't I got one of those? (now I see why little Z does it so often!) Then I took a look and saw that actually I did have one, but had never noticed! It's great!

But, the best find happened on Thursday evening as I was looking for last years "not SATs" teacher assessment papers. I found a box which I thought they were in, I opened it and I found...

LEGO

I was very excited. It had been there all the time collecting dust. I thought the children would love it and actually it was indeed the most popular activity of the morning (we usually have games out on Friday morning for a morning activity).

It made me think about the huge box of Lego I had as a child. The box was as big as me and I remember struggling to bring it downstairs to play with. Four years ago, I asked my mum to bring it with her when she came to see us so Little Z (no Big J yet!) could play with it. Mum arrived with a box. I asked her where the big box was. That apparently was it. I remembered it being huge, much bigger than this medium sized box of lego she was carrying. Little Z and Big J think it is a big box of lego. They enjoy rummaging through the box for a piece of the right size, shape and colour for what they are building. I still enjoy doing that too. I don't think we ever grow out of Lego.

not SATisfactory!

My observation went very well. Phew!

My last obs did not go so well and although it came out as satisfactory (satisfactory does not really mean satisfactory, does it!?), my mentor had commented that the children had not been engaged in the input as it did not take account of all of their learning styles.

The lesson went very well indeed.

This time I made sure I had all the learning styles covered and she commented positively on that.

I was very pleased to see L, my TA, back after being off sick. She is an asset to me, particularly when teaching maths as she really knows her stuff and so I can rely on her to work with my most able children and to make a judgement about whether to move them on or not.

Yesterday's lesson had been tough. Teaching 'division as grouping' to year 2 is hard. Firstly because it is not the way we were taught at school. We learnt sharing and so grouping is the wrong way around for us. Secondly, because it is simply a difficult concept for them to grasp, or it can be. My children, even my top children, didn't get it. Some of them said they understood it, but when I came to mark their books, they hadn't got it at all. I knew already that the children I worked with just didn't understand it, no matter how many different ways I explained it. So, todays lesson was real assessment for learning in action. There was no point in moving on until they had understood division.

I reflected long and hard about yesterday's lesson. What was it that was missing? What was it that was confusing them? Why were they not getting it? I identified something which I thought it could be.

Today, I went back to basics and improved the explanation of it. They got it. I knew within the first 5 minutes that it was working. Some of them said, "Oh, I get it!". It is so gratifying when that happens. One girl even commented, "Oh, Mrs L, you have explained it so much better today. I really understand it now." (Those sort of comments help me to choose my star of the week! :oD)

It was a pleasure to mark their books. By George I think they've got it!

Now we are counting down to SATs, oops, not allowed to call them that now. They are 'Teacher Assessments'!

Observations

I am being observed tomorrow. I only found out yesterday and after being asked by my mentor if it was okay, at first I said it was not, as my TA is off sick and it wasn't much time to prepare. I also have my NQT time this thursday morning and so I didn't want to give that up to have an obs. However, I then thought about it and decided it was ideal as I could use my supply as a TA if my TA is still off sick and after being observed I could then leave the supply in charge of my class while I go and talk about the lesson and get feedback from my mentor which saves me worrying about what she thought about it. Then I taught todays maths lesson - their first lesson on division as grouping (sorry to any non-teachers reading. It just means we are teaching it the opposite to how most of us learnt division!) and they didn't get it. Even H, my brightest maths pupil who I can always rely on to come up with the right answer and prompt the others with a child-to-child explanation. So tomorrow's maths which will be observed will be a "see how it goes" lesson and so I am using todays plan with a view to repeating todays teaching and hoping to be able to move them on, even if just a small step. Oh well, at least he will see a proper lesson without all the fancy stuff you put in just because you are being observed.

On a more positive note, we had a meeting this evening after school about able children and using thinking skills in the classroom. I was really pleased that many of the suggestions are things I am already doing, so it will be great to be observed already doing those things.

Thing that made me cross today: One of my definite level 3 pupils (yes, he also has a name but the number is more important at the moment!) is going to A.N.Other school not too far and which I know very well. So, on top of all the things which already annoy me about that school is the fact that I am having to hand them a level 3 on a plate. Anyway, who would move a child to another school at this time of year just because they are going to that junior school? Yes, well, maybe I would do the same, but it's my job as a teacher to whinge about such things.

Well, must go and plan for the supply teacher now. Also have to make my CPD folder look like I have at least opened it in the last 6 weeks!

Parents Evening

Got through parents' evening and the experience was less stressful than I had envisaged. I had been warned at interview that the parents had very high expectations and that if they were not happy they would not hide their concerns. So, still on a temporary contract, I prepared apprehensively for parents' evening.

The general consensus is that the children are happy at school and the parents are happy with me. Phew! There was only one child whose parents were unhappy with his progress which actually has more to do with their unrealistic expectations of what he should be able to do (i.e. multiplication at the age of 6!!!) and the fact that they make him do an hour or so of written maths work at home several times a week. I pushed the boundaries as far as I possibly could and may have even stepped slightly over that fine line a little when I suggested they were pushing him too hard and should be making it more fun so that he would enjoy it.

I think overall, I handled them well: a parent governor, the chair of governors, a bloke in a dress (lovely black boots, actually!) with his (soon to be ex-)wife, as well as another mum with a history of being verbally abusive.I had the headteacher on hand for that one, but am pleased to say I didn't need her to intervene.

Eater weekend could not come soon enough. No, that was not a spelling mistake! I shall not be celebrating the death of Christ. I shall be eating lots of chocolate!

MISSING

My social life - looking rather the worse for wear but has sentimental value.

Last seen in January 2008 looking rather confused. May be in need of medical attention.

Appears harmless but should not be approached as may be dangerous.

If seen, please call in to "nice little school", southampton where the owner can always be contacted, night or day.

Expected?

I had a great night out. Some of the parents did ask questions about their children, which I sort of expected. They were not questions I felt uncomfortable to answer and actually, in their situation I would probably have done the same. I found out quite a few things I would never have known had I not gone out with them. The most awkward question I was asked was about the teacher I am covering maternity leave for. They are naturally keen to find out if and when she will come back and on what terms. I already know her plans, but it is not my place to share this information with the parents, some of whom are also governors (to make matters more complicated!). The school will tell them when they decide it is the right time.

Ready for Half Term

I've not had a great deal to blog about over the past half term. Most days are the same. They start with me getting up at 6am feeling tired and end with me planning, marking then going to bed at 11pm feeling more tired.

I have had to give myself a frequent reminder that I am an NQT and cannot be expected to be a perfect teacher straight away. I know I have been too hard on myself but fortunately I work in a very supportive school where the staff are all lovely and although everyone is busy, people always find time to help each other out and pick each other up when they are down.

I suppose I have had it quite easy this term really. Despite having to spend a long time over planning etc. I have not had any observations by my induction tutor so although I have had regular meetings with her and have set my own targets based on self evaluation, I have not been under any pressure of performance targets.

One of the hardest things I have had to deal with is having children in my class whose parents I already know outside of school. Approaching sensitive issues with those parents is more difficult than with parents I don't know. It can have its advantages though. I have been invited out to the pub this evening with several of the parents (some of whom I knew already before working at the school) and some other mutual friends. Yes, it is possible they wiull use it as an excuse to grill me about school and their children, but I can also find out things about them which will help me understand the children better. It works both ways. Having said that, I am a little scared. I asked my colleagues for advice. They told me not to get pissed and tell them how horrid their children are! Good advice I thought.

Whatever happens this evening, it is a night out at the pub, which I haven't had for over a year and at least I will have something to blog about tomorrow!

commitment or neglect?

As usual I found myself sitting at the computer until after 10pm last night planning lessons for today while Larry sat in front of the TV giving me a commentary on what he was watching.

"This woman gave up her husband and children to run away with someone she met on the internet through this virtual friendship game."

I was vaguely interested. At any rate, it was more interesting than thinking about how I was going to teach speech marks to my class.

"Basically she spent too long in front of her computer and spent no time at all with her children. She completely neglected her family."

Okay. Is he trying to tell me something?

Note to self - you are spending too much time planning at the computer. Have you seen the kids this week?

A Good Week

(The picture has nothing to do with the post. I just liked it. Don't waste your time trying to figure out a connection. There isn't one! Unless you find a really clever connection, in which case it was intended and carefully thought out!)

This week has been good in many respects.

First of all, after about 3 weeks of unhealthy eating and general Christmas-related overindulgence and a subsequent week of not daring to put both feet on the bathroom scales, I can now confirm I have not gained any weight over the Christmas period (or am back to the weight I was before Christmas).

Expecting my first week of teaching to be hectic was realistic and my expectations were met. I was therefore not suprised when my first proper maths lesson (teaching from the new framework) was a bit of a mess (to put it mildly). Maths is not my strong point, but I am pleased that at least my literacy lessons are much better and the children are making progress. That sounds like my maths lessons were not at all productive. That's not true. They were just not as good as I want them to be.

The whole year group went to the theatre to see Peter Pan on Wednesday. We didn't lose any children and I got to know some of the children's parents better.

Towards the end of the week I had several parents compliment me telling me they were very happy and their children liked me and were happy in my class. That sort of comment is always very reassuring to hear.

I had a meeting with my induction mentor (the deputy) with whom I get on very well and she was pleased with how I have settled in and how I am coping in general.

My head of year has also been very complimentary.

I love this school. I don't want to leave in the summer. My contract officially ends at the end of August, although there is a possibility that my contract will be made permanent as the class teacher may not return. We will have to wait and see what she decides to do. Even if she does decide to return, I will have completed 2 terms of my NQT year at one of the best schools in Southampton which puts me in a very good position for getting a teaching post at another school.

The only thing that I am sad about at the moment is that after spending most of last term doing the school run and taking Big J to his music group, I am really missing my friends. Many of them I only ever saw in the school playground and so don't see them at all now.

I am planning a quiet weekend, where I will have to do a certain amount of planning & resource making for next week, but am not going to spend all weekend planning as I seem to have done last weekend. I think my own children need me too and I am making a stick for my own back if I don't give them some quality time now. Added to which, after hearing that Big J (at only 3 years old remember!) commented to Larry as they watched Gwen Stefani on TV that she had "nice boobs", I think he needs more of my female influence! I am not sure whether I am more shocked by the fact that my three year old son made such an inappropriate observation, or that every man I seem to tell about it simply replies, "well, he's got good taste. She does have nice boobs!" You know who you are!

So, anyway, a great week all around.

And the best bit is that today is Seany's birthday and mum & dad didn't buy him a bike! (unless they gave him one as a token present!)

Happy New Year

After a great Christmas with the family (including Seany & 'me mam') and a quiet but enjoyable New Year's Eve / Day with just the four of us the day finally came when I had to put my money where my mouth is and take over my new class.

How exciting!

How scary!

First two days back went really well. We had integrated days based around Mythical Creatures. They pushed their luck a bit with their behaviour, but after a discussion about rules and behaviour, we had a very good second day on Friday and the standard of work was much better. It is a mystery to me how the other teachers get all their stuff done and still go home at 5 - 5.30. I left at 5.45 again today and still had a list as long as my arm of things I had to do.

Oh well, as long as I keep crossing things off as well as adding new things to the list it will be okay. I once heard someone say that an in tray is suposed to have something in it and you only have an empty in tray when you die. Not sure how long it will be, but I am still aliove so far so the in tray is still doing it's job!

Got lots of planning to do and must eat sometime today too, but I'd just like to say thank you for all the lovely messages of support.

Hope everyone has a great 2008!