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!)