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!

My Bruver Got a Bike an I Dint

I have much better things to do than this, but Seany started "the bike thing" again so I have to have my say!

For further clarification on what the bike thing is all about, you might want to read point ten of 30 Things about Seany.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, unless it's a bike and then it will come in a box with a big shiny bow on it.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. Real trees are too wide and would get knocked over by the bike as it goes past.

3. When do you put up the tree? As early as I can get away with it. I like hearing people complain to me that it's too early.

4. When do you take the tree down? One of my kids usually knocks it down with their new bike as they ride around (if one gets one, they both get one!!). Failing that, I take it down before I go back to work in January.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I don't really agree with stealing eggs out of nog's nests.

6. Favourite gift received as a child? I don't remember. Did I get a bike? No, I don't think so. My brother did though.

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Yes, and every year a bit more of it gets broken. The shepherd now has a shorter crook (ooh!).

8. Hardest person to buy for? Secret Santa presents when you don't know who you are buying for.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Seany. I can just buy him a bike every year as he keeps losing or breaking them. (Never taught the value of money!)

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Decorative teapot. What is the point of that?
"I have bought you a teapot",
"Oh Thank you!",
"But don't use it, will you?",
"Why not?",
"It's for decoration only",
"Right, so you have bought me a teapot, but I can't use it as a teapot.",
"That's right."
"What the F*&K am I supposed to do with it then?!"

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. We get 50 free stamps because Larry is a postie.

12. Favourite Christmas movie? Love Actually

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? July. Yeah, so what! Shut up!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, every year. The kids have so many things that they don't realise I keep taking their toys and wrapping them up for them again the next year. At least they get something they really want!

15. Favorite thing to eat/drink at Christmas? Clotted cream, Brandy Butter, Port, guinness (wow, now I see why I am having to diet!)

16. Clear lights or coloured on the tree? coloured and flashing

17. Favourite Christmas song? I want to ride my bicycle

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Christmas day in Bethlehem was great, but I love being home with the family for Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes. Frank, Pat, Ricky, Bianca...erm... I can't remember the others.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A Fairy.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Open them Christmas day. Shake, prod, sniff & squish them as soon as they arrive!

Anyone else want to have a go? Let me know so I can have a read.

Oh, and don't worry, I bought myself a bike!

All change

So, after maxing out a credit card (or two) on nursery fees, it was finally time to call it a day and admit that a private nursery was not for people like us, but for the professors and doctors etc. who can afford the extortionate fees. Added to which, we were only really keeping him there because he loved it so much and it only took a week of him saying "I don't want to go to nursery" and a few incidents like not being told they had changed his keyworker, looking at his record of progress to find it had not been updated since he had moved into the pre-school section a month ago in addition to my repeated but unsuccessful attempts to get them to put a coat on him when in the garden (NOTE: all the staff were always wearing fleece jackets!)to wake us up to the fact that we were no longer getting value for (lots and lots of) money.

I was scared. Little Z had had six childminders before starting school and I really didn't want the same for Big J. I made some enquiries and found a childminder on recommendation from a few mums at Little Z's school. We are now 2 weeks in and all is well. She is very qualified, really friendly, and Big J likes her. Apart from that, I don't think I will be messed about by her.

Big J has also started a new Pre-school. It is the same one Little Z went to so it was a bit strange going back there after 4 years. It has changed somewhat, but Big J is happy there and I am hoping he will stay there until he goes to school in September.

So, new childminder & new Pre-school as well as all the new places he will go to with the childminder are all the ingredients I needed for an overwhelmed and slightly bewildered little boy. So, what better time to introduce these things than just coming up to Christmas when everything else is out of routine too!

I am glad to say that the changes have gone as well as could be expected and with as few tears (from all concerned) as possible. He does not seem too concerned to have left his nursery, quite the opposite in fact which tells me maybe we should have done this sooner. I just hope that he doesn't think his new pre-school is always like this with party food and Santa coming to visit.

For God's sake...

This is mad! Inciting racial hatred? Aren't they doing that by the way they are treating her? Can we take seriously a country which still lashes people in public? Is it a crime to make a mistake?

What a ****ed up world we live in!

What the X...

I have never watched X-Factor before, but this year Larry & I have watched it from the beginning and have really got into it. With only 6 acts left in the competition, it is getting tough to decide who to vote for (at home of course, not actually wasting money on phone voting). Beverley has been one of my favourites from the start of the live shows. Apart from the fact that she is a Primary School teacher, she has an amazing voice and was a very strong contender. I thought she could win it. Until, that is, some people decided that talent doesn't really matter and voted instead to keep other acts in who really, in my opinion, should not still be in the competition. What were they thinking?

"If Beverley goes this week it will be ridiculous. If that happens, I will not watch it again" I stropped as I gasped in disbelief at seeing that Beverley was in the bottom two acts.

Well, that's it. I don't ever want to watch it again. I have no idea why it is called x-factor. It is complete xxxxxxxx. (Oh, maybe that's it!)

Oh, and to make matters even worse, someone's supply placement is just about to be cut short.

Driving Lesson

Thank you so much to the (rather aged) man in the (average) silver car, who pulled up alongside my car today to point out to me that my driving was substandard. You may have been somewhat confused at my blank expression and complete lack of response and could have been led into thinking I did not care. However, I do appreciate that you are obviously a caring person who wished to help a fellow motorist, even to the point that you thought you would drive quite closely behind me just in case I should require your help or advice. As someone who is committed to the education of others, I thought I would offer you my own words of advice. First of all, I would like you to think about your use of questionning. Do you think an open question like "Why didn't you use your indicators?" was more likely to get a response than a closed question under those circumstances? Secondly, while I admire your lack of expletives used as you shouted at me, I'd like to point out that the need to shout would be greatly reduced if you were to wind your window down. Oh, nice horn, by the way!

PS:
As this incident took place outside my new school, If by some freak unfortunate coincidence you happen to walk into my classroom with your child on the first day of next term, I would be very grateful if you would pretend never to have seen me before!

Who Nose...

Tried to do Christmas shopping today, but after spending a morning dragging Big J around the shops telling him to "put it down", "Leave that alone", "That's not a toy" etc... I decided to take a break for lunch and continue after we had eaten. As I sat in the car checking my mobile phone, I realised I had missed several messages from Little Z's school and one from Larry telling me that Little Z had fallen and hurt her nose and face and needed to be picked up. The last message was left at 11.50. I finally dashed, apologising repeatedly, into the school's office at 13.25. A trip to A&E resulted in us walking back out as soon as we had walked in as the place was full of people with more serious injuries who would undoubtably be seen first. A short car trip down the road took us to the NHS Walk-In Centre where the staff were helpful and friendly and where we were seen within 30 minutes. The result being that Little Z has cuts to her face which should heal in a week or so and a suspected broken nose which cannot be checked until the swelling goes down in approx. 10 days when we will have to phone for an ENT appointment which may then mean waiting another 2 weeks. In the meantime, she is more concerned with why people are staring at her,why she is not allowed to do PE for 2 weeks and whether she will still be able to do her ballet exam on 15th November.

An Englishman's Home is his Castle...

(apologies for taking so long to actually get this post finished & published)

A few months ago, my friend Sarah announced that she and her husband, Ben, were moving to Derbyshire. After staying with Sarah's granny for a few weeks, they have now moved into their new house, so we thought we would visit them on our way to Grimsby. We took the campervan and booked into Elvaston Castle (not a real castle at all!)campsite nearby to stay for the night.

After visiting Sarah & Ben's new house, we all went over to Elvaston Castle Country Park. A pleasant walk in the woods was the perfect opportunity for Big J to cover his lovely clean trainers and the bottom half of his trousers in two types of poo and some of his own wee! What a charming boy!

We headed for Nottingham the following day, which was not enjoyable in the least. I love Nottingham and as the children have been following the Robin Hood series (yes, yes, I know it's not age appropriate!) I thought they would love to visit the castle. Yes, I am sure they would have preferred to visit the Robin Hood experience museum, but at thirty odd pounds for the family to get in, we decided the castle was more appealing. Didn't I realise they would be disappointed when they saw it and found out it was not a real castle at all, but more like a large stately home? Did I really expect them to get excited about an art gallery and some plates, bowls & cups? Well, yes, hindsight would have been handy (or possible just some forethought!).

A longer than anticipated drive finally got us to Seany's house - not a castle either, but the kids were happy to see Uncle Seanie, as were we, of course!

Despite the fact that we had (and still have) no money, we still managed to visit a windmill (Windy Miller was not in so we didn't get to see it turning, although I managed to keep Big J quiet for about 10 minutes by saying, "Quick, I just saw it move - keep watching!"); a zoo (of sorts) in Cleethorpes (no, not the Sunday Market!)although Seany said it was not quite like the San Diego Zoo or the one in St Louis and we also went for a long drive in the country in search of Alvingham Watermill which I remembered visiting as a year 3 pupil with my favourite teacher and thought Little Z might like to see as the one we had seen in Elvaston had not been working. We also managed to reach the Appleby's Ice Cream shop in Conisholme just in time.

Thanks Seany for another great break.

The Slippery Slope...

At Paulton's Park last weekend, Seany & I stood watching Little Z and Big J have their last climb, swing, jump, bounce and slide on the adventure playground before going home. We laughed as we remembered how a number of years ago, we had visited Paulton's with Little Z and had ourselves had a go on the biggest chute slide. I was signed off work with depression (no, let me finish!) and remember thinking at that time "I hope no one sees me enjoying myself!" It's a common misconception that depressed people have to be miserable all of the time.

So, anyway, I was reading Seany's blog this morning about the joke someone has cracked at the Tate Modern (no, I'm not mocking it, actually I liked the thought behind it) and having clicked the link to the news article about "Shibboleth 2007" I saw a related article entitled "Tate Modern Unveils Giant Slides". Now, that is something I would really enjoy going to see. I love swings and slides and never seem to have grown out of them (mentally, ok?) so I was very excited to hear what the artist had to say:

Artist Carsten Holler said his work, Test Site, was a "playground for the body and the brain". He says slides can help combat mental health problems.

(Source: BBC.co.uk)

What a fantastic excuse!

So, my plan is as follows:
New Job, New house, Big garden, Giant slide, not thought beyond that yet...

How to Get a Primary NQT Teaching Job

I cannot believe how hard it has been to get a teaching job. I know some people have not found it so hard, but I also know some people who were happy to apply for and accept any teaching job in any school and some of those people ended up very unhappy and soon moved on to another school or left teaching altogether. What I am talking about, is how hard it has been to find the right teaching job in the right school. Too fussy? probably. Happy? Yes! I am now.

But this got me thinking how it would be nice (good descriptive word!) to put something together which might help some of the Primary NQTs still out there searching for the right job.

I have put this together and put a link in "Teachers Cupboard" on the right. I am not pretending to have more experience than others, but just wanted to share what I have learnt on my journey. I hope you find it helpful.

Free Stuff!

Yes, I know that Northerners (should that have a capital letter?) seem to have a reputation among the southern folk for taking anything that is free whether they need it or not, but this free stuff is really useful, for teachers and other people involved with education, that is. Yes, I do like the fact that it is free and no I would probably not order some of it if I had to pay for it, but isn't that true about many things? Are there not certain things in life which are free and which we take willingly, but would probably not pay for. Enough about that now.

Anyway, if you are a teacher or LSA or TA or Parent or someone interested in school / education stuff, then have a look at this site. You have to register and then you can (within reason) order what you like. Some things are restricted, but I have been able to order most things I needed to. Just thought I would share my find with you.

By the way, I have also put a link to this on the right hand side under "Teacher's Cupboard" so you can find it easily in future.