Parting gifts

The end of term finally arrived I thought it would never happen. Of course it happens much quicker in all the other countries of the world. It all happened as it should. I woke up at 2pm Saturday and then went to pick up my car from where I'd left it - outside the pub. I enjoyed working at my school for years so I was sad to leave, at the same time I was happy. The boss has said she’s not putting teachers up the pay scale. It just seems mean. Most the teachers at the school are amazing; she just doesn’t see it. Ofsted graded their lessons good. I told her I thought it was unfair. She said yes it is unfair but then she did it anyway.

I’d done the whole ritual of keep safe over the holiday. I will miss you. You have worked hard this year. Enjoy your holiday. I’m sorry to be leaving you etc...then one child said, ‘Do we have school tomorrow?’ Sigh!

I had a strange array of parting gifts all of them very sweet. There were the usual teddies and mugs. I have a huge collection of mugs if only they did plates and bowls I could have a whole matching set. I told the children bottles would be most welcome. I ended up with several bottles of pound shop bubble bath. You always get the gifts with reduced labels and recycled gifts with other people’s names on but there’s nothing wrong with that. One child gave me a banana. I think he saw everyone else giving me gifts and wanted to give me something too. He took it out of his pack lunch box bless him. Then I got the best present in the history of all teacher gifts. A pizza!! It was delivered to me as soon as the bell went. It was exactly what I wanted. How thoughtful of the parent to think of lining my stomach before I headed for the pub. The dad handed it to me in front of the boss. I am sure she thought that I’d been cheeky and had it delivered to the school. But who cares? I’m gone now.

xxx

Teaching 10 Commandments

This is not necessarily a ‘should’, ‘have to’ or ‘must’ but what I think works to have a successful school and home life. I don’t always follow them, in fact right now I'm really not - yet suffering for it!That’s when things tend not to work...1 week left at work...these will act as my New School Year Resolutions in September.

1.       Thou shalt mark all thy books.

2.       Thou shalt be calm.

3.       Thou shalt rest from work on the Sabbath.

4.       Thou SHALT steal. (in the context of ideas, planning, behaviour management techniques etc...)

5.       Thou shalt do what one knows to be right.

6.       Thou shalt honour the fathers and mothers. (Know the importance of parental impact – welcome them. They make the biggest difference – possibly a harder job than ours AND they don’t get paid!)

7.       Thou shalt not murder. (walk away from the boss! Take deep breaths...sometimes what they’re saying is right - other times it is complete nonsense! Call them on it calmly if it makes a difference.)

8.       Thou shalt keep thy word. (Follow up! If a child’s not done what’s been asked, always follow up even if you think it doesn’t matter – it does!)

9.       Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord our God in vain. (swearing in class never a good idea!)

10.   Thou shalt have decent learning objectives and success criteria (take care of these and the lessons take care of themselves)

And right now, thou shalt enjoy the weekend. Miss Phitt xx

The 10 Commandments

After teaching the children about the 10 commandments: Thou shalt not steal: I remembered the paper clips I had nicked from the school office; and how I had really encouraged the children to steal ideas from each other. I felt a little hypocritical. Then I remembered what real thieves do; they call it 'borrowing':
It got me thinking what would the 10 commandments be for teachers? I’m still thinking about it...not so much as 10 OFSTED guidelines but 10 things to make teaching work at home as well as school.

Someone texted me on Friday, 'How r u? The kids behaving themselves?'
My reply was; 'The kids have been good; the boss on the otherhand...' Maybe there should also be 10 commandments for bosses!

Now‘s the time of year when we should really be loving teaching but I’m not. I’m really not. I normally find a way to make myself happy. I normally think of something. I can be happy however big the workload and however naughty the kids are.
It is one of my golden rules to see the kids and the boss for their good and understand how things might be for them. This works. At the same time, I don't agree with someone being out of line and I say something. Our head has given many members of staff letters warning them of capability procedure. I’ve not had a letter and I don’t think I’ll get one but it bothers me. It really bothers me. She’s handing out capability procedures like there’s no tomorrow. I can’t help but feel I’ve handed in my resignation at just the right time. PHEW!!!! xx