Everyone wants a piece of me but I just want some peace!

After 3 weeks, it feels like I’ve been at my new school forever. So as promised, the silver lining has worn off and here’s some moans about this much better school. This tends to be the case once you’ve settled in somewhere. There also tends to be 2 common moans, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing: Time and Money.

So what do you think of school clubs? I’ve always thought they were great until... they asked me which one I wanted to do? Eeermm none! - My unspoken response. Why would I want to spend my mornings, evenings and lunchtimes doing a club out of the goodness of my heart when I could be spending my time gossiping and drinking coffee in the staffroom? Well, that’s not strictly true but it is my breakfast, lunch and tea time. ‘So can we sign you up for running club?’ I thought about it and thought I might as well use it as my twice weekly exercise sessions...until they told me it’s at lunchtime- suddenly images of kids running around puking up their lunch crossed my mind. Then some papers appeared on my desk ‘these are for your 11+ club.’ Oh dear! I’m all for making 11+ tuition available as I think some bright little buttons fail the test because the poor little sods haven’t been given tutoring. But my main concern is always teachers’ wellbeing. I’ve got enough work doing the normal teach, plan, mark and assess etc etc. Well, some clubs are paid- perhaps there is a bright side after all. Somehow clubs don’t seem so bad if you’re getting paid for them. It’s a case of not enough time...isn’t it? Yet more time suddenly comes available if you’re getting paid for your time. If I’m not, I’ll skill myself up ready to say ‘NO!’ by half term. If I am, I’ll put the money towards a relaxing holiday by half term.

And what do you think of teachers buying their own resources? I also don’t believe in teachers spending their own money on resources – we’re not Avon ladies after all. Today I asked where I could get hold of some folders – Tescos was the answer. Hmmphh!!

So I’ve got a couple of options: 1) Request being paid for clubs and request resources to be ordered 2) Don’t do it and stop moaning about it ;-P

Btw, there’s something I read, I think it was in one of Frank Chalk’s books- about children in rough schools being far uglier than in other schools. Whilst I realise it is completely against political correctness, I chuckled to myself when my good looking 11+ class arrived, remembering the vacant-faced uglies of my previous rough school. I actually enjoyed doing the clubs ...ssshhh!! Don’t tell anyone!

Xxx

Work/Life Balance - welcome back holidays, weekends and evenings I've missed u xx

I’m so glad to be at my new school and can only reinforce the importance of getting into a good school although in true human form I'm sure it won't be long before I find something to moan about. Right now, there’s a few reasons why my new schools great:

1)      The boss is calm and knows his stuff. Having worked for incompetent nutters in the past; this was a relief to discover. The only problem with him knowing his stuff is he knows when you’re stuffing up; and even though he might not say anything, you know he knows. We have observations coming up and the teachers are shitting themselves. I don’t know a teacher who isn’t shit scared of observations. For a while, I chilled out. I knew I’d get a satisfactory grading for even my worse lessons. Trouble is, now, satisfactory is not satisfactory. Is it possible to be graded ‘outstanding’ without working your butt off? I once got an ‘outstanding’ grading for my lesson; needless to say I’d worked my ass off.

2)      The school is technically advanced. The children have just had their thumbs scanned for ordering their lunch – god knows how that works. The register is electronic as is the reward system. The parents can then log on at home and see the positive comments left by the teacher every day. Check it out at http://www.vivomiles.com/. You can access everything at home (when you know how) the only problem, after a hard day’s work, is switching off – literally. Technology is great – as long as you know how to use it. I’m just waiting for an electronic robot teacher who I can program to teach all my lessons whilst I put my feet up and drink tea, oil it once in a while and get paid for it.

3)      Some of the children work at a really high level so I am never bored. I was beaten at a maths challenge for the first time in 5 years. One of my extension tasks is often: ‘think of a question related to the LO which you can answer but you think the teacher can’t.’ More often than not I can answer it; I’ve had years of practice at this game. This time, I was beaten on Monday in a sequencing lesson when a 10 year old boy came up with a sequence I couldn’t crack in the time available. I’ve cracked it now but see how long it takes you:

0, 7, 26, 63, ?, ?

4)      Its well organised.

The boss also stresses the importance of a work/life balance...so on that note, I’ll bid you goodnight as I am off to bed at a reasonable hour.

Miss Phitt xx

I guess it really makes a difference which school you choose.

Back at work already. Our first day back was Friday. After one hard day’s work, I was absolutely knackered. Its gonna take something to get back in the swing of working Mon-Fri again. So I’m at a new school – what a different ball game! So strange yet so much better. We had a range of team building games – including a blindfolded assault course. This would never have happened at my old school. I guess it really makes a difference which school you choose.
xx