Suckers

I'm expecting a possible visit tomorrow morning from Chloe's mother.  It's hard to know how to respond to her.  She sent a note in at the end of last week telling me off because I'd told Chloe not to suck her thumb (she does it all the time), as it might make her teeth stick out - OK maybe a bit insensitive, but my cousing did it and she ended up having to wear braces for a year!  I thought I was being kind and helpful.  Chloe's mother has a different opinion.  Her note said 'Because of your comment, Chloe now thinks that Jesus won't love her if she sucks her thumb'. ?????  I'm sure she's not going to leave it at that, it's not her style, so what do I say if she comes in?  Maybe ask 'And what do you think, Mrs. F.?'  Tell her the truth?  Probably the best.  Apologise?  I don't think so!

Here we go again then...

So, it was the kids' first day back after the Christmas break.  Usual mixture of those who really didn't want to be there and whose heads were still basically on the pillow, and those who were pleased to be back because they'd got bored of being at home in front of a screen (yes!  there are some!) with parents whose festive fondness had disappeared with the advent of the New Year.

Most popular Christmas presents seem to have involved technology of some form or other - Kindles (maybe it'll encourage them to read!), mobile phones,Wiis, TV/DVDs (for those poor souls not yet in possession of their personal set), PSPs...My Dad always bemoans the fact that when he looks out on to the street on Christmas Day there aren't children on roller skates, which let's face it, was always good for a laugh.  I guess they're doing it indoors on the Wii these days.  And do they still make chemistry sets?  Or is that too much for Elfnsafety? There were some with the usual dolls, prams, Lego, selection box and new felt tip pen sets, but others looked on those unfortunates with scorn and pity.

Anyway, I did let them talk about stuff and I did get them to write about Christmas (with illustrations) and that was fine.  Assembly lasted more than a good half-hour.  I used to stress about long assemblies, complaining that I'd planned my lesson and now it was going to all messed up as there wasn't enough time left to do it properly, until an older and wiser teacher told me 'Why worry?  You're getting paid for sitting here listening to it'.  How true!  The shortest assemblies these days tend to be the ones I do...I must be incurring the wrath of several members of staff.

Is it the chair?

PD Day today, so a 9 o'clock start, which means not having to actually be in the building til 5 to 9 - luxury!  And with coffee and catching up we didn't get going til 9.30, so that wasn't so bad.  It was all about delivering 'outstanding' lessons...hmm.. wonder what that might mean could be in store.  Anyway, it was all very interesting and informative I'm sure - basically you just work harder in every respect, write extra long and detailed lesson plans, sing and dance a lot and keep the little darllings' noses to the grindstone because they're SO enthusaistic about your wonderfully creative ideas. Keep talking about learning objectives and success criteria, throw in a dollop of self-assessment and you're in. So no problem then.

But the biggest news of the day is that Tanya's pregnant.  Some say about time...others say she was jealous of the three who got there before her... but all are agreed that the chair has something to do with it.  She's the third person to get pregnant in that room in three years!  You don't suppose there really could be something in that, do you?  One thing's for sure - the Head ain't too pleased!  More maternity leave!!

Oh yes - the cake went down well! (Though no-one asked for the recipe...)

Fonix

If we teech reeding just wiv fonicks, we may end up wiv a hole jenerashun of peepull hoo kan only spel that way.

Cake

It just came over me really. I don't know why.  Maybe it was anticipation of the need for sugar/sweet things/comfort food/momentary respite from the daily grind, but I made cake!  Actually resisting eating it right now is proving to be quite difficult, but delayed gratification can sometimes be a good thing.  So...I will magnanimously offer my culinary creation to the staff room at break tomorrow and wallow in its sweetness, sure in the knowledge that my colleagues will love me!

Thank you, Nigella!

Oh well...

...so that was the holiday.  Goodbye Christmas.  Au revoir New Year's Eve.  What does this brand new year hold in store I wonder?  Maybe...
...I'll get a TLR- and start being paid for all the extra stuff I currently do that I'm not being paid for. I hate a system where you have to do the job first to prove that you can do it before they actually pay you for doing it!

...at least seven children in my class will leave, (especially Billy and Sky), and not be replaced by anybody else.

... the Head will comment positively on something - anything - that I have done with my class - 'What a wonderful display!'; 'What an outstanding lesson!'; 'What a well-behaved class!'.

...my bottom set (oops - sorry - my less experienced pupils) will suddenly become not only adequately literate, but also passably numerate.  So Daniel will realise that there are words other than his name that start with a D (No Daniel, that actually says doughhnut), and  Carina will understand that there are maths calculations to which the answer is not 3.

Or maybe not.

Not long now

As it's a Sunday, the afternoon is, naturally, given up to planning as usual.  Though officially it's still holiday, so this poses a dilemma - to plan or not to plan.  Am I still on holiday, even though it's a Sunday, or am I not?  Sneaky Facebook peeks suggest my colleagues across the land fall into both camps pretty equally.  Hmm.. let's weigh it up..

• Q: How many days do I have to teach next week?  A: three. 
• Q: How much will my class feel like working on day 1?  A. Zilch.
• Q: Should I let them talk to each other a lot - to share ideas, of course? A. Most definitely.
• Q: Can I still get away with getting them to write about their Christmas holiday? A. Of course - they'll love it - and they can illustrate it too. Copiously.
• Q: Can I spend quite a lot of time explaining the coming term to them?  A: No problem.
• Q: Should I use my Sunday afternoon (in the middle of the holiday), to plan?  A: No!

Decision made!  How satisfying!