Friday 4 March 2011

Friday evening


The end of what has proven to be a very busy, somewhat complicated and, at times, worrying and anger creating week - and I'm so-o-o tired!

Work has been great, really good. I have been extremely pleased with the children and the efforts they have made this week. I can see real and, in some cases, considerable progress and it cheers my heart. After all, the bottom line is that that's what I'm there for: to teach them so that they make progress. To see such clear results is most encouraging.

I had a meeting with the head today. As we were chatting about this and that she leaned forward and said 'I do like your necklace, it looks expensive, where did you get it!' Me, being an innately honest type had to admit that it was somewhere around a £5.99 job from Sainsbury's, but I was well chuffed with her remark as it's quite a favourite of mine and one I usually wear for special times. I immediately felt very much better dressed, of course!

I had to laugh this afternoon. On Monday we (Year 1) are all going to Braintree Museum for a Victorian Experience day to go with our current theme. I took my class for about twenty minutes this afternoon, to talk to them about what will happen, to make them aware of my expectations (behaviour, etc) and to show them part of a rather nice and simple book entitled 'Ragged Schools'. in order to prepare them for the role play lesson, which can come as a shock to some of the more - er - volatile members of the class. We got to a page that talked about how children were expected to sit up straight. If they didn't, they had to sit with their arms tucked behind a board to make them sit straight. As I read this bit and showed the picture I saw a 'whole class' movement in my peripheral vision (that vision that any teacher worth her salt has in abundance and without which we could not survive) and, when I looked straight at them, every child was sitting bolt upright in a way that would have rejoiced even the strictest Victorian teacher's heart.

So now I'm home. The weekend has started, there's no immediate planning needed for Monday and I have an evening out tomorrow to look forward to. I feel at peace with life (long may it last) and I intend to have a few glasses of something chilled and rose to celebrate.

Reminder to self: turn off the alarm clock!

Photo: flower stuff from the garden - a bit out of focus but isn't nature incredible? It's the centre of a primula. So small and yet so stunning.

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