Just for once, yesterday's plans went like a dream, despite the lashing rain that kept the children in all day. Wet playtimes and lunchtimes can be a nightmare but perhaps they are just too tired to create much havoc because they remained placid and compliant more or less all day. They were just a bit noisy at times, but that's normal for a wet day. I counted my blessings.
It's interesting - I would have said that The Snowman and its accompanying partner 'Father Christmas' are Christmas Classics, but when I asked the children, more than half of them didn't seem to have seen it before. Perhaps it *is* getting quite old now but, nevertheless, they sat still, gave it their rapt attention, laughed at the funny bits and generally showed themselves to be an ideal audience. I had some of the other class in as well, if they had finished all their work, and they were equally enthralled. The old magic still seems to be active. And I see there's a new 'Snowman' film - the Snowman and the Snowdog' or something like that, so I guess that will give it all a new lease of life for another generation.
We got James and the Christmas Tree finished. As before, they produced a few sentences (for the conclusion this time) on whiteboards for joint editing before copying the corrected version out in best. And they did very well indeed. I have seen their confidence grow steadily this week as they have experimented with 'wow words' and different punctuation in the knowledge that it can all be rubbed out and an adult will help, once they have had a go themselves. Also, I am thrilled with the way they have all used their phonic knowledge rather than asking for a spelling. I could quote from a number of efforts but this one epitomises it for me.
'. . . and he coodunt bleeve his ighs'
Read it phonetically!
'Couldn't' will be a stormy word early next term (words that have to be known because they do not work phonetically) so they'll learn that soon along with a little lesson on contractions, and I think 'ighs' is a gallant attempt at a word that is NOT intuitively spelt! Good for you, little M.
(And the choice of phrase isn't bad either).
We managed to get everything given out. A few children had forgotten their carrier bags but I'd brought some in from home, so that was OK. Into their bags went paper chains, Christmas card, Christmas tree decoration calendar, hand and foot reindeer, stand up angel with doyley wings and a few other bits and bobs accumulated on the way plus, to their huge excitement, a little something from me! And now the bay looks very bleak and bare in comparison. I will get the beginnings of next term's display up today so I don't have to come in during the holidays. I don't mind going in but the heat is not on and it's so jolly cold!
Today they are bringing in a toy from home to play with, there will be another DVD, we have a special assembly in the morning and Carole by Candlelight in the afternoon. And that's it - end of term.
And then the work starts!!!
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