Back to school

Well, that's one day over! Another three and a half weeks until Easter!

It's wasn't that bad, actually, although the new seating arrangements - islands of desks rather than the rows that had been driving me crazy, they're so boring - caused a bit of consternation!

The highlights came in my Year 7 class and at lunchtime. Both involved handing back the assessments I've been marking over the holidays. One boy, who is often quite badly behaved, got back his assessment. The first level written on it was very low - I only had a sheet with a few notes. But I thought he might have written another page. At first, he started protesting - "But I wrote all that, Miss!" - but then I showed him another page - "Yes! That's mine!" - and soon he was jumping all over the classroom shouting with delight at his grade! He has asked me to send it home, so I am going to photocopy it and send it home with a note. And I've been telling his other teachers, so hopefully he'll get more praise too.

Then at lunch a couple of Year 9 boys came by to see if I had marked their assessments. I had, and, once again, they were delighted with the grades - they were the top two in their class, one joint equal second with one of the girls who is normally top of the class, so they were really happy too!

It makes all that marking worthwhile!