Happy St Andrew's Day!

No haggis for us tonight, unfortunately, but I hope you are all having a lovely St Andrew's Day!

Just thought I'd make a list, not of what I have to do, but what I have done since yesterday!

I got up around 10am yesterday morning.

I cleaned the bathroom, put the washing on, did the shopping, hung up the washing (grammar???), put the shopping away, made the lunch (spatchcock poussin) and washed the dishes. By noon.

For the rest of the day, I washed those dishes, made dinner (lamb steaks with rice and squash), washed those dishes and cleaned the kitchen. I also produced two and a half powerpoints (I have just finished the third now) for our big RE day. That was quite a big job.

Today, I have been to church, made lunch (beef stew), completed all the admin things for the RE day, including sending some emails, written my A Level mock exam paper, and made a GCSE revision checklist for my Year 11s. That has taken some time, but I'm pretty pleased with my progress.

I still need to do the dishes, make dinner, and mark three sets of books. Will see how I get on ...

Weekly Update

Well, I think I have certainly blogged more than normal this week, but I am interested myself in adding an overview of the whole week, as a reflection on what has been achieved.

Monday 11 August - Looking back, I apparently had a very focused day and got lots done. I don't think I've quite managed to keep it up, though, unfortunately!

Tuesday 12 August - Took loads of photos throughout the day to make an animation of the changing skies. Also spent a lot of time online, posting memes, and thinking about, and enjoying, the Olympics. (Have done a LOT of that this week!)

Wednesday 13 August - Some more memes, surfing and stumbling around on the internet, and watching the Olympics. H was up north overnight, working. Took me hours to get to sleep. Was just dropping off when he phoned, then an hour later was still awake, so decided to switch on the light and read for a bit.

Thursday 14 August - Got up and went into school for a couple of hours. I managed to clear out one cupboard of stuff - I now have a huge pile of scrap paper for any pupil who forgets their book (not that that should happen, of course! I don't plan on letting them out of my sight too much!). Rushed home, worried that H's friend, arriving by plane, might have arrived when we were both out. He hadn't. Didn't arrive at all, in fact - turns out he was staying with someone else!

Friday 15 August - Was back in school again for a few hours this morning. A new colleague came in, and it was lovely to see her. She's really looking forward to starting, which is good. Hope she stays that way!! I now have three bin bags full of rubbish to be thrown out. Unfortunately I then had to come home so H could go out (he's lost his keys - again!), and just as he phoned me the door fell off my cupboard! Fortunately, with a little bit of help from the caretaker, I managed to get the door back on again. Hope it stays! My classroom door is still a bit wonky, and I forgot to check and see if the windows have been fixed (I doubt it). I noticed some new graffiti from during the holidays on the side of the cupboard. Annoying. I don't know who's been in. Came home, H went out, I got some work done. A bit. And some more surfing, I think. Eventually went to bed, no sign of H. He eventually arrived back quite late with his friend. Got up and chatted for a bit before heading back to bed for some much needed sleep and left them to it!

Saturday 16 August - Got up and went to the shops with a neighbour. Nice to sit and have a coffee while she finished her shopping before coming back. Then sat and watched a load of Olympic events for most of the afternoon. H made lunch, I made dinner. Chatted about the past. After taking H's friend back to the place where he was staying, we came back and thought we'd watch the overview of the Olympics, and the preparation for the women's marathon. Then we thought we'd watch the beginning of the marathon. Ended up getting so gripped we watched the whole thing! And ended up going to bed around 3.30am.

Sunday 17 August - So tired I slept in, and didn't make it to church. H got a text at around 11am that woke us up ... fortunately his friend was letting us know that he was running late, so that gave us time to get ready! We went to Brighton for the day, arriving in time for a late lunch. Not quite at Harry Ramsden's though ... we went a bit further, down the pier, then had fish and chips in the pier restaurant. We walked to the end of the pier, where we were amazed at the people who were spending £8 to go upside down and round and round on one of the rides. They seemed really close - it was quite motion-sickness-making watching them! H was almost tempted to have a go on the bucking bronco, but decided not to. I quite fancied getting one of the those getting dressed up photos, but we would have had to have waited, so we decided not to. Instead I had a huge candyfloss, which was good - but maybe a bit much! Then we walked down to the beach, where we took photos next to a giant doughnut, and H lost his hat (although he found it again, on the other side of the wall - he managed to jump over and get it before the wind carried it out to sea!).

The beach is full of pebbles, which are not that easy to walk on in the sort of shoes I had. I kept sinking in and getting little pebbley stones in my shoes, which wasn't very comfortable! However, I eventually made the sea, and walked into the water - I wasn't quite able to jump over the waves, the pebbles saw to that, but I enjoyed standing there with the water washing over my feet.

It was nice to go for a wander along the promenade, taking photos, remembering nights spent in the Grand Hotel, watching the seagulls flying overhead and generally talking and laughing. By now it was getting a bit later, so we began to head back to the car, past the Brighton Pavilion, stopping off at the Colonnade pub for a drink (they don't serve hot chocolate, but they do have muffins). We eventually found the car, which was no mean feat, and I drove home. At some point I deviated from my planned course, but that meant we had a detour under the Greenwich Meridian, so that was good.

Monday 18 August - I haven't managed to do all the things I wanted to do today. As I write this it's now after 6pm. I started writing this around lunchtime. I've had a dizzy spell earlier that has made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I have watched some Olympics and made lunch. I need to go and clear up. I haven't done too much computer stuff today, but I have done a bit. Mostly I've not done much at all, just sat around feeling a bit under the weather. We are going out in an hour. H is going off for a jog. I'll go and clear up. Hopefully tomorrow I can not go on the computer at all and just blitz my essays so we can head north on Wednesday with everything done so I can just relax. How quickly holidays come to an end!

My Weekly Summer Update

So, what exciting things have happened this week?

Monday 4 August - Discovered a few more interesting websites and computer applications. Played around with those, did some writing, generally inside, tidying up etc.

Tuesday 5 August - More computer stuff, practiced animating cartoons on the internet, went to the shops. Up really late surfing around on the internet. Mostly stumbling around using the StumbleUpon button, which you click and it takes you anywhere on the internet! Very addictive. Also updated most of the phone numbers etc on H's new mobile phone. Which means he can't phone anyone, because whenever someone changed their number, he added it as a new person, whereas I'm putting them all in one place, then he doesn't know which one is the correct number! Oh dear.

Wednesday 6 August - More working from home and surfing. Had a lovely evening though. We walked to Canary Wharf again and went to the Cafe Rouge for a drink, and ended up sharing a plate of bread, pate and cheese. Delicious! And very continental, sitting by the Thames. Relaxing. Watched the world go by ... I had a citron presse, which comes with a very concentrated bitter lemon juice, a jug of water, and a decanter of sugared water, which you make to taste. Felt very adult-like and grown up! (Which I suppose I am, really, although the older I get the younger I feel, I think! Or at least the younger I act!) I think we managed to have an earlyish night this night ...

Thursday 7 August - Did some work, but too much stumbling around again. Think it was tonight we watched No Country for Old Men, a film set near the Mexico border, with a ruthless killer to uses an air gun pellet thing that is used for killing cattle to murder people and to blow out locks. Very dark, but fairly gripping. Then went back on the computer ...

Friday 8 August - Had a long lie in, but got up in time to watch the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony; stayed on the couch from 11:45am to 5:15pm or something like that ... It was fantastic, really eye catching. I loved the scroll effects, and the way the painting started with dancing, continued with children and was completed with the feet of the athletes. The ceramic typewriter with the dancing keys, the thousands of disciples of Confucius in long robes and paintbrush-like headgear, the swirling dove people, the giant globe, the long, almost infinite-like, procession of athletes, the military precision of the Chinese police as the received the Olympic flag, the little boy, survivor of the earthquake, walking alongside the tall Chinese basketball player, and finally the delivery and lighting of the huge Olympic torch, as the Chinese gymnast floated then ran through the air, running behind the unveiling scroll revealing scenes from Athens to Beijing ... And I haven't even mentioned the fireworks. Well. What a start. Having watched to the very end meant that we didn't go into town, as planned. However, in the evening H decided to head to the O2 with his work to write his proposal, and I decided to stay at home and tidy up. I stuck on some nice African music - couldn't find the kwassa kwassa though - and that perked me up, and within the hour the studio had gone from being messy, dirty and a hindrance to clear thought, to being tidy, clean and a pleasure to be in. Made me feel like dancing. But I had some work to do, and with a nice clean studio, I could finally get on with it, and managed to write about 3000 words or so and still was in bed by midnight. (I read until about 1am.) However, when H came home, he was very excited with some news, which kept us both up for a while!

Saturday 9 August - Got up bright and early (ish!) in order to go to the bank, the mobile phone shop, and the bookshop. When I was in the Orange store, the shop assistant went to get another assistant because it was very busy. It's a small shop. He opened the door, and said, "Come out now, what are you doing in here? You need to come and help with the customers now. That's not important - don't waste your time on that now," or something like that. The other person behind the door was not happy. "What are you talking to me like that for? You don't need to talk to me like that." "I'm talking to you like this because there are lots of customers. You need to come and help." The first man was quite rude, and the second man wasn't very happy about it. A bit embarrassing really. It was very busy. But the first man could probably have gone into the back room and spoken to the second man quietly. Anyway. Then I came home, put on the washing, and made lunch. Planned to have lunch, then go to the shops before heading back for an afternoon nap and working all evening, and felt really good because I'd been out for fresh air and was half way through my essay. Then a friend turned up just before lunch was ready. So I divided it between three rather than two, and we sat and talked for a long time. Around 3pm I suggested that I go for shopping, and see them when I get back, but the friend said he'd be going soon, so I decided to wait and go shopping after he left. He left around 7pm ... by which time H was hungry, and I was tired and a bit frustrated that I hadn't managed to get any work done, although it was nice to see him. We eventually decided to go to the Orange Tree for dinner, then I dropped off H and went shopping. Came home ready for sleep! Just before I went to bed H decided he wanted to get a video uploaded to YouTube. The video was on my computer, so I started editing it, but I have new iMovies software, and it's really complicated (when you are used to the old software), and seemed to take forever. Got it eventually, but another late night.

Sunday 10 August - Got up bright and early for church. A different priest was there, talking about the Africa Missionary Society. It was very interesting and informative - he was telling us about the history of Liberia. Came home, made lunch - liver and onions with mashed potatoes - and moved the washing into the sun. Then pottered on and off the computer for a while throughout the day. Suddenly realised just before starting this post that the rain was bucketing down - such a contrast to earlier - and all my clothes are soaked once again. They were practically dry before. Ah well, these things happen. Now I'm going to go and try and finish this essay so I can get on with my lesson plans!

My to do for this summer ...

I just thought I should add this here:

1. Plan new Year 7 lessons
2. Rewrite Year 7 RE lessons
3. Plan GCSE lessons
4. Make a list of all the departmental things I'd like to do
5. Update my other blog with the books I've read
6. Go into school to rejig my classroom and meet the new teacher
7. May have some extra work from another website company that will need to be done
8. Try to get some colour on my legs - suntan, I mean, not more bruises!
9. Visit Scotland
10. Relax a bit!
    

To do ...

1) Buy blouse.
2) Finish writing reports.
3) Plan cover lessons for next week.
4) Send card for new baby!
5) Type up new lesson plans for next year.
6) Remember to take money to church tomorrow.
7) Print out dissertation in order to get it bound (oops, I hope I'm not too late and they still let me graduate!)

So busy!

No time to write a proper post this week ... course on Thursday, followed by late night meeting including presentation, course on Friday, delivering this time, pub quiz on Friday night - fun!, nice lazy day on Saturday spent with H, church then planning today. Still up - had planned to be sleeping by now! I have spent far too long online. But Doctor Who was great!

To do

Here's the most recent list:

1. Photocopy Hinduism booklet for all classes, and complete answers for other teachers.
   
2. Finish Year 10 reports.
   
3. Mark three sets of Year 9 assessments. (2 and a half down, half to go...)
   
4. Write 3 lesson plans for project. (One planned; two to write, but planned in my head.)
   
5. Write Case Study for project.
6. Send off all project stuff by 14 June.
7. Write essay for other course.
8. Plan inspection lessons.
9. Plan all assessments and lesson plans. (This is done in my head, and will be completed by the end of the week whether I like it or not!)
10. A whole load of KS3 stuff ... write a yearly plan, make sure all books are up to date etc.
    

To do this week

1. Finalise lesson plan and resources for observation.
2. Write up all lesson plans and produce resources for project.
3. Complete Hinduism booklet.
4. Produce mark scheme for Y9 assessment.
5. Send off all car insurance stuff.
6. Pay bills, MOT etc.
7. Go on school trip!
8. Attend course.
9. Write a resume of St Paul's letters for Year of St Paul stuff. (Wasn't needed in the end!)
10. Produce subject specific ICT links for teachers.
11. Write Year 10 reports.
12. Plan all lessons, including cover lessons.
13. Plan homeworks (for over the holidays ...)
14. Produce KS3 review of schemes of work for inspection.
15. Mark Year 7 books.
16. Write essay for course.

I'm sure there are more things I need to do! But this will more than keep me going!

A much better week with some good lessons

I'm sure the beautiful, hot, sunny weather we have had recently has helped as well!

I am getting observed next week, and this week have planned a few lessons with another teacher, which I have really enjoyed. I hadn't realised how much I miss joint planning!

Took my Year 9s then my Year 8s onto the computers - and, of course, many of the things I wanted to use with them wouldn't work! Ah well, at least it's given some ideas, hopefully!

Most of all, I have enjoyed my Year 7 classes. They've done loads of work, and I'm really pleased with them!

Now, I had loads of other things I was going to write about, but now I can't remember what they were! I slept in this morning ... very tired. Lots of late nights planning lessons.

Busy Weekend

I had my course yesterday - very interesting, great speaker, met up with a colleague from another school and went out for coffee - great to chat. Shame to be indoors, but at least some sun at lunchtime. Today - after a lovely walk to and from church to celebrate Pentecost, I have been on the computer ALL DAY working NON STOP (other than cooking up a lovely lunch of tilapia and butternut squash for H and I - made the leftover squash into soup later) on the computer, so have a sore back now, and still haven't finished!

Here's my list, with the completed things in red:

1. Revision overview stuff for Years 10 and 11.
2. Plan ICT presentation for Tuesday / Wednesday slots.
3. Email mentor about project.
4. Amend Year 9 assessment.
5. Write Year 7 reports.
6. Write lesson plans for my project.
7. Complete booklet on Hinduism.
8. Plan lessons and homework for this week, including some cover lessons.
9. Plan lesson for observation next week. (Mostly done ... some tweaking left.)

I'm sure there are loads more things ... as well as all the other non-school stuff on my other list. But I suppose that's not bad for today ... Will get off to bed now. Have to wake up H and move him to the other room ... he was in France last night, and has slept most of today!

Bank Holiday Blues

What a lovely day it is today! But here I am, stuck inside, trying to get all my admin done! Woe is me!! And we've just had a powercut for the past two or three hours, so no internet access - which has been good, in that I've managed to mark some assessments - but not so good in that I kept thinking, "I should ... look up my new classlists on the internet ... Oh no, I can't. I should ... find out more info about that job ... Oh no, I can't! I should ... look up some info for the new scheme of work I'm writing. Oh no, I can't!"

Had a lovely day yesterday visiting friends, which it makes it all worthwhile though. They now have three lovely children, so I took 140 photos (ah, the age of digital photography!) a few of which I've uploaded to Facebook. Very nice to see all the family, more so since they will be overseas for a year, leaving in a few months time. However, with blogs and Facebook and Skype, I am sure we'll be able to keep in touch and see how the children are growing!

Now, where was I? ... Marking, that was it. Bye!

To do!!

I'm updating it to take away the things I've done and to add more things I have to do ...

1) Visit our friends with a six week old baby
2) Plan a unit on the Holy Spirit that involves art (05/05/08 - I have written the assessment)
3) Plan the forthcoming lessons
4) Sort out the car insurance stuff following my accident last month
5) Mark the two sets of Y7 assessments
6) Mark the two sets of Y9 assessments
7) Mark the Y8 assessment
8) Complete Risk Assessment for school trip (I should point out that I have done most of this, but I have still to write the letter to parents and actually hand it in.)
9) Arrange graduation stuff (at least I've started on this by asking for time off!)
10) Bind my dissertation
11) Complete a booklet on Hinduism (05/05/08 - I have started this, and have the headings)
12) Keep an eye on the job market
13) Write Y7 reports (05/05/08 - Have at least started ... all data entered, just have to write the things now!)
14) Plan two sessions on web stuff
15) Plan session on AfL for NQTs

Have just finished watching High Fidelity. That was fun! Am tired now. Can't really believe how much I've got to do ... Blue things on the list are specifically school related. And they should all turn red eventually as they are completed!

(By the way, we did our civic duty on Thursday, and voted. And now we have Boris!)

Updating my list ...

1) Watch London marathon (want to get pics of the Maasai warriors that are running)
2) Visit our friends with a newborn baby
3) Plan a unit on the Holy Spirit that involves art
4) Mark another set of books (and possibly pop in to school to pick up some more sets of books, and the two sets of year 7 assessments that I left at school by accident)
5) Buy an outfit for my friend's wedding, and a present
6) Buy a present for our nephew's first birthday
7) Plan the forthcoming lessons
8) Tidy the house!! (I've done it, but it has to be continually kept up to date!)
9) Sort out the car insurance stuff following my accident the other week.

So, as far as school goes, I still need to:
1) Mark the other half of Y9 books
2) Mark the other set of Y9 books
3) Mark the two sets of Y7 assessments
4) Plan lessons for Y9 assessment
5) Plan lessons for Y8 assessment
6) Plan lessons for new Y7, Y8 and Y9 schemes of work
7) Plan LOTC scheme of work on religion and art for Y9
8) Arrange times for Parents' Day
9) Complete Risk Assessment for school trip

Also need to:
1) Send off car insurance stuff
2) Get the car keys back
3) Possibly buy coat and gloves for wedding outfit (Done - Sunday)
4) Complete at least 2 applications
5) Arrange graduation stuff (at least I've started on this by asking for time off!)
6) Bind my dissertation

Hmmm. So I still have quite a bit to do tomorrow ...

PS GREAT NEWS! I got the car keys back!

Travelling

All the excitement recently has been around H's trip overseas. It was a bit last minute, but he managed to get a ticket and got on the flight in time. Just! I've been finishing off some form filling for him, and have posted two parcels this morning. So now I have some forms to fill in of my own, as well as trying to tidy this place up.

Let's review that list from earlier this week ...

1) Watch London marathon (want to get pics of the Maasai warriors that are running)
2) Visit our friends with a newborn baby
3) Plan a unit on the Holy Spirit that involves art
4) Mark another set of books (and possibly pop in to school to pick up some more sets of books, and the two sets of year 7 assessments that I left at school by accident)
5) Buy an outfit for my friend's wedding, and a present
6) Buy a present for our nephew's first birthday
7) Plan the forthcoming lessons
8) Tidy the house!!
9) Sort out the car insurance stuff following my accident the other week.

Hmm. I thought I'd managed to complete more than that!! I am very happy with my outfit, which we got a couple of days ago - I'm just hoping that none of my old uni friends have made the same choice as me! I imagine it would look very good on any of them - that could be interesting! I still need to get shoes. And the presents ... so it looks like a day's shopping in London is in order at the weekend. I think I'll concentrate on number 8 (again!) for the next hour or so, in order to have some space to complete numbers 3, 4, 7 and 9. Unfortunately I think number 2 will now have to be put off for a couple of weeks, until H is back and after the wedding. Fortunately my friend also has a blog with some great photos of the newborn - not so new now, he's a month old! - so at least we're keeping up to date with his progress that way!

Right. Tidying, while listening to the Elgar Enigma Varations. Great!

This week so far ...

I wish the lack of entries indicated a host of exciting activities, but instead it probably represents the simple relaxation of being on holiday! I haven't really moved far from the computer, but have been fiddling around with other programs and keeping in touch with people rather than blogging here.

So, F left on Tuesday morning, at the same time as I headed into school. We had a revision session for any GCSE students that wanted to come along. There were about thirty or so, which was a good number, really, for 9am on a holiday morning. I don't think I'd have been there if I'd had the choice! Unfortunately most of them were there to catch up with their friends, so it was more of a social club than a revision session. Even pointing out that we hadn't given up the morning to spend time with them but rather to help them prepare for their exams didn't seem to make any difference, so we cut the class early, but offered the option of staying for any that had particular questions.

Three of mine stayed, and we had a purposeful hour and a half. I was able to go through the exam with them, revise a couple of important parables, answer their particular questions and hopefully encourage them a bit as well. It was just what I had hoped for - a shame there were so few of them. But often smaller numbers helps. We'll see how they do in their exams next month ...

It was also nice to be able to go home, rest for a bit, then head back out to meet a long lost friend in Marylebone. Well, not exactly lost - Edinburgh is hardly the back of beyond! - but we hadn't seen each other since uni! However, it was as if hardly any time had passed, and the couple of hours we had together over hot chocolate and tiramisu passed by very quickly! So it was a great week for catching up with new friends.

That theme continued on Facebook over the past few days. I have now linked up once again with a couple of old friends, one from about nine years ago, the other closer to nineteen years ago ... One of the benefits of Facebook is the way you can communicate with people all over the world quickly and easily, sharing photos and videos easily. (However, the TES had an article this week warning teachers to watch out what they post online, since those photos and comments then become public property, and teachers can be disciplined for bringing their school - and the profession? - into disrepute. I am conscious of this, and probably self-censor a bit on here and on Facebook - I'm often surprised at colleagues that don't!) Anyway, over the past few days I've had some fairly lengthy catch ups with friends, which has been nice.

The other main "event", if it can be called that, is my continual difficulty with swallowing tablets. I know it is entirely psychological, but that doesn't help! Drinking litres of water resulting in a horrible taste as the tablet gradually dissolves is not pleasant, and mixing it in with microwaved banana and chocolate didn't work either. The last couple I've taken I've had to crush and mix with lemon curd, or at least wash down with smoothies, but the instructions clearly say that I am not supposed to do that. So I think I'll have to phone the surgery again on Monday and see if there is an oral suspension liquid thing I can take instead ... I really ought to be more adult about it, but I just can't!!

At least with it being holidays I've managed to mark two sets of books (very briefly, tick and flick, I'm afraid, and with the inspection coming up I'll need to set some more extended writing for them to do so I can give more formative comments!), write a proposal for a new project, and read two or three easy crime fiction novels, as well as have a few lie-ins.

So, for the rest of the holidays? Here is the plan:

1) Watch London marathon (want to get pics of the Maasai warriors that are running)
2) Visit our friends with a newborn baby
3) Plan a unit on the Holy Spirit that involves art
4) Mark another set of books (and possibly pop in to school to pick up some more sets of books, and the two sets of year 7 assessments that I left at school by accident)
5) Buy an outfit for my friend's wedding, and a present
6) Buy a present for our nephew's first birthday
7) Plan the forthcoming lessons
8) Tidy the house!!
9) Sort out the car insurance stuff following my accident the other week.

Well, that's not too bad, and it makes a change to have more than simply marking and planning on the list! I am finding this holiday quite relaxing. Was certainly in need of it. Now, number 8 ... kitchen sink, here I come!!!

What did I do today?

Well, I'm feeling a bit guilty because I haven't done much, and I surely have lots to do. But then I thought ... I have just finished a week of teaching, maybe sometimes it's okay to not do much ...

I woke up, listened to some radio, did the laundry, did the weekly shop, came home, hung up the washing, put away the shopping, did the dishes (H made a delicious chicken in a tomato sauce last night), made some lunch (spatchcock poussin with roast potatoes and veg), read the Review, Family and Sport sections of the Guardian, read last week's Observer Sports Magazine, watched some Teachers' TV videos, played Scramble (like Boggle) on Facebook, browsed the internet a bit, watched Scotland beat England (yeah!!), listened to Barnsley beat Chelsea (yeah!), and here I am, thinking that I haven't done much all day.

But then again, last week I had a meeting after school on Monday, was prepared to do a revision class on Tuesday (no one turned up), had a meeting on Wednesday then met up with a friend, spent the whole of Thursday in a meeting that went on for an hour after school, then helped our new cover teacher plan lessons after school on Friday. I lost out on two PPA periods with meetings and added lessons, and have spent my other frees supporting the cover teachers, so I suppose it's okay to have not done much today! But I still feel as if I should have done more ... Maybe prepared some lessons, planned some homeworks, written some essays ... (what do you mean I haven't got any to do?!) ... tidied up the house more ... made dinner ... finished the dishes ... read some real books ... gone to the shops ... been outside more ... ???

I taught Year 9s today!

Yesterday was a really bad day. Taught all day and couldn't get much done. Year 9s were very bad - no work really achieved. Sat at the end of the day discussing teaching ideas with a colleague. This inspired me.

During one class, I said to one pupil, perhaps I should give up. He said, "Miss, think of Jesus. What would he do? Would he give up?" He then he assured me that he was listening, so I continued, a bit encouraged that at least one person was learning something!

Today I taught the year 9s! They had a sentence, four words long. This sentence had to be expanded, with a prize for the group who could make the longest, grammatically correct, sentence. I had a few good examples - they became quite competitive. Had one with 83 words, and another with over 100 words, but perhaps too many ands!

Felt more positive.

Time for Bed!

Well, I've passed it, actually. And foolishly - I could have finished this marking ages ago if I hadn't interspersed it with random and pointless excursions to the internet.

Anyway.

I have just finished marking my Year 8 Assessments! And half inputted their reports! And I have also made a good start on another essay that is due in on Friday. So my to-do list now looks like this:

1) Finish writing Year 8 Reports.
2) Complete lesson plan on the Sacraments.
3) Write booklets of work as back-ups from Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 - except that's not really necessary, and instead I have made some key word list worksheets to keep me going.

It's been a really productive half term, relaxing as well (although it's so late, so I'm bound to be tired tomorrow!), and I'm feeling positive about going back. I'm going to rearrange my classroom ... Let's see how it goes! Goodnight!

Doing the admin ...

I've completed some admin-y type stuff. So I still have the two big jobs and the other hopeful but creative jobs to go, but at least that list is getting shorter!

1) Complete an essay on sex education and email to tutor by the end of the week.
2) Marking Assessments: - Year 8 Assessments
3) Write Year 8 Reports.
4) Choose and start planning essay or lesson plan on the Sacraments. (Check when due.)
5) Write booklets of work as back-ups from Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9.

My new to-do list!

I have just finished the revision guide! So now the to-do list looks like this:

1) Complete an essay on sex education and email to tutor by the end of the week.
2) Submit my Y9 project proposal to appropriate person.
3) Write up an overview of my Masters for the grant awarding body.
4) Marking Assessments: - Year 8 Assessments
5) Write Year 8 Reports.
6) Choose and start planning essay or lesson plan on the Sacraments. (Check when due.)
7) Write booklets of work as back-ups from Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9.

So it's a lot shorter now!