The Dumb Waiter

I tried to make good use of my snow day yesterday. I planned a questionnaire for my Year 11s as part of my research. But the highlight of the day was going out to Thai Square for a delicious red Thai chicken curry, and then we went to see Pinter's black absurdist comedy, The Dumb Waiter.

This was a really good night out ... very bizarre, the play left us stunned, dumbfounded, baffled, but also intrigued. It was also good to see Lee Evans and Jason Isaacs. The play was staged in Trafalgar Studios, which is a good theatre ... it seemed very intimate, and because the auditorium is so steep, everyone had a good view. The staging was good - old tiles, dingy beds, and a noisy dumb waiter, that was as much a character as Gus and Ben.

V had read the play before - it is his favourite Pinter play - so that was why we went. And a good night it was too.

As for today ... we've tidied up the displays, but we've still not had the call. Dumb waiters?

A Proper Snow Day!

We sort of expected it this morning ...

The snow at home was not quite as conducive to making snowballs as the last lot, since it was a bit slushier, but it wasn't too bad either. The drive in to work was a lot slower because of the slush, but it was nice to see everything getting whiter the further north I went. The worst part of the drive was the road that leads to the school, which had not been gritted so was quite snowy.

I didn't see anyone around, so went up to the staffroom, where a few staff were milling about. One of the Deputy Heads arrived and said that we would be sending the pupils home about midday, partly because so many staff from further afield had been unable to get in. So we were to send the pupils to the canteen, from where we could distribute them to classes as necessary.

A few of us had a bit of a snowball fight in the back playground. That was fun ... nothing like setting a good example! I mean, that, it was *nothing* like a good example!

The pupils were really quite good. One of the Houses had a Feast Day today, so the Year 7s and 8s went to join them, the Year 9s went off to SATs revision in the library, the Year 10s went to Maths for some revision, and the Year 11s went to English to finish off coursework and revise for their exams.

Those of us who do not teach those subjects were asked to help out where appropriate. I went to English. There was a group of six or seven boys whose teacher was not in. One was playing on the computer, a couple were gazing out the window at the snow, sitting on a radiator, and the others were milling around, unsure what to do. I went to another teacher to get some poems that they could revise, and thus started my first English lesson! It was great fun. We read a poem called "Island Man" by Grace Nicholls, and discussed its context, attitude, language and structure. I remembered terms from my days of Practical Criticism such as assonance, oxymoron, alliteration and metaphors. We talked about the different stanzas and the layout of the poem. It was great fun! And at the end one of the boys thanked me for the lesson, which was a bonus!

The pupils left about 11am, and most of the rest of us not long afterwards. I went to the garage to get a new rear windscreen wiper, which had fallen off in the morning. And now I'm home!

Best news of all ... tomorrow is a real snow day! (Although possibly without snow ...) The school is closed! So I can have a lie in. Bliss!

University, or trying to keep my eyes open

I'm so tired! What a common refrain. However, at least it's been a fine day. I quite like Wednesdays, when they go well. I did send 4 year 7s to the referral room. But I think it's the only way I can teach some of the other ones. Year 10s - lots were missing, away on a trip to Oxbridge. So those that were left were quite happy copying out an advent wreath and labelling it. My two frees were spent, once again, running around after or for people, and I managed to plan a couple of lessons at the end of the day. However, I had planned on tidying up the office at that point, which means that the office has been left in a terrible state, and I have a visitor arriving tomorrow. And I'm teaching all day, so I don't really have time to tidy up in the morning ... ah well. She'll have to take me as she finds me! Then I had to leave for uni ... could hardly keep my eyes open during the discussion on data analysis. At least I've managed to write half of my methods and methodology review ...

Running around all day

It's been a running around day! Only a few lessons, but I've never stopped in one place for more than about fifteen minutes at any one time. I had an impromptu meeting with the Deputy Head, which raised a couple of issues I had to deal with straightaway, which weren't even those issues he wanted to discuss. One member of staff was off, which meant I had to go running around to make sure the cover teachers arrived in the right place at the right time. I did a very small amount of book sampling, and wrote up the minutes from yesterday's meeting. I planned a sixth form RE lesson (sort of) then even more sort of tried to teach it. I photocopied and distributed a lot of info, which I prepared last night, and did some general filing. Still loads to do ... I taught a pretty haphazard Year 10 lesson, and as for my Year 7s ... They came through the door wrestling with another class, jammed the door shut, got panicky because they thought they wouldn't be able to leave, started climbing through the windows, fell on the floor, shouted, wandered around, played on the computer ... all this while I tried desperately to get someone to come over to help out and take one (or more) away ... We eventually managed to get them quiet, but no work was completed. I'll write to all the parents. We've kept statements from all of them. It's so frustrating, though. Then I had a long meeting about Ofsted. We're still waiting for that call ...

An Empty Classroom

It's so nice to be in school getting on with stuff without pupils! We have changed all the Year 10 groups, stamped all the new books ... emmm, I'm sure I did a lot of other things, but can't remember what they were! But I was busy for a long time, and it was nice to be in school without the pupils. Lots of admin-y things. It was good. But I'm tired. Again! Off to mark.

The Globe Theatre

What a lovely crisp, fresh, cold, blue sky day. We've been to the Globe Theatre on the South Bank today. It's amazing! We spent hours there ... there is an excellent display about Shakespeare's London, and the Romans, but the highlight of the visit must have been going into the Globe itself. It's amazing the way that the theatre has been built recently but in a completely authentic style, down to the thatched roof. The only disappointment was that we didn't get a chance to go on the stage! Also had lovely parsnip and thyme soup at the cafe there. Well worth the entrance fee (£9 for adults, £7.50 for students and over 60s). There are still aspects I didn't get to see.

Have spent a lovely evening back home catching up with the news from Malawi, and looking at old photos and sketches

Where have I been?

It's been non stop since I last posted! Just to give you a flavour ...

Yesterday ... taught periods 1-4, left to go to a meeting, 2-4pm, left early to go to another meeting, 4-6.30pm, left early to get back to school for parents' sixth form open evening, 7.30-9pm, drove home, in bed by about 11pm ...

This morning ... got up, off to work, taught periods 1-4 (went really well - a lovely day that finished with Who Wants to be a Millionaire with five pupils, during which the fire alarm went off, but three still came back to finish the game), then a staff meeting, then we all went off for lunch, paid by the school. Ate lots (Greek mezze), then shopping and back home. Our visitor (V) has finally arrived, and we've had a lovely evening chatting and reminiscing. Decided to go out for dinner, so headed in to Angel and had Turkish - I had moussaka, which was delicious. We're just back in, back to the warmth of our home, and we're all now ready for bed!

So goodnight!