Origami for Year 8s

So origami can be used to inspire Year 8s to work ... Many members of my class were a page behind in their work, so rather than rushing on, I decided to complete one more page and spend some time making a fortune teller to demonstrate Hindu belief. But they could only get the square paper once the first three pages were complete ... By the end of the lesson, most of the students were up to date and making good progress on their Hinduism widget. Surprisingly, the boys seemed the most keen to make these widgets. Although they then wanted to make ninja stars or something or other.

To do over half term

1. Complete Hinduism booklet and photocopy it.
2. Write Year 10 reports.
3. Mark three sets of Year 9 assessments. (2 down, 1 to go...)
   
4. Mark books: Year 7, Year 8, Year 9.
5. Write 3 lesson plans for project.
6. Write Case Study for project.
7. Send off all project stuff by 14 June.
8. Write essay for other course.
   
9. Car insurance, tax, MOT stuff - asap.
10. Plan inspection lessons.
11. Plan all assessments and lesson plans.
12. Financial stuff.
    

I'm sure there's also all the admin and housekeeping stuff too. We'll see.

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.

Yet another sunny day!

It just keeps getting warmer and warmer! Which is great, apart from the fact that the pupils get wetter and wetter, then thirstier and thirstier, then need to go to the toilet more! But at least doing my break duty was wonderful for a change!

Strange occurrences today ... First of all, I have received a penalty notice for failing to comply with a give way to oncoming vehicles sign. Which is strange, because the photo they have sent to highlight this infraction of the law clearly shows me stopped (I think with my brake lights on) behind another car, as we wait for a bus to proceed. The woman I phoned says that there is no problem, so I should not have been sent this. Interestingly, I've never noticed the camera before, but I will tomorrow! ....... Actually, as I typed that, I have just remembered a little CCTV car that was parked near there one day ... perhaps that was the day! Well, in that case, I shall certainly take more care of those little cars from now on. Little periscopic smart cars. Or not so smart cars.

Secondly ... I have just received a letter from my bank, inviting me to take part in some sort of "spread trading", with the enticement of a Nicklaus Dual Point Driver* if I take up this offer! Now, I'm not planning on getting involved in the stock market just yet, but I was curious about what I could receive ... I know, the clue should have been in the Jack related title, but it took looking on the back of the letter to find out that this great gift is, in fact, an expensive golf club. Hmmm. I wonder what sort of info they have on me that means they think that might interest me in the slightest? Have they confused me for a middle aged, balding, gently spreading and almost portly bank manager? (apologies to anyone who resembles this description, and I wasn't thinking of anyone in particular since the only person who might begin to isn't balding and hasn't played golf for many years, although he did win a bottle of whisky (miniature) and perhaps a wooden spoon?? once a long, long time ago!) Unless they know my uni and have decided that I must have partaken of the local services at one point a long time ago! Anyway, that's another one for the bin.

And the tax disk is due ... which presumably means it's almost also time for the MOT as well. So that's something else for the to-do list! (Which hasn't shrunk recently, but instead has got longer!)

Lessons? Well, the Year 10s could listen more, but at least they were there, with one lesson to go now before their exam; the Year 9s had a rowdy student who eventually had to be removed but at least are friendly and funny; the Year 8s are far too noisy but at least the three loudest ones did turn up for their detentions; and the Year 7s are still quite lovely, with a couple of exceptions, but then it's just about talking to their neighbours too much instead of listening rather than bullying each other or deliberately making silly noises.

Now I am a bit dehydrated so must go and get a drink!

Back at school

After a couple of days of illness, I'm back at school, and how nice to have some reasonable classes. Quite nice, in fact. Other than the fact that to begin with the Year 8s rebelled and would not sit where I wanted them to sit, once they got to work, they were quite good. At least for the first time.

It's a shame that the rooms are being targetted and broken into by students. Hopefully we are chasing them down though.

Looking around for jobs ... a couple of interesting ones. But no sign of interviews yet!

Still sniffing.

Updating the to do list ...

I am just back from a fine few days with my auntie up north. There I was able to make a good inroad into my marking - all the books are now up to date, and I just have the Year 8 assessments to go! It was also a funny time for coincidences. I am reading "Mister Pip" at the moment, and three funny things happened while I was reading it. First, my auntie came to tell me that the weather girl was forecasting "rime" - neither of us knew what it was, but then I read about "a rimy morning" in Mister Pip, quoting Charles Dickens - a frosty morning. Then the next day auntie came to tell me that we would have lychees for pudding - just after I had finished a paragraph about the sweetness of lychees! Then, finally, this morning I overhead her telling her neighbour about her pineapple coring device that we had used the previous evening - at the precise moment I read the word "pineapple" in my book! So a strange few days! Great, anyway. We watched Brokeback Mountain. It was much better than I had expected. Very poignant, sad.

Anyway, also nice to be home. Now, must finish those Year 8 reports and write my essay that is due in on Monday ...

My to-do list

Just thought I'd share my to-do list for this week with you all.

1) Complete an essay on sex education and email to tutor by the end of the week.
2) Plan my new Year 9 project and submit to appropriate person.
3) Write a revision booklet for our Year 11s.
4) Write up an overview of my Masters for the grant awarding body.
5) Marking Assessments:
- Year 9 Assessment from last term
- Year 9 Assessment from this term
- Year 7 Assessments
- Year 8 Assessments
- Year 11 end of unit tests
6) Mark books: Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11.
7) Write Year 8 Reports.
8) Choose and start planning essay or lesson plan on the Sacraments. (Check when due.)
9) Write booklets of work as back-ups from Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9.

Now, there's probably more but those are the main things I can think of at the moment. And I'll be out of the house for a few days, being pampered at my auntie's. However, I have already almost completed 2, have begun 3, and have marked two sets of books, so that's a not bad start for the week, with it only being Sunday as well. We have rearranged the room, so both H and I have room for our computers on one table, facing each other, and it feels like a much better layout. I've been inspired to work more, and although I can vaguely see the TV, I don't feel too tempted to watch it if I can hear it okay while working.

Anyway, I am on holiday, so all is right with the world!

(And I should get my Masters results during the week too!)

Year 8s and group work

I think I might try and give them more. They had to sort out some statements about put them in order of most important to least important, then use these statements to write a short essay about going to church. Another quite noisy lesson, but most completed almost a page of their own work, so I'm quite pleased with that!

Had a visiting teacher today. She's really enthusiastic which is great, and got on very well in my classroom with the students, so it will be good to have her again, later in the year. However, she is a bit too eager! Someone more enthusiastic than me! And more talkative than me! So I think we'll need to train her in quiet thoughtfulness as well!

Back in London

We left about 1.30pm yesterday, after shovelling away snow from under the tyres, stopped near Leeds around 6pm or so, then arrived in London about 10.30pm last night. About 500 miles. It rained all the way. Fortunately the traffic wasn't too bad. We were lucky in both directions this year.

We have had a great holiday. Christmas was really relaxed, and we had a fun time at Hogmanay, playing games and singing lots. Then the few days since then have been fun and laid back, and it was great to see all my family again. Hope it's not too long until we can spend some time with H's family as well.

My list of things to do before I go back to work in two days time?

* Finish marking Year 11 Mock Exams
* Mark assessments for Y7, Y8, Y9 and Y10
* Mark books for Y8, Y9, Y10 and Y11 so I'm up to date
* Plan Y8 SoW and put onto school website
* Plan Y7 and Y9 lessons
* Plan lessons for Y10 and Y11
* Put all assessment data onto school data system
* Start writing Y11 reports
* Finish essay for course I've completed
* Start essay for other course I'm following

Not too much then ...! Wish me luck!! (Oh, and I've still to go to the shops - at least I've unpacked from the holiday up north!)

Bit better today ...

Apart from the fact that the coaches didn't arrive, the Year 11s didn't do much work, the Year 9s were loud and two of them shouted at me in detention, the Year 8s were so noisy another teacher came in to see what was going on, the Year 10s were videoing each other happy slapping each other, and the arrangements for tomorrow have been changed so I'll be the longest teaching teacher in the Sixth Form conference at the end of the day ... apart from all that, it's been a much better day! I think I'm perhaps even more positive under adversity ... Or maybe its the prayers of the sisters at church! Tomorrow is another big day, with the conference, an inspector in school and a Year 7 school trip (of which 19 out of 40 students have so far been given permission to go), so I wonder how that will go ... I think I need my sleep ... I'm sure I've forgotten something!

Back to School

My head almost exploded today. It started during the Year 8 lesson, but as the Year 10s bounced around all about me, and one boy who had been particularly uncooperative at the start of the lesson started saying, "Listen to Miss, everyone! Help her out! I feel sorry for her", the tension in my body got worse and worse, the pressure in my blood obviously getting higher and higher, until I felt as if I were about to explode. You're not allowed to throw things at the pupils to get their attention, but I came very close to taking off my shoe and banging it on the whiteboard. Probably not a great idea, though, so I think it was best not to do that.

Two members of staff out, so that didn't help, but it wasn't too problematic. For me, anyway. It probably was for the poor teachers having to cover the lessons.

Have printed out all 20,000 words of my dissertation so far. Still have quite a bit to do, tidying up etc, but it's coming on.

Almost didn't update!

It's been a busy, eventful and generally positive week - and a busy weekend - again! - hence the late entry.

Monday was fun - we had the TV cameras in, and the Year 7s were excellent. Very well behaved. I've managed to make some nice certificates for them which should be handed out in assembly this week. I took off the two lessons before filming, which was just as well since some of the websites I wanted to use weren't working, and we had to get them up and running first!

Our next big day was Wednesday, a special day for our House. We had a visitor to the school, a man whose son was killed a couple of years ago. He spoke very movingly - you could have heard a pin drop. Shame the students weren't so attentive during Mass in the morning!

The next major event was after school on Thursday. I had to give a presentation of my findings of my research. Just need to get it written up as my dissertation now! It was a fun evening though, especially on the way home in the bus with some other teachers, where we discussed how we could use new technologies to move the school forward.

I've spent the weekend marking the Year 7 and Year 8 assessments. The Year 9s will finish theirs tomorrow, then the Year 10s and 11s later in the week. And then it's half term! (And writing up the dissertation ...)

A full day

It surprises me that pupils do not own coloured pencils. Fair enough, some pupils might not want to bring them to school in case they get lost, and perhaps year 9 students might think that they are too old for colour pencils (although whoever is ever too old for colour pencils?!). However, for year 7s to claim not to have colour pencils at home is a sad state of affairs indeed.

One of the features of a Catholic school is the prayer at the beginning of each lesson. One year 11 decided to interupt this twice by calling out that he was Muslim so was going to pray a Muslim prayer, trying to say "Salaam Alaikum" (but failing), then lying down on the floor. Not even close, mate! When he was sent to the referral room he decided to kick up a fuss, and it took three teachers to eventually move him. He can work, but the amount of chaos that he causes in between his bouts of working are too disruptive.

Year 10s were also quite chatty today. Three very noisy pupils in particular. And the top set Year 9s also surprised me by their attitude. A few did not seem to come prepared to learn. A similar case with some of the Year 8s. Three girls were 20 minutes late, their excuse not exactly watertight (we were with Miss ... don't you believe us?), and were still complaining at their detention. At least they turned up, of course. One year 8 and one year 9 didn't. So some chasing up to do ...

My legs are aching - they were out of the habit of heels and standing on my feet all day! Hardly stopped - a full complement of lessons, a pupil came to see me at break, detentions at lunch and after school, a whole school meeting (boring!) after school, notes about pupils in other teachers' trays after that - school is well and truly back!

Dance and Drama

My thighs, legs and bottom are all a bit sore after the African dance session today - lots of stamping and jumping. I even tried to wiggle a bit, but I'm not so good at that! Then we had drama, which was fun to watch - it was great to see such huge smiles across the faces of the Year 8 girls who can often look quite sullen in their attempts to be cool. We played "Port, Starboard", which I haven't played for years (probably since Guides), and it was much enjoyed by all - including me, who eventually joined in! I managed to stay in to the last four. Tomorrow I'm down to assist with etiquette ... I'm not sure what that will involve, but as I headed towards the canteen, a Year 7 boy took off his baseball cap and clutched it to his chest - it was only after we greeted him and walked on that the AHT and I realised that he must have been at etiquette classes! Perhaps we should have curtsied in reply!

Next week - plans

I now know the plans for next week. And I will be teaching non-stop. We all will be. Teaching every lesson. Drugs and Sport. Teaching about the connection, that is. Not taking them and doing some. Although by the looks of the timetable, that could be an interesting option.

Am annoyed with Sky and Virgin Media. Trying to change broadband providers. Very complicated, when I'm sure it shouldn't be. Will try again tomorrow.

Think I'm teaching all day tomorrow as well. Have offered to do lots of cover for a colleague who is out on subject business.

It's the little things that make teaching worthwhile. The Year 11 student, whom I only taught about once during a revision session in the holidays, who came to say thank you and that the session was really helpful. The Year 8 tutee, who looked really pleased when I agreed that I hoped to continue being his form tutor while he is at school. The Year 9 girl who had been a bit awkward during the lesson, and when I was still nice to her at the end of the lesson, got up, while I was outside shouting at pupils who had gone running outside, cleaned my board for me, which made my end of school routine much easier. The Year 10 boy who smiled in recognition of the fact that H and I went to see him play basketball at the weekend. The three Sixth Formers who are so happy at going away for a few days to a Youth Festival, and asked if there would be an iron there. The Year 7 girl who realises that the class isn't going to leave while the room is still untidy and goes around picking up the papers even though she had already tidied up her area.

The good pupils, the trying hard pupils, the grateful pupils, the wanting to learn pupils, the thoughtful pupils, the humorous pupils, the dedicated pupils, the polite pupils, the hardworking pupils ... I salute you!

Thursday again!

Two year 10 groups. Two very different experiences. One is (pretty much) focused, doing the work, responding, heads down, not disturbing each other too much - and the other group seems the exact opposite. Strange. One after the other, between break and lunch.

Finished my most recent essay and had another course meeting after school today. Fun. Shame it's the last one, really. Thought provoking. Ate chips on the way home. Still pretty full.

Friday tomorrow! Strange Year 10s and my nice Year 8 class. Not sure what I'm going to do with them, though ...

The Sound of Drumming ...

... coming from the classroom next door. But only with a cover teacher and when I was in the office - I couldn't hear anything next door over the noise of my own lovelies this afternoon. I wonder why I bothered turning up for the Year 10 lesson, really. The highest mark in the exam was just over 40%, and eight students failed. Most got Gs. So I'd planned a lesson (with lots of pictures and a pinch of humour) to go over the shared weaknesses and help them improve - but instead they decided they wanted to play cards and/or dance insanely and inanely around the classroom. With some friends who should have been somewhere else. The one student who is always on the ball, really thoughtful and friendly, had failed to get a G by one mark, so he decided "Why should I bother?", and it was only when I explained to him towards the end that he has the knowledge inside his head - indeed, in some of the questions he was almost the only one who actually knew what he was talking about, he just hadn't written it down - and that next year we'll spend a lot of time practicing exam answers, that he brightened up a bit and decided to take down a few notes. Nice lad. He makes it all worthwhile. Had something similar with the Year 8s - lots don't do anything, and are noisy and disruptive, but at one point I counted those working, and there were 12 of them - so again, that's why I do it.

Recharging my batteries

Meeting went well today - three more assessments planned with success criteria! Yeah!

Got up promptly, because I was worried the alarm might not go off again. Had forgotten to buy new weetabix, so had a banana and plum instead. Very quick breakfast, so decided to leave a bit earlier than normal. Raining, a bit earlier so more overcast and darker than normal, so put on my lights. Arrived at school early - not many others about - still pouring with rain. Switched off engine, sat in car until the rain was a bit less, then decided that I would get less wet getting out the passenger side of the car because when I get out the main side of the car I need to squeeze past the wet door of the car then I'd still have to open the passenger side to get my stuff out the car, so left by the passenger side. Arrived 40 minutes before briefing, so about half an hour earlier than I have been arriving for the past few months. Just as briefing was starting, a colleague came and told me that my headlights were still on. Ran out of briefing.

Realised that because I'd left by the passenger side, the buzzer thing to remind me about my lights hadn't gone off.

Turned the key ... no engine.

Well, to cut a long story short, I eventually found someone with jump leads who said he'd come and jump start the car at lunch. I arrived before he did - and this time the car jumped into action! I sat with my foot on the accelerator for about 15 mins just in case.

It's been all good apart from that. A few year 8s were a bit silly, but since the only time I see them is Friday period 6 and we only have about one lesson left, as long as they are not too silly, I don't mind too much. And some did some good work. And it was a nice atmosphere.

Key Stage 3 Assessments etc

I have had no classes today.

Instead, I have worked from 8.30 am through until now (11.20pm according to my computer) with time off to drive home and cook dinner.

Would be easier having classes!

No, it probably wouldn't, because I'd still have to do all the things I've been doing today! We have a meeting tomorrow morning looking at KS3 Schemes of Work, attainment targets, levels and assessments. So today I decided to plan what we are going to do. I started an overview of the three years (7, 8, 9) on a weekly basis. I managed about five SoW. Then I wondered how we should implement the new attainment targets that we have. There are six different strands. HoD asked if I was going to implement them straightaway, or form a working party, planning some SoW to implement later in the year. Well, I feel that would just confuse everyone. So then I began to panic a bit, feeling I had bitten off more than I can chew. (I probably do that quite often, but don't really feel as if I have!) Fortunately up in the staff room I met a colleague who is also doing her Masters and is a great sounding board as well as being an excellent practioner. (I'm not sure if she's an AST, but she should be.) So I ran the idea past her, and she came up with loads of excellent ideas, as well as helping me decide what the priority should be for tomorrow.

So ... I have spent this evening breaking down each unit of work assessment into one of the six strands, making sure there's one strand covered per year group. For each assessment I have also suggested a type of task eg letter, article, evaluation. Tomorrow I will explain the difference between AT1 (learning about religion) and AT2 (learning from religion), and in pairs, we will look at one assessment, and write out pupil friendly success criteria based on the one chosen strand. That means the members of the department should know one strand well to begin with.

Once we have the assessments, that will influence our lesson planning, so that we can teach the skills and knowledge necessary for the assessment - these are already in the SoW, so we shouldn't have to do much, perhaps just hone them so they fit more neatly.

We will focus on Year 7s. At Christmas, when the Year 11s are off on Mock Exam Leave (if they get any), we can use some time to plan the Year 8s, then this time next year we can plan Year 9s. So by 2008 all the levels and assessments should be fully in place. Having learnt about the strands with Year 7s we'll all be happier to use them next year.

So all I need to do now is to work out how to share the complex six strands with the pupils. I'll probably simplify it to their common denominators - ie we'll be back at where we were at the beginning of the year! But somehow I want to include AT1 and AT2. So still a few things to think about ...

Will let you know how I get on, I'm sure!

Sports Day!

Well, we lost, but only just, and we gave it a good go. Just a shame the Head of House who won will be insufferable all year!!! If we'd only had more year 9s and year 10s taking part - an extra 13 competitors, each coming last and gaining 1 point each, would have made all the difference. Let's hope the Year 7s and 8s who ran their socks off this year will remember that.

So many great scenes ... for example the Year 10 boy who ran alongside the Year 8 girl who was near the back of the group in the 1500m, encouraging her and helping her to keep going. The group of year 7 girls who joined their friend who I'm sure must have been on the point of being lapped, round the far side of the track, away from all the spectators, again accompanying her so she finished. The Year 9 boys' relay, featuring 2 Year 9s, a Year 7 and a Year 8, who just wanted to make sure there was a team in the race, the Year 8 girl who ran in the Girls' Relay for the Year 8s, 9s and 10s, in a row. And won two of them, at least. The hurdles, where one boy went down, managed to get up, crossed the line and collapsed in pain, and the first boy over was the one who had only managed to come in front of him because he'd gone down, who checked he was okay. The boy who ran in almost any race he could, even though he's not particularly fast, in order to make sure our house was represented. The sheer power, strength and speed of a Year 8 and a Year 10 boy, who make spinting look so easy - every muscle in their bodies must be going for it with all their strength, yet they both look so relaxed when they run, win the race, then get ready for the next one while others are in heaps at the finishing line. The photo finishes among the girls' races. The teachers' relay race, this year a close run race. The spectators in the stands shouting, yelling, waving their hands, their placards, their t-shirts, the bunting in the air, empowering their competitors. The music - Rocky, Thriller, Chariots of Fire, We Will Rock You, YMCA - that keep us all running, shouting, dancing, excited over the five hours or so, and especially during the longer races. The disappointed faces of the pupils that go over for events only to discover that they arrived a bit late, through no fault of their own, and have missed the event - yet come back and instead of complaining ask what else they can do.

It's been great. My form were great. And next year, we're going to win!