Relax, this post won't be all doom and gloom. How can it be, I'm eating Starburst? I better type fast though, since the come-down from the sugar high could well be shocking.
So let's get the doom outta the way. I am housebound this weekend because my cold has returned and my knee is hurt again after a heavy tackle in the staff kickaround yesterday. My Dad is once again calling me "Limping Lucy". I don't think he realises I rather dislike this particular pet name.
And now for the gloom. School was just about bearable, perhaps because I wasn't in on Weds and was so hungover on Thurs that I skipped home early. Responsible. Lots of drama concerning F in Y10 and potential accusations from her mother about inappropriate relationships with staff. Some other people have got far more involved that me, but still, I can sense trouble ahead on that front.
In more positive news, visited my old school, Forest, on Wednesday. Saw a range of Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 lessons. Was very impressed, particularly with partial fractions being taught without a board! A little bit scared though since hardly remember most of A-Level so could be tricky if I get an AS class in Sept. Saw a hilarious class of Y7 boys in the computer suite playing with fractions software. Also visited the brand new sports centre, sat at the teachers' table at lunch, went into the staff common rooms and saw lots of my old teachers - all very strange experiences but fun. Deffo learnt a lot and am still so surprised at how keen most teachers seem to be when it comes to sharing advice and resources and helping the new teachers out. The grass did seem better on the other side, but I didn't really want to be grazing over there either, if you see what I mean.
Later that evening went to the "Women in Leadership" even hosted by TF at Lehman Brothers. Seriously one of the better events I've been to - lots of charismatic speakers such as the chairman of the Women of the Year Assembly, the founder of Rococo Chocolates, the headmistress of a London school, a choral conductor who founded the Voices Foundation, and the head of Capital Advisory at Lehman. Learnt loads and loads, the most useful being three tips for teachers as leaders:
1. be a role model and find a role model: think about how people regard you, make other people feel good, boost other people's confidence, be positive
2. self-confidence/self-esteem: bellieve you can do something, recognise that you don't have all the answers, accept you will make mistakes, let someone else take the credit
3. get the best out of others: we are there to facilitate others, allow them to try (and fail) with safety net
That's kinda in note form, sorry about that. The other good little thing to remember is the 4 Rs of teaching/leading:
1. Reflect
2. Review
3. Revise
4. Resilience
Enough said about that.
Obviously the smart thing to do when you are feeling off-key is to go out and get hammered so that's what I did. Bad sign definitely when not just one, but two bars have to make you leave because they're closing. Was also pretty devastated when I thought I'd lost my teaching notebook, really should make a copy of some of the things in there. Luckily it was found, phew. Somehow we managed to get home, and my folks managed to hold back the critical/disappointed looks in the morning, so that was ok. Props to Sanju since she was actually being observed lesson 1 on Thurs and found that teaching hungover is a good look for her. Not so much for me, my lessons were ok but that's probably because I so beyond caring that nothing could get to me.
Anyway, it's the weekend now and I still can't hit the gym so instead am just gonna do my best to keep my chin up and stop this funk. That said though, am listening to "Kidz" by Plan B at the moment, and you know I spend all my days with these clowns, so what have I got to be wallowing about really? I can't wait to get back to being me.
So let's get the doom outta the way. I am housebound this weekend because my cold has returned and my knee is hurt again after a heavy tackle in the staff kickaround yesterday. My Dad is once again calling me "Limping Lucy". I don't think he realises I rather dislike this particular pet name.
And now for the gloom. School was just about bearable, perhaps because I wasn't in on Weds and was so hungover on Thurs that I skipped home early. Responsible. Lots of drama concerning F in Y10 and potential accusations from her mother about inappropriate relationships with staff. Some other people have got far more involved that me, but still, I can sense trouble ahead on that front.
In more positive news, visited my old school, Forest, on Wednesday. Saw a range of Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 lessons. Was very impressed, particularly with partial fractions being taught without a board! A little bit scared though since hardly remember most of A-Level so could be tricky if I get an AS class in Sept. Saw a hilarious class of Y7 boys in the computer suite playing with fractions software. Also visited the brand new sports centre, sat at the teachers' table at lunch, went into the staff common rooms and saw lots of my old teachers - all very strange experiences but fun. Deffo learnt a lot and am still so surprised at how keen most teachers seem to be when it comes to sharing advice and resources and helping the new teachers out. The grass did seem better on the other side, but I didn't really want to be grazing over there either, if you see what I mean.
Later that evening went to the "Women in Leadership" even hosted by TF at Lehman Brothers. Seriously one of the better events I've been to - lots of charismatic speakers such as the chairman of the Women of the Year Assembly, the founder of Rococo Chocolates, the headmistress of a London school, a choral conductor who founded the Voices Foundation, and the head of Capital Advisory at Lehman. Learnt loads and loads, the most useful being three tips for teachers as leaders:
1. be a role model and find a role model: think about how people regard you, make other people feel good, boost other people's confidence, be positive
2. self-confidence/self-esteem: bellieve you can do something, recognise that you don't have all the answers, accept you will make mistakes, let someone else take the credit
3. get the best out of others: we are there to facilitate others, allow them to try (and fail) with safety net
That's kinda in note form, sorry about that. The other good little thing to remember is the 4 Rs of teaching/leading:
1. Reflect
2. Review
3. Revise
4. Resilience
Enough said about that.
Obviously the smart thing to do when you are feeling off-key is to go out and get hammered so that's what I did. Bad sign definitely when not just one, but two bars have to make you leave because they're closing. Was also pretty devastated when I thought I'd lost my teaching notebook, really should make a copy of some of the things in there. Luckily it was found, phew. Somehow we managed to get home, and my folks managed to hold back the critical/disappointed looks in the morning, so that was ok. Props to Sanju since she was actually being observed lesson 1 on Thurs and found that teaching hungover is a good look for her. Not so much for me, my lessons were ok but that's probably because I so beyond caring that nothing could get to me.
Anyway, it's the weekend now and I still can't hit the gym so instead am just gonna do my best to keep my chin up and stop this funk. That said though, am listening to "Kidz" by Plan B at the moment, and you know I spend all my days with these clowns, so what have I got to be wallowing about really? I can't wait to get back to being me.
