It arrived in the post today. The dreaded letter from CCCU confirming that OFSTED would be coming to observe Team TF at our Academy. Woohoo!
Apart from lunch during the SI, I have no real experience of OFSTED. Thus, my fear could be construed as irrational. It is based almost entirely upon the myriad of OFSTED anecdotes that have come my way during my brief spell of teaching, the highlight being my Head of Department detailing how he'd had a minor breakdown when they'd last visited. Excellent.
So I have a big long list of things that OFSTED will want to see. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for them to actually see these things because for the most part they don't exist. Yet. Believe me though, if I have a lot of work to do, the other TFers at my school will have double or even triple that (I am widely regarded as "the organised one" - toot toot, my own horn sounds good). Before even thinking about this work, I have to go through a period of denial and distraction. Here we go then:
1. It's Tamil New Year - happy New Year!
2. I have a cold. Excellent.
3. If my Dad thinks I am a bit of a brat, well, he should read the story about that girl who caused £20,000 worth of damage to her house during a house party. How awful!
4. Grand National - come on Numbersixvalverde, let this be your year!
5. Twitter.com - heard about this ages ago on this internet start-up business blog, but am pleased this is finally getting some serious recognition.
6. Professor Mankiw's blog - how exciting, the smart guy who wrote our Macro textbooks communicates to his students. Surprisingly light-hearted but frank for an economist! Plus, finally, someone who blogs more regularly than me!
No doubt more distractions later, hopefully in the form of alcohol.
Berts, hope you had a safe flight back, tell Grandma Pink and Carmela I said hi!
Apart from lunch during the SI, I have no real experience of OFSTED. Thus, my fear could be construed as irrational. It is based almost entirely upon the myriad of OFSTED anecdotes that have come my way during my brief spell of teaching, the highlight being my Head of Department detailing how he'd had a minor breakdown when they'd last visited. Excellent.
So I have a big long list of things that OFSTED will want to see. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for them to actually see these things because for the most part they don't exist. Yet. Believe me though, if I have a lot of work to do, the other TFers at my school will have double or even triple that (I am widely regarded as "the organised one" - toot toot, my own horn sounds good). Before even thinking about this work, I have to go through a period of denial and distraction. Here we go then:
1. It's Tamil New Year - happy New Year!
2. I have a cold. Excellent.
3. If my Dad thinks I am a bit of a brat, well, he should read the story about that girl who caused £20,000 worth of damage to her house during a house party. How awful!
4. Grand National - come on Numbersixvalverde, let this be your year!
5. Twitter.com - heard about this ages ago on this internet start-up business blog, but am pleased this is finally getting some serious recognition.
6. Professor Mankiw's blog - how exciting, the smart guy who wrote our Macro textbooks communicates to his students. Surprisingly light-hearted but frank for an economist! Plus, finally, someone who blogs more regularly than me!
No doubt more distractions later, hopefully in the form of alcohol.
Berts, hope you had a safe flight back, tell Grandma Pink and Carmela I said hi!
