Thursday, whoop. Thursday is usually meeting day. Cue a 2 hour department meeting apres school. Actually not so bad. Am starting to vaguely understand the point of all the things we discuss and can occassionally make useful comments. True, today I just joined in the bitching (I know, how awful, I'm not a bitch, what has happened to me?) but also realised that being a head of department is even more work than just teaching, if that's even possible.
Spent another day as 7A tutor. Having covered them for almost a week now, am starting to really like the little blighters and am even getting to know them etc. Told them the story of how marathons got their name. The kids in my maths group now think I am super obsessed with marathons, but I'm not really, they're just topical and full of interesting maths and other stuff. Think I will be a bit sad when I have to give them up - 7A, not the marathon obsession. Before it was always fun to move around the year 7 tutor groups and get to know all the kids, but now I'm kinda looking forward to having my own group next year.
Timetabling discussions are going on at the moment for next year. Speculation is rife about my timetable, what with no-one really knowing exactly what I'm teaching. New Head of VIth form approached me about teaching A-Level Sociology. Obviously have no experience of teaching social sciences or KS5, but why should that stop me? Jumped at the chance, then realised that I was probably already looooooaded up with maths, so some negotiation may have to take place there.
Was observed period 2 today by a visiting professional tutor (due to the continued sick leave of my actual professional tutor). He turned up a late, halfway through the lesson in fact, which obviously sent my little angels off the wall, but still got a pretty good review afterwards. My Year 8s did their listening paper as part of exam week and then watched Mr Bean. Is it wrong that I'm dreading actually having to teach them properly again next week? And then through all of Year 9, where it is fully expected the real nutters will reach their peak of madness?
As you can see then, my life is chocablock with school. So much so that I haven't been to the gym in two days because every evening I am busy planning lessons, writing up evaluations, marking tests, writing reports, completing risk assessments, collecting evidence for OFSTED etc. Bring on the 6 weeks of freedom this summer, bliss. Better yet, drinks tomorrow night and maybe a little pizza too at that special place we never ever go to :)
Spent another day as 7A tutor. Having covered them for almost a week now, am starting to really like the little blighters and am even getting to know them etc. Told them the story of how marathons got their name. The kids in my maths group now think I am super obsessed with marathons, but I'm not really, they're just topical and full of interesting maths and other stuff. Think I will be a bit sad when I have to give them up - 7A, not the marathon obsession. Before it was always fun to move around the year 7 tutor groups and get to know all the kids, but now I'm kinda looking forward to having my own group next year.
Timetabling discussions are going on at the moment for next year. Speculation is rife about my timetable, what with no-one really knowing exactly what I'm teaching. New Head of VIth form approached me about teaching A-Level Sociology. Obviously have no experience of teaching social sciences or KS5, but why should that stop me? Jumped at the chance, then realised that I was probably already looooooaded up with maths, so some negotiation may have to take place there.
Was observed period 2 today by a visiting professional tutor (due to the continued sick leave of my actual professional tutor). He turned up a late, halfway through the lesson in fact, which obviously sent my little angels off the wall, but still got a pretty good review afterwards. My Year 8s did their listening paper as part of exam week and then watched Mr Bean. Is it wrong that I'm dreading actually having to teach them properly again next week? And then through all of Year 9, where it is fully expected the real nutters will reach their peak of madness?
As you can see then, my life is chocablock with school. So much so that I haven't been to the gym in two days because every evening I am busy planning lessons, writing up evaluations, marking tests, writing reports, completing risk assessments, collecting evidence for OFSTED etc. Bring on the 6 weeks of freedom this summer, bliss. Better yet, drinks tomorrow night and maybe a little pizza too at that special place we never ever go to :)
