The First Proper Day Back

I had a really good day today :)

I think I've remembered why I got into teaching. Three reasons:

• I like being in control
• I like the sound of my own voice
• I like fixing things/people
  

Today I got to do all of these things. I spent most of the day with my tutor group, where I finally got to stamp really control over them. The old adage "don't smile till Christmas" doesn't really work with me since my face acts independently of my head, but I tried to be on the top of my game and jump on all infringements. I told them that I would train them, whether they liked it or not, so they might as well get used to it. Lots of monologuing on my part got my point across I think. And I don't want to speak too soon, but after it all Eight Evil were the best that I've seen them. I think it's cos they realised that they're stuck with me now so they might as well tow the line. Whatever, they're actually pretty ok, even crazy H and J-L (the girl who hated me all of last year). E was a bit clingy and A a bit whiny, but I managed it.

My weirdo year 9s were good too, partly because most of the real nutters from my group's parallel back in Y8 seem to have dropped down a set, and all the ones that came from the set above are fairly normal. No doubt I will have trouble with them at some point, and obviously little D was his usual nutty self, but for the most part I liked that lesson.

This is all a bit weird. I guess it's cos I've forgotten what it's like to be in school. On Friday when I have a 5 period proper day of teaching I will get a bit shaky. But that's ok cos then it's the weekend and so I can have fun :) I'm surprised I guess cos last night I didn't sleep at all, very turbulent dreams, and yet I am only just feeling the fatigue. They were those lucid dreams where you feel like you're in control of what's happening but then you don't understand why you are dreaming what you are. Hope that doesn't happen tonight, it's too much like work. Should be ok though since I hit the gym at half six this morning, so might have been running off the buzz i.e. endorphins and raised metabolism, not dodgy steroids or anything. That should be enough to knacker me out tonight. Reckon I'll do that tomorrow as well.

Well that was all very rambley. Am off now to sort out seating plans and do some sociology work. Can't believe I am teaching them on Friday and I have no idea what's going on!

Dreams

My gosh, I had some awful dreams last night. I can't figure out whether it is better to have nightmares or to not sleep at all - these being the two delightful options I am currently picking from.

Anyway, my favourite one involved my maths classroom somehow turning into big boat at sea, a huge boat in fact, Titanic-esque. I am teaching my Y7 in our boat-classroom and things are going ok, when suddenly the whole boat somehow crashes or capsizes or something, and we are all at sea. I see loads of my kids just struggling in the water, trying to stay above the waves. Some of them are using their rucksacks as floats. Amazingly, I have a surf board, and I am bodyboarding on it, trying to pick up kids to save them. But they keep falling off and one by one they all disappear under the water until I am left alone in the sea.

Disturbing. I think I may have to concede defeat and go see the doctor soon to get those screws tightened up.

Funny Things

Well, this first bit isn't that funny. F in Y10 has been put into the custody of social services after going majorly AWOL and getting in trouble with the police. Her mum is apparently a "psycho" threatening to "kidnap her". This means she can't go home and so there is lots of drama surrounding that. Further, she has effectively been temporarily excluded from school and is instead in the LSU (Learning Support Unit) all day rather than in class. I remarked that there should be a drama series about her since her life is just one big saga, to which she laughed, thus making me realise I should stop complaining and start smiling.

So I won't tell you about my ok-day (except for the school band practice after class, which was so much fun....seriously, no-one can escape my "killer" voice or trumpet, hahahaha). Instead I will share with you a number of things that have made me laugh in the last 20 mins.

Firstly, Sanju's blog....another record of maths TF-ing. Check out in particular Taruna's extended comment (a Science TFer) - me thinks she needs her own blog! Poor girl on the residential, hahahaha.

Secondly, this delightful link sent from Rouse Mouse....a whole blog dedicated to Neighbours from someone who seems to waste even more time than me!

And thirdly, very funny email excerpts from our favourite beige couple...

Sprouse: PS i just realised that email had no content. it's because i haven't done anything worth writing about lately.
except there were lots of plant pots on fire on broad street the other day. and my canadian stalker has got in contact again, i saw him in town the other day and thought he hadn't noticed me but he emailed. he's not a very good stalker, he hasn't said anything since september. i want a new one.

Pij: Electricity was thus cut off roundabout October when there was food such as salmon and an assortment of meats in the freezer. Oh dear. So, in climbed the maggots for a wonderful wonderful feast but alas once in they had no escape and in a futile attempt to get out clambered all the way to the top of the freezer where they died anyway. Losers.

Sprouse: oh and there is AN AMAZING dvd in jij's house. i think it might even be better than the incredible shrinking man. meena, you should get it for your brother, he'd love it. lady julia ramsbottoms' tour of cambridge.

Pij: I have got to the level where I can scream at my kids now and then tell them I don't like shouting when they all look like they are about to cry. Kids are sily and uncoordinated. I also don't let them win in games sometimes and dribble past all of them when I play football with them. Sometimes they cry and then I just do it again. I love my job.

Girls, you make me laugh. Pij, I think TF is calling you. And Sprouse, not sure about the dream but obviously it's something to do with anxiety (as they all are) and perhaps pressure from people who matter to you to conform in a way you don't want to/don't think it's right to. Any dream about tat is a winner though.

Updates

I particularly like the thought I've put up today, very relevant. Babs often used to say "if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail". Yes. So I guess my lessons tomorrow are going to be a write-off. Oh well.

So the updates...

The lurgy: Is better, much better. Thursday and Friday went a bit downhill since I developed a delightful sneezy nostril/eye watering combo, which wasn't great, but a necessary stage through the lurgy. Now I am only slightly coughy and pale-looking, but I feel good. In fact, despite thinking it was irresponsible, I put in an appearance at Ginger's birthday drinks last night, and felt ok there (and hopefully didn't pass the lurgy on). Ginger was in fine form; highlights including falling off and over her chair numerous times, shouting rude words around the pub, and replacing the padding in her bra with the little table number triangle stands. Good stuff.

The house: The stairs to the loft are in! They are such beautiful stairs as well. One of my mother's victorian cupboards has moved back to their room and so my room has been completely reshuffled. I think it has been very positively feng shui-ed, and as a plus point I can now dance around the middle of the room again, excellent.

School: I haven't thought about it too much, and have decided not to think about it until tomorrow when I am actually there. Hence the failing of the lessons.

Easter: Flights are booked to Venice! Woo hoo, very excited!

My hair: This isn't really an update since I haven't mentioned it before, but I have decided to stop washing my hair with products. Gross I hear you say. Well, so far, not so bad actually. A little more greasy, but doesn't feel too awful. That said, all I've been doing is lounging around. The real test is morning-after-sweating-all-nite-at-the-club hair. Shudder. My brother stopped washing his luscious locks with products about a year ago and his hair is still amazing (even though he did lop his dreads off and now has a closely shaven "mop"). Supposedly after three months it'll become fully self-cleaning. Great, three months, woo! So yes, will keep you posted on that one.

Dreams: Had a coupla weird ones. In one my whole family really lived in another house, but it was my uncle's house so we had to keep hiding so that they wouldn't notice we lived there too. In another (and I've had this one twice) my subject mentor at school tells me I won't get QTS because I am failing all the standards. Then she suggests that there is a way that I can pass - if I buy her lots of stuff. During the dream she slowly evolves into wearing a fortune-teller/gypsy woman type garb, very strange. And in the second version of the dream, instead of me having to buy her stuff, I have to teach her very crazy offspring in my year 7 set 2 group in return for getting QTS. The third dream involves me having to teach at another school, and I have a group of about 50 year 10s and they all ignore me so every time it's their lesson I go to the pub instead, but then I get caught. I also had a nightmare yesterday morning, but that is too scary to relive on here.

In other news, how annoying was the Spurs-Chelsea game this afternoon? Why can we never hold onto a lead when it matters? I hate defensive play at the best of times, but why doesn't Jol realise this doesn't work for us? On the plus side, at least we drew so there's a home replay. I watched the game in the living room with lots of middle-aged Tamil women since my mother was holding a committee meeting (she's President of her old school's girls' association). It was pretty fun since some of them knew quite a lot about football, plus I love hearing people shout at the TV in Tamil.

I wonder if there's an old pupils' association at my school...?
Have a lovely week!