Highlights from the End of the Week

It's Saturday morning, woo! I woke up at half nine, just cos. Awesome! I am not even hungover from last night, despite drinking cocktails AND champagne, dangerous combos, so that's also awesome! Went to a cool little Scottish cocktail bar called Doon in Traf Sq - have a friend born on 29th Feb, so it was his 6th birthday party, cue lots of childish cards and badges etc. hahahaha.

Inspection feedback - we were "good". That is seriously good, since schools are rated outstanding, good, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory, and for a school that's had so much drama, this rating is ace. The maths department were named as "a beacon of excellence", woah. Obviously we are, but they only saw one maths lesson, and then seemed to watch us maths teachers teach PSHE, so not sure what they based it on. Must be our stellar Head of Department, and all our statistics. Our department is in the top 2% nationally with regards to value added scores (how much the kids improve from 11 to 14).

The head of Y8 had her last day on Friday. Kids were high as kites, everyone very emotional, there were crying kids (and teachers!) everywhere. She was properly ace at her job, I'm dreading the rest of term where we have no-one to do this job for us and keep the kids in line.

Y9 parents' evening on Thurs night was exhausting, and pretty emotional too. Really proud of my class - in their SATs mocks half of them got level 5cs, which is so many more than I'd expected. I want to get almost all of them into level 5 when they take the proper ones in May. It was emotional because loads of the parents were really pleased and grateful about how their kids were doing in maths. And then this boy S, I see him last, and he and his mother ramble on and on about how much S loves maths now and how he can't wait for me to teach him again next year and how I'm a lovely teacher etc. (see how my head gets big?) and on the one hand this makes me feel great, and on the other it makes me feel awful, because all these kids are making plans, and I'm not around to be there for them. More and more people at school have found out that I'll be leaving, it's awkward and difficult, I feel like a traitor. Sigh.

On to happier things - have decided to plan all my lessons now and do my Y12 marking, then I can play all weekend. But first, let's check out the TES for international jobs, I miss the sun!

One day down

Inspection day 1. I escaped, hurrah!

Turns out planning and being prepared and creating exciting lessons and putting some effort in actually leads to better teaching. Who knew eh? If only I had the time to do this kinda work all year, well, my kids would surely benefit. This patently explains why I was such a better teacher last year - I just had more time to do it in.

Figured I will get seen tomorrow, am already a bit scared. One of the inspectors is a maths specialist, and I am the most junior in the department, and the only NQT, hence it's guaranteed. Really hope it's not with my Y10s. Also am teaching lessons 1 to 4 back-to-back, so it's a STRESS anyway. Hmm. Don't forget Y9 parents' evening tomorrow night too, and then it's Friday week A all over again, great!

What else? It's my mother's birthday today, we're having a dinner party, guests have just got here (or so it sounds) so will pop a look in, but then scramble off to bed, my throat is still sore.

Looked up some words from Atonement:

garrulous - full of chatter
equanimity - composure; steadiness of mind under stress
lariat - a cord tied as a necklace that ends like a necktie

Also love this bit from p90, it got to me:

"The anticipation and dread he felt at seeing her was also a kind of sensual pleasure, and surrounding it, like an embrace, was a general elation - it might hurt, it was horribly inconvenient, no good might come of it, but he had found out for himself what it was to be in love, and it thrilled him".

Bertie, high fives :)

Inspection Time

Inspection time. Tomorrow and Thursday. Drama.

Am prepared. I think. Hope they don't see my Y10 lessons, they are distinctly average. My Y9 and Y8 classes should be good though. Haven't planned the PSHE lesson yet, not quite sure what we're doing for it. Hmmm.

Off school today, there goes my attendance target. Have a shocking sore throat + a cold, hope it doesn't become the flu, although I am quite achy. Think I may be a bit exhausted too, half-term was hardcore and kept going till Monday morning, so haven't had much rest. Totally worth it though.

Spurs are Carling Cup winners! Yay! Can't believe the Spurs turn around over the last few seasons, we are really getting somewhere, or so it feels.

What else? Told my friends a secret today and they were good about it. I like that.

Wish me luck, time for an early bed.

More tough stuff

One of my Y10 students threw a ruler at me today. In my classroom. During my lesson. Whilst my back was turned. Little monster.

We are being inspected on Monday and Tuesday. Hours and hours of paperwork etc. need to be sorted before then.

I have a glorious headache. The kind that increases when you bend to pick something up.

I'm going swimming.