Thinking of school even when not at school

I thought that now all the parents' evenings were out of the way, things would relax a little. Err no.

Three things that I don't want to do that I will have to do this term:

1. Full reports i.e the comment reports for EVERY class I teach. This means writing 150 paragraphs that are all pointless since the kids mostly don't read on them, and certainly don't act on them. Plus the computer program that you have to do it on is stupid, and the whole thing takes ages. In other words, boooring.

2. Marking - the real bane of my existence. How on earth can I get rid of this rope around my neck? My favourite and best solution is to get the kids to mark their own books in class. Sure they learn less maths this way since lesson time is used for ticking, and sure this means they can cheat and copy homework and just fill in the answers as we go along, but the ones that are inclined to do this would have found some way to get out of homework anyway, so I think this is the strategy that I will have to pilot. There's no way I am spending next weekend marking silly exercise books. No way.

3. My NQT folder - I have nothing of value to put in it, and I can't be bothered to collect/make up "evidence" of reaching the teaching standards. Stupid paperwork. I only have 5 more sick days anyway, and then my NQT year will be rubbished, so I am ignoring this folder until the very end.

10 more weeks of school is too long, fire me now, I want to be unemployed! Aaaaaarrrrgggghhh.

I think I should go to bed.

Skipping School

The attendance target at my school is 93%. My form, typically, is rather behind on this. We have two kids on the roll that just don't exist, but until the EWO (educational welfare officer) can track them down, they have to stay on roll. As such, we never win the attendance prize.

Am I a good role model? Well, looking at my own attendance, I have missed 4 days of school in the last 41, not to mention a hospital appointment and a visit to the dentist in school time. So my attendance is below the 93%. Further, despite it only being week 2 of the second half of the first term, I am already on my fourth instance of absence. This is a sign of trouble.

How it works in my school is that if staff have more than five instances of absence in a year, they have to have some kinda support interview or something. An instance can be anything from day to literally months (with a medical certificate of course). Mine have been four separate days, but still.

So what happened today then? I didn't really have a hangover, that wasn't the problem. I woke up really early, and my stomach was hurting, and basically I decided I couldn't face the day at school. Once my mind decides that, it's a done thing, it's difficult to persuade myself otherwise. School is like a battle to me at the moment, and if I'm not up for battle, well, I'd rather not take part. People say any teacher is better than no teacher. I disagree...a supply teacher is better than your regular teacher when she's having a bad day. But that is my opinion.

What did I do? Tried to sleep, but failed. Took a stroll in the park to try and get my head in the game. Realised that I looked very much like a skiving kid, so came back home. Forced myself to complete a rather mediocre Learning Log. Dwelled on my problems, and tried to make a plan to help me last to the potential solution. Finally, stumbled upon this, and had an educational browse. Felt a bit better after that, but then when I consider a day of battle tomorrow, well...we'll have to wait and see what happens.

PS Not all doom-and-gloom...also found this and love it.

Time For School

The end of half-term. How have nine days passed so quickly? It's almost a blur to me. Still, all good things come to an end...roll on Christmas, only 7 weeks to go!

After yet another night of fun, this time on a local level (nothing like being 15 mins from your bed, and also the clocks going back...wish that'd happen every weekend!) I decided to hit the gym hard. Loved it, my arms are gloriously aching. Berts, you'll be pleased to know I got yet another phone number in that place, hot stuff :) Then went to Diwali in the Square, which was beautiful. I love those times when I feel really connected with the whole Asian thing, and not on a banter level. Lots of dancing and singing and lights and food and all of that, excellent. Then tried to make it to an open mic night, but somehow got lost, and my conscience got to me, and I want to watch MOTD so legged it home. Lovely Sunday. Resolution for this half-term: live for the weekend.

What else? Well, I love Daniel because when discussing my potential as Spurs manager he said: "I think you'd be a great Spurs manager. Plenty of experience dealing with stroppy brats who don't want to do what they're told, used to being shouted at by hooligans, and trained to improve results in 'challenging' institutions". Hohoho.

I also love Bertie cos he sent me this: "bertie smarty pants? ouch meena very ouch. hope ure feeling better today good luck for tomorrow gorgeous x". When people on Saturday asked me why we weren't together I said it was because of THE RASH, but really, I think it's cos he's just too good to me. Wonder what will happen to the drama on that front....ooooooh drama Bertie!

Speaking of drama, I had decided that I would get my number one drama out of the way by just trying to sort it out so that after half-term I'd know one way or the other what was going on. I don't know why half-term is the deadline - this week means nothing to ordinary people. But then I decided that if I don't know one way or the other, then nothing is really happening, so I should just get on with seeing the other lovely boys. But then I decided I didn't want that. So I am back to square one.

What a useful ramble. It's similar to the battle I had with the Photo-Me machine today - wasteful. Which brings me to my final quote, Liz C: "I don't have the evidence for the link between psychotic behaviour and diarising every minute detail of your life to hand. I'm sure it exists. Doesn't the guy in American Pyscho do stuff like that? Not to worry, I'm sure you're fine. x"

Hohoho. Come on weekend.

More horoscopes + the dread

I hardly slept last night. I'd like to think it was because I was in "weekend mode". But I think really it was because I was dreading school today. All night and before school I was just dreading going there. But, after running a healthy 4km by 7am, well, I was up for it a bit more. And, actually, school was wonderful. All the usual drama (and then some!) but I kept my cool. By the end of the day I was finding it hard to imagine not being there. Essentially switching from one extreme to the other in 24 hours. A bit of bipolarity applied to school-life. Gotta keep it interesting.

But then I read my horoscope in the free Daily Mail I picked up in the gym.

The coming two days are some of the most important in the year, with some difficult but necessary decisions to be made. Have a detached and objective look at the past week or so and ask yourself what - or who - you can let go of. See it as some necessary weeding and pruning so the future can come in without having to negotiate worn-out emotional baggage. The key words for you at the moment are effectiveness and efficiency. Functionality is another and suggests new beginnings. But that's tomorrow.

Scary? I think so. This is the kind of ominous horoscope that leaves me wanting to hide in my bed all day tomorrow, listening to the Greatest Hits of the Lighthouse Family, Sade, John Legend and Texas. Except I can't because my silly MP3 player is still broken. So I will have to start up that whole dread thing again. Am so bored of that.

In the world of Hollyoaks, Sarah found out about Craig and John-Paul today. So dramatic, it was awesome! What on earth will happen now? I thought it was weird how easy everyone found it to pick sides. Although, upon reflection, I guess it was pretty clear whose side everyone would be on. I guess our own world isn't so black and white.

And lastly I took this article in to show my Y12 sociology group. They loved it.