Day 30 + later in the evening ramblings

Day 1 of the summer term. I have called it Day 30 since this is how long my Y11s are in school for before study leave. Only 29 days with them to go, how sad! I do love that class.

Anyway, so far so good. New behaviour policy was implemented today. I don't think I fully understand it. Clearly made an error since have filled in 0 incident sheets today, whilst the more experienced and senior teachers have filled out looooooads. Obviously in two weeks when my classes are running riot, this will be why.

Strangely I feel like I have nothing pressing to do right now. I better enjoy this feeling - no doubt it will vanish rapidly in about 10 minutes when I actually let myself think about what I have to do.

Sprousey, perhaps I should submit a thesis on why ethnic people are more punctually challenged? I'm sure I read somewhere it was because the emphasis on time is much greater in Western societies, whereas in our ethnic worlds, time doesn't matter, events happen when they happen. Also, who is JM? I've forgotten, crumbs.

What else? Well, I stumbled upon this blog since it was the one that had just been updated as I signed into blogger. Haven't read it, but how cute are the babies on there? Forget mixed race babies, now I want Aryan ones.

Update - 22:23

Some things I forgot to mention/have happened since my post:

1. Sparrow had some tests done today and she'll get the results soon, but she's been feeling better. Yay!
2. I made awful fun of a Y11 girl in my group for having a lovebite. Not very professional.
3. Birds pooed all over my car bonnet while I was at piano, grrr. Still, my little car is in dire need of a wash, so I guess it's time.
4. I remembered to pick up my dry cleaning but forgot to take enough money. Whoops.
5. I realised that my "piano crazy" is back - namely being unable to control my hands independently of one another, and also completely freaking out if my hands touch each other or Jade's when we play. It is now an official syndrome.
6. I went to an amazing dance class at the gym. We are learning a routine to Entourage. At the start of the class there were about 35 people, and by the end less than 20 were left. Clearly we are the hardcore. I have limited co-ordination, but was so much fun!
7. I watched a great Horizon on intelligences, which featured Gardner's multiple intelligence theory (of SI Professional Studies fame).

What a great list of stuff I've done. How interesting for you to read.

Timekeeping

I told myself that I had to get all my work done by 9pm. Lo and behold, I did. Clearly when it comes to setting myself mini-deadlines, I can stick to them. Why is that the case? Well, because this is the very last opportunity I have to plan my full day of lessons tomorrow, so procrastination was down to a minimum and my time was well used.

More generally though, why can't I use my time well all the time...or, more leadingly, why am I often late? The answer can be found in this article in yesterday's Sunday Times. I was surprised at how many psychological traits I share with the chronically late (anxiety, being messy and easily distracted, perfectionist habits, low levels of self-control or a penchant for thrill-seeking...I have all of those to a degree, with thrill-seeking and perfectionism right up there). So that's my excuse then, I was meant to be late.

This is seemingly at odds with being a Virgo, and true, I'm not late all the time - mostly when it involves going somewhere different from my routine. I'd say the best explanation from the list is that I underestimate how long it takes to do something, or even just how short a minute is. This is clearly evidenced in my early lesson plans, where I'd plan impossible amounts of material for a lesson and then feel like I'd failed when we couldn't cover it all. I know that I'd patently be one of those people still reading two minutes later in the test where you're supposed to stop reading after 60 secs. This is actually quite hard though - I did something similar with my Y11s where they had to shut their eyes and put their hands up when they thought a minute was done - the range of time during which hands were put up was hilarious, with one boy putting up his hand after about 20 seconds and another girl waiting for almost 2 minutes!

In other news, it was a training day today so fun and games. All about the new building and our move into it. Cue lots of drama about equipment and classrooms and planning and who gets what etc. Fun.

And finally, it turns out that OFSTED are only coming to see me, not everyone, thus I am the only one who has to prepare all the paperwork. Further, I figure it's quite a big deal. My professional mentor, who consistently ignored my emails last term, failed to pass on details of observations, didn't hold our IRB meeting or tell us our IRB gradings, hasn't got us an SSE, and barely checked in at all, came right up to me first thing this morning to talk about the visit. My subject mentor did the same thing, so it must be important.

Sometime this week I will make a little OFSTED list of things to bring up, that way I won't forget.

Oh and finally, yes, I know, he's totally instantly fit, and has a magnetic personality too. Sadly he is of the others. Boo. Puja, use the comments! I love getting comments, it makes me feel like I'm not rambling away to myself. Even though I mostly am. Right, bed time, it's a school night!

PS Crumbs, I accidentally posted this to the OUWAFC blog, whoops! Sorry MT!