Just for Dale I have made the effort to post today. I realise I have neglected the blog lately but, since starting my new teaching job, I have been struggling to find 26 hours in the day. It's ridiculous really but the job, together with the counselling, placement etc. seems to be taking up every spare minute. (And if anyone makes an age-related comment, I will personally shoot them!)
Although I have only been out of full time teaching for two years and thought I was doing well at keeping up with things via the internet, I am amazed at how things have moved on even in that short time. I sit in the staffroom and listen to conversations punctuated with acronyms and initiatives which mean nothing to me. I cart bags full of unfamiliar resources and CDs home to get to grips with the 'in' things to use in the ICT suite and on the interactive whiteboard. The latter is enormous fun, by the way and I am filled with enthusiam and excitement at things which my blase six year olds just take in their stride.
Oh and last week's faux pas? Writing on the (ordinary) whiteboard in permanent marker. It did come off eventually, with lots of elbow grease.
We're getting there...
Losing it
It's getting to me already! This morning I dashed out of the house at 7.15, jumped into the car and drove off to work...
About half a mile into my journey, happening to glance down at my feet I noticed that they were still encased in slippers, a dark, discreet navy blue, but slippers nontheless.
A rapid about-turn (no screech of brakes), back to the house, nearly giving Keith a heart attack as I burst in, unannounced and unexpected through the door, a few seconds to change and give him the chance to demonstrate his hysterical amusement and I was off again, but this time, just too late to avoid the worst of the traffic queues.
About half a mile into my journey, happening to glance down at my feet I noticed that they were still encased in slippers, a dark, discreet navy blue, but slippers nontheless.
A rapid about-turn (no screech of brakes), back to the house, nearly giving Keith a heart attack as I burst in, unannounced and unexpected through the door, a few seconds to change and give him the chance to demonstrate his hysterical amusement and I was off again, but this time, just too late to avoid the worst of the traffic queues.
Phew! Back again
Last week was the first of the new term and the first at my new school. As it is probably going to be closed next summer, due to falling rolls, many parents have chosen to vote with their feet and move their children now rather than wait till next year, which is a great pity because it is such a lovely school with a dedicated and talented staff. However, the result is that there are now just over half the original number of pupils in the school, which means that I have a class of 8 Year 2 children.
Sounds great, of course, except that the amount of planning is still the same although the marking load is obviously much lighter. However, as no-one knew at the end of last term how many children would be here this year, I was unable to do any of the planning I would normally do during the holidays, which meant that last week was a bit of a baptism of fire in that I had to sort out what the topics were for this year and get to grips with many resources which are new to me, as well as the delights of the interactive whiteboard. Things have certainly moved on since my last full time teaching job, two years ago!
Anyway, from feeling last week that maybe, with this job plus the demands of the counselling courses and placement, I just might have bitten off a little more than I could chew, I have now moved to the more positive position of feeling that maybe things will sort themselves out and so what if I don't have a social life? So what's new!!
Sounds great, of course, except that the amount of planning is still the same although the marking load is obviously much lighter. However, as no-one knew at the end of last term how many children would be here this year, I was unable to do any of the planning I would normally do during the holidays, which meant that last week was a bit of a baptism of fire in that I had to sort out what the topics were for this year and get to grips with many resources which are new to me, as well as the delights of the interactive whiteboard. Things have certainly moved on since my last full time teaching job, two years ago!
Anyway, from feeling last week that maybe, with this job plus the demands of the counselling courses and placement, I just might have bitten off a little more than I could chew, I have now moved to the more positive position of feeling that maybe things will sort themselves out and so what if I don't have a social life? So what's new!!
Silence
Too little time, too little energy, too little to say.............
Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.
B. Terry Aspin (1916-2006)
B. Terry Aspin, who died recently, was a talented and prolific commercial artist and author. He drew for some of my favourite comics back in the late 50's and 60's, notably Bunty and Judy as well as doing artwork over many years for Model Railway magazine.
He also built his own model steam engines and wrote several books on modelling and foundry work and was well known for his belief in making every bit of his models from scratch. To the end of his life, he visited his local model railway club, of which he was a founder member and ran his own engine, although, latterly usually driven by someone else. In the photo, he is standing between the 2 engines, his own being the one on the right.
He also built his own model steam engines and wrote several books on modelling and foundry work and was well known for his belief in making every bit of his models from scratch. To the end of his life, he visited his local model railway club, of which he was a founder member and ran his own engine, although, latterly usually driven by someone else. In the photo, he is standing between the 2 engines, his own being the one on the right.
Today his engine was run in his honour and his ashes were buried at the club. The engine was run by Keith, his son.
R.I.P. Terry.
CBT or TV?
I have decided to take advantage of a forthcoming 10 course on CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy NOT Cake Baking Therapy as Keith would like it to be) which means I am going to be pretty busy this coming term.
"I may have to give up watching Emmerdale and Coronation Street," I said to Keith yesterday.
He beamed broadly.
"Every cloud has a silver lining!" he crowed.
"I may have to give up watching Emmerdale and Coronation Street," I said to Keith yesterday.
He beamed broadly.
"Every cloud has a silver lining!" he crowed.
Travelling to where?
This came to my inbox the other day, courtesy of C.M.
A young woman in Galway was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the Atlantic Ocean. She went down to the docks and was about to leap into the freezing water when a young sailor saw her tottering on the edge of the pier, crying. He took pity on her and said, "Look, you have so much to live for. I'm off to America in the morning, and if you like, I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take good care of you and bring you food every day."
Moving closer, he slipped his arm round her shoulder and added, "I'll keep you happy, and you'll keep me happy."
The girl nodded. After all, what did she have to lose? Perhaps a fresh start in America would give her life new meaning. That night, the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he brought her three sandwiches and a piece of fruit, and they made passionate love until dawn.
Two weeks later, during a routine inspection, she was discovered by the captain.
"What are you doing here?" the captain asked.
"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she explained. "I get food and a trip to America, and he's screwing me."
"He certainly is," the captain said. This is the Arran Islands Ferry.
A young woman in Galway was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the Atlantic Ocean. She went down to the docks and was about to leap into the freezing water when a young sailor saw her tottering on the edge of the pier, crying. He took pity on her and said, "Look, you have so much to live for. I'm off to America in the morning, and if you like, I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take good care of you and bring you food every day."
Moving closer, he slipped his arm round her shoulder and added, "I'll keep you happy, and you'll keep me happy."
The girl nodded. After all, what did she have to lose? Perhaps a fresh start in America would give her life new meaning. That night, the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he brought her three sandwiches and a piece of fruit, and they made passionate love until dawn.
Two weeks later, during a routine inspection, she was discovered by the captain.
"What are you doing here?" the captain asked.
"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors," she explained. "I get food and a trip to America, and he's screwing me."
"He certainly is," the captain said. This is the Arran Islands Ferry.
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