I am still alive and kicking, in case anyone should be wondering - and still up to my eyes. The phrase 'running to stand still' springs to mind! Three weeks into the term and I am getting into school at 7.40 and not leaving till 5 or 5.30pm, which is OK except that I am then going home to another few hours as well as doing yet more for most of the weekend. It is a situation I promised myself never to get into again when I went for voluntary redundancy three years ago and I feel frustrated that the job still spills over into most of the rest of one's life, instead of being able to be contained within a reasonable proportion of it. Not that I am alone in this. Most teachers I know or know of are in a similar position and the only reason that things were more manageable last year was because I had such a small class.
This year I started with 28, which have now increased to 30, of whom six are on IEPs (Individual Education Plans), which means extra paperwork and another half dozen could easily join them and, although they are Year 2, a large proportion of them find it difficult, if not impossible, to work independently.
On the plus side, this Saturday saw the start of my advanced diploma in Gestalt counselling, which should give me a window in my week to take my mind off the world of primary education.
Happy days!
Oh, and the conservatory is coming on nicely. Photos to come shortly.