Another Catch Up

Yet again I find myself apologising to an invisible audience - Oh well – Sorry!

It’s been non-stop for the last couple of months which appears to be the norm in my life at the moment. And because of this I’m not even sure where to start, but here goes...

Working at the Primary School

Week 1 – An awkward start. The first day was strange. I found myself a good spot across the room from the teacher, as she asked, and leaned against a cabinet. I began scanning the room, trying to psychoanalyse the children in front of me with one question at the top of my mind...who was good and who was bad. Soon I found myself wandering back and forth across the room telling children to stop swinging on their chairs, or fiddling with their pencil case, which made too much noise while the teacher, was trying to do the register. As well as noting who says “Yes miss” as she calls out their names so I can also make a mental note for future reference.

While I am perched on my cabinet, I notice sideways glances being fired my way and realised the children are also trying to psychoanalyse...myself and the teacher. You could almost feel the blue ray (like Eve in Wall-E as she searches for plant life) as they scan you up and down trying to figure out if we are humans or robots and if we will be nice or nasty teachers. I would hope I was firm but fair, but I guess only time will tell.

The day went as well as could be expected with two completely new staff, not entirely sure of this school’s system, or what level each child is at on each subject, let alone their names! For a while I decided to call all of them ‘Bob’ or for the girls ‘Bobette’ to make my life easier. The only problem is when you ask bob to go and grab and pencil sharpener all the boys at the table leap up. So I’m going to have to learn names I guess!

By the end of the week I have mastered most names, began filling our display boards and made myself useful with the photocopier, guillotine and stapler – all great fun!

Week 2 – Finding our feet. The teacher had been busy over the weekend and seems to have found her feet now, as she approached me on Monday morning with a timetable of what I could do each day Super! So now I have a structured week:

Mornings – Reading with individual children, and assisting different groups with Maths and Literacy

Afternoon – Handwriting skills - This is proving a lesson for myself as well as the children, since I gave up trying to join my writing way back in Secondary school.* And assisting with whatever lesson we have that day.

Week 3 – The children’s revenge. It would appear the honeymoon period is over. This week at least three have been trying to wind me up, by constantly swinging on their chair, not doing as they were asked and generally making a nuisance of themselves in the classroom. But I still go home on Friday with a smile on my face – I must be out of my mind!

Week 4 – The dreaded school trip. A day out should be a refreshing change from the classroom for the children and the teachers, but unfortunately this day was bad from the start. Firstly I had to have my photograph taken! (Not a great disaster you may think, but just you wait – I may scare you all by posting it on here! Then the bus ride to the site was so noisy a headache was beginning to form and for some reason my mind had been erased of all tunes and other forms of bus entertainment to calm them down. We got lost on the way. Our groups went wild at the first site, and I spent most of it escorting a certain delightful child around, until they were eventually taken back to the school. And finally we were had up by a busy body off duty police officer for apparently having some form of abuse made at her from our bus! All oblivious to me as even though they were at the back I never heard any abuse being uttered. On a positive note it was actually a fantastic day out, our groups were super during the second half of the day (maybe because of the troublesome child been removed?) and I went home with a smile on my face even when I arrived two hours later than normal, and feeling completely shattered.

The issue with the police officer was resolved the next day. Although as far as I was concerned she misconceived what had been said (if anything) and is just one of those people who let power go to their heads! Maybe she hates all children too?

Week 5 – Artists at the ready. A surprising change to the time table occurred this week. Instead of a lesson in Tudor History we were to be designing Christmas cards. The only problem I have is it’s only October! There is nothing worse than being reminding how long it is to Christmas.

While the teacher read the register out and relayed today’s tasks to the children I quickly sketched one Christmas scene and using a tray of shapes constructed another, for the not so artistic children, to inspire them to produce something fantastic for their own cards. I handed my rough works of art to the teacher, who responded fanatically about them and quickly held up the work for the children to see and then went on to say “You are in charge of all art work from now!” I just gulped and smiled a nervous smile back at her.

Here's one I made earlier.

Back to college

After being fairly disappointed that I couldn’t attend college again this year because it would clash with work, I was elated to find out I could actually go back again this year if I wanted to, However it would mean attending evening classes, unfortunately they finish at 9:30pm! Another shocking discovery, as I collected my work from last year, was if I didn’t complete the access course this year I will lose the credits earned from last year. So after some panic thinking and a bit of organising I have been able to be excused from work on Monday’s to allow me to attend Chemistry lessons. And I’m still working on a plan to attend Biology 2 and Sociology classes in January.

I’m now in the process of writing a Personal Statement, which I should add is bloody difficult, especially if you are like me and have trouble bragging about how wonder you are. As well as attending a few University Open Days, which should make me feel like a right old fart amongst all those teenagers...great!

Houses

After a long wait for paperwork (not the buyers fault!) we have finally signed away our house in the Falklands. It was a strange moment for us, as we weren’t sure whether to be saddened by selling our house, knowing when we return to the Falklands it would no longer be there waiting for us. Or elated that we can finally get on with proceedings here and begin renovating and modernising our next home. Either way the moment called for a drink and since we have no beer in the house at the moment (shocking I know!) we clinked cups of hot chocolate and celebrated.
I am planning on keeping a well documented log of our work on this house to keep for future projects and to boost moral when we are sick and tired of renovating. So hopefully I will be able to find some time to upload it onto my blog...don’t hold your breath though!

Family

Rather than go into great detail of what we got up to while my parents were here I will just say we all had a fantastic time (Bar the weather...Aye granddad?). The illegal alien has been home for a while which is a pleasant change and the girls are slotting back into the school routine easily again. Katie is in year 1 and it shows when she hands me A4 pages of writing trying to describe her pictures. Becky is a little bored with another year in Pre-school and constantly asks when she can go to Katie’s school. And the baby, or not so anymore, Sarah is starting Pre-School from December this year!

I wonder sometimes though if Dan feels a bit left out with all of his girls going to school and learning, while he still awaits a miracle to get him into college and finally earn that Officer of the Watch ticket.

And that’s it so far. I can’t promise anything, but I will attempt to keep you more updated from now.

*I actually remember the day my handwriting went from drunken spider in the ink pot to beautifully clear letters. It was our first Geography lesson and the teacher was (how can put this?) very easy on the eyes! His handwriting was also beautiful and that was it for me – I was converted – shallow or what!