Tinkerbell's Pages

On growing old disgracefully...

Today I found myself wondering (yet again) whether I am really mature enough to do my job. Although we're still at school until next Tuesday, I am not planning to do any more work with the kids, it's going to be all Christmassy fun for the next few days. It's the best part of the year for a primary school teacher (apart from the summer holidays of course!) Today I had to take my class on a school trip to the Imperial War Museum and it's days like these which really test your responsibility levels to the limit. Not only did I have 33 children to supervise, I also had three teaching assistants and three parent helpers to organise all day. If any of the children had been left at the museum, taken off by a stranger or if any other terrible thing had happened, it would all have been down to me. Luckily, none of these things happened and no one was even sick or pooed themselves on the coach (both of which, I'm afraid to say, had happened on the same trip last year, but thankfully on the other coach, not mine!)

At the ripe old age of 29, I should technically be mature enough to handle these things and to act like a responsible adult at all times. However, on the way back to school I found myself being a bit rude to our coach driver by mistake. I somehow managed to enter into a 'lighthearted' game of 'see who can be quiet for the longest' and was so determined to win, that I completely ignored the driver telling me how his satellite navigation system wasn't working until he completely gave up trying to hold a conversation with me. I feel quite ashamed of myself : (

On going back to school...

Now I'm not one to complain (well, not much anyway), but why does summer decide to re-appear just as us teachers and kids have to go back to school?! I spent this morning clearing out my very dusty and untidy classroom in preparation for the new school year, which starts on Monday. I didn't mind too much because it started to rain, but then the sun came out and when I finally got outside it was really hot! Very weird and somewhat annoying. OK, so I did have my lovely week in the sun and the weather in Paris was OK, but yet again, I have had had a summer of using my garden precisely three times. Was stuck in the classroom or in front of the computer writing reports when the best weather was here and now it's all over for another year! Also paid the boyfriend's mate a handsome sum to clear our garden and make it lovely for us at the end of July, but really don't feel I've enjoyed it yet. Just looked at the weather forecast and it seems there is to be rain on Saturday and Sunday, but it should be hot and sunny on Monday and Tuesday. AAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Oh well, by actually going into school this morning (I was the ONLY person there), at least I have mentally prepared myself for the fact that the summer is well and truly over. Out with the old kids, in with the new (all 36 of 'em!) Still got my birthday drinks to look forward to on Saturday night, but then it's back to the old routine... Roll on half term, that's what I say : )

On looking forward to lots of pressies...

We shan't be able to move in our flat next week. Hopefully there will be presents lying around everywhere. The boyfriend's 30th is on Wednesday and it's the last day of term on Thursday. Today the kids in my class have been promising me lots of lovely presents. That's the one good thing about large class sizes (not to get all political on you or anything!) So what if I'm going to be greeted by 36 eager new faces (yep, 36 )at the beginning of the new school year in September? At least I should get A LOT of presents from them all at Christmas and the end of the year! One of the boys in my class promised me today that he's going to buy my a pink sports car next week and I am holding him to it. It's a secret ambition of mine to own a pink car - but funnily enough the boyfriend's not so keen!

Am helping out with the school concert tomorrow night (woo!)- not worth sweating it out in the traffic to come home after school just to go back again later in the evening, so I'll probably just stay there right through til about 9.30pm when it's due to finish. What a fun way to spend what is set to be the hottest day of the year! Altogether now: "Consider yourself - at home ..." : )

COUNTDOWN TIL THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS: 6 and a half school days.

On experiencing midsummer madness ...

This week the kids at school seem to be in a state of midsummer madness. Whether it's the excitement of the football (they're always more hyperactive on the days when England are playing) or the fact that we're very slowly edging towards the end of the school year, the kids are in a constant state of over-excitement at the moment. To top it all off, I had to do my first whole-school assembly today, which was actually quite nerve-wracking! I wasn't actually nervous about it at all - until I stood up to do it. I hadn't thought that delivering an assembly to a hall of 270 kids would be any more scary than standing at the front of my classroom in front of 33. I was wrong!

The topic of my assembly (aptly enough) was Midsummer's Day. As I stood explaining to the kids about how today is the longest day of the year, I couldn't help thinking that it seemed like the longest 20 mins of the year too! Miraculously enough, they actually sat quietly and listened to me droning on. Oh well, at least it's over and done with now.

On the possible disaster of the class photograph ...

On Friday we are due to have our class photograph taken. This idea fills me with a certain horror as I absolutely hate having my photo taken. (I hate being photographed so much that I've already made it clear to my family and friends that I will ban cameras from my own wedding if and when it happens!) Last year the class just had individual photos taken, but unfortunately this year I have to be in the photo too! It's a bit weird if you ask me - sure, parents are generally willing to fork out decent money to have an angelic photo of their kids adorning their living room wall, but who wants a photo with me in it to show the grandparents when they come to visit?!

To top it all, on Friday morning we're also supposed to be having our first swimming lesson of the year. This isn't really a very good idea as all the kids will then end up being photographed half-dressed with soaking wet hair! In fact, most of them will probably still be struggling in the changing-rooms trying to get their uniforms back on while the photographer is waiting for us!

PS. Found out today that our school has been given an overall 'outstanding' rating from OFSTED. No one can quite work out how that happened!

On teaching the teachers ...

When I switched my mobile on at lunchtime today, I had a very urgent message on my voicemail. It was from my good friend Miss M who had just found out that her school is being visited by OFSTED next week. Oh yes, it seems as if the inspectors are on the prowl again. Obviously not satisfied with gourging themselves on everything my poor school had to offer them last week, they've been roaming the local neighbourhood for their next victims. Miss M said that she needs to know EVERYTHING that went on in our school last week. Just as I was trying to forget about it all and pretend that it had never happened. It felt like waking up from a terrible nightmare when I went back into school on Monday - I was still a little shaken, but at least it was OVER!

Alas, now I must relive the whole sordid situation in an attempt to help my teacher friends. At least I'm not in school this Saturday, although I do have what seems like several thousand test papers to mark. It looks like I'm going to have to call an emergency meeting down the pub and teach the teachers all there is to know about OFSTED. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it ...

On the impending doom of an OFSTED inspection ...

I just knew something bad was going to happen when the headteacher called an emergency staff meeting at 8.20am yesterday and it seems that all our worst fears have been confirmed. Next week we've got OFSTED coming to inspect our school. Those six simple letters are enough to strike fear into the heart of any teacher. It's what we've all been working towards, but pointlessly hoping would never happen. So I've waved goodbye to my weekend and bank holiday Monday. I was in school later than usual last night and of course, I had signed up for the Saturday school to earn some cash, so I was back in school again early this morning. Tomorrow's going to be spent desperately trying to doing all my week's planning plus catching up with all my marking. As an emergency measure they've decided to open school on Monday, so I'll be in again putting up new displays and tidying my classroom, while the rest of the country does fun bank holiday things.

I should just take my sleeping bag into school and stay there for the whole weekend : (