Miss, what does incomprehensible mean?

 Ang recently reviewed this book and very kindly sent it to me after she'd finished, asking if I would pass it onto someone else to review also.  So, if you would like to be considered to be sent the book, please do leave me a comment saying so with your email address (unless I can just reply to your comment and you get a reply in your email, then I could just do that).

This story is told in diary form by 'Miss', a secondary school English teacher.  It's the start of a new school year and OFSTED is looming.  She's got a new Head of Department and she's struggling with getting older, pre-menopausal and seems to be constantly having too much work to do, much to the disapproval and worry of her husband.

I loved this book.  "Miss" is very funny, has a very witty, appealing writing style. You find yourself saying, "NOOOOO!" to the book, every time she is loaded up with yet another commitment she can't say no to.  You laugh as you hear of her scoffing an entire box of milk tray or cakes (oh yes, we've all been in the staff room when there's treats!), nod when she has to say no to commitments to get all her marking done, giggle as she has anthropomorphized the mirror and weighing scales to have their own comments on her body's response to ageing.  As a teacher, I nodded at many of the references to INSET days, meetings, workloads, pupils being awkward.  Miss is hard working with a good dose of sceptism.  She really cares about her pupils and colleagues and you find out what an interesting person she is in terms of her background and how she has got to where she is now and wonder about her difficult past.  She's a really engaging protagonist and I really enjoyed seeing how her school, pupils and colleagues fared over the years. It's an interesting insight into working in a secondary school.  It's published by a Christian publishing company but apart from references to church and missing bible study or saying the wrong thing at meetings, I wouldn't have really noticed it as being a Christian book apart from Miss's moral commitment to getting things done.  I really recommend this book.  If I were to rate it, I would give it 4.5 out of 5 for a book of this type. I really enjoy books written in diary and letter form.

Some Musical misconceptions that drive me mad as a a music teacher

I know that not everyone has had a rigorous music education. But, I am really meticulous at teaching the correct vocabulary, repeating it, correcting mistakes  but there are some that are perpetually repeated by my children and....the world at large!

1.  Song and Piece.  People say, "Oh I really like that song." or "What is that song called?"
Let's get this straight:  It is only a song if there is SINGING in it.  If there is no singing in it, call it "That piece" or "A piece".  Let's remember P for Playing instruments and Piece and S for Singing and Song.
2.  High and Low and Loud and Soft are not interchangeable.  When we are talking about High and Low, we are talking about Pitch not loudness.  Squeakier- is higher, Growlier is lower. Loud is loud, not high!
3.  The piano is not in general orchestral music.Yes, in some 20th century orchestral pieces, but generally, no! Whenever I ask about which instrument is playing in the orchestra, someone ALWAYS chooses piano even when none of the instruments playing sound remotely like a piano!
4.  Stop calling the recorder the flute!!!!  I know it is part of the duct-flute family but It. Is. A Recorder!
5.  A drum cannot play a tune.  Even if there is a tuneable drum like the Timpani, drums are generally untuned instruments. They play rhythms- they are generally not tuned to a particular note like an A, B or C- they are just an unnamed pitch. A tune and a rhythm are not interchangeable.
6.  Every instrument that makes a buzzing sound is not a brass instrument. Just because you buzz your lips to play a trumpet/cornet etc, doesn't mean that every buzzy sounding instrument is a cornet or is played that way.  The hurdy-gurdy is a bowed string instrument and it makes a buzzy sound! The bagpipe can be said to make a buzzy sound as can the accordion.


In your particular field of work, are there any mistakes or misconceptions that people make that drive you mad?

x

A small moment of inspiration for one person, a great joy for another.

I do want to record those small moments of joy, something that touches your heart, even though it may be just a small moment.  It may mean nothing to anyone else, but for you, the participant, it is meaningful and precious.  Is it even worth an entire blog post?  Probably not, but why should a small moment not be immortalised here?

In year 5, yesterday, I began teaching the children about the start of the history of European 'classical' music: the Medieval era.   Some people look surprised when I say I am teaching the children what I am teaching but it's often been the unit of work where I see the greatest surprises and how much the children enjoy it. Last year, when I taught it- the learning really stuck and even now, the children in year 6 can remember the vocabulary, composers and features of the music in great detail. One class, when the children were composing their own inspired plainchant, every single child was willing and brave enough to take the role of cantor/soloist, leading the rest of the group to imitate their lines.

But yesterday,  I began the unit. I started with talking about how we lack a lot of knowledge about the secular music of ordinary people.  The music we DO know about is the vocal music that took place in the monasteries and convents in Europe.  I introduced the children to possibly the first famous composer in Europe, Hildegard Von Bingen, a nun who was famed throughout Europe for her writings on Theology, Natural Science, Medicine and on her visions she had received since she was a young girl.  In addition, she wrote many large scale religious works.   After setting the children a series of questions to listen out for (such as whether the voices were Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass, whether the melody was a stepwise melody, whether it was accompanied or not, etc etc- questions which would help them to understand the typical features of Medieval plainchant, we listened to Columba Aspexit

We probably listened to it about 4-5 times, allowing the children to have time to listen, contemplate and have time to consider their answers and then we went through the answers.  At the end of this, the last question had given the children an opportunity to write about any other features they had noticed or wished to comment on.   Y, a lovely girl, commented that the music was very soothing.  She said to me, "I absolutely LOVE this music. It's so soothing, I just want to listen to it all the time." I told her that if she liked it that much, that she should find it on Youtube and listen to it, and that there was lots of other music by Hildegard Von Bingen available too.  She replied that that was an absolutely brilliant idea and she would do that tonight. She added that she had real trouble getting to sleep and sometimes couldn't fall asleep until midnight and she thought that the music of Hildegard would definitely help her to relax and sleep.  And so, in that one moment, perhaps a life-long love of Medieval vocal singing has begun? Perhaps, she may go on to be a researcher on Medieval sacred music.  Or perhaps it was one moment of happiness, clarity, understanding and enjoyment that will mean nothing.  But for me, the educator, to be party to that conversation, to hear that that music had had that impact on that child in that moment, was a special moment. One to cherish, remember, rejoice in and draw upon when times might not be that good.   Anyone who says you have to teach children the music and things they like already clearly hasn't had one of those moments where you show someone the entrance to the secret garden and I am sorry for them.  If you have a joy, enthusiasm for something and a willingness to share it just as it is, without bells on it, without making it overly fancy, then how can the recipients fail to respond?

One small moment of inspiration for her, one moment of great joy for me.

Have you had a moment like that?

xx

The terror and anticipation of a teaching observation

Teachers up and down the country come out in a cold sweat on at least 3 times an academic year*. It is the moment of the teaching observation. Requirements are that a Senior member of staff will observe you and grade your teaching at least 3 times a year.  OFSTED will also check the judgements that have been made and whether the leadership team are able to judge.   I must just add that I plan my lessons in detail for every lesson with plans, success criteria, learning objectives and resources.  However, an observation, no matter how much you might think you are prepared for that lesson, you feel the need to over-analyse and put in extra effort.

Lessons you will have taught happily and successfully will suddenly seem to you to be inadequate. You lose the ability to think, over-analysing your every move, every question, every resource, every grouping. Will that child work well with that child?  In music, the children have to work in groups, so progress is not just dependent on the individual but how well they work together- will they get on and cooperate, get on with the task?  Children can be SO unpredictable. As much as you can be informed about situations at home, there are numerous occasions where you don't know what is going on.  The weather, windy days make children crazy, rain similarly can have an effect.

You pore over your plan, resources, wondering if there is anything you have missed. You are never sure how long it will take them to achieve it. Usually you have a good idea, based on prior experience and your natural intuition but children, as I said, are unpredictable.  What will take one group x amount of time takes another group y amount. You will spend HOURS over something that wouldn't worry you so much. An hour's lesson gains double, triple or more time to plan (generally, lesson plans take as long to plan as to teach or much more if creating resources afresh). How will you assess it? How will you put them in groups?  And then, you can't sleep. The night before, you lie there worrying!  Something will invariably go wrong with technology.  You might have sorted out your groups and then a crucial child is away.

Sweat beads develop on your lip, time seems to speed up and invariably you run out of time for what you planned.  Children will of course, throw odd balls- they will come up with something original, some stumping question and usually this is great and you deal with it easily and answer them. But in an observation, panic, mind goes blank, you are aware of the stampede of time.  They'll go to their groups. One group will seem to procrastinate for what seems an inordinate amount of time, one group will totally miss the point. And in normal circumstances, you will deal with this easily. But with someone watching, oh the horror, the feeling of being watched! Words will feel like peanut butter on the roof of your mouth.

As it ends, you will think of a MILLION things you could have done better!  And then you have the agony of waiting till the observer has time to go through it with you.

And you think to yourself, how much better the lesson would have been if you hadn't agonised over it for hours. Sigh.

This comes from someone who has been graded good or outstanding on most occasions.That feels like it means nothing when you have a new observation.

And this is just the teaching observation. Imagine how much more scary with OFSTED. And the fact that there are a million other moments where you are scrutinized for other reasons- work scrutinies, marking audits, parents evenings.  Oh the feeling never goes away no matter how long you teach.

I have an observation with my Headteacher today and I am really, really nervous.  He's obviously never observed me before so I have no idea what to expect.  Trying not to be terrified but failing to do so.  It's last lesson with year 6. And I have 2 new English speakers, one who has been here 3 weeks and one who never speaks, so hard to check his understanding.

Breathe in, breathe out. Try not to panic. Pray. Panic a little more. Pray.  Breathe.

AHRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xxx


*There are zillions of other difficult and stressful moments, moments of scrutiny, but this is the worst.

Donning the orange tablecloth and philsophising...

You know how my husband has this habit of describing my clothing sometimes in less than complimentary ways.  I should point out as a disclaimer that he does often say things look pretty or nice so I wouldn't want to cast him as a villainous critic,  but this outfit prompted another classic remark.   "Hmmm, why are you wearing a tablecloth?"

And he only saw the skirted part!!! The dress in question is a vintage orange-checked dress that might give Elizabeth Bennett a lurid run for her money- it has a distinct Regency look to it- I bought it in Maldon at Truly Scrumptious (what a great name for a vintage shop) when out for lunch there and actually found it quite hard to style!  Vix and Curtise always don vintage maxi frocks with great panache, ease and originality and I confess to being stuck for how to make this dress shine in a way that my vintage muses  manage to.  I do confess to toning it down in a way that might make you shudder Vix! I paired it with black- cardie and scarf, brown boots and added an orange starry belt and orange slice earrings.


Have I ever mentioned my 10 year teaching plan? Well,it's not exactly my teaching plan, but from my first year of teaching, I wrote one Christmas song a year, to be performed by the children with the aim that I would have a complete nativity after 10 years of teaching.  I've pretty much remained on track apart from maybe two years. I've got 6 songs so far (that I can remember!)  and this is the start of my 8th year of teaching.  Well, this year, I didn't really get around to writing anything over the holiday- the inspiration suddenly strikes, always, it can't be forced.  I had an idea a couple of weeks ago for just the first line of the lyrics which I quickly typed into my phone.  It got to this weekend and I thought, "Eeeek, it's only 4 weeks till the concert/service!" and nothing was written so this Sunday I wrote the lyrics.  Singing assembly and choir both fall on a Wednesday and it got to midnight on Tuesday night, when CBC and I returned from orchestra in London.  Therefore, I stayed up until 1.30am working out the melody, structure and a rough version of the accompaniment. It was still a rough work in progress but I HAD to get it done for this Wednesday or it wouldn't have happened.

On Wednesday, I explained to the choir that I had written them something new and I apologised that the piano would sound dodgy because I hadn't quite worked out the part yet.  They all encouragingly said it didn't matter. I sang and the sweeties all clapped and said they liked it with one saying, "It's a yes from me!"

We then learnt it together and I was so happy with them-there were only 22 children on Wednesday (we've gone back to just years 5-6) but they made the sound of 50.  I always write very complex rhythmic lyrics and they really went for it and tried hard and pretty much nailed it.  There's a section at the end where I explained there would be a small group singing a descant part and said I hadn't quite worked it out but it might sound something like "....". Lo and behold, a small group took it upon themselves to improvise a descant together when we sang that section and I said they'd got the job! Sometimes, you can just leave it to people to come up with something when you give them the idea, and they saved me a little work!

Now I've just got to pin down that piano part and stick it into music notation software...

I mentioned my plan to one of my colleagues who said to me, after my mentioning the late going to bed, "But surely, you are making too much work for youself? Isn't it easier to go with something written?"  But for me, this is something important.  I see myself not just as an educator but trying to be an inspiration, as a model of living this thing that you love. If the children see that I am a composer, they will have belief in my educating them on composition, they will know you can do something purely for the love of it, not just because you want to get something out of it (though it would be nice to have a second item published).  In addition, I have composed for the love of it from a young age.  My pieces may not be works of art or anything amazing and I think my old professor of composition, who I know had faith in my abilities as a composer would not be impressed by my primary songs. BUT writing keeps the brain fresh, it keeps you loving what you do. I don't want to give up the things I love because I am tired and exhausted as a teacher.  I don't want to be old and jaded and lose my creativity (not saying this has happened to anyone at all, but I know it can...).  The art and composing and love of it will get me past it.  One item a year is not so hard to achieve- hence why I made it an aim to write one a year for 10 years. (though I write other pieces and make other arrangements).

I absolutely HATE the phrase, "Those who can, do, those who can't, teach." - It is an absolute lie and anyone who conforms to that opinion would be a terrible teacher and ostensibly sums up the lack of respect a small idiotic minority have for teachers.  I want to ensure that I don't just teach, I DO. I play my flute, ideally to a high standard, I compose, I listen and appraise, so I can confound  that ridiculous idea. I blog also for school, so I am always looking for inspiration and new ways of approaching blog posts and resources to include.

Hope I don't trip over my orange checkered hem as I get myself down from that soapbox.

On a completely different note (a G#!), something really odd happened with my computer earlier- I was downloading a zipfile with 8 photos from my e-mail and I left it doing its thing.  When I looked an hour later, I noticed that the green transferring thing was still going on, Puzzled, I looked at it and it was still only half way. When I opened the folder I'd sent it to, it had inexplicably copied one of the photos 46,800 times into the folder!!!!  How odd! How or why?

Hope all is well with you and thank you for all your kind comments.  Glad you were inspired by the drum making post. If you missed it, it's worth a look for learning the process and the amount of work that goes into it.

Hugs to all
xx

Linking to welcome to the Weekend with Claire Justine

World book day costume ideas

If you are a parent or teacher, then you know about this day, the 6th of March (I think!) in which your children end up going into school dressed as a book character!  If you are despairing, fear not, as I compiled last year, a large amount of different ideas for costumes:
Go to World book day costume ideas and you should find a large amount of ideas.

In addition to that,I've had a few more ideas since:

The three musketeers (D'Artagnian, Aramis, Porthos or Athos.)

Image found here

You need a bit floppy hat (70's style)- add a bit white floppy feather if you can.

• Big white sleeved skirt.
• Tightish, high-waisted trousers- tuck them into your...
• ...Knee high boots
• You can make a tunic out of a stretch length of material if you'd prefer to imitate the muskethounds (DOGTANIAN!) .  Make yourself a fancy collar out of material OR cardboard! 
• Grab a sword.

Here are my costumes from previous years:



 Guinevere in 2012

Helen of Troy in 2011 (in which the children voted me best costume and was given CHOCOLATE as a prize!)


aaaaand Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey in 2010 (once I manage to get the photos off my phone!)


I'll add to this as I think of more ideas!!!

Ahrgh!

Remember I spoke about teaching observations and the terror?
I have one tomorrow.  I am really really nervous.  I am trying something completely new.  I have no idea how the children will respond, I have so much to do before going to bed!  I don't want to do badly but I feel like there are so many factors that could go wrong!  Oh heck I'm panicked!  I just wanted to say it to the World in hope it might make me feel better!
Help!!!!!!!!!

Strike - a teacher's perspective

So today is the Teachers' strike regarding pensions.  I know that there are a lot of different opinions out there and there are definitely reasons for and against striking but here I wanted to share my thoughts FOR the strike.  Stephen at Part 3 presents a really succinct and convincing argument for them which I recommend reading.

All consuming- marking and assessing
Now, first things first -  as a teacher, my life really isn't my own.  It really is all consuming.  I experience intense guilt, misery, disappointment, stress, low self-confidence and exhaustion on a regular basis.  It is not a job you can leave at the door like many jobs (and in fact, most unless you are self-employed)- it is always ongoing.  Every evening, I go home, making my dinner, filled with dread that I have got to mark x number of books (4 lessons a day, 31 children- theoretically that can mean 124 books a day.  And it really isn't a case of just ticking.  Has the child achieve the objective?  Give them a task and identify corrections, tell them what they've done well, tick sheets to fill in- Literacy marking is the worst.  Marking a piece of writing takes me at least 10 minutes per child) Admittedly, PE and Art don't necessarily need marking- but there is now assessment data for those to keep up with.  Has  Child x achieved the learning objective?  Is Child b able to throw a ball with accuracy and a variety of techniques?  Can Child y weave paper in a variety of ways?   And even ICT isn't free from burdens- assessments, evidence files, assessment pieces.  And I nowadays, have it much easier than many other teachers in terms of the 2 days I do music- so I don't necessarily have marking for those, though there is written evidence to scrutinize, recordings to upload, edit and name, work to look at, responses to listening, compositions to consider.  Tick sheets galore.  I'm now supposed to keep assessment sheets of the key skills that children have achieved in music.   

The workload and guilt
The guilt- if I choose not to do any work one evening, then guaranteed I will suffer for it the next day.   I feel guilty, depressed, and useless every time I teach a lesson that goes badly.  Everytime a child does not listen, fails to understand something you are teaching, I take it personally.  I feel I have done badly, no matter how long I have spent preparing for it.  You can and are expected to adapt work for 4 different abilities (for every subject) (and don't get me started on how long making resources takes.) and a child, for various reasons, may fail to get anything out of it.  Conversely, when a child really gets something, it is wonderful- but sadly, there are so many extraneous factors at play that you can never guarantee this all the time.

Planning
Planning any lesson takes an incredibly long length of time.  Again 4 lessons a day x 5 days =20 lessons.  People say, "Why not just download something from the internet" or "Oh you can use last year's plans."  Well, regarding the first, even searching for resources takes an inordinate amount of time.  Finding something suitable, something that is adapted.  I can wade through 6 pages of links before finding anything suitable and then I might not find anything (and this can be plans or sheets), even just formatting a lesson plan takes ages.      And if you don't have the resources to match, that is a drain on your time, finding those, checking they are working (if a set of light bulbs), copying them, trimming them to size.   Regarding the latter, if I am doing my job properly, I have to look at the specific needs of a group of pupils, they are very different and what works for one will not work for another so every plan must be adapted

And even if it weren't for that-  every single stupid, meddling government attacks education, changes the expectations, the goal posts, puts their own demands on the system.  They just can't leave it alone.  In the 5 years I have been in the teaching profession, things have changed completely, new things have been added and taken away all the time.    Literacy and maths has gone from one framework to another, a new horrendous way of assessing called APP has been introduced, first for writing,then reading, then maths and now this year, Science- all this affects your planning to ensure you are able to find evidence for these targets.  We've had Primary modern foreign languages being squeezed into the timetable- we've had guided reading added (well this has been for a while), in my school, KEY SKILLS have been introduced for every Foundation subject- it's supposed to be called the Creative curriculum- so everything has to be linked up, with attached targets, your planning must include those targets and address those, and since every other teacher in your school has had to introduce new plans, then the 2nd year you discover that X target has not been addressed so you have to replan for this.  Or a particular skill has gone.  The government constantly slags off teachers in the press- we're not doing our jobs properly.  OFSTED breathing down you spine. (And consequently, head teachers breathing down your neck in preparation for it.  Work scrutinies, marking scruitinies, action plans for your subject, monitoring other teachers who teach your subjects if you are a subject leader)

Scrutiny- 3 exams a year
Did you hate exams at school? Especially ones where you were being watched?     Now imagine you have to sit 3 exams every year in which instead of being a written paper, you are watched by an examiner, I must have 3 observations a year where another senior member of staff watches me.  Except that there are 30 totally random individuals who could throw a spanner in the works- you have to consider their individual learning styles, make use of ICT, guarantee progress has been made, deal with disruptive behaviour, manage another member of staff if you are lucky enough to have an assistant, make sure YOU and the children are assessing their own and their peers progress and show this through a variety of ways, and more. 
It's terrifying.  I am someone who actually doesn't mind exams too much- I previously mentioned that I have taken over 40 practical music exams in addition to regular recitals at university, GCSEs, A levels and copious observations during my PGCE.  But even I am terrified when I am observed and lack total confidence in my abilities when it comes to my observations.   

Training constantly.
Considering the decisions we have to make on a daily basis, the workload, in no other job are you expected to spend 1.5 hours every week (Staff INSET= acronym for In service training- every Monday), receiving training in addition to others.

Dealing with hostility and disparagement from the Government at the top, down to petty parents who, because you have so much to deal with, seem to think it their duty to undermine you and put burdens upon you, headteachers putting too much upon you.   (I should stress at this point, that there are many, many wonderful, supportive, lovely parents too and my headteacher has a good heart and wants her school to be good)




Decisions
I am not a decisive person, as anyone who has ever asked me to make a decision will attest to. And yet, every minute, I am forced to make decisions, which cannot always be predicted. I hate it.  One small example:  Child x has hit Child y apparently, according to Child y.  Yet Child x denies this and says that Child y hit them.  Who do you believe?  Do I deal with this now and totally interrupt my lesson and affect the other children?  Do I say I will sort it later and put up with whinging and more subversion over the next hour?  Do I believe Y and not x? Will x then do something even worse to pay back x? Will w get involved and cause a further problem?  Will Child x continue to be disruptive in order to make the point they are still cross?  This is not good for my stress levels.

Already agreed
As Stephen states, the pension agreement was already in place and we have paid into something and to now be told that it is changing in 5 ways to make it worse, well that does not seem fair.  Stephen says:

We're not setting up public sector pay and pension arrangements from a blank slate. A particular set of pay and conditions were agreed, including the current pension arrangements. And simply trying to change those unilaterally is wrong.

If it was YOU, Mr or Mrs non-teacher, how would you feel if you were told- "Right, even though you expected your pension to be like this and you've been providing for a certain moment, despite the fact we don't pay you loads, now, you will have to work another couple of years when you are old and tired, despite the fact your bosses will want to sack you, humiliate you as an older teacher because employing young whippersnappers is much cheaper and you can bully them more (seriously I have known it happen in many schools).  Oh and we're freezing your pay for some years and then it will not increase with the cost of things, and you're going to have to pay more money to us and then get much less in the end."  Sound good?  We're being really generous! 

And those bankers would throw an absolutely barney if their situation was changing like this- yet it's not for them! We don't get bonuses and unless you teach, you have no idea of the hours.
One of the few pulls in teaching has been the pension. We certainly don't go into it for the pay!


Teaching and old age
You really cannot do this job beyond a certain age- it is very physical, the hours, the levels of enthusiasm, the mental strain, clambering on ladders to put up displays, running around a playground, demonstrating, modelling, staying up late marking, running after school clubs, reports every term (and don't even get me started on how long these take), all that marking, assessment procedures.  I reiterate that headteachers (except enlightened ones) want to get rid of 'expensive' older staff.  I am only 30 and the thought of doing this for ANOTHER 38 years terrifies me. 
  
Discouraging potential teachers
In addition to my teaching and marking, I plan for and run 5 extra-curricular clubs, 2 assemblies. And it is not a case of just turning up and doing it.  I have to practice myself, I can't just do it, find repertoire, suitable music, format it. (I spent a year and half going to 2 hour training sessions on Thursdays evenings for my musical development in the school including 30mins travel either way) I do this because I know I have a skill that I want people to share. I came into teaching because I knew I had a lot to share with children and it was not a decision I took lightly if you care to read the archives of my blog (and read of the misery or beginning) Dumbledore says of music in Harry Potter Book 1,

"A magic beyond all we do here...".

I want children to develop their soul, to have this wonderful outlet for creativity.   I want to give my expertise to them, to help them to find their voice (and Bonnie that includes you!  I would be delighted to help you find your voice!).  Our world loves music.   And when the children delight in it, it fills my heart with joy!  When they burst into spontaneous and delighted applause when they have sung a song together as a community perfectly, I could burst with how wonderful this feeling is.

Surely, we want the best people possible to teach and train our children?
Surely we want to encourage those people who have skills to nurture, encourage and help our young people achieve greatness but right now I would tell anyone considering teaching to run a mile!



The other side of the coin
I know we've all got to do our bit to help the economy and many people are suffering in many ways from cuts and difficulties which is horrible but attacking the foundation of training and building young people that can achieve great things to help us (and this does count for other public sector workers as well, I am just talking from my perspective)  help our economy does not really help.  Sure do one of these proposed changes to our pension if you must but not all of them!  


I do understand if people say, "Well I don't get a pension like that for doing my job and I work really hard" and I agree with you in that sense. I am aware that compared to some pensions it must seem much more generous (I presume) and I know, whatever job you do, it is hard, stressful, makes you feel like you cannot cope with it.  No one's burden can seem harder than someone else's because it is YOUR burden or situation and knowing that someone else's is 'easier' or 'harder' (I say this because those terms are subjective) does not make yours seem any harder or easier for YOU and I would never have the audacity to say that anyone's job is easier than mine, because I have not experienced their particular situation.  I can only comment on my situation as I see it- that someone is changing something that I expected.  I will accept my lot whatever it is and will not moan about it regardless of the circumstances, but I wanted to share my perspectives.  I could say so much more but I am aware that I have written rather a lot and I am sure you switched off ages ago!  I am also aware that I sound very negative- I don't like that especially as there are some great things about the profession, I like to be positive and see the joy in life rather than the gloom - however this is offering my justification for why I think that the cuts are wrong!  (and I need to ensure my blog doesn't become too frivolous!!! Some gritty issues every now and again to make me think!)

What do you think though?

"I wish I could read as many books as you do when I am older Miss..." What I've read this week!

How nice is that comment from one of my kids! He was reading Lemony Snicket, A series of Unfortunate events, The Austere Academy and me being me, I couldn't help but wax lyrical about how much I loved those books (I read one a day for 2 weeks!) and he was amazed that I'd read them all as an adult and then uttered those words. I was touched! It reminded me of a craze I began in my very second year of teaching, over Lemony Snicket.

It all began with my reading the series. I then came into school and told the children how cool they were and asked who wanted to be the first to borrow Book 1. There was wild clamouring For some reason, with that class, if I told them about a great book I read, they would all instantly long to read it.

From that moment, there was a MASSIVE waiting list to borrow my books. At least 20 children read the first couple of books in my class and one child read them all and borrowed all the subsequent sequels (The Unauthorized biography, Beatrice letters) from me. I loved that class....

Anyway, I'm not sure exactly what that has to do with this post, except to offer some sort of justification to the world for me reading so many kids books! Some people think it's a bit funny but I maintain

a) if I can recommend to a reluctant reader, something I think he/she might like, it's worth it

b) it's research for my job

c) I have to teach guided reading so I HAVE to read kids books in order to prepare the best for them

d) They are blooming exciting! I don't want to read about gratuitous sex and violence, I like things to be innocent and fun!


Anyway, if you have kids of the age 8-9, particularly maybe boys, then have a look at the books below. I bought the 3 Louis Sachar books in Book Ends in Hay-on-Wye in August for £1.00 a piece.

LOUIS SACHAR is a brilliant author for boys, particularly those at the latter end of Key Stage 2, early KS3. He writes about modern, social and moral issues that concern them. Behaviour, friendship, making right choices, outsiders, community, relationships, self-belief, family. I could go on. His first work I read was There's a boy in a girl's bathroom which is a wonderful book for children with challenging behaviour and social issues or dealing with difficulties in frienships but for anyone really of that age, they are marvellous.

The following ones are for younger children, year 3,4,5 I would think.
46. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost:Class President

Part of a series of at least 10 books, the main character, Marvin is a kind and considerate boy who thinks before he acts. We encounter him and his friendships at school and outside. The characters in this book are quirky and all have idiosyncracies (word of the day!). There is always a subtle lesson to be learnt in the Marvin Redpost books. In this one, it is to do with daring, believing and aspiring. In this book, the class have all come in holey clothes when it transpires the American president is visiting their class! Cue pandemonium and frantic question preparations. It gets children to think about relevant questions when interviewing someone, people believing in their goodness and having dreams and going for them. There's a lot of fun, jokes and frolics thrown in for good measure that boys and girls alike will enjoy!

47. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost: A magic crystal
Another book in this series, which interestingly touches upon friendship between boys and girls. When children reach year 4 or so, they're already starting to think, "EUGH girls!" or "Yuck boys!". In this book, Marvin becomes friends with a girl and this book is about how he and his friends deal with it. An interesting issue. Again, the character of Marvin ultimately comes across as someone who is a good role model as he faces dilemmas.

48. Louis Sachar Marvin Redpost: A flying birthday cake.

The general message of this is that old adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover," which is as important today as it's ever been. In this book, it becomes obvious to US the reader, that the new boy may be not of this world! This is a great book for Assessment Focus 3- inference and reading between the lines, in guided reading as you can get the child to talk to you about all the clues that prove that the character Joe might not be human. Again, the book deals with friendships. In this case, reconciling making friends with someone who is different to staying friends with people who don't want to welcome new people. It also deals with jealousy and standing up for what is right. In the case of Marvin- he has to make a decision between facing being bullied himself and standing up for someone who's being picked on. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly recommend all 3 as medium-sized reads that engage the child and encourage emotional literacy.

49. Edward Eager The Time Garden.

I LOVE time travel!!!!! Or in this case, Thyme travel! This book has inspired me to read HG Well, The time machine. HOW is it that I have not read any of his books?!

This is one for boys and girls. It has a Famous five ilk to it with a group of children, in a seaside mysterious house and garden, adventures, buried treasure, historical interest, play-on words. Some children who live in America end up staying with an aunt in her cliffside house and gardens. They meet a mysterious Natterjack upon a sundial who leads them on a variety of time travelling adventures. They meet American and English historical figures, help fugitives and even end up meeting characters from Little women. I found this book highly imaginative and great fun with some valuable lessons to be learnt as well for kiddies!

By the way, do you not think that front cover looks like Quentin Blake's work. Apparently, it's not him but don't you think it is????

http://www.amazon.com/ Thank you for the images!

Would you recommend these to any children? Do you read kids books at all? Have you read any of these?

Presents, presents!!!!

There's are many cool things about being a teacher(and lots of the opposite but let's not go there!)- but one really cool thing is the end of the year when some of your dearest delights who don't hate you make you lovely cards, send you lovely cards and delight and surprise you with really thoughtful gifts! I am always still surprised and overwhelmed when my cherubs turn up with gifts for me! I never expect anything and it is always lovely that they (or their parents!) appreciate you! I decided that this year, I would photograph the pressies to remind me when school feels horrid and like the children really couldn't care less about you, that they do really!

Actually, these flowers were a gift from my headteacher on behalf of the kids to say thank you for my hard work organising the school concert!These flowers were gorgeous roses from a darling Polish girl in my choir who is sadly moving up north am soo sad she wont be singing in my choir anymore.

These were from a really quiet girl in my class who I often thought didn't like me! Beautiful colours! And, I managed to get them into a vase fairly quickly so they didn't die swiftly like all my flowers usually do!
Here is the majority of my stash that weren't instantly perishable!

Oh my goodness, 9 boxes of chocolates- this will last me till Christmas!

My colleague bought me this amazing handmade biscuit, presented exquisitely! YUM!!!

2 bottles of wine. Surprisingly, this is the first time I've ever been bought wine by pupils! Strangely, they somehow seem to know I don't like alcohol! A sweet thought!

A selection of pretty jewellery. The bird/heart necklace and the New look earrings were from my fellow year 5 colleague! My favourite present out of all!

Lovely smellies and pretty cupcake coasters! Love!

A selection of cards,some bought, some homemade- and one 'Best Teacher' certificate!

I love this one best- it depicts me! playing the recorder.

This message makes me almost cry! I will think of this every time I feel I am a rubbish teacher. This girl is a gifted and talented pupil who spent so much time helping me this year with admin, cutting things up etc. I love this more than all the rest!

It's very lovely to be appreciated!

Over the moooooooooooooon!!!! (resulting in naughty splurge!)

Remember at the start of April, I posted about my LTCL music exam here? It involved a 8500 word set of case studies and essays, then a lesson observation and a viva voce!
Well, I received a phone call from the LSO administrator today to say that I passed!


And not only that, I passed with Distinction!!!!!

I had bemoaned the fact that I thought that whilst my lesson observation was good, I thought the viva voce was awful...


It turned out I have bad judgement!


I achieved 85% for my case studies.

And I achieved 97% for the lesson observation and vica voce (and apparently received 39 out of 40 for the viva!)

So what does a girl do who has just received a wonderful news and walks past a shop with pretty items?

She goes in and buys the dress she has been eyeing up on the way to work and back every day for 2 weeks!




It's sooooo pretty! Such a lovely flattering shape, perfect for me being pear-shaped as the skirt floats over my bottom half and fits perfectly on the top half!

I don't usually like yellow, but it was the yellow belt and the way it picked out the yellow colour of the flowers that kept drawing my eye to it!

Lovely floral pattern!

Oh dear, my resolution not to shop for a while didn't last long...

Yay me!!!!

BTW, oooh, so exciting, just watching TV in the background- Pirates of the caribbean 4 is out and my Mum is an extra in it!!! So exciting! Look for a lady with brown hair, reddy brown patterned skirt and a white mop cap holding a basket of flowers on some steps! That's her!!!

Scared!

I am using my blog for that purpose which it served during my PGCE- the stress zone! Tomorrow I have my final teaching observation for my LTCL music teaching diploma and let's just say I am panicking! I have to teach my choir for 1/2 an hour, which covers:

• providing a range of activities appropriate for the needs of individual pupils
• posture and body use
• instrumental/vocal technique
• tone production
• musicianship, including aural skills and theoretical understanding
• encouraging pupils’ individual creativity, developing self expression and imaginative engagement
• composition or improvisation
• ensemble and listening
• appraising, including encouragement of pupil(s)’ own self-evaluation skills
• spontaneous musical interaction
• sense of performance and performance skill
• expression and imaginative engagement
• contextual awareness
• preparation for practice
• opportunities for self and/or peer evaluation
• record keeping and assessment strategies.

WIthin HALF AN HOUR!!!!! I am quite sure that I will not be able to cover everything!

Then I have a 20min Viva voce with the examiner (who I remember adjudicated me in a Music competition/festival when I was younger!) in which I have to talk about my teaching case-studies (coursework), the lesson just observed, my professional development and moving my children on, current legislation, my responsibilities.

Finally, the examiner will give me a piece of repertoire (maybe a song or arrangement) in which I have 5 minutes to draw out any areas of technical or musical interest. I must describe these to the examiner, and then outline a series of activities I would use to work on these elements in the context of a lesson.

The anxiety
Even just the above seems scary and daunting!
However, I have never had an observation of my teaching even since my training for which I have received less than a 'good' (OFSTED style grading) and yet everytime I am observed, I am wracked with anxiety that this will be the person that proves to me that in fact I am a bad teacher and everyone else has got it wrong. In many ways I know I am a good teacher- I work hard for it, I really care about the kids progressing, I always have to be really sure of my subject knowledge and I usually am; if not, I will research what it is I am teaching, I try to use a range of strategies and resources but sometimes I just feel woefully inadequate. Constant pressure from on high - government, newspapers, Senior management,any sort of staff meeting, the behaviour of children makes me feel that I am not a good teacher. My choir are sooo badly behaved at the moment. I want to make it fun for them because it is optional but they make me so cross the way they don't always listen and distract each other. I have been told my various people (inc. a conductor from the National children's choir) that the way I approach choir works well and my subject knowledge is excellent (it ought to be considering my degree!) but I just wish I could prove this and really believe it myself.

I am sitting here, staring at my lesson plan. Bloomin' things- I could do the same lesson I am teaching perfectly adequately without a plan, but yet I must ensure I leave nothing out.

Will there ever be a time I feel completely confident of my teaching? Will teaching EVER get easier? Will I pass this final stage of the diploma and be able to add more letters after my name? Please say it will be ok!

8 days...

...until the Peeg is over. Oh that it were 13th July now. I've found this week really tough so far. This evening was very hard as I wanted to stay at school and get stuff done (only night it is open late), but I couldn't get into the frame of mind as a) my teacher was tidying up her stuff in the room, and I just can't work when there is someone else there, and b) it was a hard day (with crappy teaching on my part- particularly as had a full day with ICT floor robots AND PE in the rain and I kept them on the carpet faaaaaaaaar too long in Literacy and therefore they achieved zilch) and I should have just gone home straight away but instead wasted 3 hours. It frustrated me. I was stressed. I came home, ate peas, ate pasta, had a quick bath, felt much better.

2 people phoned me last night, to ask for advice/generally talk about the placement. I feel lucky that I dont have the internal examiner coming to me, really I am blessed. It was horrid trying to give someone advice about a lesson idea, as I wanted to help but it is hard when you haven't been part of that class. Oh that in a couple of years, I will be able to give good ideas and advice to fellow sufferers of Pee-gee-see-eeitus.

Better do marking...

15 days until Happy Rotter is out!!! What a nice thing to look forward to!

Must dash...

Teaching dilemmas...

I had an interview for a local authority pool on Friday. This is a thing where you get interviewed by some headteachers from the borough and based on this and their observations of you, you will either be recommended for teaching in the borough (and your details made available to all heads who are recruiting) or not. After what I felt was a rather disasterous interview with 2 lovely heads in the morning, I resigned myself rather pessimistically to being in the latter party. After all, I do feel a bit of a nightmare. But to my surprise, not one but two headteachers asked me if I would like to go and visit their schools with them. I was rather surprised but quite pleased (though a bit scared). So I went to the first one, a large 3-form entry school with a great music tradition, and enjoyed a school lunch with head and children, was shown around by the head and then had a short chat with the SMT. And after 5 mins, they called me back and offered me a job!! I asked for time to contemplate (I have till tomorrow, though I did ask if I could have until Tuesday). Then the Head dropped me to see the other school. And I had a look round, watched a fab class assembly, and after a 5-minute conversation, I was offered a job there as well! I liked both of them, and they seem to be well set up for supporting NQT's, but I dont really know what I should be looking for. There was a school that I really wanted to teach at, so I briefly went to see the Head there, to tell her my dilemma (and to remind her that I was interested in her school).
Now I dont know what to do. Which one do I accept? Do I accept either of them, or do I hold out for the school I originally liked, or do I like it because I know it and because they liked me? Do I take a chance and wait? I didn't really get a gut instinct thing at either of them, but then I did like them, and I hadnt seen a huge amount! What do I do? Am praying, but still as yet, not got an answer!