3 weeks

Only three weeks left on this placement. Eek!

So, this week. I started by getting ahead, but by the end of the week everything had caught up with me again! I've had some very long days in school this week.

I taught my first ever y10 lesson. Cripes! I was so nervous. I don't think it was my best lesson, but a good start. The evaluation came from the kids themselves, which was terrifying and insightful at the same time. They are very observant.

My y7 lessons are getting better. They feel more structured and purposeful, and I can see what direction they're heading. I know what the final goal is, I just need to get them there. In only 8 lessons. I lose tomorrow's lesson due to a visiting guest speaker.

My y8s are testing me. They don't respond well to a change of routine, so me walking in and taking their lessons for a new unit is not going down so well. I'm trying to maintain their established routines, in terms of how lessons begin, discipline and reward strategies; but they are definitely my biggest challenge at the moment.

I feel as though I am making progress with y9. I introduced team posters, which they created with their friends. They can then earn stars for their teams during the lessons. The team with the most points at half term gets a prize (actual prize to be negotiated). This is proving an incentive.

Started searching for jobs now. I think I've found one I want to apply for- even if just for the interview experience. I don't expect to land a job before easter, if I'm honest. I definitely need the experience of second placement to be able to offer a more complete answer to any question at interview.

Need to get these flippin QTS tests out of the way. Need some hard core revision and then book 'em. They're becoming an annoyance, just nagging at me.

Hopefully there'll be no more snow. The students get way too distracted by the weather. I've resorted to closing the blinds in some classes. I hope it all melts- as distracting as it is, I'd sooner have the snow than the ice.

Time to make these last three weeks really count. It's going to be weird going back into university.