Let's get this blog back on the road

Goodness, I got back from the Netherlands and haven't had a chance to stop.

I've been run-down with the ill (still don't know what it is, but I'm on the mend) and thrown into the fray with the teaching and Ofsted visited, so I was pulled away from the teaching and applying for jobs and booking skills tests and assignments and..well yes, the 'to do' list is still fairly long, but I feel that I have a bit of time to breathe this weekend.

So, new school. Been there two weeks now. Two very very different weeks.

Week one I met my y9 class properly when I started teaching them. I requested no host teacher so I could make my stamp on the class. I was met by a wall of defiance from the class. After our first two lessons together I was feeling fairly exasperated. My mindset changed from 'going to plan fun lessons and get these kids through their assessments' to 'I will break them'.

Well, it's changed again now to 'challenge accepted'. I've persisted with the kids and I feel as though I'm making progress. Our last lesson this week was almost pleasant. If anyone had been formally observing, I'm sure I would've failed. The kids had one earphone in for most of the lesson. However, this kept them seated and quiet, which meant they weren't distracting the minority of students who wanted to work. They were on-task for most of the lesson too. I think music is the way forward with these guys. Plus, I've learnt to laugh at them. There's no point me standing at the front, shouting. The kids aren't interested. I will need more long-term, observation-acceptable strategies for this class though.

Been getting to grips with a fairly difficult unit (Medieval poetry) to teach to Y7. The class have made it clear that they don't like poetry, so trying to teach it in a way that's entertaining is the challenge. I got it drastically wrong for all concerned last week. But this week, I think I've cracked it. We'll see.

The O-bomb dropping was not helpful. I had just created plans for my units, which all had to change because I wasn't allowed to teach for two days. The impact of their visit means my plans may well yet change again. Seeing the effect of them on the department was horrific though. I am not looking forward to the visits once I'm an NQT/teacher.

So, I feel as though I'm settling in this school. It was a horrible shock after the Dutch school, but I'm certainly less stressed here than I was at TP1 (currently). The English department is lovely, and people have started speaking to me now that they know I'll be kicking about for a while.

Now I just need to complete two assignments, revise and pass my skills tests, book lessons and pass my driving test, and get a job. Preferably all before the end of July. #nopressure

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.

Dropping back into things

Well the Christmas break is well and truly over.

Happy New Year everyone.

The first week back was approached with dread. I'd had nothing but problems in the last week of the holidays- so I've been playing catch up since then. Got pretty injured too so been a bit slow and delicate wandering around school.

The big essay was due on Tuesday and my first official observation was also due to happen on Tuesday. And I had lessons to create for this week.

Thank god it all worked out.

The essay was submitted on Monday night. I hope it's good enough for a pass.

Tuesday, I was very nervous. My university mentor had chosen to observe my difficult y8 class. And I'd planned to do drama. Oh.My.God.

To their credit, the kids were brilliant (not that I told them that I was being observed); and they seemed to really enjoy the activity. Yesterday's lesson showed me that they actually learnt something from it.

I got some fantastic feedback from my mentor. And when I ran the same activity with the other half of the class on Thursday, although the lesson seemed to be a disaster and the kids behaved badly, I did get some lovely comments from a passing member of staff. He said it was great to see someone doing something different with the kids; taking advantage of all the open spaces in the school, and experimenting with approaches. This was lovely to hear, although I'm never quite sure how to react to compliments.

I also feel as though I've made real progress with my other classes this week. My organisation has improved and, although I haven't made the resources yet, I've been ready for what I'm going to do next week, and have been able to create this week's lessons to lead into next week's lessons.

I think I've had some of my best lessons this week. The pupils are seeing me as their teacher now. Things feel good, more comfortable. And I'm getting a Y10 lesson next week. I'm very excited, I just hope I don't mess it up. The class is lovely though, and I've been in their lessons since the beginning of December so they know me.

Overall, a brilliant first week back. Someone's created a countdown of working days until the next half term, which is when I leave this school. I cannot believe there are only 20 working days left! Too soon. I'm not sure that I want to leave.

Week 8

I feel as though I've actually made some progress this week.

In uni we've been looking at exam boards. We had to give presentations on WJEC and a local teacher visited to talk about AQA. Apparently they're the main exam boards for this area.  My school's chosen OCR.

We also looked at many many ways of teaching Cormier's Heroes. We had a play at some of the activities ourselves- it's nice to feel like you're in school again. University's been great this week.

For some reason I was dreading going to school this week. I still don't fully know why. I'm thinking it was a combination of not having been in school for so long because of half term, and of not really knowing what I'll be doing when I'm there full time, which is only about 2 weeks away- eek!

Thursday in school is my busy day. I have four lessons (just observations at the moment). Being busy really helped dispel the dread. I was also invited to attend parents' evening on Thursday night. This made for a very long day, and a very tired Lotte; however, parents' evening was a fantastic experience. I am very pleased that I've seen one.

Friday was the weekly meeting with my mentor. I used this opportunity to ask my mentor to check over my lesson plans, for the lessons I'll be teaching next Thursday and Friday. These lessons make up part of my first assignment, so I'm desperate to get them vaguely on track. Her feedback was positive. She said it was clear that I'd thought carefully about the activities and levelled them well for the ability of the group. BOOM! Massive confidence boost. I am well chuffed with that. It's nice to have some kind of reassurance that I'm  not completely missing the mark. I'm nervous about teaching them, but I have spent quite a bit of time with the class, so I know which characters to watch out for, which are shy, cheeky or general boundary pushers. Just got to get my resources ready.

I used the meeting to ask the questions which had been worrying me. Can't believe I worried and worried when it was just so simple to ask. Sometimes I think I try to do too much myself- and I have to tell myself that I'm not expected to be able to do everything right now. I've been training for less than two months. Anyway, now I'm far more relaxed about things, and have some idea as to which direction I'm going. I'm really looking forward to starting full time.

This week's top tip is:
  Do not be afraid to ask questions. If you're nervous about asking in front of everyone (for fear of looking stupid or something) just take someone to one side to ask, or wait until your mentor meeting.


And now, back to the assignment.