Mocksted

So last week I survived my first ‘mock ofsted’ and a review of the school. 

Not all teachers were being observed and with there being 3 of us NQTs I thought the head may like to show us all or not at all. Not the case. When it came to Thursday and the observations began (they could be between 9-11:30) so for me it was Maths, English or PE. They came in half way through maths and its safe to say I was terrified. Having a random person observing you and watching my every move and looking around my classroom, books, talking to my class. It was scary. 
However! The lesson went to plan and im so glad it did! My class did me proud and when asked a question they told them the truth but also they understood their leaning and if they didn’t they were doing the right thing about it! 
I got really good feedback and I was really pleased my lesson they saw went well. It was a big relief! My NQT mentor and another member of SLT congratulated me and said they were proud of me! That was the biggest thing until I got told the head had asked for me to be observed to show me off. Great feeling but more pressure! Catch 22 again.. Seems to be a reoccurrence! 

We didn’t achieve what we wanted to achieve over all and it did get me down slightly when we got told the whole schools result. However! I am determined to keep going and make more differences to the class, school and staff (I hope). 
Spring term is nearly over and we are over half way through the academic year! Who would have thought? 

And breathe.. 
Miss P 

2016..

Here’s to a good start in 2016  with my Year 4 class that i have thoroughly enjoyed teaching from September until now.

I have decided on the first day back i am going to talk to my class and we are all going to set our selves a new years resolution (which we would love to achieve before July if possible) in fact 2.. and academic one and a personal one..wether its ‘tying my shoe laces’ or ‘learning my  times tables’

I feel that these are more targets rather than resolutions, allowing for the children to set there simple but achievable targets for them to have.

I feel that sometimes the children just get told what to say and what they should be learning rather than having a choice in their own development.

 

BRING IT ON!

Here’s to the next 7 weeks..

So the last 8 weeks were jam packed full of observations, book scrutiny, black history month, cook grow eat week, harvest festival, a new marking policy and much more! 

It’s been a roller coaster of a journey but I have to say I have loved it! There have been highs and lows but I feel like my class are now my own and we have built a solid relationship. 

It’s been crazy 8 weeks but every day I have learnt something new and had a different challenge to face. 

It looks like the next 7 weeks are going to be just as hectic maybe even more with Christmas parties and productions in the pipe line! 

*heres to the next 7 weeks* 

Interventions, interventions, interventions…

The battle between wanting your class to achieve by having extra interventions and needing them to stay in class…

Last week I identified which children could benefit from 1 or more interventions, this wasn’t an easy job. However, I got there in the end. Now is the constant battle of fitting them all in to my timetable (it’s already jam packed, with having to make sure we have 3 phonics sessions, 1 Spanish, 2 Topic, 2 PE and so on..

Let the battle again commence when someone tells me i cant take them out of certain lessons 😦 nightmare!

However, on a more positive note i am loving the teaching side of things and feel like i have really got to know my class and they know me now!

Anyone else having intervention issues?

Another email…

  So I’m half way through my first proper week having a short week last week with the children. 
Wow. Lists are getting longer by the minute! I feel myself wondering where to start, I’m trying my best to prioritise…whether that’s the right thing then I’m not sure… 

*New Email* 

The emails just keep coming and coming! I’m a little bit worried every time I go to check my emails and wondered what request, change or lost to be sent this time!  (Maybe I should stop checking them). 

I’ve decided one of my targets for this next year is to prioritise better! Make sure I have. URGENT list and a ongoing list. 

Fingers crossed it calms down soon, sure there are others feeling the same.. I hope? 
#NQT – not quite there (yet) 

The lowdown: what new teachers really need to know

willsomebodypleasethinkoftheteachers

Dear new teachers,

I wanted to give you some practical advice of how to stay sane and get through your first year. It won’t be easy, you will be very tired, sick of the sight of lesson plans and feel like you are turning into someone else but the points I have outlined below are for you to remember what’s important.

Look out for:

– Embarrassing team building situations

‘Oh, hello, my name is … and an interesting thing about me is that I make my own jam. Now let’s go round the table and all introduce ourselves. That way we can get to know each other.’

Although this is a good way to identify people you don’t want to hang out with, for an over thinker like me this question used to be hell. What qualifies as interesting to me is not the same to you. I bloody hate…

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