Today was my first day of teaching for the school year. Although I went back last week, the kids didn't start back until yesterday and the first day is always 'off-timetable' for baseline testing. So I got to spend yesterday with my form group...this should be a settling in day as you get to know your new form for the year, but I've got the same group as last year so we're already acquainted, used to each other and they are all fully "trained" to my ways!
Today, though. Today was real lessons. It is amazing that after 2 months of not teaching everyday I can slip back into it so quickly. I remember my very first day as Newly Qualified Teacher - panicking about being left on my own with a bunch of kids, with no "real" teacher for back up. I also remember starting my second year worrying that I would have forgotten everything that I knew. Not anymore, apparently I'm used to this now. I think it helps that I have a large degree of freedom in planning my topics and choosing my activities. Life is quite good [school-wise at least!].
And then the little Junior class turned up. These little tiny 9 and 10 year olds, who are being made to write with fountain pens, using full joined-up handwriting and do these big, long days. They looked so tiny! (At least in comparison to my big lumbering 16 year olds!) The simple request for them to write the date and title was an Epic saga. 8 children....8 ways of spelling September (only one of them with a capital letter). I forgot how sweet they were.
I love teaching the bigger kids. In fact, the lack of A-Level is my only regret about my job. But junior school children are just so sweet. As their science teacher I get to help them discover the reasons behind the world. Lemons that make electricity? We do that. Cabbage juice that changes colour? Yup. Splitting white light into pretty colours? Absolutely! And I love it all, just as much as the kids!
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On a similar note....I walk through a large meadow on my way to work [I might talk about my walk in another post]. For the nicer months of the year there are cows grazing in the meadow. This morning the cows were still asleep when I got there. Did you know cows sleep curled up on the floor like cats? Seriously! It amazed me, until I tried to work out how I expected cows to sleep. Turns out I had no expectations...thought never occurred to me. You know what they say about learning something every day!
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