Hello again. It has been a week-and-a-half since I last updated this blog and much has happened in the intervening time. It's been a busy, stressful period of getting to know the kids, trying to figure out everything from what curriculum I'm teaching and how to pace it, to sorting out routines that work to help promote learning in the classroom. Last week was incredibly stressful, with a lot of sleepless or short and very much interrupted nights. This week has been somewhat better, as I am starting to find some strategies that help with management--like having a seating plan for the carpet, and a line order whenever we line up. It has also been helpful to hear other recently qualified teachers share their early struggles and feel less alone. I also had a visit from a friend from my Wilfrid Laurier days this past weekend who helped cheer me up and allowed me to vent my frustrations, as well as helping me brainstorm ideas for my weather unit and making a thermometer that moves up and down.
In my planning meeting with the other year 1 teachers this afternoon, we talked a bit about reading, writing and math assessments--much of it a lot of edu-speak gobbledy-goop to me--in preparation for OFSTED visits in the new year, the much-feared agency (by teachers) charged with providing regular reports on how well schools are doing. Anytime they visit (never with more than a few days notice) the teachers are in a panic getting every t crossed and i dotted in order to earn a favourable report. After that, we moved on to Christmas...the Christmas concert is only two-and-a-half weeks away, so starting tomorrow, most of our curriculum (except literacy and maths) goes out the window in preference for learning Christmas songs and a version of the Nativity, OFSTED notwithstanding.
Well, I should get back to my planning for tomorrow. Cheerio.
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