Happy Christmas to all of you who work in teaching and finished work today! Thank you to everyone who has been thinking of R. (the Year 8 lad) over the past few days. We have been told that he is in a stable condition in hospital, but he is still on a ventilator so he's very ill. Hopefully the Head will contact us via e-mail if there is any further news over the holidays.
Today's been a strange sort of day.... My lovely music colleague (who is currently on Maternity Leave with baby No 2) came in for a 'keeping in touch' day. I text her all the time so she knows all the reasons why I'm leaving. Nevertheless, pretty much the first thing she said was "Are you seriously going.." then promptly burst into tears on me. Hmm - I blame sleep deprivation for that one!
Anyway -later in the day - the Head informally offered her my job role for the Autumn if she wants it. We both felt that this was a huge compliment, but she's really unsure about whether she should accept the offer. She's in quite a difficult situation at the moment. I think she expected to be the one leaving me, rather than the other way round. She joined me as a newly qualified teacher 7 years ago and we have developed an immensely close working relationship over these past few years. She's not sure if she wants to run the department...but she knows that she doesn't want to work for anyone else. I advised to mull it over through Christmas. It's a big commitment when she also has two little boys under 3 and currently works part-time.
On another subject entirely - my harp has had to go to London for some more significant maintenance and won't be home until the New Year. I think it's going to be worth the wait. I'm just going to have to content myself with some serious piano practice over the Christmas holidays instead!
Holidays!!!!!!!!!!! Woop woop!!!
Jx
Woop indeed!!!!! Changes of management at any level are hard to deal with. We've had a new head this term and I've felt really unsure of myself all term. I knew my previous Head really valued me but I'm not sure of him. We did our Christmas KS2 performance yesterday which I set up and ran the entire thing involving all 240 children and recorders, drummers, choir etc and my old Head would always say something incredibly sincere and lovely about me but he kind of thanked me as an aside. It was good in the fact that I always got embarassed and this was avoided but I still feel like I don't know where I stand.x
ReplyDeleteSo pleased to hear that the young man is stable, and hoping that he improves very soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your well-deserved time off over the next couple of weeks.
I'm so pleased R is stable, thanks for keeping us posted. Although I'm not a teacher I am a civil servant and over the last 6 years in particular my job has changed beyond recognition. I can honestly say I used to love my job and everything about it but not now which does make sad. Hence my retirement plan. Enjoy your break over Christmas and all the best for 2015 and all your new adventures.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm sure your harp will be worth the wait. X
Hope you have a well-deserved break. My two daughters, one a teaching assistant and the other very much under pressure as a paediatric health visitor based in a hospital will also be pleased for the break, although it's only for a couple of days off duty for her. Thanks for updating us on the student who was rushed to hospital and hope there'll be an improvement very soon. Whatever you have planned for the holidays - enjoy and all the best for the coming year. x
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that the pupil is stable, let's hope that he manages to get home in time for Christmas. Have a well deserved break over Christmas, it sounds like you've earned it.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to hear the boy is doing better! I guess I missed your post that informed us you were leaving the teaching profession. My daughter is so overjoyed for Christmas break that she says she is not setting her alarm for two weeks! Merry Christmas to you and the family. I want to hear piano Christmas music and I want to stand in back of you, look over your shoulder at the words and sing!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your well earned break from work. Happy Christmas to you and yours:)
ReplyDelete