Thursday, 8 January 2015

This week has been...

..... somewhat trying. 


My lovely colleague is now getting cold feet about the prospects of taking over my job and running the department.  I haven't a clue whether she intends to come back from Mat Leave in March or June.  I hate this kind of uncertainty.


In the meanwhile, the "Greek music teacher from a Supply Agency" (who replaced the "Lady who fell ill and never came back" who was the original Maternity Cover back in July) continues to arrive 3 minutes before the bell and leave 1 minute after the bell.  He only works Monday to Thursday so I actually had to run down the path after him today at the end of school in order to wish him a 'Good Weekend'. 


AND I've managed to mark two full sets of coursework for Year 10 AND two full sets of Year 9 Composition work AND levelled all my Year 7 practical work AND evidenced some Year 11 coursework in just two admin hours and a couple of 'after school sessions'. 


THEN a Senior Teacher had the cheek to say that my extended curriculum and general departmental provision wasn't as 'vibrant' as normal.


(And... between you and me... I've been having a "nice peri-menopausal" time of it too!!)  


I feel quite proud that I haven't screamed or cried.  However I DID swear a lot when I dropped an egg on the kitchen floor in the middle of making a frittata yesterday evening (and I discovered at this point that my cat likes raw egg).  Mark has been a complete saint through all of this - he even hurtled off to the local shop to buy some more eggs and cleaned the floor while I finished making the meal.  He is, officially, my hero!


It has to be said that the weekend can't come soon enough!   Jx



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23 comments:

  1. Scarlet8 January 2015 at 21:26

    You have my sympathies with the ' peri-menopausal' stuff, and with the school stuff. K has had quite a week - internal departmental observations this week ( it looks as if she will come out as outstanding overall - I'm so proud of her as she has been very unwell recently), and parents' evenings too.
    Hurray for wonderful husbands!

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:39

      Oh I'm really pleased for K.... it's really hard to get an Outstanding grade. I hope that she's in a nice supportive school and everything continues to go well for her. Jx

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  2. Living Alone in Your 60's8 January 2015 at 21:43

    I completely understand where you are coming from. Many moons ago I worked in a large secondary school as a Librarian and ICT instructor. The supply teachers would bring the class to the library and ask me to look after them because I knew them! NO was my answer on more than one occasion. My youngest daughter was at the school and I complained to various heads of departments regarding supply teachers not fulfilling their role. Anyone can read from a script but you need the artist to bring it to life. Good teachers bring subjects to life. I think teachers like you are worth their weight in gold its a shame your school doesn't realise that. Tx

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:41

      You know just how schools can degenerate into surreal parallel universes! Sometimes the children are more 'grown up' than the teachers! Jx

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  3. Kezzie8 January 2015 at 23:31

    What an utterly DUMB thing to say! They have NO idea what it is like to run an extracurricular music programme! There are times when frankly, I'd rather not face 30 children playing recorder, including 10 who just stare gourmlessly and can't seem to process the concept of "3 fingers and a thumb=G"
    You are brilliant in terms of your workload= well done, that is an impressive load to have completed. Wish I was that good!x

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    1. Scarlet9 January 2015 at 09:12

      This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Scarlet9 January 2015 at 09:14

      I hope you're a little kinder to the faces of those who stare 'gourmlessly' ( sic) than you are in that description of those who find playing an instrument a difficult thing to grasp . You sound like the music teachers I suffered in 1976; I really hoped that things had improved in the last 39 years.

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  4. Kezzie8 January 2015 at 23:31

    And because I'm nosy- what do you do as your extra curricular!?!?x

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:46

      I've developed a 'responsive' extra curricular programme so no group rehearse every week, all year. All pupils can access the Music spaces at lunchtime for informal band and ensemble practices (we only have 45 mins so it's impossible to do anything more structured). After school we offer a close harmony singing group, Year 8 Concert Club, show bands and orchestras as needed and daily Key Stage 4 coursework support (from 3.05 until 4.45). I have plenty of regulars who see the Music area as a bit of a haven from the general chaos of lunchtimes. It seems to work quite well. Jx

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  5. Judy9 January 2015 at 04:19

    I adore a man like your husband!!!

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:47

      Yep........ he's seriously special!! Jx

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  6. Patricia9 January 2015 at 07:39

    Thank goodness you have an understanding husband - and he cleared up the egg mess. Hope you enjoy your weekend and have a better week next week. Not long until half term! :))

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  7. Linda P9 January 2015 at 09:21

    Sorry you've had a difficult, unsettling week at work. You're doing great considering all the pressures of cover and workload which must take it out of you physically and emotionally. Hope you and your husband have a bit of a rest over the weekend. Linda x

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:48

      Thank you............ I'm sure that everything will look a bit brighter after a couple of good nights' sleep. Jx

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  8. Jo9 January 2015 at 12:01

    You should be looking forward to leaving with all the stress you endure, however, you're even stressing over leaving because you're such a good teacher and you care about your pupils. I wish Eleanor's music teacher was as committed as you are, perhaps she'd have enjoyed her lessons more as it was a subject she loved. The school aren't offering A level Music this year so she hasn't continued with it.

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:49

      Aw.. that's a shame! My friend's daughter went to the Junior branch of one of the Birmingham Music Colleges to do her AS. Is that a possibility in your area.. Jx

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    2. Jo10 January 2015 at 12:39

      It is, but she doesn't want to go down the music route for a career so it's not really worth it. Plus, she's got so much work with the A levels she's chosen she just wouldn't have time. In the end she chose English Language, Psychology, Sociology and Biology, though she'll drop one of those after AS and just continue with three to A level.

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  9. Lazy Days & Sundays9 January 2015 at 16:04

    Not a good start to 2015 for you Jan especially as it should be one where you are starting to wind down and handover in order for you to really enjoy your new start from October. Hormones are a bit of issue here at the Willows too. Some days are better than others but D is pretty good at spotting when evil Edna is in the house. Hope you have a relaxing weekend.

    Mitzi

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    1. Jan9 January 2015 at 16:51

      I like the phrase 'Evil Edna'!!! I often feel myself morphing into 'Ma Boswell' from the 1980s sit-com 'Bread'! Jx

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  10. Diane9 January 2015 at 16:05

    Loved your Christmas photos. A real delight! Don't like the sound of your week. Frustrating to say the least! xxx

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  11. Susan Smith10 January 2015 at 08:29

    Do hope you are having a relaxing weekend and that 2015 gets better for you. Hormones are a pain, but it does lessen with age. I know as I'm quite a bit older and through all that. Take care.

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