The school had an amazing event this past Thursday and Friday night entitled “Elements of Motion”. It was a dance show that also featured the samba band. I’d attended the first performance the drum and dance group had back in November, but this time was an all out show complete with a house, spotlight, and everything.
They needed volunteers for the show so I signed up to help out. I wasn’t needed until Friday night so I got to watch the show on opening night.
I couldn’t help but smile. It was so cool to see what the students were able to accomplish and what my colleagues were able to organize. It was definitely an all around success, especially on Friday night when we had to hold house for fifteen minutes ‘cuz front of house had to add chairs to capacity.
It was a great success and I think everyone involved got to walk away last night feeling pretty good about themselves.
SPOILER WARNING: the following post may contain spoilers for Battlestar Galactica episode 11 “Sometimes a Great Notion”.
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I’m glad BSG still has some “What the frak?!” moments, and not because of an incredibly poor storyline. I’m amused that they’re thinning out the cast even more, but hey, it still brought about a very interesting moment in the show. Lookin’ forward to seeing where this all goes.
I’m pretty proud of myself. Even though it’s been a pretty rubbish three weeks at work, I’ve managed to post in my blog. My experience in the new year hasn’t been all that fantabulous, but I’ve found ways to smile.
I was trying to remember what I was doing at this time last year so I went browsing through the archives. I’m amused that the posts from last January were about how g.nova was treating the employees pretty badly…and here I am one year later getting more and more classes. It’s not quite the same, but still it seems I just can’t win. Either that or January is always going to be the month where my working life is made miserable. We’ll see where we are next year at this time.
I also find it amusing that I posted about the damn kitchen table both last year and this year round this same time.
I am mildly angered by the fact that I finally found something that might convert my real media into mp3 format…and it only works for Windows!! Why couldn’t I have found this software when I was still using my beloved John?!
My parents called today. My dad and I talked for a whole minute. It entertains me that he can’t talk to me on the phone but he’ll still try. It’s become something of a running joke with me and my mom timing him to see how long he’ll last before he passes the phone over to her. My mom and I are trying to plan a trip to Belgium for the half term holiday, but she’s not sure if she’ll get the time off. I hope she does ‘cuz I’d really like to get the hell out of England and see some other part of Europe. I definitely need to get out more. And with the way things are going, I have to find something that makes this all worth it.
SPOILER WARNING: the following post may contain spoilers for the most recent episodes of Bones (Sorry about the Gossip Girl spoilers Rich!)
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Really? Let’s go undercover as carnies? That’s the storyline we’re gonna go with? I totally see what Bert was saying about the TV shows this season. Yeah, I’ll still watch it ‘cuz I enjoy the show…but really? Carnies?
And then concussion induced dream wisdom in the very next episode? I’ve read fanfiction with better plots. (Well, obviously not the kitchen table one, but there have been some decent ones out there.)
Is it February yet? I need me some Dollhouse.
(Oh, and Rich, sorry about the spoilers mate. I really didn’t think you were all about the show anymore.)
Some part of me just wants to punch myself in the face. Just watched the most recent episode of Gossip Girl and I’m so ashamed of myself. I mean, my inner geek is ashamed. You know it’s bad when a geek is ashamed!
Also, hands up if you see where this is going.
Why is it always the English teacher? Why isn’t it ever the maths teacher, or the science teacher? GAH! And what the HELL kind of teacher tells her current student call her by her first name???? (Then again, that could just be me being old-fashioned.)
sigh At least she’s cute.
And maybe I’m jumping the gun. Maybe this is just a one episode kind of thing. Maybe the English teacher will just go away. Then they can bring in the sweeps lesbian story line. You know, ‘cuz that’s so in these days. And Gossip Girl hasn’t played that card yet.
Who am I kidding. It’s a teen drama. Of course they’re going to play that card. I can’t wait for Dollhouse to start. At least that show is more to my usual viewing.
Thank God for hot chicks with super powers.
Either that or every week 1 Wednesday they’re going to inform me I have a new class until eventually I’ll be teaching every single day of both week cycles.
I’m really starting to hate England.
I know in my heart of hearts that it’s really not England’s fault, but I’m not positive I can keep up. Technically, there’s no prep. But it’s still another double period taken off my time table. Again, in my heart of hearts, I’m happy to help the students if I can.
But I’m cracking and I’m really, really tired.
Is it half-term yet?
Just ‘cuz I haven’t really posted anything fun and because I can’t seem to make a comment on the site, I hope Bert and Toni are rescued soon. I’d totally be in on the rescue op, but I kinda live in England now. I probably coulda helped when I lived in Japan. I could have sent ninjas or something. Now all I can really send is…tea?
Rats.
Glad 2-D Glasses is back up and running y’all. Lookin’ forward to the next one!
Man, reading Al’s comment totally hit on something for me, but that’s only ‘cuz I’m a Browncoat. I still feel a bit like Serenity after she went through the ion cloud and crash landed on Mr. Universe’s planet…but some how I feel like I might be able to keep flyin’.
Friday was unfortunately no better than Thursday, but for different reasons. Had a bit of a shock involving an upset student and a chair, but it’s been sorted.
I was really happy to talk to Chris O on Saturday. I know that a lot of this stuff is very first year teacher sort of stuff, but when I’m surrounded by so many people who seem to be coping with it so much better than me, it makes me…well, let’s just say it doesn’t help my incurable crazy. Chris has been where I’ve been, and maybe it’s ‘cuz we came from the same program and same area and stuff, but it cheered me up some, ya know? (Thanks again Chris!)
This week is supposed to be my really rough barely-have-time-to-eat week — I hope I survive it! Oh! And a Parent’s Evening on Thursday night! Won’t that be fun. (Dope her.)
I didn’t get a new camera or get shot, although the latter is along the lines of how I’m feeling. I knew posting about my good teaching days would jinx the rest of the week!
Rats.
There are really just days where I wish I was teaching at home. At least then when I had a really rubbish day, I could at least be around you guys.
I had another observation today. I’d worked on the lesson plan all week. I had meetings with my line manager every day as well going over the lesson. I was trying to be as prepared as possible for it.
But I still amount to being okay. I can accept that judgment ‘cuz deep down I know it means I can only get better and that this is a learning experience. Unfortunately for me, it doesn’t completely dull the disappointment. I think the part that gets me the most is where I know I’m like the weak link in the English Department. I feel like I really let everyone else down, especially my line manager.
I haven’t been very good at keeping it together. I don’t know what the hell my problem is, but I never used to cry this easily when stuff like this happened. Five colleagues saw me in tears. I’m not too terribly embarrassed ‘cuz they were mostly the ones I socialize with outside of school as well, but still.
It sucks.
I feel like all I’ve done since three o’clock is cry. I’m trying to remember that if I can survive this, I just might make it at any other school. (Well…except for the ones that have lock down procedure.)
I’m glad the week’s over. Tomorrow night I’ll go up to London and swing a sword around for an hour and a half, and then Saturday I’ll get to be me for a day.
I’ve only been back for about two weeks and I’ve already been reduced to tears. Brilliant.
The past two days have been pretty good. Again, they haven’t been brilliant, but I’m a little unnerved at how well they’ve been going. Maybe it’s ‘cuz so far I haven’t been reduced to tears with any of the groups. Maybe it’s ‘cuz it’s the start of a new term and more importantly a new year with all its resolutions. At this particular moment, I’m just gonna bask in it ‘cuz it might not last.
It’s also possible that I’m feeling so high about things because in every single one of the classes I taught today, problem students did work. In my first class, one of the girls, who is targeted to achieve our American equivalent to an A but worked at a D range last term, sat down and got on with it. She even asked me questions! Amazing. In my Year 11 class, the one I was kind of dreading, two underachieving students participated well in the discussion. And in my last class, I got through the lesson that was planned and my weakest student, whose reading age is like five, actually tried to get through the reading task. I was so happy for him! I wrote a note in his planner, e-mailed his Academic Mentor, and put a note on the registration. Maybe I overdid it with those things, but I was ecstatic to have him try like that. I’m usually chucking him out of the class and giving him detentions. I’m glad I got to do something positive instead.
I have my next internal observation on Thursday. Is that where things will take their turn? I’ve been preparing for it all week, though, and I just had a meeting with my line manager about it so hopefully it will go all right. No crying this time! (There may be no crying in baseball, but no one said anything about no crying in teaching!)