Half term again - frightened yet?

ERIN MacDonald — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:23:00 GMT

Oh how the weeks are flying by! At the beginning of the year, when I felt like I was floundering, the days and weeks were unbearably slow. Now, when I'm beginning to feel like I'm mastering the front-stroke and quite enjoying it, the weeks are passing in the blink of an eye! As, by the way, are the wages!

I feel like it's all now leading up to application forms, interviews and new starts when I don't really want to leave the school I have had the good fortune to find myself in this year. My work in this school has become such a big part of my life and the friends I have made here have had such a huge impact on my practice and social life. I know I should be thinking to myself that I will have the same opportunity in any new job, but with new jobs looking to be thin on the ground I can't help but feel like I'm losing out on more than I should.

I'm angry with myself for taking this year for granted and stressing too much when things haven't gone as planned instead of trying to see these obstacles as learning opportunities. This is what I encourage the children to do, so why can't I? From now on positivity is the name of the game for me. I aim to seize every minute of every day and try to enjoy the time I have left with this class, with these colleagues, in this school.

I wonder how long it'll be before I panic again?

For now, Carpe Diem

Miss M

I wish it could be Christmas every day!

ERIN MacDonald — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:35:00 GMT

I've decided to start this blog fairly late on considering that we are nearing the end of our second term and I apologise for not having started it sooner! Just like many other things in my primary school classroom, blogging has always been an "I'll need to get round to that" kind of thing.

Dearie me it's Christmas already! My heart goes out to all primary probationers and if Christmas affects secondary schools in the same way it affects primary schools my heart goes out to you all too. My children are Hyper - that's right - with a capital H.

Every member of staff at my school (including and, in fact, especially me) is on the brink of being certifiable! A few weeks ago I felt I was really getting in to my stride and I even managed to leave school before it got dark a few times. Now all of that is in disarray! I am managing to keep my language and the majority of my maths programme running but I'm afraid everything else is taking a backseat to make room for card making, decoration making, advent calendar opening and song learning.

What is good is that I know that everybody else is feeling the same after a recent group probationer meeting.

The other staff members at my school guffawed at my late November excitement for the festive season and now I'm beginning to guess why! I am trying to keep up my enthusiasm, mainly by singing which is not going down well with my P3s! Help me to try to be festive in the face of cynicism! Everybody now - "I hear those sleigh bells jingling ring ting tingaling too, come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ...."

9 more working days to go!

Enjoy the holidays, we deserve every second of them! Merry Christmas to you all!

Miss M

Miss M's blog

Half term again - frightened yet?

I wish it could be Christmas every day!