Monday, February 20, 2006

Mondays are too big for my poor brain

Had a great time at swimming today with LRR and got some great feedback from one of the swimming helpers. She asked how long I had been teaching and she was surprised when I said 3 weeks and 1 day. She reckons I have a really good relationship with the kids and some teachers who have taught for years still aren't that way with the kids. Warm fuzzies! I just love working with my kids. They frustrate me and annoy me sometimes but who doesn't! Someone asked me where I had taught before the other day – or was that today, Monday is a big day – people seem to think I am fitting in well (which is nice) and seem to know what I am doing (doing a good job of faking it, apparently).


Snow White was back to day as was her clingy mum. Thankfully, she got a talking to from the head of primary and the other prep teacher and they told her she's just have to be brave and leave her at the door and get the office staff to take Snow White down to class. Tomorrow I have a meeting at her integration primary school, which her mum will be at, so her dad will take her to school, wish I could be in 2 places at once and see how she is with him.


Currently on high rotation in the CD player: 'A-Z of Kids songs' from the ABC... and I actually like some of them. I don't understand the 'Quartermaster's Store', but I like it. Cranking it up for 'Rockin' Robin'!


Strange as it may seem, I am a bit intimidated by the principal. She seems really nice, but she scares me just a little... Make of that what you will.


The eternal debate occurred again after swimming before school. What do you do about crap teachers in the system? I changed sides today and tried out some other arguments... There is no answer and I feel somewhat uncomfortable with the question when I can see how far away I am from how I want to be as a teacher. My swimming mate and the head of primary school went to a PD about mentoring last week and it seems she made a bit of a stir when she asked the question about what to do when at the end of the year she doesn't want to tick the no worries or the needs more time box, she wants a perhaps you should consider a different career box!


One of the teachers in primary school who I thought was going bitter when I first met her is actually very funny and great to ask questions of. I am getting to know the other two 'new to primary' teachers. They are very welcoming of questions and make me laugh. Perhaps it's bitter humour... or wry observation... or too much like the truth that if you didn't laugh you'd cry...


A thought from last week... where are my kids really at? Spent some time one on one with LRR and discovered she's not really as advanced as I thought she was. She talks the talk, but when you actually get her to do something for you... one of the physios agreed. He had a cool technical name for it but I forgot it immediately... I started thinking that if she's not where I thought she was, where are the others? With Goldilocks her eyesight is an interesting question. We don't really know yet how much she can see, how much of 'I want to see it closer' is genuine not another (I want my jacket off, shoes off, to look in the mirror, go outside, go for a walk, go to the toilet, a hug...) avoidance tactic. But she'll come out with some correct answers when you least expect it. It will be nice when Snow White settle in. She is a gem. An adorable child who is quite with it but timid and has a lot of difficulty communicating. Hope fully we'll get an idea of where she's at when she settles in a bit more.


Sleeping Beauty had a nap at her desk today. She's another one you wonder where she's at. She understands a lot of what's going on in general but isn't interested most of the time in what's on offer educationally. I guess that's up to me to fix.


I nearly fell asleep in the staff meeting this arvo.


I broke my window winder. If I'd known where some plyers were I could of done it myself but it was good to see the principal in action. I like women who can do stuff for themselves. The AP I like best wants to come play in my room and meet my kids. I'm told she tells good stories but I'd rather she didn't make LRR scream again... She says she doesn't like wussy kids.... I think I'll see if she'll come on Friday... that would be handy...


Darling, it's better, down where it's wetter.

U – Under the Sea

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