Our little angler fish isn't feeling too hot tonight...or rather, that's exactly the problem, he's feeling TOO hot, quite literally. I took his temp shortly after he arrived home because he had been acting lethargic and didn't want me to put him down. His fever was only low-grade, but we still made sure to dose him with some Calpol to help bring it down before we put him to sleep in his cot.
I had a bit of a crazy day at my school that I feel the need to vent about. It started just as children were entering the room and I was speaking with the flute teacher about getting a bit of a crash course so I could start joining my students in their lesson on a Tuesday. I look up at the doorway to see the Deputy Headteacher and Assistant Deputy-Head who were ushering me into the corridor to "have a quick word."
Immediately I had a bad feeling and my intuition was spot-on when I was being told that I would not be with my class today, but instead doing PPA cover around the school as they were going to "try a fresh face" in my class and "see how it went." She said that in the
(minimal) two weeks I had been there, their behaviour had not improved and despite the children going through lots of change throughout the year, me being their THIRD teacher, they felt the need to see if they would behave the same for someone new.
I re-entered the room, head down, and gathered my things, a bit deflated as I was looking forward to their lessons that day and now I was being carted off to a classroom where I didn't know the names of any children nor any of their habits. I could feel my eyes begin to tear and as I was leaving the room I noticed the T.A. from across the hall coming towards me to help me find where I would be going.
She's been so helpful to me in my transition at this school, especially in the afternoons when my own T.A. isn't around. She has seen first-hand how difficult these children can be and how challenging and arrogant their behaviour towards women is.
When we got to the lower KS1 building, she first showed me into the disabled toilet where she suggested I let it all out before going into my assigned classroom. And let it out I did...I didn't get why the school or admins felt that yet another change to a consistent routine I was establishing in the classroom with students whom I was building a rapport and trust would create an instant fix. She assured me I had every right to feel the way I did and to try to look at my new schedule like a welcomed break from the class, so I decided to do my best.
I felt so out of place all morning in this class and even though I followed the plans that were left for me, I found my mind wandering and wondering how my Year 4's were getting on with the new person.
At lunch time, I ate in the staff room in the main building where I saw the other supply teacher who took over my class. Admittedly at first, I didn't even want to speak to her. It wasn't her fault, to be fair, but I envied that she got to be with the children I have worked so hard to get control of.
She spoke first asking how my morning went and after exchanging how we both felt "out of place" in our newly assigned roles I learned how she worked for the same supply agency that I did. I then learned that she actually preferred her PPA schedule because she didn't much fancy having to get into all the planning that was involved over taking over one single class. By the end of our conversation I decided that I really liked her and she even made a suggestion that we go right then and speak to the Assistant Deputy-Head.
We knocked on her door and she was running around inside looking clearly frazzled and much like a head-less chicken. She agreed to give us a few minutes of her time where we both just discussed our thoughts about the situation and how my two weeks in the class were really not enough time to gauge a change in behaviour. We requested that she give me a bit more time and assured her that we respected whatever her decision would be, but that we'd both like another chance in our previous roles.
She agreed and we left her office grinning from ear to ear.
This really made my day and so did the huge smiles from my class as they re-entered the classroom after lunch when they saw I had returned.
I'm hoping I can really make some progress this week to show the administration at the school that I am capable.
Funnily enough, upon my doorstep when I returned this afternoon was a book I had purchased off Amazon a while back, called
Cracking the Hard Class by Bill Rogers. I've only read bits and pieces so far, but it really has me pumped for what's ahead!
