Blogging on

I guess I haven't really blogged for a while for a couple of reasons. One, I have been busy writing reports and beginning my planning for next year, and two, because I seem to have this idea that anything that I put in the blog has to be profound (or at least mildly worthwhile!). I think that I really should get over the idea of only writing down those things that I think are profound otherwise I might only blog once a year!

Anyway - news with me - Finished reports last week and started cleaning my desk. It really is amazing how much crap you can accumulate in 1 year, and how many places you can find to put it that are out of the way. It took me a couple of hours just to sort out all of the mess, decide what needed to be kept and then discard or file. I am the sort of person who hoardes almost everything (I still have school work from primary school (and most of it at that!)). But now that I have a desk at school that needs to be a functional work space as well as a storage area, I need to be a bit more ruthless. I am already running out of room, and now that I am taking year 12 History, I am adding a whole new array of books to my shelves.

The only thing that is certain for next year when it comes to my allotment is that I will be taking one of the Year 12 Revolutions classes. I have started re-teaching myself the content (I did the subject as a year 11 student in 1997) and am beginning to work out how I will present the information to the students. It is actually quite exciting, because for the first time since I have started teaching I will have a set content to teach, rather than themes and novels and issues.
Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't place History above English in terms of enjoyment or in terms of which subject is best, it will just be a new challenge for me, but one that I am looking forward to. In a way, the factual content makes History easier to teach because it follows a more linear pattern than studying an english text.

School is interesting at the moment. The Year 7's and 8's are high as kites because school is nearly finished (not until next Tuesday for them mind you) and all they want to do is make noise and carry on like a pack of crazies! I have to find ways to try and harness their energy and focus it but all they want to know is whether the work we are doing now will be assessed. How many more times can I hear the line "if it's not being marked then what's the point in doing it?"

The Year 10's and 11's have been finished for quite a while now, but are back today and for some of the week doing their orientation for next year. It is really nice to have my senior students back in the school, because they are all coming up to have a chat and a laugh (and to tease me because we still have a week and a half of school!) I certainly would not like to teach in a junior school - i enjoy the balance that the seniors give you. I also took a year 11 orientation english class with the year 10s today and they were so quiet! Don't think that will last much past the first lesson of next year!

As I am sitting here amongst the rubble that I have dumped on my desk during today, i am looking at the inch thick layer of dust on my shelves and thinking that perhaps a little more than filing is in order! In fact maybe I should be doing that now...