Teacher mums chat thread

[Jchihuahua]

Okay, I've now calmed down somewhat. I made a load of notes about the things they might interview me about and emailed my head to see if I've missed anything out. My planning was already done but I just need to look through it and see if I can improve it anywhere and make it more creative. I am going into work for 2 hours maximum tomorrow morning and hubby and Daisy will come with me so it doesn't feel like I'm away from her and I'll try and get my classroom sorted and tidied a bit. Then I have Monday to finish sorting and tidying, make sure all the paper work is in order and to whip the kids back into shape! I have to go to an emergency SMT meeting after school on Monday so I won't be home til late and my poor boobs are going to be so engorged as well but I've come to terms that there's nothing I can do about it so I just have to get on with it. I feel happier now I've worked it all out in my head and I'm going to stop thinking about it and just enjoy the time with Daisy.

 

[history_girls]

hope it doesn't play on your mind too much! enjoy your last weekend

 

[bluehorse]

What bad luck... I really feel for you, Jchihuahua I hope everything goes ok and that you really enjoy your weekend.
I went in to work yesterday to pick up some stuff and felt thoroughly depressed about everything. My classroom just doesn't look like 'mine' anymore with all new displays, the children's desks arranged differently, books stored differently and a multitude of other stuff... I don't really feel prepared for coming back but will just have to deal with it I guess

My deputy head also informed me of a job teaching English to Years 5 - 8 from September that I might be interested in. I was KS2/3 trained with English specialism and have only taught Years 3 and 4 since qualifying 7 years ago. This would be a great opportunity to improve my CV but I do so enjoy class teaching and taking on a completely new career challenge as well as making the most of being a mum seems like a bit much. I'm tempted to ask whether they'd consider a job share as the lady who covered my maternity would be keen on taking that position too if it was part time. I'm sure they'd say 'no' though and maybe that would make me look as if I wasn't going to commit to my full time role. So confused All I really want to do this weekend is make the most of being with LO- so that's what I'm going to do!

 

[Jchihuahua]

Yes, enjoy the weekend Bluehorse . I have been in to school from 9am til 12 and now am not going to think about Ofsted or going back again til Monday.

I know what you mean about your classroom not feeling like your own. I felt the same. I couldn't find anything. At least it is almost the end of term so we don't have to put up with our classrooms for long .

 

[charlieann]

hey all, not been on for a while, almost forgot this place with all the school work. been back 6 months now and it feels like ive never been off.
my yr 11's completed their exam yesterday. then told me afterwards it was really hard (this was my A* pupil who attended every extra revision class). i managed to predict all but one question and revision was tailored to the exam so they should have found it easy. im worried about my borderline students now :S

 

[Cattia]

JC - that is really bad luck about Ofsted. Remember though, they are human beings (even though it doesn't seem like it sometimes!) and they would have to be pretty mean not to cut you some slack on your first day back after maternity leave! I really hope all goes well for you on Monday I'll be thinking of you.

I feel as though I have had a nagging headache for the past 10 years and for the past 7 months it has finally gone away, and now it is about to come back. That's how I feel about going back to work. I thought I would at least miss some aspects of it when I was off, but I haven't, not at all!

To those who have gone back, does it really improve? Can you still fine some motivation from somewhere?

 

[history_girls]

Cattia - I know what you mean about the headache thing. When I was off I never woke up in the morning thinking - oh crap it isn't saturday. Before I had LO and now I have that feeling back.

Is it worth it? Yes. I know I teach big kids but when they say how glad they are to see you or thank you for doing something extra for them it is so worth it. For example one of my tutor's grandads was very ill for a week and they were pretty much waiting for him to die. And all this little girl (well shes 13) said was 'I;m so glad your back Miss to help me' and it made it worth while. and then other things like teaching my favourite lessons and doing a bit of shouting at silly boys!

My friend at work said to me when I was having a bit of a cry about it not getting easier that she thought it would always be hard and I wouldn't stop feeling bad but... we would get used to it and you do. Think about the things she wouldn#t have if you didn't work - our case and most others is a home!

You will be fine at work - slot right back in I am sure -even if your room is odd and the kids take a little adjusting. Big hugs. your LO will be fine and plan something lovely for the weekend. We have a 'family day' one day each weekend where we don;t do jobs but just nice family stuff.

Charlieann - sounds like my year 11s! the paper was a gift and yet...... the doughnuts!

 

[maybebaby3]

Jchihuahua - what bad luck with ofsted! hope it all goes well!!!

 

[becstar]

Cattia, I go through phases... I don't find it gets easier as months go by and in our profession it is easy to feel overwhelmed and then it feels worse. But it's not as bad as I thought it would be. And I never feel down about it for too long.

 

[Jchihuahua]

I HATE OFSTED ARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I hate the fact I've had to leave Daisy for so long due to Ofsted. I've worked 10 hour days on Monday, Tuesday and then on Wednesday I got to school at 6:45am and had to stay til 7pm for an SMT meeting. All week I've worked til midnight when I got home then up all night with Daisy, I'm like a zombie now. I'm hardly getting any time with Daisy at all. Going back has been ten times as hard thanks to Ofsted. Daisy has been fine with her daddy but I miss her terribly.

What a week I've had !

 

[maybebaby3]

aww that sounds like an awful week! thank god it's friday tomorrow! u deserve the weekend! hope daisy gives u a decent night!

 

[history_girls]

To JC! I hope ofsted is all over now? How did it go?

Glad LO is ok with daddy and big big over leaving her. It is so horrid. Some days are worse than others but last week when my LO was ill I managed to leave school prompt to get home by 4 - you can't do that in an office!

Only 5 weeks and 1 day until the summer hols and then four days a week for me

Joy for me tomorrow is sex ed with my year 8 tutor group the first lesson where they will hear the word ejaculation (said by me - they probably been at for a year already). Heaven help me!!!

 

[Jchihuahua]

We got 'good' but I'm pretty unhappy with a lot of their judgements. So glad its all over now though.

Sex ed with year 8 sounds pretty horrendous !!

Roll on the end of term!

 

[MartaMi]

Cattia - I also leave Kristan in car when going to pay for petrol. I also leave him in the car/outside in front of the shop in stroller(when he is sleeping) when going into shop but only if I'm going for 2-5 minutes. And ofcourse our shops are really small so that when I hear him crying through the monitor I can go out right away. When going to big shop or going for longer than 5 minutes I take him with me.
Jchihuahua - sorry for silly questions but what is Oftsted? Sorry you had such a terrible week though

I've been working this week. They needed me at school and I went. Giving some summer classes, doing bit of paper work, helping to prepare the ceremony for school holiday. I make short days, 2-5 hours per day and I've taken Kristan there with me. Next week there are ceremonys on Monday and on Tuesday, after that it's all but now it's time to go to work again.

When does holiday start in there and when it ends? Our holiday started on 4th June and school starts again on 1st September. Last few weeks only students who have had to stay in summer school are going in school and that is also ending today because summer school lasts for 2 weeks. Pupils who are graduating middle school and high school have made their exams and their ceremonys are in next week.
Okey, got to run now.

 

[Jchihuahua]

MartaMi- Ofsted is the government Office for Standards in Education and they do very thorough school inspections with only 48 hours notice. I hate them!!!

 

[MartaMi]

MartaMi- Ofsted is the government Office for Standards in Education and they do very thorough school inspections with only 48 hours notice. I hate them!!!

Poor you then. Luckily we don't have that kind of inspections.

 

[history_girls]

Jc - a good isn;t bad! I don't agree with a lot of ofsteds observations and targets. We are a church school and they gave us a 2 for ethos but when we had out section 48 insepction we got a 1 - go figure.

it was all over the local paper today with the slimey head and the kids outside of school gloating. grrrr.

Sex ed was quite fun and the kids were brill - the one subject they are really interested in.

 

[Cattia]

I remember teaching sex edto year 8s. They could ask anything they wanted about sex or relationships, and one girl asked about the tablets that the doctor had given her 'becasue men made her upset and ill'. Whatever they were, I want some!

So tomorrow is the last day of my maternity leave. I know I am only going back for three and a bit weeks, part time, ten days in total, so why do I feel like my world is ending? I am SO depressed, it can't be any worse than I think it's going to be otherwise I'm going to throw myself under a train. (I won't actually, but that's how bad it feels )

 

[Jchihuahua]

Cattia.

I know exactly how you feel though. Last week was totally horrendous for me but once I was in school the days actually flew by as I was so busy then I was back with Daisy in no time. Is Abigail with her daddy tomorrow? I rang my hubby in every spare moment on my first day back to check that everything was fine and I left him a list with instructions about everything imaginable and that helped me to feel I was still in charge of looking after her.

 

[maybebaby3]

marta - what a lovely long holiday! here in gibraltar term ends 9th july and starts again 30th august!