Teacher mums chat thread

[New2Bumps]

I went back into work on Friday and my class were a little more noisy than your older kids HG!!! The best question I had was 'Does Ethan fight?' (He's 11wks!!) Bless them!

I'm amazed to say that my head was really flexible about me going part time and acted like she expected it all along! She's happy for me to relinquish my KS co-ordinator post but keep my TLR!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best poss outcome for me! Will have to do some miracle financial moves to make it happen however but even if I have to live on my Barclaycard I'll do it!
How are you all getting on this week?

 

[history_girls]

I went back into work on Friday and my class were a little more noisy than your older kids HG!!! The best question I had was 'Does Ethan fight?' (He's 11wks!!) Bless them!

I'm amazed to say that my head was really flexible about me going part time and acted like she expected it all along! She's happy for me to relinquish my KS co-ordinator post but keep my TLR!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best poss outcome for me! Will have to do some miracle financial moves to make it happen however but even if I have to live on my Barclaycard I'll do it!
How are you all getting on this week?

Brillint news about the part time and keeping tlr. I'm hoping they will still let me be HOD on 4 days and not reduce it when I go part time in sep (full time in 5 weeks eeek)

Love the question about fighting - only kids would ask that!

We are having an ok week but naps are a nightmare! and I'm startgin to count the days until back to work! At 6 weeks old I would have gone back fulltime at a shot, but now..... dreading it.

 

[Jchihuahua]

I went back into work on Friday and my class were a little more noisy than your older kids HG!!! The best question I had was 'Does Ethan fight?' (He's 11wks!!) Bless them!

I'm amazed to say that my head was really flexible about me going part time and acted like she expected it all along! She's happy for me to relinquish my KS co-ordinator post but keep my TLR!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best poss outcome for me! Will have to do some miracle financial moves to make it happen however but even if I have to live on my Barclaycard I'll do it!
How are you all getting on this week?

Wow! That is a result .

at the fighting question! When I was pregnant a year 1 girl asked if I'd eaten the baby to get her in my tummy!

 

[caz81]

Caz - does it really interfere with home life when marking? The only person I know who does it always looks like he is going to have a nervous breakdown round about marking time! I thought it might be good for the kids I teach to mark but don't know if it is worth it. Can I be cheeky and ask how much you get paid for it and how long it takes you?

Are you going to continue doing it when you go back full time with your lo? i would love the extra money if I'm honest and I am quite a quick marker.

its really full on tbh! im going to do it this year as im not back at school so will have the time but that will prob be the last time. it takes all my evenings & weekends during the 3 week period. its about 30hrs work to do your allocation but then i always do extra as they pay well for that.
pay is: 150 for moderation day
800 for basic marking
then i have earnt up to an extra 1500 for doing stuff over my allocation... so it can pay really well but its a lot of work!

 

[thelilbump]

Sorry secondary history - but you have my ultimate respect! I think you've got the hardest job in the world!

teehee well I'm kinda cheating n shouldn't be in here because I'n not a teacher, but I have my L plates if that counts

i don't suppose any of you teach secondary english do you?

I teach 6th form English - GCSE resit as well and lots of level 2, functional skills, ESOL as well as A level and IB. I taught in secondary for three years but I don't know if I could go back to it now.

hmmm well I'm jus doing an assignment at the moment looking at why we use shakespeare in the teaching of english and wondered if anyone had any bright ideas think I'm going down the identity/adolesence route but who knows

 

[Jchihuahua]

Sorry secondary history - but you have my ultimate respect! I think you've got the hardest job in the world!

teehee well I'm kinda cheating n shouldn't be in here because I'n not a teacher, but I have my L plates if that counts

i don't suppose any of you teach secondary english do you?

I teach 6th form English - GCSE resit as well and lots of level 2, functional skills, ESOL as well as A level and IB. I taught in secondary for three years but I don't know if I could go back to it now.

hmmm well I'm jus doing an assignment at the moment looking at why we use shakespeare in the teaching of english and wondered if anyone had any bright ideas think I'm going down the identity/adolesence route but who knows

Are you doing teacher training? If so you're so brave doing teacher training with a young baby!

I did a PGCE and I worked harder that year than I've ever had to work in my life, before or since! I can't even imagine having a baby to care for on top of that!

 

[thelilbump]

well actaully i'm finishing my degree at the mo before moving on to my pgce but the end is near

It is really hard studying and having LO but at the same time it gives you a little more focus...tho saying that i am supposed to be studying now

 

[Cattia]

[/QUOTE]

hmmm well I'm jus doing an assignment at the moment looking at why we use shakespeare in the teaching of english and wondered if anyone had any bright ideas think I'm going down the identity/adolesence route but who knows [/QUOTE]

You know what, call me a very bad English teacher, but I do often wonder myself why we use Shakespeare in the teaching of English. It is such a turn off for so many kids and does little to improve their literacy. Yes the language is beautiful but kids who can barely read or write are not in a position to appreciate that and it isn't really productive to ask them to imo. I don't suppose that is much help to you! Sorry, if I think of anything more constructive I will let you know. Hats off to you for embarking on a PGCE with a baby! I think everyone says it is the hardest year of your teaching life. I never did one, I did the GTP when it was in its infancy and it was horrendous. I was on a 90% teaching timetable from day 1 and had never stood in front of a class before in my life. How I didn't crack up is still a mystery to me.

 

[thelilbump]

teehee when (if!) i come up with a good arguement then i'll let you know I do agree with you though i just don't see why either. I'm also wondering why on earth I picked this question

Lol! I did a placement a little while back in my first year. Volunteered at this school as a classroom assistant and it was just horrible On my first day I had to listen to readers and hadn't a clue how to teach them words thye didn't know and then on my fourth week in I had to go and fill in and take a class for a teacher who had phoned in! Baring in mind a) I had never even been in this class before b) it was only my fourth time in the school and c) i was only told at 8.40am of the same day. Honest to god i don;t know what was worse that morning or labour

 

[Jchihuahua]

I still remember well that feeling of standing in front of a class for the first time.

I had an ofsted 2 weeks into my first year of teaching. I had a class of 4 year olds who obviously I didn't know that well after 2 weeks. They'd just started school for the first time, I was teaching for the first time and I had inspectors with clipboards sat at the back of my class while I sang a solo of 'I am the music man' as none of the children joined in with me. I'm cringing just thinking of it !

 

[Cattia]

There is something about having an OFSTED inspector in your room that makes all your brilliantly planned lessons fall as flat as a pancake. The naughty kids play up just to be bad and the nice ones are so scared of messing it up for you that they daren't say anything!

 

[third time]

Hi - my name is Amy and I've been teaching now for 7 years.

I'm still on maternity leave but applied for a job last week, have now found out that I have been short listed and have got to teach a class in their school. MASSIVE GULP - I haven't taught in 6 months!!!!! I've got to teach a year 4 class a literacy lesson. Any suggestions???? Am bricking it -- hope baby brain doesn't come into question on that day!!!!

 

[Jchihuahua]

Hi - my name is Amy and I've been teaching now for 7 years.

I'm still on maternity leave but applied for a job last week, have now found out that I have been short listed and have got to teach a class in their school. MASSIVE GULP - I haven't taught in 6 months!!!!! I've got to teach a year 4 class a literacy lesson. Any suggestions???? Am bricking it -- hope baby brain doesn't come into question on that day!!!!

Oooh good luck hun! I can't help with the lesson as I have only taught FS and KS1 but all the best with it .

 

[third time]

Just found out I've been shortlisted for a deputy job as well

Here is what the letter says

Dear Mrs Davies,

I am pleased to advise you that you have been short listed for interview for the post of Deputy Head. The interviews will take place on Thursday 25th March at school and the itinerary is listed below:

Arrive at school 9:00 a.m.

Tour of school 9:15 a.m.

Data Exercise 10:00 a.m.

Coffee

Teaching Task 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Teaching Task: 10 minutes to teach the interview panel a skill of the
candidate’s choice

Lunch in the staffroom 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

30 minute interviews from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Please confirm either by e-mail or telephone that you will be able to attend on the 25th March.


NOW I REALLY NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What am I supposed to teach to a panel of interviewers without claming up!!!!

 

[jacs]

Hi, I'm a primary teacher (yr 6), and go back part time in July (fab timing or what?!)
Wanted to say 'hi', but can't get my head round going back at the minute - trying to be in denial, and it's not working!

I'm noticing a few mums from the sleep sense group - are we passing on our knackered-but-can't-stop mentalities I wonder?!

third time - for teaching the panel, I would go for something light hearted, not linked to education. They want to see that you can be engaging, know your topic, and break things down in a way that is easy to follow. My husband's work do this, and he said he had loads of fun learning how to make a Christmas card a while ago! Good luck, and well done!!!

 

[thelilbump]

eeek third time, i have no idea but good luck!

 

[history_girls]

I agree with Jacs - do something light hearted. I was once taught to count to ten in welsh using various body movements (can only get to three now!), also been taught to make a box out of a sheet of square paper and no glue. I'll try to remember some more!

We also had an inset with that phil beadle block who did lots of things like that. Noises for punctuation marks etc (i must admit he annoyed me a bit)

 

[history_girls]

Oh yes and i can make a reindeer christmas decoration using my hands and feet as templates (don't ask - entertaing my year 11 tutor group on the last day of a christmas term I raided my mums primary school brain - they loved it!)

 

[Cattia]

When I did an ESOL course I had to do something like this and I taught the finger spelling alphabet, which worked quite well and it fun, and you can get people to spell their own names. It also gives you a chance to use different teaching styles and appeal to different learners as you can do the whole VAK thing.

 

[Jchihuahua]

When I did an ESOL course I had to do something like this and I taught the finger spelling alphabet, which worked quite well and it fun, and you can get people to spell their own names. It also gives you a chance to use different teaching styles and appeal to different learners as you can do the whole VAK thing.

That's a really good idea!