Last week, I forgot to collect the children in from break - I was so busy faffing around preparing for the next lesson, 15 minutes felt like 15 seconds. Five minutes after I was meant to collect them, one of the Year 6s ran in: "Miss, you forgot about us!" A number of expletives nearly passed my lips.
My first day back after half term, and I was told we had class photos throughout the morning, therefore disturbing lessons. The assembly was also cancelled, so I had an unexpectedly large amount of time with my class for which I hadn't planned anything. The result? Reading our class book for THIRTY MINUTES. My poor throat was not pleased. Boy, do I hate the sound of my own voice.
I can't tell you the number of times I have been into my colleagues' classrooms to 1. admit to a mistake I have made, 2. apologise for it and 3. ask them how to rectify it; whether it be not noticing that one child has managed to last a whole lesson without doing ANY work - how did I miss that?! (see Exhibit A in 'The dreaded phone call' blog post) or telling off a child for something I later found out they hadn't done - oops?
I'm trying to tell myself it's a learning curve - with every mistake I make, I learn from it and won't make it again. But isn't it unfair on these children that I am making my mistakes on them? As a colleague said - the children make mistakes every day. Why can't we?
Find me on Twitter @Miss_RQT (previously @MissNQT)
27yrs on, and I still, on occasion get distracted and suddenly realise children are waiting in the playground. Days when timings change will always happen; individual journals with journal activities can help... Focus on all you do well, it gets to become second nature :) good luck with everything
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea! I might start that. Thank you
DeleteYou will, over time, build up a bank of activities for space filling. Here's one to get you started, discovered in my final year placement: 'Killer 12'. Get the kids in a circle. The game is simple but children of all ages will love it, providing they can count to 12! Each child takes a turn to say up to (but no more than) three numbers, starting from 1. Whichever child ends up with no choice but to say 12 is out! I've never had a bad game of this, and the children will request to play it again. It develops strategy and logic and you can stand the children boy/girl to make it even more interesting. Sorry if you've heard of this one, but most haven't and I've introduced it to most of the classes I cover at the school I'm currently at. It's gone down a storm. Hope this helps and keep at it! Good luck x
ReplyDeleteI have heard of that! But as 21 instead :) thanks though - I had completely forgotten about it!
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