school hols

[di30]

Hello everyone

 

Wow well the school hols are finally here.

Dan returns on the 5th Sept to yr 8, and this is on a Tuesday ! so again this means a 'teacher training day' on the Monday !

 

I cannot recall on having these when I was at school..........but it was many moons ago lol.

 

A bit of sunshine would be nice lol

 

No holidays booked this year due to a lack of funds, but hopefully some day trips if we catch Dan on one of his good days lol.

 

So where is everyone going this year ?

Whatever your doing please have a good few enjoyable weeks with our precious kids, have fun !

 

Cheers Di xx

[lisa]

5th September is a Wednesday.

[Bard]

I cannot recall on having these when I was at school..........but it was many moons ago lol.

 

We didn't have them when I started teaching, many moons ago!

Then the government decided that teachers didn't know what they were doing, and introduced the National Curriculum, along with Training Days for Re-Education of teachers. They wanted to make them in addition to the school year, but we got grumpy, as did the Unions. So now they are included within the school year.

At one time they were known as Baker Days, after the Education Boss that introduced them.

Just spent one inputting data to track pupil progress over the last academic year throughout the school.

The new short OFSTED inspections are data-driven, so that's what they look at when they come. Not children, displays, creative learning. Data.

 

Going to have a lovely summer with my two, not leaving the country but there's lots to do here!

[David Matthew Baker]

Off to Kenya on monday. For about 5 weeks. Come back and then a few days later start teacher training. Not much arranged for when we arrive in Kenya though (my dad is also coming) as the Kenyans said they would arrange things. Which is nice. Staying with the teacher who I spent half my time whilst voluntary teaching out there with. Not part of the organisers plans but as he said I was rather unique in my approach to everything. Did enjoy it an awful lot though.

[Mumble]

We didn't have them when I started teaching, many moons ago!

Then the government decided that teachers didn't know what they were doing, and introduced the National Curriculum, along with Training Days for Re-Education of teachers. They wanted to make them in addition to the school year, but we got grumpy, as did the Unions. So now they are included within the school year.

At one time they were known as Baker Days, after the Education Boss that introduced them.

But the professional development of teachers is important. Initial teacher training is far too short to cover a lifetime of teaching, things only really start to make sense when teachers can implement them and then discuss them. Things change in response to a changing society. Yes, I would agree that some such changes are too swift and too reactionary - we simply don't know if changes work because we don't put initiatives in place for long enough. And yes there is plenty of evidence to suggest that when teachers go away on courses, little actually changes when they come back to their classes. However, things do change and things need to change. People have a tendency to hark back with their rose-tinted spectacles to the 'good old days'. Just because things 'worked' in the past (and that's a debateable point in itself - I believe things were better hidden) doesn't mean dropping them a century later into a dynamic society will have any positive result or any of the same results. Schools are very different places today, and teacher development has to respond to this. We would not expect a surgeon trained 25 years ago to use the same techniques today - we would expect s/he to have updated his/her skills through training. Teaching needs to be seen as a profession in the same way; as such it needs to be accepted that teachers both need and deserve professional development.

[di30]

5th September is a Wednesday.

 

 

Lol, and it is, so then Dan is off on the 3rd Sept which is the training day and back in on the 4th..........lol, must get my eyes checked out lol.

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

All have fun whatever you decide to do.

 

Cheers Di xx

[pearl]

We are already halfway through our summer hols, all topsy turvy this year as JP left college in June when his coursework complete, & starts his apprenticeship mid August. His last long summer break....

 

Its going to be so strange, had nearly 20 years of term dates, I work in a uni but all year round, so we are, kind of, free, to go on holiday whenever we want now. Not sure if I can cope!

 

Hope you all enjoy the summer holidays, mixed feelings I know for some of you, relief to get them out of a stressful situation but also 6 long weeks to fill up with things to do.

[Bard]

But the professional development of teachers is important. Initial teacher training is far too short to cover a lifetime of teaching, things only really start to make sense when teachers can implement them and then discuss them. Things change in response to a changing society. Yes, I would agree that some such changes are too swift and too reactionary - we simply don't know if changes work because we don't put initiatives in place for long enough. And yes there is plenty of evidence to suggest that when teachers go away on courses, little actually changes when they come back to their classes. However, things do change and things need to change. People have a tendency to hark back with their rose-tinted spectacles to the 'good old days'. Just because things 'worked' in the past (and that's a debateable point in itself - I believe things were better hidden) doesn't mean dropping them a century later into a dynamic society will have any positive result or any of the same results. Schools are very different places today, and teacher development has to respond to this. We would not expect a surgeon trained 25 years ago to use the same techniques today - we would expect s/he to have updated his/her skills through training. Teaching needs to be seen as a profession in the same way; as such it needs to be accepted that teachers both need and deserve professional development.

 

I'm not saying in any way at all that teachers don't need to be up to date with their professional development and the latest educational theories. Although I do remember the freedom we used to have when we were regarded as professionals, and trusted to act as such.

In the 1980's, there were an enormous number of courses available, both whole day and twilight activities. They covered all sorts of curriculum areas and learning needs; from 3D sculpture to Afro-Caribbean speech patterns and dialects. We attended many of them, met with a huge range of teachers from their schools and other areas, learnt how different schools approached different issues, and gained from those who had experience of children and conditions that we didn't have.

INSET days tend to be run by individual schools for their own staff, internal training. We have lost the opportunity to look beyond our own school's expectations and values, and the chance to work with 20 or 30 people from other educational environments. The criteria are usually set by the Head, so they decide what they believe to be a necessary area to focus on. Twilight courses are almost non-existent, and day courses lack funding, due to the changed priorities.

You know how fantastically skilled I am with computers. Was it a good use of my time yesterday to spend hours typing in data with three fingers, that my daughter could have managed in one?

 

Sorry to have hijacked your happy hols thread di30!

 

So far we are going...

on an archaeological dig,

visiting my sister in Bristol

Bodiam Castle, Hever, Hampton Court

to make 2 mosaic panels for the fountain, once we've designed them

to Brighton pier and the seaside

To Glastonbury, Wells, Cheddar and Stonehenge

to the circus

on an astronomical evening to watch the Persides meteorite showers

to the zoo

and to see Spamalot

 

And that is only so far!

We have a list on the landing for people to add ideas to as they pass. It's only been up since Monday.

[Mumble]

Sorry Bard/Gonzo, I didn't mean to sound quite so cross - just a bad time at the moment I guess - no excuse I know. I don't know what it 'was like' so I shouldn't be making any such judgements this way. I was just basing my opinion on my dual annoyance of parents who claim teachers know nothing but then complain if we have days off teaching for training (I'm not basing that on anyone here btw before you all slaughter me) and also on my frustration that a lot of the excellent work I see being done isn't taken up appropriately because too many schools/teachers have an ivory towers approach to research (fault being on both sides here again before you all start shouting at me). I have been on a course as a teacher where I was working with about 50 different teachers from different schools - it was fantastic and the course I learnt most on because we could share ideas across schools as you say. INSET days I've attended have been run in school and between local schools both by the schools and outside agencies. Some have been valuable some haven't. I don't think we've lost the opportunity to look beyond the individual school; this might be some people's interpretation but there are also a lot of initiatives to encourage partnership and accountability. If it was all individual then league tables wouldn't exist and they do (unfortunately).

 

You know how fantastically skilled I am with computers. Was it a good use of my time yesterday to spend hours typing in data with three fingers, that my daughter could have managed in one?

You're not - I assume you're lying for effect. It was a good use if the data is then used rather than stored. And if that's your gripe then you should be questionning the use of data. If we don't question what's going on people get away with doing what they damn well please until it becomes too late to question and any problems get blamed on the questionner. I know - I learnt the hard way in not questionning my uni's understanding of me and assuming everything was fine when it wasn't.

[pearl]

Oooh bard, you've got some good stuff planned.

 

I love Hampton Court - Tudor history is my favourite period, & I've never yet got to Hever Castle. Anne Boleyn is one of my heroines. I think she got a very bad press. And a very bad husband.

[Bard]

Oooh bard, you've got some good stuff planned.

 

I love Hampton Court - Tudor history is my favourite period, & I've never yet got to Hever Castle. Anne Boleyn is one of my heroines. I think she got a very bad press. And a very bad husband.

 

Doing Tudors, Elizabeth, Shakespeare and the Spanish Armada as the topic for the Autumn term!

So we're going to lots of different places, making Tudor food and building a model fireship in the holidays too.

Purely as research you understand. B is keen to revisit the Mary Rose too. OH doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to make him come into class and be a resource.

Re my children's list of what they want to do in the holidays, I've just seen that before going to bed, my daughter has added kite-flying and a shopping trip to London. B has added camping by the sea, near a beach.

I don't think 6 weeks is enough.

[pearl]

Doing Tudors, Elizabeth, Shakespeare and the Spanish Armada as the topic for the Autumn term!

So we're going to lots of different places, making Tudor food and building a model fireship in the holidays too.

Purely as research you understand. B is keen to revisit the Mary Rose too. OH doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to make him come into class and be a resource.

Re my children's list of what they want to do in the holidays, I've just seen that before going to bed, my daughter has added kite-flying and a shopping trip to London. B has added camping by the sea, near a beach.

I don't think 6 weeks is enough.

 

Oh stop stop, I've never seen the Mary Rose either. Made myself late for work watching it being rescued from the sea back in the 80s. Have you been to the Globe? They do some good demo's in the visitor centre, sword fights, tudor clothes you can dress up in etc.

[Bard]

Oh stop stop, I've never seen the Mary Rose either. Made myself late for work watching it being rescued from the sea back in the 80s. Have you been to the Globe? They do some good demo's in the visitor centre, sword fights, tudor clothes you can dress up in etc.

 

The wrought iron gates at the Globe stopped B in his tracks. They've got animals and flowers from the texts woven into the design. He was pleased that I could name what they all were, but very disappointed that I couldn't name all of the plays they were from.

Patrick Stewart is playing Macbeth at the Chichester festival...and I've got tickets!

Might take some jumbles with me to nibble in the interval.

Oh this is cheering me up, yeah holidays!

[pearl]

I have a lovely piccie of S in front of those very gates, unfortunately due to me being c**p at taking photos it looks like a scene from Attack of the 50 Foot Woman as she looks freakishly tall next to them.

 

Enjoy Macbeth....and Patrick Stewart.... I like bald guys..... ask mr pearl

[Alyth_mum]

The wrought iron gates at the Globe stopped B in his tracks. They've got animals and flowers from the texts woven into the design. He was pleased that I could name what they all were, but very disappointed that I couldn't name all of the plays they were from.

Patrick Stewart is playing Macbeth at the Chichester festival...and I've got tickets!

Might take some jumbles with me to nibble in the interval.

Oh this is cheering me up, yeah holidays!

 

Bard - can I come and stay with you ..... you lucky so-and-so what with |Spamalot and PatricK Stewart in one holiday let along the rest.

 

Louise

[Bard]

Bard - can I come and stay with you ..... you lucky so-and-so what with |Spamalot and PatricK Stewart in one holiday let along the rest.

 

Louise

 

I'll pitch the tent in the garden, but you've missed Spamalot!

B has added kayaking for next week, 5 afternoons and he gets his 1* award. When I rang, I told the organiser that he has Aspergers, and she said

'Thanks for telling us, no problem at all. I'll just give the instructors a heads up.

Does he work better with males or females? Can we use time out? We have several children with AS, ADHD or other issues in our canoeing club, and it works so much better for all if we know what we're dealing with.

No, it's no problem at all. See you on Monday.'

Isn't that just what we all love to hear?

[Mumble]

B has added kayaking for next week, 5 afternoons and he gets his 1* award. When I rang, I told the organiser that he has Aspergers, and she said

'Thanks for telling us, no problem at all. I'll just give the instructors a heads up.

Does he work better with males or females? Can we use time out? We have several children with AS, ADHD or other issues in our canoeing club, and it works so much better for all if we know what we're dealing with.

No, it's no problem at all. See you on Monday.'

Isn't that just what we all love to hear?

Wow! Where do I sign up? I'm serious btw.

[Bard]

Wow! Where do I sign up? I'm serious btw.

 

Here's another folk expression for you, Mumble.

'The proof of the pudding is in the eating.'

It sounds good, and the course is at Southwater park, near Horsham in Sussex. It's a lovely little lake, fed by a small river with ducks and coots and moorhens.

But, as always, I won't know if it is as good as it sounds until B has taken the course, and the instructors have enabled him to do so.

I'm taking a picnic and a laptop and a mobile so I can plan work whilst I'm there. I hope it works!

[pearl]

I'll pitch the tent in the garden, but you've missed Spamalot!

B has added kayaking for next week, 5 afternoons and he gets his 1* award. When I rang, I told the organiser that he has Aspergers, and she said

'Thanks for telling us, no problem at all. I'll just give the instructors a heads up.

Does he work better with males or females? Can we use time out? We have several children with AS, ADHD or other issues in our canoeing club, and it works so much better for all if we know what we're dealing with.

No, it's no problem at all. See you on Monday.'

Isn't that just what we all love to hear?

 

it certainly is. Hope he has a fantastic time.

[Mumble]

'The proof of the pudding is in the eating.'

Mmm, pudding, someone said pudding

 

I'm taking a picnic and a laptop and a mobile so I can plan work whilst I'm there. I hope it works!

Picnic, mmm, picnic

[Bard]

Mmm, pudding, someone said pudding

Picnic, mmm, picnic

 

Memo to self and others.

Food-based imagery inhibits communication with Mumble.

Are you going to see The Simpsons movie?

[Mumble]

Are you going to see The Simpsons movie?

Mmm d'oh-nuts

Edited July 29, 2007 by Mumble

[Canopus]

I'm not saying in any way at all that teachers don't need to be up to date with their professional development and the latest educational theories. Although I do remember the freedom we used to have when we were regarded as professionals, and trusted to act as such.

 

The freedom came at a price - to the kids that is.

 

Back in the 1980s before the NC, primary schools displayed lots of variation in their curriculum and how they taught the kids. Some schools were better than others, and some kids performed better under some systems than others. Many schools were also teaching outdated material or were nervous to embrace new technology. Sometimes head teachers would get arrogant that their way was best (when it isn't) and refuse to cater for individual needs of kids even though evidence and recommendations of better ways existed elsewhere.

[Bard]

Day one of Kayaking was fantastic and very AS-friendly.

3 hours, no meltdowns or time out, and the instructor was doing all the right things; calling B's name before giving him an instruction, B was last kayak in the row, so he only had one person to cope with, clear simple commands without all that joking/punning/shouting bloke stuff that so many do.

Tomorrow is looking hopeful!

Maybe he will get to his 1* award.

[Alyth_mum]

Sounds as though he is having a great time.

 

Louise

[pearl]

glad its going well Bard

[Bard]

Well, each day he spends three hours on the water.

And there's this blonde teenager on the course who likes him, so two hours in, she started to wind him up in that ridiculous way that girls do when they want to be noticed; splashing him, making flirty jokes, pushing his kayak into the reeds, you know. All that perfectly normal, non-bullying stuff that so many of ours don't understand.

She started rocking her kayak and squealed that B was trying to tip her over.

BOOM! KRAKATOA!

Instructor tells him to stop, asks what's going on, blondie is a bit scared and starts crying and screaming, at the top of her Fay Wray lungs. Instructor gets stressed, B is now shouting that she's a lying b*tch and throws his paddle away. He is sent off the water and to the office.

But, ladies and gentlemen, this is not a tale of woe.

The supervisor in the office let him calm down with me, then took him back down to the water when he told her he was calm and wanted to return. She put an additional instructor, briefed, into the water as extra support. First instructor was wonderful, no posturing or ego getting in the way. Blondie was now at the other end of the group, having fun. And B finished the day as if nothing had happened.

He apologised to the instructor for losing his temper, and they shook hands. ' Clean start tomorrow B?'

Sometimes, not everyone in the world is against you. Sometimes they do care about more than the money.

[pearl]

Oh Bard.... big lump in my throat reading that. What great support.

Hope tomorrow goes well.

[Mumble]

splashing him, making flirty jokes, pushing his kayak into the reeds, you know. All that perfectly normal, non-bullying stuff that so many of ours don't understand.

She started rocking her kayak and squealed that B was trying to tip her over.

Well, I don't understand it and I hope Blondie got told off. Kayaking can be a dangerous sport and the water should always be treated with respect. Not only was she missing important instruction, she was making B miss it as well, and skills build upon one another in Kayaking. B however should not have thrown his paddle away - they one thing you should be taught is to keep hold of your paddle - even if you capsize. There is reason behind the phrase 'Up sh*t creek without a paddle'.

 

I hope things are all better tomorrow - it sounded like the instructors dealt with it well. Was B perhaps tired as well as annoyed? Kayaking is physically exhausting not only on the upper body but also on your legs in maintaining a 'hold' in the kayak and in the whole body in constantly maintaining a balance.

 

Now is there any chocolate cake left from your picnic? (and no, dried up slugs will not do as an alternative )

[Bard]

It was a healthy picnic, as I am preparing for my marathon holiday with B next week.

We have 3 nights in Cheddar and he wants to visit; Winchester, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Wookey Hole, Cheddar caves, Wells Cathedral, EVERYTHING in Glastonbury from Tor to ruined abbey...he hasn't spotted Longleat on the map, so I'm keeping quiet. He keeps adding new things to his list!

No chocolate cake in my picnic, healthy fruit and veg, and nuts and seeds. No hot chocolate either, lentil soup.

I will be lean and keen, able to jog for miles up tor and down caves after my excited boy.

Possibly.

[Mumble]

We have 3 nights in Cheddar and he wants to visit; Winchester, Salisbury, Stonehenge, Wookey Hole, Cheddar caves, Wells Cathedral, EVERYTHING in Glastonbury from Tor to ruined abbey...

It sounds wonderful Sign me up for a place in your suitcase please

 

As to a Marathon holiday, wasn't Marathon the original name for Snickers? Mmmm chocolate

[Bard]

<'> <'>

[Alyth_mum]

Sounds as though a letter to the people running the Kayaking course will be in order at the end of the week - telling them how you are singing their praises to everyone.

 

Louise

[Bard]

Sounds as though a letter to the people running the Kayaking course will be in order at the end of the week - telling them how you are singing their praises to everyone.

 

Louise

 

I've bought a card, and a box of Roses

and a box of celebrations

and a box of the other sort of chocolates.

I'll give them to the office on Friday, whatever the outcome.

[Mumble]

a box of Roses

and a box of celebrations

and a box of the other sort of chocolates.

That's a little excessive I think - let me help you out

[Bard]

You haven't met B yet, have you?

I'm thinking of weighing him and calculating the chocolate accordingly!

[pearl]

I was telling mr pearl about B's experience last night, & he reminded me of when he accompanied JP to the week-long outward bound course that all year 6 did in his primary school. (School wouldn't allow JP to go without a parent but that's another story)

 

When JP was kayaking they were all in a row, & the next kid along accidentally trapped JP's hand between the kayaks. JP thought it was deliberate, exploded & splashed the other kid with water. The instructor, thinking to teach him a lesson, splashed JP in retaliation. Complete & utter mayhem, he had to be removed from the lesson. However the instructor was mortified when he realised how he should have handled it.

 

Generally he had a good week though. We still have the video. Best bit is JP abseiling down a cliff, completely terrified but making himself do it anyway, shouting, HELP, POLICE, MURDER!!!! all the way down

[Bard]

I was telling mr pearl about B's experience last night, & he reminded me of when he accompanied JP to the week-long outward bound course that all year 6 did in his primary school. (School wouldn't allow JP to go without a parent but that's another story)

 

When JP was kayaking they were all in a row, & the next kid along accidentally trapped JP's hand between the kayaks. JP thought it was deliberate, exploded & splashed the other kid with water. The instructor, thinking to teach him a lesson, splashed JP in retaliation. Complete & utter mayhem, he had to be removed from the lesson. However the instructor was mortified when he realised how he should have handled it.

 

Generally he had a good week though. We still have the video. Best bit is JP abseiling down a cliff, completely terrified but making himself do it anyway, shouting, HELP, POLICE, MURDER!!!! all the way down

 

That's exactly what B would have done if his hand had been squashed!

When he went on his Y6 trip, his teacher went, and she's also a close, personal friend. As was one of the TAs that accompanied them. So when B refused to go to the disco, the TA sat out with him, under the stars, and discussed life, the universe and everything else with him. And it was no problem.

Not cracked abseiling yet, too unstable. He likes caving, and we're going to have a go at Cheddar thanks to Mumble's link on expeditions that she gave us.

I need to check that I won't get...well...stuck. Shades of Winnie-the-Pooh and Rabbit loom.

[Mumble]

He likes caving, and we're going to have a go at Cheddar thanks to Mumble's link on expeditions that she gave us.

I need to check that I won't get...well...stuck. Shades of Winnie-the-Pooh and Rabbit loom.

Have fun - you won't get stuck - just compare yourself to the size of the adult male instructors and apply simply logic - they're in front of me, they got through, therefore I must also fit.

 

It's not the most beautiful of caves that they take you into, but it does give you a sense of what caving is like. Once you get into it a bit more you can go into some absolutely stunning caves involving waterfall climbs and sumps but you get to some magnificant caverns with spectacular rock formations and the knowledge that you're one of very few people who have actually been in that place. Ooh, you're making my very jealous - I might look into doing this again . . .

[Bard]

B has got his 1* kayaking award!

He needed a 15 minute time out today, but the instructor was fantastic and calm.

After the time out, with me, B went back in and did the third hour with no problems whatsoever, and no fuss from anyone else.

It's not quite over though, tomorrow they have a river trip on the Arun.

I wonder how we'll manage time out there? Perhaps I should offer a long bit of rope?