DAY 6 #28DAYSOFWRITING. THE BUSYNESS OF THE CLASSROOM.
Here we are, getting into week 2 of the new school year and the days are frantic. Testing is underway… STAR, Running Records, BURT, JAM/NuMP…. and then the printing and putting together the portfolios, getting the National Standards dates sorted, getting to know those students that are new to the school and don’t forget Education Review Office (ERO) are visiting in week 5. Oh yes, remember to do those application forms for RTLB (Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour) because all children are discontinued at the end of the year and need to be reapplied for at the beginning of the year. Have I forgotten anything? Oh yes, there are kids who are ready for learning, wanting to spend time connecting with you, not sure what the expectations are and very excited about those beautiful, clean books that are just waiting to be written in. What about ME! I am tired from working long days, I have a sore back from carrying home 24 portfolios and 100’s of pages that need to be filed in the right place and my head is spinning because I have 24 little learners who have kept me busy and have wriggled into my head because I am trying to work what I need to do to ensure that they each get the best least learning opportunities I can offer. Which ones are going to be the basis of my inquiry? I need to remember to write in my journal and mustn’t forget to set goals that will be attached to my appraisal. I’m overwhelmed just reading all this! Oh yes, the classroom is a busy place. Teachers are busy people. Would I change anything? No, I don’t think so. Doing all the testing, form filling, goal setting and inquiry projects are necessary. What is our other option? Teaching page by page of the textbook whether the students need it or not, doing whole class spelling tests whether they know the words or not and doing whole class maths no matter what stage the students are at. I am afraid that the first frantic weeks are necessary to set you up for a knowledgeable, prepared year. How do you know what they need unless you find out where the gaps are. The teacher does this year after year whereas the students get one shot at this year of learning. How we set it up can have a huge impact on the kids and possibly on their whole attitude to learning and maybe the rest of their school career. I had a serviceman come in today after school to do a minor repair on a curtain in my classroom. I was sitting at my desk analysing running records and he said to me “you know when I was at school, I was useless. But there was that one teacher. She was fantastic because she really made me want to learn. I would have done anything for her.” Everyone can remember that “one” teacher that had a huge impact. Can you remember one of your first bosses? Not as easily as that teacher. I want to be that teacher and the way I can do it is to be informed, be creative and most of all to be an inquiring teacher. If I question myself consistently and continuously I will best serve those little clients that come into my store every day and buy into what I have to sell. I need to be a great marketer in order to sell the learning, to make them hungry for more and to become addicted to my product. Learning! So, big breath, pull out that extra bit of stamina that you have tucked away and be the very best that you can be. That future generation is relying on you.
