That Blank Look

Are you alone?
Are you reading this carefully?
I have a confession to make (shhhhhhhhhhhhhh  don’t tell anyone)

In my last post, I ever so slightly exaggerated the amount of time I have to wait until I get to see my next holiday. I mischievously wrote that I won’t be getting a break for another three months. This is, in fact, a downright lie because in just over a month, I’m going with Dassi and my parents to the US for a whole week.

Let me let myself (slightly) off the hook by telling you that it seems as though the holiday is three months away (you’re not convinced are you? I can feel it from your cold stare).

Another tough day at school didn’t help and I was observed once again - I think I gave a totally crap lesson.  The kids in Year 9 were pretty unruly and I could clearly see that dreaded “blank look” covering their little faces as I tried to explain the concept of using a formula in Excel, to carry out a straightforward calculation - the glazed, pained and frankly bored expression of kids who don’t want to think of the “M” word when they walk into a computer room (I’ll give you a clue, it begins with Maths).

I gave the same lesson again to the next class and they seemed to get it. Let’s not fool ourselves though - by next week, both the concepts and the lesson will be but a distant memory in their ever-expanding minds.

Days like these don’t inspire me to teach but then again, if the little darlings did understand concepts first time around, I’d probably run out of things to teach them. My day improved somewhat when I taught the Year 7’s (so little and cute!) how to use Publisher to create a poster about Health and Safety. At least they seemed to comprehend something I was teaching them….(groan groan groan moan moan moan).

Tomorrow is a training day, which comes just at the right time. I need a few days away from the kids to re-enthuse myself.

I love teaching, but by Thursday night, I’m happy to face the weekend in the company of adults – which is interesting, because the average age in our household is 5.

Kids. Don’t you just love ‘em?