The Two Heads.

The head that hit the pillow last night had endured what can only be described as a pretty hellish week.

My meeting with the Year 7’s ten days ago, convinced me that it was time to re-jig the seating plans in most of my classes. Some of the kids who were falling behind were doing so because they were either sat too far to the back, or next to some undesirables. Additionally, I am of the belief that it’s quite healthy to move the kids around every now and again if they start feeling too comfortable – and as a result getting into cruise control, work-wise.

I knew that I was asking for trouble but I soldiered ahead with my plans. Some kids expressed their dissatisfaction quite readily and were given the choice of either moving to where I had put them, or leaving the class and thereby incurring a one hour after school detention.

If this wasn’t bad enough, there was a bombshell awaiting us all…

On Thursday morning, we were ushered into the hall by the Chair of Governors, to be informed that the panel had chosen a new Head Teacher. When incumbent was announced as the new Head, there was a very stony silence from everyone in the room (aside from the Chair) - you could have literally cut the air with a very blunt knife.
The teachers present were not in the least pleased, because this person is doing zilch to stop the kids from spiralling out of control. Monday’s attack on the staff member seems to have had absolutely no effect on the panel’s decision to choose this extremely affable but weak person to challenge what is becoming a pretty serious problem for us all.

If that wasn’t bad enough, when I returned (at break) from the one lesson that I don’t teach in my room, I found that some little you-know-what had unplugged the keyboard from my pc, destroyed a floppy disk that had my name written on the front and walked off with my mouse.

The kids in the subsequent lesson were virtually unteachable and the message that the new Head is turning a blind eye to their recklessness is writ large in the air that flows throughout the school.

After yet another parents’ evening, I got home, having spent close on 12 hours at the school.

Despite my earlier post, I have started to think the unthinkable. Am I mad for staying on? Should I be looking elsewhere? One thing I can probably guarantee is that Thursday morning’s news will certainly lead to staff walking in July.

It’s all very depressing.

It was a very sore head that hit the pillow last night.