I was back at school today, after a week’s hiatus. The teachers (including yours truly) are all humming the same mantra, which is basically “seven weeks to go, seven weeks to go…”
Of the sixty or so teachers at the school, nearly half have announced that they won’t be returning in the autumn term. I’m sure you are not particularly surprised to read this, keeping in mind the postings that I’ve put here over the last few months. I suppose you could say that the school will be a totally different place to work in, come September. I honestly didn’t think when I started almost a year ago that I would be a veteran so soon.
I’m staying put.
I thought about leaving, even made an application, but my Headmistress wisely advised me to stay at least another year in my first teaching post. I’m hanging on for a Jewish school, not least because it will be more amenable tofor teaching - from a cultural point of view.
Don’t be fooled though, the kids are not any easier and there are different issues to deal with, such as erecting the barriers between kids and staff. The children can relate better to someone of the same faith and as a result, they tend to be more informal, making it harder to maintain the distance that is so important between pupil and teacher. The motto of “familiarity breeds contempt” very much applies in such a situation. We shall see what happens.
Did I tell you that I’m going to be taking some Year 7 classes around the local Synagogue? I volunteered (I’m still not sure why) a few weeks ago and the school eagerly took up my idea (I’m going to regret this, I know). So the first trip will be taking place on Thursday.
Watch this space.
Other than that, it was very much business as usual.
Seven more weeks!
Of the sixty or so teachers at the school, nearly half have announced that they won’t be returning in the autumn term. I’m sure you are not particularly surprised to read this, keeping in mind the postings that I’ve put here over the last few months. I suppose you could say that the school will be a totally different place to work in, come September. I honestly didn’t think when I started almost a year ago that I would be a veteran so soon.
I’m staying put.
I thought about leaving, even made an application, but my Headmistress wisely advised me to stay at least another year in my first teaching post. I’m hanging on for a Jewish school, not least because it will be more amenable tofor teaching - from a cultural point of view.
Don’t be fooled though, the kids are not any easier and there are different issues to deal with, such as erecting the barriers between kids and staff. The children can relate better to someone of the same faith and as a result, they tend to be more informal, making it harder to maintain the distance that is so important between pupil and teacher. The motto of “familiarity breeds contempt” very much applies in such a situation. We shall see what happens.
Did I tell you that I’m going to be taking some Year 7 classes around the local Synagogue? I volunteered (I’m still not sure why) a few weeks ago and the school eagerly took up my idea (I’m going to regret this, I know). So the first trip will be taking place on Thursday.
Watch this space.
Other than that, it was very much business as usual.
Seven more weeks!
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