This comment is a genral one not attributed to anyone school because they're all guilty. UK class time is often wasted time. The sheer number of assemblies and the amount of time spent changing for P.E. cuts so far into the school day that work doesn't get done. One school I've been at had 4 assemblies in two days, and it is not uncommon for more time to be spent changing before and after P.E. than at P.E.
Add to that the time spent celebrating religous holidays, regardless of the schools religon and it's a wonder anything gets done. That said planning is a breeze becasue it's all in the book, creativity is a no go zone in British schools.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Rogerstone School, Newport
Year 2 & 5
I had a week at Rogerstone School which was a pleasure to work in one school for a period of more than a couple of days. I had 4 days with the same year 2 class so I got to know a whole class by the time I left, something I'd only been able to do at Govilon when I had a class of six.
The school itself has an interesting history. Six years ago the school was burnt to the ground by arsonists. The newly remodelled school is fantastic but it must have been crushing for those at the school.
Saw a fantastic puppet show called Jingle Jangle Jungle put on by the Wales Puppet Society. Also had the pleasure of experiencing a lunchtime fire drill. Not planned but caused by the dinner lady burning dessert. You'd think a school with their history would be more careful in the kitchen.
I had a week at Rogerstone School which was a pleasure to work in one school for a period of more than a couple of days. I had 4 days with the same year 2 class so I got to know a whole class by the time I left, something I'd only been able to do at Govilon when I had a class of six.
The school itself has an interesting history. Six years ago the school was burnt to the ground by arsonists. The newly remodelled school is fantastic but it must have been crushing for those at the school.
Saw a fantastic puppet show called Jingle Jangle Jungle put on by the Wales Puppet Society. Also had the pleasure of experiencing a lunchtime fire drill. Not planned but caused by the dinner lady burning dessert. You'd think a school with their history would be more careful in the kitchen.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Lliswerry Primary School, Newport
Year 2
Lliswerry (pronounced Liz werry) is a school from the wrong side of the tracks. Over two days I got to know my class very well but didn't even get to know where the staff room is. After days filled with assemblies (all UK schools are full of assemblies) I had no doubt as to who was the head teacher, although as per usual I didn't meet her.
Anyway the class was full of interesting and challenging students and left me in little doubt that Year 2's are not for me. Still I must have done alright because I'm back in a couple of weeks with the same class. Hopefully then I'll get a better feel for the school as a whole.
It was my first experience of working with a full time class room assistant and she was brilliant. I'm sure not all are as good as her but she was fantastic, as was the rugby mad reading recovery lady.
Lliswerry (pronounced Liz werry) is a school from the wrong side of the tracks. Over two days I got to know my class very well but didn't even get to know where the staff room is. After days filled with assemblies (all UK schools are full of assemblies) I had no doubt as to who was the head teacher, although as per usual I didn't meet her.
Anyway the class was full of interesting and challenging students and left me in little doubt that Year 2's are not for me. Still I must have done alright because I'm back in a couple of weeks with the same class. Hopefully then I'll get a better feel for the school as a whole.
It was my first experience of working with a full time class room assistant and she was brilliant. I'm sure not all are as good as her but she was fantastic, as was the rugby mad reading recovery lady.
Lleswerry Primary School, Newport
Year 2
First things first, Year 2 are not for me. 6 year olds nah!
That aside I had a good couple of days at Lliswerry School and must have done o.k. because I'm back in a couple of weeks in the same class. My two days here made it apparent that the schools on the UK are obsessed with assemblies. There seems to be at least one a day and this is no exception. The other thing is all schools pray even though they have no religious denomination attached to the school.
The assemblies at Lliswerry (pronounced liz werry) left me in no doubt about who was the head teacher, although as per usual I didn't meet her while here.
That wasn't the only thing, I had to ask where the toilets were and I still have no idea where the staffroom is. It was also my first experience of having a full time teaching assistant and she was worth her weight in gold. I occassionally felt she was doing the work while I was being paid but she knew the school, the room and most importantly the kids. Believe me that makes a difference.
I'm glad to be returning as I still don't feel that I know the school. Some you get into and know what kind of school it is but this was not the case here.
Still don't know the school as I was back in the same class, so nice to be remembered but apart from that still clueless about most aspects of the school.
There was one event that left quite an impression. Today is the anniversary of world war one finishing. So at 11 am the whole nation is silent for two minutes. At Lleswerry that means, another assembly. Also it means a chance for the deputy head to promote her world views about why Afganastan should have British troops there, not quite the place and definitly not the time because she talked right through 11 o'clock and we missed the 2 minutes and instead did it a few minutes later.
Then the icing on the cake was playing a song to celebrate, I'll stand by you by Girls Aloud. Enough Said!
First things first, Year 2 are not for me. 6 year olds nah!
That aside I had a good couple of days at Lliswerry School and must have done o.k. because I'm back in a couple of weeks in the same class. My two days here made it apparent that the schools on the UK are obsessed with assemblies. There seems to be at least one a day and this is no exception. The other thing is all schools pray even though they have no religious denomination attached to the school.
The assemblies at Lliswerry (pronounced liz werry) left me in no doubt about who was the head teacher, although as per usual I didn't meet her while here.
That wasn't the only thing, I had to ask where the toilets were and I still have no idea where the staffroom is. It was also my first experience of having a full time teaching assistant and she was worth her weight in gold. I occassionally felt she was doing the work while I was being paid but she knew the school, the room and most importantly the kids. Believe me that makes a difference.
I'm glad to be returning as I still don't feel that I know the school. Some you get into and know what kind of school it is but this was not the case here.
Still don't know the school as I was back in the same class, so nice to be remembered but apart from that still clueless about most aspects of the school.
There was one event that left quite an impression. Today is the anniversary of world war one finishing. So at 11 am the whole nation is silent for two minutes. At Lleswerry that means, another assembly. Also it means a chance for the deputy head to promote her world views about why Afganastan should have British troops there, not quite the place and definitly not the time because she talked right through 11 o'clock and we missed the 2 minutes and instead did it a few minutes later.
Then the icing on the cake was playing a song to celebrate, I'll stand by you by Girls Aloud. Enough Said!
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Govilon School, Govilon
This is a tragic tale of a super school. Govilon is situated to the west of the Head of the Valley's Highway just out of Abergavenny. That means this is a village school not a city school. Exciting!
But it's so sad, this school is fantastic, I really loved it and felt so welcomed by the kids and staff ( one even made me a card ) but this is probably the last year the school will be open. Monmouthshire Local Authority made the decision last year to close it and although the locals are fighting it parents have got cold feet and the roll has dropped from 80 to just 28. My class had just 6 students in it, I've never taught less than 30 in New Zealand so to be in a school smaller than that was a treat I won't forget.
Because of the drop of numbers the school is almost certainly condemed to being closed, especially because teachers are looked after by the council in this situation, but head teachers are not , So Rob ( I've met him making it 2 headteachers I've met now) has made the hard decision to move on in January. Nobody holds it against him, how can they but it's another nail in the coffin of Govilon School.
Anyway the kids there are fantastic and so happy, I went on a school trip with them to the pools in Abergavenny and as it's Harvest I popped up to the local chapel with them. I got to meet the village priest who was a top bloke also. The kids seemed genuinly sad to see me go and again I hope to get back there if I get the chance. One year 3 introduced me to his Mum because he was desperate for me to meet her (she doubles as his mum and the school dinner lady).
But it's so sad, this school is fantastic, I really loved it and felt so welcomed by the kids and staff ( one even made me a card ) but this is probably the last year the school will be open. Monmouthshire Local Authority made the decision last year to close it and although the locals are fighting it parents have got cold feet and the roll has dropped from 80 to just 28. My class had just 6 students in it, I've never taught less than 30 in New Zealand so to be in a school smaller than that was a treat I won't forget.
Because of the drop of numbers the school is almost certainly condemed to being closed, especially because teachers are looked after by the council in this situation, but head teachers are not , So Rob ( I've met him making it 2 headteachers I've met now) has made the hard decision to move on in January. Nobody holds it against him, how can they but it's another nail in the coffin of Govilon School.
Anyway the kids there are fantastic and so happy, I went on a school trip with them to the pools in Abergavenny and as it's Harvest I popped up to the local chapel with them. I got to meet the village priest who was a top bloke also. The kids seemed genuinly sad to see me go and again I hope to get back there if I get the chance. One year 3 introduced me to his Mum because he was desperate for me to meet her (she doubles as his mum and the school dinner lady).
Eveswell School, Newport
Year 1, 4 & 6
What a great school and I did the haka. The kids here are great and the school is housed in lovely buildings. I learnt about a fascinating man Paul Robeson whom the class were studying and generally had a great day. This is a school I certainly hope to get back to because I've only had the one day so far and it's not long enough to get a feel for a school like this.
Well, I got back to Eveswell and got a chance to know the school a little better. I was paid to teach dance all day, well I can cope with that. It's a hard situation teaching four different classes in a day but it gave me a chance to see four more classes so it was good. Got a lot of recognition from the class I had taught previously ( about a month ago) so it was nice to know I made an impact with them. Sounds like a positive one as well.
What a great school and I did the haka. The kids here are great and the school is housed in lovely buildings. I learnt about a fascinating man Paul Robeson whom the class were studying and generally had a great day. This is a school I certainly hope to get back to because I've only had the one day so far and it's not long enough to get a feel for a school like this.
Well, I got back to Eveswell and got a chance to know the school a little better. I was paid to teach dance all day, well I can cope with that. It's a hard situation teaching four different classes in a day but it gave me a chance to see four more classes so it was good. Got a lot of recognition from the class I had taught previously ( about a month ago) so it was nice to know I made an impact with them. Sounds like a positive one as well.
Milton Junior School, Newport
Year 3 & 5
I should point out that I have repeat work here so I may add to this post in the near future. My first school in Wales, thank god for that. Weston was great and Bristol was work but the travel was a big bugger.
Anyway, this is the first school in which I met the head teacher. This seems very odd to me as in New Zealand you always meet the headteacher as a relief teacher. Great school coming up on 50 years, and now they've been blessed with my presence. The staff room was an inviting place not because of the decour but because of the warm Welsh staff ( just don't mention Andy Haden in 1978 at Cardiff Arms Park, I did and I baerly made it out alive)
The kids are so respectful and although the constant chirping of sir can become annoying you have to admire their respect for teachers. Milton Junior School is situated in Ringland which is a rough estate (one of the most notorious in Newport, a city notorious anyway), but you'd not know it at the school. One teacher there described it to me as the diamond in the rough and that will do me.
I should point out that I have repeat work here so I may add to this post in the near future. My first school in Wales, thank god for that. Weston was great and Bristol was work but the travel was a big bugger.
Anyway, this is the first school in which I met the head teacher. This seems very odd to me as in New Zealand you always meet the headteacher as a relief teacher. Great school coming up on 50 years, and now they've been blessed with my presence. The staff room was an inviting place not because of the decour but because of the warm Welsh staff ( just don't mention Andy Haden in 1978 at Cardiff Arms Park, I did and I baerly made it out alive)
The kids are so respectful and although the constant chirping of sir can become annoying you have to admire their respect for teachers. Milton Junior School is situated in Ringland which is a rough estate (one of the most notorious in Newport, a city notorious anyway), but you'd not know it at the school. One teacher there described it to me as the diamond in the rough and that will do me.
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