So many things make an impression on me, and I often think 'Oh I must write a post for the blog' yet I never seem to get around to it. I have a mountain of work to do, an assignment to write, and I really should be taking myself off to bed, so just a short post to mark the occasion - I've just completed my first month of teacher training...and I love it!
It took 6 and a half long years to get my Language degree, so it feels like an eternity since I was talked into a career in teaching. Even when I began cover supervision and felt completely at ease at the front of a classroom, I didn't think I was cut out for the responsibility of teaching, and all that goes with it. In a few short weeks, I've realised I made the right choice, and now I need to spend the next 9 months making sure I get the most from my training and qualify!!
Part of my training invloves observing other teachers, and I'm well aware that one or two of them may read this, but I make no apology for gushing about the teaching I've seen in practice! You know that feeling when you have been to see a good band, or show and you're pleased you went? When I leave a lesson at my school, it's that kind of feeling, I can't explain it in any other way. They're not pulling out all the stops 'cos they have a trainee in the room, this is what the kids at our school get regardless of who is watching. Passion, creativity and enthusiasm for their subject leave me scribbling furiously,noting down catchy phrases like 'If in doubt, write it out!' - I would not have struggled in Maths, had I had this kind of teacher! To see the most rebellious of pupils produce a worthy piece of writing and feel valued in a mixed ability class where he could feel out of his depth is down to a positive learning environment I could only hope to create in my classroom.
So this week saw my first whole lesson,Year 8 Spanish, a class I know well, but seem so different now I have a new perspective on how they learn. I'm responsible for all that happens during that hour, and it is an hour that leaves me drained and exhilarated at the same time. Whoever said teachers have it easy, with holidays aplenty, couldn't be more wrong. I've always felt that taking charge of a classroom is like that trick you see where they wobble plates on sticks (is there a name for it?)-you're juggling so much,it's untrue! I've been given a dream tutor group to share,they start my day in the nicest possible way, and I'm already very proud of them. My horror at having to team teach a sex ed lesson was soon forgotten, there was me thinking they were too young and naive...how naive was I?
I'm back at Uni, one day a week, to cover the 'theory' of teaching and it's great fun. I'm the only one doing Modern Language teaching, so I've been teamed with PE and Music trainees, and they are lovely! Assignment deadlines are once again part of my life, and I'm actually classed as a fresher, which at 42 is rather funny!
Well, that's about it, I shall try to keep this updated more often, tales of a trainee teacher and all that! The kids at school have twigged, they miss nothing,asking if I'm going to 'be' a teacher, and even wishing me luck! They are fantastic!
I'd love to see my language teachers from my schooldays to tell them what I'm doing. All I know is that MFL lessons are great fun, and there's nothing better than sharing a love of languages with eager young minds and helping them master a life skill like speaking another language.
I'm loving it more than I ever dared to hope!
Hasta la próxima
Sunday 2 October 2011
Friday 24 June 2011
Mexican waves, meerkats and mumbo jumbo!
What a day. We filled 8 buses with 400 excited bairns, for the 2 hour trip to Flamingoland in North Yorkshire. Highlight of the outward journey was the Mexican wave which eventually reached the bus in front once we stopped in traffic in Helmsley - the kids loved it! They were also fairly hysterical when the driver took the bus airborne over the switchbacks, and I flew horizontally into the aisle!
Three and a half hours of screamtastic rides followed, as we took the kids by surprise and actually joined in the fun...were they really expecting us to watch from the sidelines? Getting stuck as I climbed onto to Velocity, the motorbike ride, was a little cringey as the kids shouted from the queue 'go on miss!!', but the embarrassment was soon forgotten as we tried all of the screamworthy rides and had a brilliant time. Mumbo Jumbo was worth the lengthy wait, during which we fought off a wasp, and we were pretty impressed with the ride,which has the steepest climb hill (Rollercoaster jargon) in the world. Just as well it was high, as our jobs may have been in jeopardy as our language was a little colourful when we were dropped from a great height!
After a stint in the cafe, I had a walk around the zoo, to find the baby giraffe, and came across the meerkats, always a favourite. So cute, yet here they were grappling with a stray duck, until the heroics of the zookeeper saved him from a grisly end. One of those situations where you don't know whether to laugh or not!
After rounding up the year 8s who'd lost track of time, we headed back to the bus, where our driver tried to make up lost time, resulting in 5 very sickly children and one brave teacher who mopped them all up. Her three colleagues, including me, hid at the back of the bus, vomit-phobics that we are!
Whenever we take the kids out from school we are guaranteed a fun-filled day, and this was no exception. Rain was forecast, but I think my manic adrenaline-fuelled laughter scared the clouds away, and we all came home with colour in our cheeks! The one consolation for the day going too quickly is that some of us get to do it all again in 4 weeks, when we take the choir and band on tour to Germany, including a trip to Fantasialand! Bring it on!!
Three and a half hours of screamtastic rides followed, as we took the kids by surprise and actually joined in the fun...were they really expecting us to watch from the sidelines? Getting stuck as I climbed onto to Velocity, the motorbike ride, was a little cringey as the kids shouted from the queue 'go on miss!!', but the embarrassment was soon forgotten as we tried all of the screamworthy rides and had a brilliant time. Mumbo Jumbo was worth the lengthy wait, during which we fought off a wasp, and we were pretty impressed with the ride,which has the steepest climb hill (Rollercoaster jargon) in the world. Just as well it was high, as our jobs may have been in jeopardy as our language was a little colourful when we were dropped from a great height!
After a stint in the cafe, I had a walk around the zoo, to find the baby giraffe, and came across the meerkats, always a favourite. So cute, yet here they were grappling with a stray duck, until the heroics of the zookeeper saved him from a grisly end. One of those situations where you don't know whether to laugh or not!
After rounding up the year 8s who'd lost track of time, we headed back to the bus, where our driver tried to make up lost time, resulting in 5 very sickly children and one brave teacher who mopped them all up. Her three colleagues, including me, hid at the back of the bus, vomit-phobics that we are!
Whenever we take the kids out from school we are guaranteed a fun-filled day, and this was no exception. Rain was forecast, but I think my manic adrenaline-fuelled laughter scared the clouds away, and we all came home with colour in our cheeks! The one consolation for the day going too quickly is that some of us get to do it all again in 4 weeks, when we take the choir and band on tour to Germany, including a trip to Fantasialand! Bring it on!!
Friday 4 March 2011
Minnesota Wild 2011
A trip was planned a short while ago to spend some quality time with Barry, Anna and the boys. I should have known it wasn't going to be a restful week! Within an hour of arriving in a wintery Minnesota, I was togged up in ski gear and taking my first steps on a frozen Lake Minnetonka. Having only ever swam in the lake in summer, I always said I'd have to see it to believe it! Barry's face was a picture as he reassured me the cracks in the 3ft thickness of ice were nothing to worry about!
Despite severe tiredness, I tagged along to Patrick's ice hockey match, my first taste of Minnesota's No.1 sport, and the beginning of my obsession with the game. Within minutes, I was hooked! They may have only been 4th graders, but the pace was relentless and the atmosphere was fab!
Barry and Anna were concerned by the recent thaw and the threat it posed to planned winter fun. They were delighted with the snowstorm forecast, though never anticipated the 14 inches of snow that were to land on Minnesota on my second day! Whilst watching a morning game, blizzards took hold and I experienced a 'whiteout' on our return journey. Naturally, they weren't fazed by such extreme weather and we ventured out for brunch in Wayzata, knowing we may have to dig our way out of the car park. Monday saw more snowfall, and we sledged from the 'back yard' to the lake - great fun! We then bravely took to the roads, despite the snow emergency declared in the state the previous night, and we headed off to Elm Creek for tubing, after a pitstop at Caribou Coffee. Tubing on the snow slopes is entirely different to that on the lake with the boat, and tying them together creates more speed, and more screams! Two hours literally whizzed by and we took our hungry tummies to Benihana, a Japanese restaurant loved by the boys. Everything is cooked at your table by an entertainer of a chef, who created for us a volcano, a steam train and a heart attack on a hotplate, along with the most delicious food, cooked 'teppanyaki' style. Simply fantastic!
A chill day followed with board games, great food and a walk in the woods with the adorable Maxi. I was then lucky enough to go see the boys' Taikwondo class. It's been a great privilege to share their all-American lives with them this week - as well as Spongebob Squarepants!!
Wednesday was a well-deserved girls' shopping trip for Anna and I. After a great lunch at Champs, we headed to the Mall, prompted by a text from Barry to confirm the Spring Break trip to Florida was booked for them. Looking at swimwear and flipflops was bizarre, given the sub zero temperatures outside. After another of Barry's delicious dinners, we settled down to watch some TV. This has to be one of the best parts of my trip, relaxing, watching movies and having many many laughs with Barry and Anna, usually at my expense.
Despite severe tiredness, I tagged along to Patrick's ice hockey match, my first taste of Minnesota's No.1 sport, and the beginning of my obsession with the game. Within minutes, I was hooked! They may have only been 4th graders, but the pace was relentless and the atmosphere was fab!
Barry and Anna were concerned by the recent thaw and the threat it posed to planned winter fun. They were delighted with the snowstorm forecast, though never anticipated the 14 inches of snow that were to land on Minnesota on my second day! Whilst watching a morning game, blizzards took hold and I experienced a 'whiteout' on our return journey. Naturally, they weren't fazed by such extreme weather and we ventured out for brunch in Wayzata, knowing we may have to dig our way out of the car park. Monday saw more snowfall, and we sledged from the 'back yard' to the lake - great fun! We then bravely took to the roads, despite the snow emergency declared in the state the previous night, and we headed off to Elm Creek for tubing, after a pitstop at Caribou Coffee. Tubing on the snow slopes is entirely different to that on the lake with the boat, and tying them together creates more speed, and more screams! Two hours literally whizzed by and we took our hungry tummies to Benihana, a Japanese restaurant loved by the boys. Everything is cooked at your table by an entertainer of a chef, who created for us a volcano, a steam train and a heart attack on a hotplate, along with the most delicious food, cooked 'teppanyaki' style. Simply fantastic!
A chill day followed with board games, great food and a walk in the woods with the adorable Maxi. I was then lucky enough to go see the boys' Taikwondo class. It's been a great privilege to share their all-American lives with them this week - as well as Spongebob Squarepants!!
Wednesday was a well-deserved girls' shopping trip for Anna and I. After a great lunch at Champs, we headed to the Mall, prompted by a text from Barry to confirm the Spring Break trip to Florida was booked for them. Looking at swimwear and flipflops was bizarre, given the sub zero temperatures outside. After another of Barry's delicious dinners, we settled down to watch some TV. This has to be one of the best parts of my trip, relaxing, watching movies and having many many laughs with Barry and Anna, usually at my expense.
My final day saw me blasting around Lake Minnetonka,at high speed on a snowmobile. Barry and I rented one for two hours and had the most fun tearing up fresh snow, flying over manmade jumps, and writing Anna's name in the snow in huge letters so that she could see it from her GPS App on Iphone. I always wanted to visit the ice-huts on the lake, and we even took the snowmobile off the lake and into the woods on Casco Point,which was tricky to say the least! Fantastic fun, and the perfect end to the trip.
I had an awesome (sorry, can't help it) time. Barry and I got to act like kids again, messing about in the snow, lounging around in the house, taking the mickey out of each other, only this time the bonus factor was sharing it all with Anna. I haven't laughed so much in ages! Minnesota is incredibly beautiful in the summer, but I love it just as much in wintertime too. We had it all; snowstorms, tubing, Hibachi grills, ice hockey, snowmobiles, cosy afternoons indoors,quality 'auntie time' and lots and lots of laughter. Who could ask for more?
Sunday 2 January 2011
Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011
Having just seen in the New Year, I thought I might share some thoughts on 2010, which some might be glad to see the back of, but I can't quite bring myself to do that. The middle of the year, a fabulous summer, was wonderful. The rest of the year wasn't so good, but let me try and find the positive in all that we dealt with.
This year when we made our toasts at Christmas and again at New Year, it seemed more meaningful and I thought it best to leave out the 'wealth' bit, it's rather pointless really. I've always thought Mam and Dad to be lucky that they haven't had 'sickly' kids, and that Barry and I have breezed through life with only measles and chicken pox to deal with. 2010 had other ideas, and New Year's Eve 2009 brought me a letter to say I needed a biopsy following a checkup. To cut a painful story short, I had a near miss, and thanks to amazing staff at the QE, Gateshead, after two biopsies and intensive treatment, I was given the all-clear. It knocked me for six knowing I was so close to cancer, and Stevie, my family and incredible friends kept me sane throughout. I'm not counting my chickens just yet, as it's less than a year, but I consider myself one of the lucky ones, and my candle at the Relay this year said just that.
That brings me nicely to our Relay For Life, the Cancer Research event that has become a big part of my life over the last 5 years. This year was bigger than any other,more of my family came along, and our team put on the Mini Challenge, which was great fun, with more than 20 people squashing inside Stevie's car! Another highlight was Robyn singing Hero on stage, bringing about tears for most of us. 20 hours of tears and laughter helped us to raise more than £50,000 and this time my Relay Diary went around the world thanks to Relay friends in America. Relay For Life has always meant something to me, because I do it in memory of my Auntie Pauline, but never did I imagine it would mean as much as it does now.
In August, Devon, Robyn, Stevie and I went to visit Barry, Anna and the boys in Minnesota. A return trip to Madeline Island (see earlier post) was utterly amazing, and Stevie and the girls finally understood why I love this place so much. An action-packed holiday with fantastic weather in a stunning location, spending time with those I love was undoubtedly the best 11 days of the year. My only wish was that James should be there, and I hope he gets the chance to visit them soon.
Less than 36 hours after our return from the States, our world was turned upside down, with news that Barry had taken ill. My healthy super-active brother became so poorly within two days, we could barely take it in. Within four days of diagnosing a brain tumour, he had surgery, successfully removing it entirely, though the biopsy showed that it was particularly aggressive and he would need radiotherapy and chemo. My world fell apart. My little brother who has guided me so well over the last few years, was now seriously ill, many many miles away in America. Ironically, that distance means that he has the best care in the world, as the medics in Minnesota are amongst the best in the world. Barry writes an incredible blog (link at side of this page) which is a must read and tells of his experiences since his illness took hold in September. His positive attitude is a complete inspiration, as is the amazing way that Anna, my wonderful sister-in-law, has coped with everything. Her strength is immeasurable, and they have both made sure that things remain as normal as possible for Patrick and Richard.
James, Devon and Robyn gave me many reasons to smile throughout the year - James finished college and got himself a job at Nissan and became Men's Doubles Champion at Boldon Golf Club, Devon exceeded at school with her exam results and stunned us all when she stood for election as Head Girl, and Robyn entertained us throughout the year with her singing, dancing and ultimately acting as she played Alice, in Wonderland, obviously, in the school production.
After a lovely Christmas, seeing lots of our far-flung family, I got a phone call just before New Year, from Barry with encouraging news from his latest MRI, which meant that the surgery we'd steeled ourselves for, wasn't immediately needed. A huge relief, as this means Barry can continue with current treatment, without the added complications of further operations. I cannot tell you how much that means to be going into a new year with such a positive feeling, and having hope that 2011 would turn things around for our family.
And that is how I want to finish my post, on a positive note,reflecting on a difficult year, one which shook our family to the core, then with the help of amazing friends, knitted a huge warm blanket to wrap around Barry and Anna, Patrick and Richard.
Wishing all who may read this a happy and healthy New Year
with lots of love
Michelle xx
This year when we made our toasts at Christmas and again at New Year, it seemed more meaningful and I thought it best to leave out the 'wealth' bit, it's rather pointless really. I've always thought Mam and Dad to be lucky that they haven't had 'sickly' kids, and that Barry and I have breezed through life with only measles and chicken pox to deal with. 2010 had other ideas, and New Year's Eve 2009 brought me a letter to say I needed a biopsy following a checkup. To cut a painful story short, I had a near miss, and thanks to amazing staff at the QE, Gateshead, after two biopsies and intensive treatment, I was given the all-clear. It knocked me for six knowing I was so close to cancer, and Stevie, my family and incredible friends kept me sane throughout. I'm not counting my chickens just yet, as it's less than a year, but I consider myself one of the lucky ones, and my candle at the Relay this year said just that.
That brings me nicely to our Relay For Life, the Cancer Research event that has become a big part of my life over the last 5 years. This year was bigger than any other,more of my family came along, and our team put on the Mini Challenge, which was great fun, with more than 20 people squashing inside Stevie's car! Another highlight was Robyn singing Hero on stage, bringing about tears for most of us. 20 hours of tears and laughter helped us to raise more than £50,000 and this time my Relay Diary went around the world thanks to Relay friends in America. Relay For Life has always meant something to me, because I do it in memory of my Auntie Pauline, but never did I imagine it would mean as much as it does now.
In August, Devon, Robyn, Stevie and I went to visit Barry, Anna and the boys in Minnesota. A return trip to Madeline Island (see earlier post) was utterly amazing, and Stevie and the girls finally understood why I love this place so much. An action-packed holiday with fantastic weather in a stunning location, spending time with those I love was undoubtedly the best 11 days of the year. My only wish was that James should be there, and I hope he gets the chance to visit them soon.
Less than 36 hours after our return from the States, our world was turned upside down, with news that Barry had taken ill. My healthy super-active brother became so poorly within two days, we could barely take it in. Within four days of diagnosing a brain tumour, he had surgery, successfully removing it entirely, though the biopsy showed that it was particularly aggressive and he would need radiotherapy and chemo. My world fell apart. My little brother who has guided me so well over the last few years, was now seriously ill, many many miles away in America. Ironically, that distance means that he has the best care in the world, as the medics in Minnesota are amongst the best in the world. Barry writes an incredible blog (link at side of this page) which is a must read and tells of his experiences since his illness took hold in September. His positive attitude is a complete inspiration, as is the amazing way that Anna, my wonderful sister-in-law, has coped with everything. Her strength is immeasurable, and they have both made sure that things remain as normal as possible for Patrick and Richard.
James, Devon and Robyn gave me many reasons to smile throughout the year - James finished college and got himself a job at Nissan and became Men's Doubles Champion at Boldon Golf Club, Devon exceeded at school with her exam results and stunned us all when she stood for election as Head Girl, and Robyn entertained us throughout the year with her singing, dancing and ultimately acting as she played Alice, in Wonderland, obviously, in the school production.
After a lovely Christmas, seeing lots of our far-flung family, I got a phone call just before New Year, from Barry with encouraging news from his latest MRI, which meant that the surgery we'd steeled ourselves for, wasn't immediately needed. A huge relief, as this means Barry can continue with current treatment, without the added complications of further operations. I cannot tell you how much that means to be going into a new year with such a positive feeling, and having hope that 2011 would turn things around for our family.
And that is how I want to finish my post, on a positive note,reflecting on a difficult year, one which shook our family to the core, then with the help of amazing friends, knitted a huge warm blanket to wrap around Barry and Anna, Patrick and Richard.
Wishing all who may read this a happy and healthy New Year
with lots of love
Michelle xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)