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Hey! Is it just me or did this term race by? Even just the fact it’s already July is gobsmacking (I really must stop using the old “just back from London” line that I’ve been saying since December! 🤣
So, thoughts and take-aways on the term?
This is a tricky one. A couple of things that spring to mind are polar opposites; kids can be great; and kids can be really terrible sometimes. I’ve really enjoyed some of my relieving days this term, especially a couple of days I got to spend in Drama and a brilliant day I had with a Year 5 class. On these occasions, I felt like I found my stride and really connected with the students and moved their learning forward. But then on the flipside, I’ve also had some crappy days where students have been disrespectful and I've left at the end of the day feeling pretty down.
I think my biggest take-away is just being cognizant of how much of an impact classroom culture has on learning and the whole experience of being at school. It was quite an eye-opener seeing how different routines and behaviour expectations varied between classes and how much more enjoyable it was to teach when students were on board and moving forward in the same direction.
So this may just feel like a week to ‘get through’ but I’d like to pose that it is a chance to take a minute to notice, recognise and respond to what your classroom culture is looking like right now. Are students motivated? Do they take ownership of their actions and their learning? How do they interact with one another? Is the classroom a place where they feel safe, respected and empowered?
They always say rugby is a game of two halves, right? So if you don’t feel like you’ve got the winning team dynamics right now, why not take this opportunity to reset expectations with your students so that you hit Term 3 ready to learn, ready to tackle anything that’s been slipping, and ready to take on the world together!
Catch you after the holidays! Ka kite anō!
Until next time!
Be purposeful teachers
Who are in control
Feel inspired
And know they've done enough.
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