Rest and Relaxation

During the Vietnam war, the Americans realised that their troops needed not only frequent breaks from the conflict, but also needed to know when they would be taking "time off" from the battlefield (R&R).

Teachers are the same.  We plan towards the breaks at the end of each term, most of us arriving at the due time and date absolutely exhausted.

I managed to get the reports completed yesterday at 3:30.  The usual last minute scramble to find missing teacher comments and competence sheets.  I was supposed to be teaching from 2 'til 3, but C volunteered to take my class while I got the reports corrected and reprinted.  We wouldn't have got them finished by the deadline otherwise.  Thanks C, you saved the day, enjoy the choccies.

Since I started this new responsibility of Reports and Relief, I've found out a lot about my colleagues.  Some are incredibly helpful, most are pretty efficient, completing all stages of a set task by the agreed deadline, and some are a bit lackadaisical, completing their tasks at, or soon after the deadlines.

There are also 1 or 2 who just ignore all the rules and do as they see fit.  They see nothing wrong with the students playing their i-pods in class, or students not wearing uniform, or swearing at their students, or getting their reports ready by the agreed date, or getting their comments proof-read, or getting their form class to complete their self-assessment sheets. I would think that some form of counselling is required, or the application of a big stick.  Or fire the buggers for not reaching professional standards, there is at least one who I think deserves to get the chop.  I hear his classes are a shambles, that their is no overall plan and the kids in the classes are not progressing in their learning and will probably not be passing their assessments next term.  He's a nice enough guy, but I really wonder if he's a real teacher.  Has anyone actually checked his references?  I'd give him one more warning then if no improvement is seen, chop.

Farce

ManofErrors arrived to take his pre-arranged classics trip with his senior pupils.  This is true dedication.  A new baby at home, with a (probably) exhausted wife, yet he came back into school to take his pupils.  Unfortunately, the day before, the powers that be had decided to cancel the trip, and had so informed the pupils.  No one informed MoE (the person, not the Ministry), so no one discovered that he had actually booked and pre-paid for a meal at a Wellington restaurant.  So the trip was suddenly back on, and I had to scramble around and find a reliever to cover for the other teacher who was suddenly needed to accompany the trip.  It was a comedy of errors (note the play on MoE's user name), which I am sure that Basket Maker could turn into a traditional farce with little change.

The bad thing I find about these holidays is the change in routine.  All term I've been getting up at 5:30, leaving at 6:30, and I know that for at least the first week I'll be continuing with the same routine, waking at 5:30 every morning, and almost impossible to get back to sleep.  Then at the end of the second week, just as I've got used to sleeping in until about 8 or 9, I'll have to get back to the 5:30 start.  Bugger.

Never mind, I've got these 2 weeks to look forward to, no kids, no planning and no bloody relief.

Have fun.

I plan to.