The Days of Reflection
Day 20 – Half term
On Friday I broke up for half term like many other teachers across the country. 7 weeks of the Spring term are now complete and I’m looking forward to one week of rest.
Rest may be a strong term to use as I’ll be marking coursework and planning for the next half term ahead. I’ll be setting some longer and shorter term targets and of course… getting excited about Science week!
One thing I want to reflect on today though is how I have felt about this past half term. It may help me in the future when I come to plan.
I may be generalizing here but at the start of the term I noticed some resistance from students wanting to learn. They often confessed that they still wanted to be on Christmas break and not at school. For them the festive season was over too quickly. From my point of view I was filled with anticipation. I was returning from maternity leave. I hadn’t taught a class in over a year and I wanted to make a good start with my classes.
I had another challenge to face. Whilst on maternity leave, my cover had been I’ll and my classes had been subject to many different supply teachers. Despite the supply being of high quality, some students felt frustrated as they did not have a permanent class teacher who was interested in their long term goals.
At the end of this term I think I have done well. My students are responding to my teaching. I know this because they work harder than when I first started teaching them. I know this because when I give them praise they smile: I offer praise only when it has been earned. Some student have even approached me with glee that they achieved above their target grade on a test. It’s moments like this that I hold on to when I’m having any self doubt.
I need to remember why I have done well. What have I done to achieve this?
- I’ve kept positive and calm when my students were testing their boundaries
- I’ve marked students’ books and encouraged my them to take pride in their work.
- I’ve set regular focussed homework
- I’ve made an effort to get to know my students.
- I’ve reflected on my lessons and returned to difficult topics to aid in understanding.
It’s hard to say if next term I will have a similar experience. It is a short term of only 4 weeks. However, during this time my GCSE students will be finishing their final topics. Revision will become the norm for their lessons. They will realise (if not already) that it is their work that will determine the outcome of their exams. Some students will work harder than others and I will need to identify those who are struggling so I can intervene. The next term will be busy. But I am strong enough to face the challenge ahead.
How have you felt after the past half term? Let me know in the comments.