Day 31: 4 days to half term

Monday morning. Once again I ignored my alarm clock for far longer than was sensible, and skulked into work.

Morning briefing, and I still had to print off my stuff for first period. Whoops. I got it all sorted out, and went up to meet year 7. The little darlings. We did a bit of "assessment for learning" whereby I showed them a piece of writing, they analysed it, graded it, and talked about what could be improved. It's impressive to see year 7s grasping concepts that year 9 have difficulty with. I told them that they would be writing a written assessment themselves next lesson and let them plan what they were going to say.

I was then free until year 11 last period. I spent the day preparing their lesson (another speaking and listening task, as they weren't great at the last one) and sorting out other such fun things. I also finally marked the media coursework from the two boys who had stayed after school (one got an E, the other a low D.)

I had my meeting with my mentor in period 4, and was relieved to hear that the advice I had given the year 10s re: finishing their coursework over half term wasn't bad. We also talked at length about Cheryl Cole's performance on X Factor, and eventually the bell went for last period.

Year 11 were somewhat irritating. I set them up in groups for a speaking and listening task based on Carol Ann Duffy's poem Stealing, and hopefully it'll work tomorrow. I'll have to make sure they all speak enough that I can mark them; haven't really worked out how I'll be able to mark them if they're doing it all at once. Anyway, their behaviour was pretty crap. Last lesson is always tricky, especially with this group, and K was being infuriating. I moved him for constantly talking and he was so so insolent to me, eventually running out the door when the bell went. I can't be bothered to detail the crap he was pulling all lesson, but he was being a little bugger and I just couldn't be bothered with him.

I was relieved when the day finished, but now I have only 4 days left - thank god - till half term. HURRAH.

One nice thing that happened was these girls from my year 10 group came to ask me about the coursework - my colleague, who had taught them the year before, asked them if I was good and they were polite enough to say so. How embarrassing. It was sweet though.