The unexpected!

On the ferry to Seacombe we were just catching a few rays and chilling out when we noticed a family having a religious ceremony over the other side of the deck. On a very windy day they were attempting to scatter the ashes of a loved one over the side of the boat. It wasn't proving easy due to the gale blowing and the bunch of noisy teenagers cavorting around. Some of the ashes went into the river but just as many were scattered over the family themselves! I think I would rather have looked at the weather forecast and waited for a calmer day myself! Not quite what I expected on a day out!

winding kids up

One of my favourite things to do is wind kids up! Yesterday I had a music lesson in Widnes. So, I taught them how to play "Oh when the saints" on the glockenspiel! Why no? It's  a religious piece of music  isn't it? It was hilarious! They took it in great spirit and gave it their best shot! I have loved it back in Widnes! The age of the kids is perfect for me. Aged 9-10 they are old enough to cope with humour but young enough to have respect! I hope they ask me back!

punishments

Today was a wild one in school! It wasn't just my class. Everyone said the same thing. I have a theory about windy days winding the kids up. Plus, wet lunchtime does not help! Also we are left with pathetic punishments like " Copy out of the dictionary!". In my day it was kneel on the coconut matting under the head's desk! I remember one teacher who used to put his giant set squares to good use. The offender had to wear them on his ears (always a bad boy!) and be paraded round the school for mass humiliation! The worst one was when the teacher lined us all up for the cane outside his room. I was last and had wet myself by the time it was my turn. Out they came one by one clutching their palms, faces grimacing in pain. I went in to discover it was a ploy and he only hit the desk! I am still traumatised to this day!

What about you? Any classic punishments inflicted on you that you would like to share?

Weekends

I believe that I have experienced a weekend for the first time in five years! I had the Friday feeling and now I am going through the Sunday evening feeling! Not having worked full-time for 5 years I had forgotten those feelings and what a real weekend is! True I have only done one week so far but they want me back next week too! So now I am getting the Sunday roast and ironing shirts in preparation for another full week at the chalk face! Well, not quite as we haven't used chalk for some time! I have coped well with one full week and the next one is followed by a week's holiday. Let's see if I am still in one piece at the end of this one!

Enjoyment

At the moment I am really enjoying myself! I am in a lovely school with super kids for 2 whole weeks. I know all their names and we are having a ball. Today we had Peruvian visitors and I did a Spanish lesson. At the end of it the kids could converse with them. So authentic! I have a lovely teacher in the other class to help with planning and a fab T.A. too. Who could ask for more? It's assignments like this that make the rotten ones fade from my memory!

Also, the prospect of two full weeks' wages is wonderful! Having worked just one day in April I was losing the will to live. Now things are on the up. If I make a good impression in this school there might be more work there. I hope so!

I had a bit of a shock though. One of the teachers is a former pupil of mine! Boy do I feel ancient!

What is it about parents?

What is it about parents being blind to their children's faults? Why do they believe every word that their children tell them? How come they are always the victims as far as their parents are concerned?

Today I was teaching a toe rag who gives as good as he gets. He goes out to dad with a sob story about being bullied. Utter rubbish! He had his dad hook, line and sinker. I met him yesterday and sussed him out as a lying toe rag with a persecution complex! I soon informed his dad of how he retaliated or went on to instigate bullying on others. As soon as I met dad I realised from where he had learnt his talent. What a big ignorant thug he was. He had no respect for any of the female teachers he spoke to, including the head! Like father, like son!

You know you're a catholic when.....

Oh dear! Catholic guilt has spoiled my day! I realise that being a supply teacher has a touch of the vampires about it! I hang around waiting for people to be sick so I can work in their place! I am delighted to hear that the class teacher I am in for this week is off till half term! However, good old catholic guilt slips in to the equation and I feel bad at her expense! I should be used to it by now! I suppose I should look a t it a different way. I am minding her class for her and giving continuity until she returns fit and well but I can't help the guilt. It is inbred in us catholics and we can't shake it off no matter what!

We feel the urge to genuflect on our way to our theatre seat and we have to confess our sins as we can't hold them in! Someone said on May 4th Star Wars style:" May the 4th be with you" and I had to reply: "and also with you" like the sign of peace!

Must go and say the rosary before bed!

Beautiful UK

I have not blogged in ages! Maybe because there were only 7 days in April that I could have worked and I did only one day! Just when I started to panic I got a call for the rest of the week in Y4, so watch this space!

In the meantime I have been away with friends walking in Wales! How beautiful is the UK! We so do not need to go abroad! Angelsey is a particular favourite of mine! The coastal walks are stunning! It is especially good going with a big group of friends! You cannot get fed up of people when you can chat with dozens each day! One guy who goes, bless him, will chat with you for a while and later in the day you catch up to him again and he tries to continue the conversation you were having a few hours ago! How does he remember? He is the one who helped our evening sing-a-long keep going by telling truly awful jokes! He has a memory for things that really should be long forgotten! He often says to me that he never expected to still be single at his age and I am too diplomatic to say that I am not in the least surprised that that is the case!

We had quite a mixed bunch of people on our weekend away! One person that I find quite boring myself turned out to be a superstar and I like it when people surprise me in a good way. One friend was particularly inebriated and pronounced that he loved us all and if he died that night he would die a happy man! Following this he smashed a glass and tipped a packet of crisps on the floor!

The funniest thing during the weekend was a DVD of a group of men queueing for the toilet, holding on like Michael Jackson does and dancing Riverdance. It may be on you tube. It was absolutely hilarious! Much laughter took place over the weekend and although I didn't sleep well I had a great time. Today I prayed that the phone would not ring to do supply! Luckily it didn't and I had a good rest! I am glad I did as now I am working for the rest of the week! Hopefully I will have some blogworthy stories to tell by Friday!

Catch you soon!