Up at silly o’clock again today, planning to set out super early to get to school on time. Then a phone call, good news. No, not a snow day. (I’ve never had a snow day as a teacher, a few snow afternoons, but even they are rare, despite what you see on the news.) As expected, school was open, but luckily for me, we were starting rather later than normal. So instead of a brisk walk to the tram stop and heading straight for school, I had the chance to linger over a cup of coffee with Mr TLC.
I couldn’t resist stopping off in Weston Park, which was simply jaw-droppingly beautiful in the snow. I felt as if I’d wandered through the door to Narnia. Well, Narnia with a few photographers – I wasn’t the only one enjoying the views.
School was strangely quiet, even as the time appraoched for our late opening. For some reason a local radio station had mistakenly announced that we were closed, so classes were smaller than usual. It was like being in one of those videos that we get shown on training days from time to time, the type of video where you find yourself thinking, ‘Those kids look very keen, but where have they hidden the rest of the class?’ I decided I very much like teaching small classes, it was great.
Not a bad journey home either, time flies when you’re lost in a book. And we got the car dug out without too much effort. (Teaching part of tomorrow at primary school and travelling back to the main site straight afterwards might prove to be something of a challenge without it.)
All in all, it’s been a rather splendid day. And you?
Back to school for me tomorrow (Thursday). I will have a full classroom though. No snow. No rain. Quite pleasant weather. Worse, the kids have their high school entrance exams next week, so will have to hit the floor running.
Enjoy the snow.
Very much like Narnia and good to be able to take the time for a wander.
“appraoched”? I can tell you are a Maths/IT specialist!!!!
Are you aware that the statue of Eliott is none other than Ebenezer Elliott – the Corn Laws Rhymer and arguably the greatest poet that Sheffield has ever produced – apart from me of course!
I agree with you about small classes. Forget all the other bollix and OFSTED reports etc.. what state schools need if they are truly going to advance results – is smaller classes as in the Tory private schools that infect our nation.
Many independent schools have class sizes equal to or larger than some state schools these days YP.
Round here primary schools have 24 or fewer children per class, often with a full time TA, as well as TAs for children who need extra support.
I was in a state school recently where there were 4 adults (teacher plus 3 TAs) in a class of 23 Year 6s!
I regularly work in an independent school which has 26 children in Y4 and Y6 and 24 in the other KS2 classes.
Classes can also be too small. 16-18 is the optimum, IMHO.
Will: I know the feeling, my Y10 have GCSE module exams in just over a week. Lots of them away. Still, I had a great lesson with the ones that made it in.
YP: Whats wrong with “appraoched”? Looks like a perfectly good wrod to me.
I’ve been meaning to blog about Mr Ebenezer Elliot for a while, but I don’t seem to ever quite get around to it. Maybe I should attempt it in verse?
BW: I agree that 16-18 is an excellent size, I’ve been teaching groups of that size in some of our primary schools – it’s amazing what a difference it makes. Sadly most of my classes are (usually) much larger than that.