Monday 12 May 2008

Too much to do...

... too little time.

Remind me to say no....

Not that it would have done me much good today really. Have just decided to stop working and go to bed, but lessons are unplanned, resources incomplete, work unmarked and I am not entirely sure how I will cope tomorrow. Do I set myself targets which are too high? Undoubtedly. Do I find it impossible to lower the bar for myself? Definitely. given all that, how does one fit a quart into a pint pot? There's just too much that needs to be done in order to do my job well. Marking writing from my Y8 pupils today I feel I have failed. But the reality has to be not that I have failed, because I have been focusing on other, equally valid things (reading, interpreting, enjoying language, for examples). I just haven't been focusing on getting them to write in a way that enables them to pass tests. I don't want to teach that way. To do it, it seems, I would have to devote a couple of hours each week just to passing tests. That's not waht studing English is about. Not for me, anyway. But that is why I have a backlog of marking (because I don't prioritise assessment; I prioritise planning and discussion and talking to pupils and doing things.) I tend to leave assessments for when I am out of school and need some suitable work to leave. Then I mark it (eventually!)
But I still have 10 pieces of written work to mark before first lesson tomorrow. I also have work to photocopy for the same lesson. I have a Mths lesson to prepare (a unit I have never taught before, with the sketchiest of outlines of what i am supposed to cover). I am on a course on Wednesday so have to leave work - and that is incomplete at the moment. I am being observed on thursday afternoon and am not entirely convinced I am ready for that lesson either. Time to list and prioritise I think.... Maybe time to seek some reassurance tomorrow as well.
ugh!

3 comments:

Made by Mandy said...

Hi C

"given all that, how does one fit a quart into a pint pot?"

You don't honey. What you do is buy a bigger sized pot. :>)

Hope tomorrow is less demanding on you or you buy a big enough pot to bury all the stuff in.

Disillusioned said...

Thanks, Mandy. Love the idea of burying it all. Given thepile of papers I have in front of me, I could literally do it!

Kathryn said...

Burnt them and blame the Holy Spirit! After all, Sunday was Pentecost.
Do hope today is less demanding..and I'm here if you want, still praying x