This is quite a big week for me, as I'm going to be critically observed teaching a lesson, near the end of it. I will be required to be all singing, all dancing, stimulating, motivating and entertaining, while also getting information across to the pupils. As you might guess, this will be no mean feat! I am presently working hard to try and produce a lesson with bells and whistles on it, but that in itself will not be enough, I still have to deliver it with panache, and then of course there is the one truly unpredictable factor... the kids!
In preparation for this, since there are in-sevice days today and tomorrow, I was given the opportunity to travel to another school today, and to hear from an experienced teacher, how they were getting results. This particular teacher had taken it upon themselves to completely change the way they taught, and had basically shifted then entire emphasis from themselves on to the pupils. This combined with the introduction of a competitive edge to every aspect of the work, meant that the pupils had taken repsonsibility for their own learning. The pupils operated as teams against each other, to be the best, even berrating each other for not revising! Additionally, there was a no homework policy in place. I thought "ingenious... I will steal every scrap I can from this".
I've also been considering my position vis a vis my ISP. I've been with them for 4 years now, and although I can't complain about the service, a certain other ISP is offering a much more attractive package than the one I'm currently on. So, change is imminent all around it would seem!
