A new year, a new beginning!

My first ever day 1 of term 1. Amazing – so good to have children. PD was fantastic and putting some of what we talked about into practice is great. Loving having to have to think not just do, loving the adaptability I’ve found from somewhere – didn’t stick rigidily to a plan when it didn’t suit the kids. Such a difference in groups of children some who have done 2 terms and others none. All in all a great day!

Week 1

An exhausting week! Fantastic to re-affirm the relationships established from last year and to start building deeper ones with other children I didn’t mentor very much last year. Some real characters in my mentor group and I hope by spending the time now establishing routines and setting expectations that they will soon understand how things will work!

Itching to get started with “real learning” which is silly as building relationships and routines is learning for them and the “real learning” can’t actually happen until these things are set up. Plan for week 2 is to start easing them into the WoRM subjects which is quite exciting. Have to keep reminding myself that most children have only been at school for 2 terms and so don’t have the skills (yet) of some of those who have gone to Coronet.

Must also focus on learning parents’ names and contacting them for the good their children do.

Love the learning centres but do feel that we need to structure them more although a couple of readings on the benefits of play based learning keep popping up in my head and I probably discount much of the learning as it doesn’t seem structured, they can’t be learning…hmm, must get over this!!