Testing…

Gloss, Probe, e-asTTle and the list goes on. Wow! I’m sorry, you want me to keep teaching my students and test each child individually across atleast three different curriculum areas all at the same time? Oh sure! Not a problem…

What a busy couple of weeks. I would never had made it through with out the amazing support and help from the best co-teacher in the world, Belinda.  Together we have planned and organised who would do what, when and how.  There has been very little pressure put on me and a huge amount of support from my team and others outside my team.  Doing the testing has actually been very enjoyable for me. It’s been very useful in terms of having one on one time with each person in the class and you get to see them in a different light for a moment. While it has seemed like there was just so much to do, I have managed and I think I have done everything I needed to do.  I am sure I will soon find out if I haven’t.  I realise I am very lucky to have a second teacher in the class who is able to test her groups which leaves me with more time to get mine done but I think this will set me up well for the future.  Starting with fewer has allowed me the time to spend more time on them and become more familiar with what it is I am doing.  I have found it very hard to keep up with ‘normal teaching’ at the same time but have done the best that I can for a first timer.  I am looking forward to getting report writing underway in the next couple of weeks as well as being scared at the same time. So many children, so many things to report on and so many things to consider. But again I can feel calm in the knowledge that my team are amazing and will support me 100%.

Week Eight

Knowing that I have finished all the testing I needed has made this week a lot more calm. It has been great to be able to celebrate with students as their learning moves upwards.  This has been a spring board into new learning this week because students are feeling so positive about their success.  I have been able to more energy into my group work and this has been enjoyable for both myself and the students.  Report writing will be happening this coming weekend and I’m feeling both excited and apprehensive.  I’m so glad that their will be two of us doing the report writing together. It just means I can ask questions and get feedback straight away and Belinda knows the students too so we can use both our thoughts and ideas. 

I’m extremely happy to be staying on at Huapai School for the rest of the year. Originally I was only here until the end of this term which would have meant I would be currently looking for a job. I really enjoy being here and feel as though I fit.  I’m beginning to feel much more confident and can see that I am making progress with not only my own practice but that the children are doing some great learning and moving towards their goals. There is still a lot I need to improve and that will never change, but I can see the areas I need to work on and the areas I do well in much clearer than before.  It’s hard to believe that eight weeks have already gone and I know the next three weeks will fly by, particularly while the report writing is happening.