Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Nothing on TV

I've just sat through something about two crazed dogs who like sex and weeing too much. They were tamed by a stern looking woman. Now it's time for Super Nanny, who will endeavour to do the exact same thing; this time with children.

What are the bbc trying to say? mmmmm?

GO KARTING!


So we went Go karting.
Check out the information here
Look at the pictures here!



















Friday, August 26, 2005

I'm not the only one....

Copy this link into your browser:


http://www.tes.co.uk/section/staffroom/
thread.aspx?messagePage=1&path=%2fOpinion%2f&story_id=2124959

On the subject of easy exams

Yesterday, thousands of pupils across the country received their GCSE results. As usual the press endeavoured to undermine the hard work that had gone into these exams by telling the world that the examinations were easy and that employers didn't think that pupils with these GCSEs were able to read and write. A man I had previously harboured great respect for (Mr Tomlinson) even suggested that you could get a GCSE in English without the basic skills of literacy.

Several thoughts crossed my mind during this rather busy day:

1. Most of the pupils I know who are leaving school at 16 to seek employment are doing so because there GCSE results look like this:

Art: E
English:G
Maths: F
Science: U
etc....

These are the pupils who have been failed by an education system that didn't suit them or their needs. Or who were too damn lazy (and far too busy being cool) to bother. These are the children who may have problems with basic literacy and numeracy. These are the pupils that you might have to re-train when they arrive at your door. (the kind of pupils who go on to work in sports shops and write signs like "Sale on wimins tops"
If you were looking to employ someone with Gs and Fs surely you would realise that ( in some cases) you might be faced with an issue. Employers can't seriously be suggesting that someone with a C grade GCSE cannot write or read extremely well. That just isn't possible.

There is a problem perhaps with the subject matter chosen in English. We don't, for example, teach pupils the correct way to write reports, present data and facts, write a business proposal, classify and order stock etc. They can write a letter to the head explaining why they think they should do a Saturday job but (and this is where I used to agree with Tomlinson) we should have some more relevant subject matter for the young adults about to leave and join the world of employment.

2. The examinations are NOT getting easier. The goal posts have changed a little (I mean grade boundaries) but the exams are not easier. In fact the amount of information my students have to remember and work through for their examination is frighteningly high. The exam, in my view, should be testing them on their ability to analyse a poem or another text. I try and give the pupils the skills to do that even if the poem is unseen. In fact, why don't they have to write an analysis of an unseen poem? Instead, in class, they cover over 45 poems and have to write an essay on just 5 of them.

The teaching is improving. I am certain of that. I am worried however that these pupils who do achieve high grades (I can only talk about English)and are leaving with a C grade or higher don't have the skills suggested by their certificate. If I asked them to write an essay about an aspect of a novel, gave them 4 weeks to read the book, analyse the passage and do some research on the author and the SHC would they would look at me in horror and ask: Can't we read the book together? Haven't you got a worksheet that highlights the important bits in the passage? Can't you just tell me about the author and the SHC? Have you got an essay plan? Can you give me the first line of each paragraph? Etc...

Perhaps the reason why a lot of pupils are leaving schools with excellent grades and very few skills is partly due to the amount of pressure applied on teachers and Heads to gain those grades. At the end of the day, as I keep protesting, a Grade means very little if it isn't your grade. I would much rather a student get a C because they are able to do those things listed above to a certain level than do all the running around for them. I don't want to take the magic out of their experience and hand them a piece of paper with a grade on it which tells them more about how much they can remember and glean from me than it does about the skills they possess in English.

Take the pressure off. Look at society and work out why we're in a mess. By cheating aren't we undermining the hard work of the pupils who really can achieve an A* all by themselves?
Well done 11A1;)

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Round of applause and great big rossette for Year 11


English LIterature:
6 As
11 Bs
10cs
1 d

English Language:

2 A*s
3As
12Bs
10Cs
1 Ds

They did really well and derserve a special mention today. Bless them, some of them were too scared to look for a while lol.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Revealing Mr Bogus

something to talk about


Will Ant look as sulky as this when asked to wear a suit everyday at his new job?
Will Ross wear this hair cut at his wedding?
Isn't Span cute? Is she going to kill me?

Comment away ;)

Two weeks 'till the new term kicks off again.

LOF's back at work today. I woke up with him and ended up starting my own work for school. I was a little sad last night as I realised that the holiday was starting to come to an end and I would have to return to "work" in just 14 days.

In truth I am dreading returning as I have no idea how I am going to respond or indeed survive another 12 months; especially if it is allowed to follow the same pattern as the last 12. I do have some amazing colleagues and some pretty remarkable students who are very good at reminding me why it is that I love this job so much.

Several outsiders have told me to change careers, it might be easier. The truth is I can't see myself doing anything else at the moment. The only time I will stop teaching is when I have little ones of my own to look after. I really enjoy being around the kids and I can't think of another job which would ever come close to be as rewarding.

It is a shame that I have been unable to find a place to work where everyone within the establishment who has power and control sees the pupils as something as precious as I do. It is a shame that the government are putting pressure on what is not as important (results) as the rest of the skills that pupils learn when their in my classroom. It equally a shame that certain individuals are allowed to run their 'business' --> I am convinced that's how it's seen.--> with a tyrannical and unsympathetic ear.. indeed possibly with their eyes wide shut.

I am determined to return to work as positive as I can be. I can't allow the shinny happy teacher to disappear just because someone got it all horribly wrong. I don't need to make them understand because those who matter already know. I'll just carry on learning, developing and making the choices that I think will benefit everyone in the long term.

Only 2 weeks to go. Here's hoping that academic year 05/06 is much more fulfilling and happy that 04/05. lol

Friday, August 19, 2005

Ready for the boring slide show?



Having discovered that I can only drink half a pint of Guinness and still stay standing and that I can't type for toffee on those blackberry thingys I thought that, now I'm back home and sat at my own PC, it may be time to write about my holiday.

I have had a lovely time with LOF in Dublin, Ireland and I am very sad that the playfighting, Guinness drinking and strolling around town are over. We have strolled around pretty much all of Dublin City Centre over the last few days and I've thoroughly enjoyed our time spent alone.

Our first day led to the discovery that the people of Ireland aren't all small. In fact, according to this statue, this guy was even taller than Matt! (no mean feat - I enjoyed the thought that Matt might know what it feels like for me when I look up into his eyes!)

This is one of the many statues and pieces of art that I mentioned yesterday. It's one of the ways in which the Dubliners seem to keep alive their history and cultural identity. This is obviously a record of the day on which an incredibly tall man came to Dublin and drank the 10 million pints of Guinness produced everyday all by himself. (Sorry, no he did save one for Lord of the House and Bogus)

As one such Dubliner said to me whilst I sat waiting for LOF to come out of the toilet. "Ah you might as well be in Birmingham as to Dublin, it's all the same really" I think he was talking about how we all spoke the same language and had similar cultural identities. I asked him what the Guiness stockhouse was like and he said he'd been loads of times. I guess, therefore, that the Guinness Stockhouse is to Dubliner what Cadbury's world is to us Brummies! This beautiful fountain was disappointingly made of neither chocolate or Guinness but it was still pretty cool and was one of the ways in which the exhibition persuaded us that Guinness was good for you. It does have water in it you know!

The tour was quite fun; we got to stand inside a giant barrel and everything! We saw all of the old Guinness adverts and looked at the old Guinness artifacts like a bottle of the stuff that was still intact after surving the Easter rising (Still wouldn't want to drink it though) and a collection of beer Mats through the ages. I was some what disapointed to discover that there was no cadabra style lepricorn ride but other than that it was spot on! As I mentioned yesterday, that latter part of the tour was spent drinking the 'liquid gold' and propping me up as we walked around the gift shop!

On our way out I spotted this sign, I took a picture of it and I'm planning to set it as Matt's desktop (to replace the semi naked Mrs Solice). Anyone who would like to remind their other halves of this self same idea please ask and I will send you a copy ;). What this had to do with Guiness I know not but they were actually checking the workers cars for Guiness as they left the building. I kid ye not!

Dublin is full of beautiful parks. We stumbled into a few of them. The most famous one was this park (St Stephens) where the likes of Joyce, Yeats et al. all came to get inspiration for their work. It was really cool to be wandering around on the the turf of some of my literary heroes and I have to say a big thank you to LOF for indulging me by helping me hunt down Yeat's memorial garden, Joyce's head and for being very patient whilst I scrutinised every exhibition in the Irish Writers' Museum. I know that's not his thing and I'm not sure I'd have been able walk round a museum dedicated to .NET or VB. (I guess that day may come!) I would however be very happy to wander around a guitar museum with him.

So Cheers to Tony the pony, to SFS and to the Irish Whiskeys, Guinness and wine which made it all the more fun. A big thank you to LOF for financing our little trip. Without him we'd have been sat in sunny West Heath AGAIN. I had a marvelous time. The thing that made it the most amazing holiday in the world was this person right here. I think our cat agrees. PUUUURRRRRrrrrr.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

i think i saw a lepricorn!

I've just realised that, via the medium of LOF's fruity device, I can add an entry to my blog. It's tricky typing with these tiny keys so sorry about poor spelling etc.

I'm in Dublin at the moment. This is a truly facinating city and I have taken plenty of pictures to upoload when I get back.

Ireland is not really what I expected it to be. There aren't any lepricorns, people don't mention blarney stones and there isn't much rolling countryside where I'm sitting.(I know, we chose to come to a city!

The people here are emensley proud of their culture and history.There are statues and monuments everywhere to remind visitors of Ireland's troubled past. The rich cultural history is,of course, echoed by it's literary heritage. (Matt took me to the writer's museum today) and the Guiness tastes really different!

Those who know me well will realise that it might be dangerous to supply me with a pint of Guiness, but it comes free on the tour of the store house. What can you do? I tried to drink my first pint, I did enjoy it but it was so thick and filling, and of course it went straight to my head, that I had to drink it to just below the word draught on the glass and hand it over to Matt. I then proceeded to wander around the gift shop completly off my face (several times I teatered dangerously close to glasses!) It was a lot of fun though :) .
There is a lot of building work going on at the moment. Matt and I have been very amused by the fact that the pedestrian crossings make a noise, not dis-similar from a machine gun, when you cross the road.Perhaps this is another way of reminding visitors of that difficult past I mentioned earlier?

Any way my fingers are aching from the tinny tiny keys and I'll never be able to write it all down till I'm at home!

Until 2morrow!

Monday, August 15, 2005

Gym, burgers, paint and an airoplane to DUBLIN!

Not much to report today. Got up, went to the gym, came home and ate the biggest veggie burger ever (Well I'd already burned off those calories hadn't I?) Then proceeded to paint my front room. I've been looking for the perfect purple for 3 weeks now. Span found it, it was already painted in my office and I had loads of it left over in my attic... Then came the brilliant idea, the perfect cream was in my hall way (Checked - had some of that too!) The result? Two walls grey, two half walls purple, the other halves cream.


Now to some (My Mother - prime example) the thought of three such colours together in a room may fill you with dread; you may even be thinking that it might resemble a little lollipop. Instead, and LOF and I are most bemused by this, despite the colours being rather different to each other they work! They reflect each other as they go around the room and at night the room has a completely different mood to its day time reverie. Excellent.

Next plan is to create art work for the walls. I have bought canvas, wood (for a frame) and lots of tester pots of colours to complement perfect purple, cream and grey. These will be hung on the purple walls to tie the colours together. Then dye the throws Mocha/choca splash out on new curtains and a new carpet and voila! a newly decorated front room.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed though. I have worked hard today but the rest of the house is in a complete state. I am off on holiday tomorrow (The blog may well lie dormant until Friday) and LOF's mum and sis are coming to stay on Saturday. That gives me very little time to get my house in order. STRESS.. I know full well if I don't have the housework done by 4:00pm 2morrow then I shan't relax in DUBLIN!!!

I'm off to Dublin!!! I've never been before so this should be very exciting. I shall be sure to post lots of pictures upon my return (To be sure, to be sure)

So daily tedious report over.... Good night bloggers everywhere. Span (remember the oven will work when you get home!!! )

Google Earth

If you'd love to be James Bond and zoom in on any one around the world from the comfort of your own satellite then download Google Earth. It's amazing! I've just toured the Grand Canyon from this seat... that's right this one right here... In Birmingham :)

http://earth.google.com/

Sunday, August 14, 2005

The most beautiful garden

Last night I had the pleasure of being invited to a neighbour’s 60th B'day party. I had heard many rumours of how these neighbours were avid gardeners and that their garden was so beautiful that you wouldn't believe it if you saw it. I also heard that, as they had finished doing their garden they had bought half of their neighbour's garden and had done that up too and that they had built, in this new bit, A PUB!

Now you have to imagine that the gardens in this street are very long (35metres) and a little thin. They are typical 1930s houses with gardens ready to support a large allotment (For war purposes i think) In fact one of the neighbours was telling me that a man used to keep pigs in his garden during the war. I was very excited by this (wondering whether that means I could have pig now!) until he also told me that he used to drag them upstairs and slaughter them in the bathroom "Well he wasn't going to go without his bacon just because there was war on you know!" Crazy - Upset you can see the picture. My neighbour seemed surprised when I screamed and told him I could never live in that house, fearful for the sound of screaming piggies in the night (At that point I think he wanted run away from me very quickly!)
Anyway I digress....

So... With this massive amount of space there are a lot of things that you can chose to create. Just imagine what happens when you start buying up bits of your neighbours' gardens too.

I walked in and gave the birthday girl her pressie and card and was told that everyone was at the bottom of the garden (in the pub) so have a saunter, look at the plants and grab a drink. MY GOD! It takes ages to find the bottom and what a journey it is. This garden is a real dream, a secret dream. To look from the front of the house you would never guess that it had a summer house (in the middle) Two massive fish ponds (I mean the size of the swimming pool at LA Fitness) , a bridge, a giant snake carved out of wood, a pub - oh yes a pub and several greenhouses. It truly is beautiful and I am sure that if anyone from the Horticultural society could see it they would give it a gold medal!

It has taken 20 years to develop this garden, This pair have lived here all their life. The neighbours who used to live next door with their mum and 11 other brothers and sisters! (Unbelievable it's only a 3 bed house!) I can only wish that, if we're still here in 20 years, my garden will some day look somewhere near this one.

A big cheer for the residents across the road and their gardening efforts.. I'm impressed, amazed and in awe! I think we'll build a little something at the bottom of ours now ;)

Saturday, August 13, 2005

No more BB

bbtoons.co.uk
That's it! It's over :(

For the last few weeks I have been entertained by: the tantrums, the tears, the stalking and the evil behaviour of a bunch of individuals who were crazy! I have to admit that during the past 3 weeks I have had BB live and streaming through my television all day whilst Matt's been at work. I've found the chatting individuals to be a comfort in my quiet little house.

I wanted Eugene to WIN! I had a warm fuzzy feeling when we watched his best bits. No such feeling when watching Anthony's. He's such a sweetie, Don't you just want to mother him and teach him how to get a life outside Radio? lol


We watched the final with a slightly dodgy curry at Span's house. We were celebrating the arrival of this lovely sofa and were able to watch in a sheer comfort from the seat of the squishy, luxurious seat of the Davis/Kiloh Klan; some small comfort in the face of the next 3 weeks without BB.
:(

God I need to get a life. As one very well respected man told me yesterday "There are people actually praying that there won't EVER be another one!"

Thursday, August 11, 2005

I vant to Count!


If you scroll to the very bottom of the page (After you have read this of course) you will discover a long row of numbers. This is a counter which is logging how many people have visited my blog! So exciting! (Span if you want one remind me of your password and I'll add one)

Techno Boys (You know who you are) I know that it's lying behind the table, I know that it's not pretty and I am sure that the code is no where near as clever as anything you could write. However, it was free, it counts and it goes!! It's cool! ok?

God I have put loads on here today! I think the gadget allowing me to add pictures has spurred me on! No more hello required! Yeah! That, and I'm bored (I've even cleaned out the cupboard under the stairs for god's sake!)

update time

Now.. I think you'll note that earlier I stated that the floor would be down...
I forgot to upload this.....


Obviously since then the kitchen has begun to go in on top of the floor. This will make span laugh I think.... lol

:) and the whole world will :) with you



I forgot about my little mantra. Just reminded my self in a moment of subconsciencous brilliance. It kind of works you know.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Skip this one for sanity's sake.

Must reccomend the amazingly large portions of chocolate cake at Mugg and Bean in Town. (Birmingham town). MY GOD! The slice was so big that it satisfied the chocolate hunger pangs of three women! That's truly amazing.

I would also like to state that anyone who steals a saddle from a bike is clearly rather strange. They should apologise to Daz, return the aforementioned item and then kiss the ground he walks on! Don't they realise that is his only form of transport? Sad Brummie tea leaves!

Had a lovely luncheon today with pals from work. Met up on the spur of the moment after waking up to the illusive sounds of the pneumatic drills outside my house. Transco are searching for piping.

I should also take this opportunity to apologise to Lord of the Flame for my rather odd behaviour recently. I am feeling rather fragile at the moment. Haven't a clue why, me thinks it's work related and am finding it hard to be my normal cheery self. Keep hearing the harsh and evil words of someone who should know better going around and around in my head. I should choose not to listen, but something inside me instead chooses to analyse everything I do on the off chance that he is actually, somehow, secretly 100% correct . Pathethic and a form of self fulfilling prophesy. I was ok with it all; now I'm not. I don't know why but that's what's happened and no end of discussion, reassurance or kindness from my friends seems to help. Stupid me. Trapped again... Just after I found inner calm and peacefulness.

Colette would kill me for writing all of this negative stuff down. I’m supposed to write "I am a good person" and then list all of my positive attributes. I know what they are but I fear it is those positive attributes that have got me to where I am. I seem to think that the rest of the world thinks like me. Unfortunately they do not. That’s a hard lesson.

If it wasn't for the miracle of my students I would have cracked a long time ago. I don't have them to keep me smiling at the moment... Maybe that's the problem? I don't have their happy and enthusiastic faces to counteract all the crap that keeps repeating in my head. Voldemort is winning at the moment... I must fight on... I can not believe, nor will I allow myself to submit to his stupidity. That man can not be helped.

I don't want to walk away, those smiling, encouraging faces will be lost.... I'll end up doubting for ever... Unfortunately, unless things change that's exactly what I’ll have to do and I won't be waiting until I go to OZ.