1 week down - thoughts on the profession.

Six lessons done, and a day without lessons tomorrow! I feel so relieved by the idea that I will not be 'performing' again until Monday. It felt a bit like betrayal, this relief. Why am I putting so much effort into learning these skills if I counting down to the days when I am free to not use them?* Having discussed this matter with other teachers, it's not at all uncommon. It is shocking what a love-hate profession teaching is.

Today I had two classes, each made up of about 25 12/13 year olds, each looking at exactly the same topic. The first lesson involved a lot of voice raising, sighing, fighting against a sea of noise as students chattered and were silly and showed little interest in listening to me or each other. I sat them away from their friends and all they did was turn their chairs around and talk with their backs to me. When they finally left (I kept 8 in over break) I tidied up the chaotic mess that was left behind which included crumpled, torn worksheets and numerous paper aeroplanes.

I wasn't too despondent (I've seen this class with several different experienced teachers in several different subjects, and they caused havoc in over half the lessons) but I was very tired, and desperately seeking solutions so that it didn't happen again.

Then, in the last lesson of the day I taught the second class. They have a reputation as a noisy lot and I thought that by 14:50 they would be ready to riot, but in fact they were almost angelic. Interested, curious, engaging in the subject, getting the most out of the tasks I set them. It was great!

So teaching is full of ups and downs. Classes never do quite what you expect, which is why the job in interesting; it demands that you be dynamic, flexible. But it also means that you can't just drift off for a moment of relaxation mid-lesson. So, however interesting I'm finding it, however much I'm enjoying seeing the kids' reactions and listening to what they have to say, I'm counting down the hours til my next lie in, and the days til the Christmas holidays, and the weeks until I have a 6 week summer stretching out ahead of me. No wonder teachers have such long holidays. They'd never get through otherwise!


*Allow me to point out that although tomorrow will be free of teaching, it will not be workless. It takes me at least 3 hours to plan each lesson at the moment, and another hour or so to prepare resources. I have 6 lessons to prepare for next week, and several uni assignments that I need to start, so it is not a day off!