Like Headless Chickens...

WOW! On Tuesday afternoon the staff was called in to an urgent meeting in the staff room after school which excited the inner drama queen inside me. I was so curious to know what had happened. On Wednesday morning the school started at half past 8 and we were sitting in our little library area that is designated to us students, wondering what the heck was going on in the staff room. as it turned out, the principal had just decided that enough is enough, she was quitting her position as head of the school and reverting to her old position. the staff was in a tizz. they were like a chicken without a head (excuse the pun), everybody having different opinions about Mrs X and her quitting the job. NOBODY wanted to take on the responsibility of being the head of Luckhoff. NOBODY. i had to remind myself that I should not get caught up in all the hype and just do my job. we were asked to keep the news from the children but naturally the children knew that something was up. children have the remarkable ability to suss something out, which is what they did, and before long we had some questions asking if Mrs X had resigned. I have no idea of the inner workings of the school and in my opinion since nobody wants to take on the responsibility of being principal, nobody has the right to judge Mrs X, even if her job as principal was wanting.

The controversy aside, I have been having a wonderful week. Us as students have organised a week of activities for the girls at the school and I was part of the Beauty portfolio where I spoke about the importance of inner beauty and how important it is for us as women to stand together and be kind and supportive of one another. The girls seemed to take in what I had to say and the fact that they chose to be there and listen made it so much easier to manage the girls since they wanted to listen. We all decided to make something nice for the girls during break and on Wednesday night I baked THREE huge cakes for the girls, which got some raving reviews! I really enjoy working with girls, I wonder if it might be one of my callings :)

In terms of classroom management and teaching, I can see a definite preference developing in me. I love teaching grades 10 and 11 where I find myself dreading, ABSOLUTELY dreading the grade 9s! The grade 8s are still super cute and I find myself managing them well in class. I have taken to this small group of little boys in my gr8 classes who need help urgently in terms of their work. While the teacher teaches the general class I would work remedially with those few and I find that it works for them. I just need to remind myself not to baby them too much and make them lazy to try and understand things themselves. I love teaching them though, they respond well to me and I feel some kind of motherliness coming out of me. One of the naughty boys, Bulumko, has turned over a new leaf and I use the respect he has for me to get him to work and try to impress me. I have taken him on as my project and I will keep my readers updated on his progress because not only do I see him as a little boy who needs love, attention and kind work, I also see him as someone who has so much potential that the other teachers do not see because he is very talkative and has a lot to say. Also, he doesn't respond well to people shouting at him which brings out attitudes that I don't feel are native to his character. I love teaching and I can see more and more that teaching isn't teaching a class or teaching a curriculum but it really is teaching a CHILD. Many of them, all with their idiosyncrasies, personalities and quirks. working closely with them opens them up and I experience each child with enthusiasm and intrigue - IF THEY LET ME. Many children sadly come with the highest brick walls around them from their backgrounds, which is SO SAD. And then there's me like a woodpecker, pecking at their crusts.

Woodpecker. Miss Woodpecker.

On to a new week!