What to tackle first?

At last, I was given a prized possession - a meeting with our headteacher to discuss ICT issues! This may not sound revolutionary to most, but in our school it's like being granted an audience with the queen. She's allergic to most technology, so I had quite a task on my hands to bring her round to my way of thinking and I'm still not quite there. Plus I need alot more money! However, I'm not letting that get me down.

I'm acutely aware of the need for the school to become more technologically advanced and this year I've managed to wangle money out for a new wireless system that previous ICT co-ordinators had been sitting on for at least 2 years. This means that the laptops are much more flexible in their use. Oh and we've got a new trolley with 16 laptops. Personally I'd have preferred netbooks, but hey, it's a major step forward for us.

Now I'm tasked with finding out about the possibility of a text messaging service to increase communications to and from parents. There's a high level of unauthorised absence in the school (infants), so I would hope that this might work a little. It would also ensure that those parents whose English isn't good could send a message as opposed to just not phoning, as happens at the moment. It would also free up our receptionist no end.

There's also the issue of Esafety. I held a staff meeting talking about what people thought was acceptable use of the school computers and memory sticks. It's eye-opening what some people think of as acceptable - having a Year 3 child as a friend on Facebook who you taught last year? No, I don't think so. On the back of this, I've been told that there is money in the budget (not that the finance manager agrees, mind) for 10 brand new digital cameras! Cheers!

Now all I need is a never ending pot of money! I'm still working on the Wii and relevant software for the system and not just what is cheap!!

That was the night

Well, it looks like I'm rubbish at keeping a blog. I apologise. There has been so much going on that I don't know whether I'm coming or going. We're moving into our new house this weekend, after my husband decided that living with his mother was going to send him over the edge if he stayed there one more night.

In addition, I've been adding things to my list of "items I'd like to cook when we move in". It's so exciting, that I may well pass out with excitement! Oh and the ICT in school is coming on a treat. I'm slowly getting there and I have a meeting on Monday with the head about where I would like to take it. Or that's what I'm seeing it as, anyway!

Last night, however, was brilliant. I went to a dinner for Ben Kay's testimonial year. It was mainly a corporate do, but thanks to a friend who is getting married this year I went along too. I'm normally star struck and last night was no different. To be surrounded by rugby players, who I normally worship anyway, in dinner jackets was as close to heaven as you can get! The MC for the evening was Tim Stimpson, who has the dubious pleasure of being the name that I called my first car. Lote Tuquiri was there too, as was Craig Newby. Lote was highly amusing, especially when asked what he did to celebrate after the 2003 World Cup final in which he was playing in. "Nothing!" was his reply. Ben Kay, on the otherhand replied, "Got drunk because we were celebrating".

Back to school blues

Who can believe that it's back to school tomorrow? I've had a great break - a two week holiday with my husband in Switzerland and France, then working at a grain store during the busy Harvest period for some extra cash!

Despite this, real life will kick in tomorrow! I'm not sure about what our training day will throw at us. No one seemed to know on Friday. However, I've managed to make the most of the Sparklebox website which has got some fabulous games on it for assessment.

I've also found some wonderful ideas for our "Instructions" unit, which we will start the year with in our Year 2 literacy; these come courtesy of the free Tesco magazine. We'll be making biscuit wands and also scooping out a pumpkin to make a bird feeder. I'm just hoping that we'll be able to find the time. This is all enthusing me, which it hasn't done in previous years.

Nearly there

My laminator seems to be on permanently this week, updating bits for next year and creating brand new resources. I do get a bit exhausted though with the tedious nature of cutting out, but daytime tv can take away some of the boredom. No, really!

For those teachers who use Promethean, I've been finding a few new, free resources via Promethean Planet which are a bit more exciting than the ones that I have created myself. I'll have to play around a lot more with it next year and contribute to the website myself! Another new link that I've found, thanks to the wonders of Twitter is a new interactive 100 square resource from Kent. You can cover and reveal numbers, which would have been brilliant last year so it will be superb next year.

Now onto the exciting bit. The husband and I are setting off on our holiday tomorrow evening! We're getting an early morning ferry on Saturday and travelling down to Switzerland. I'm looking forward to it immensely, but the trusty Lonely Planet guide has a specific article about cheese. Kiss of death for me as my favourite food (after chocolate, which is a given!) is cheese. Mmmmm. Maybe I should have bought those clothes in a larger size the other week....

First day of the holidays

Oooh, seven weeks without being in school is stretching ahead of me. I'm almost feeling refreshed already. I'm not stopping working though. After our holiday, I've got four weeks of work in a grain laboratory to earn more money for either a deposit on a house, clothes or just general savings. Or split between all the funds!

I've already been trying to find various ideas for the next academic year and thought that I would share my favourite academic links with you all.

Sparklebox is of course a must.

Good for games and ideas are:
www.primaryresources.co.uk
www.teachingideas.co.uk
www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk
www.topicbox.co.uk

Any other ideas, please let me know. There are loads of sites out there, but it's a case of working out which ones are best. I had a problem with a fabulous resource linked on the Coxhoe site - because the particular resource is hosted on a free web service, it was deemed "pornographic"! Admittedly it was measuring lines with a ruler...... but my poor class had to have a less exciting activity.

My first blog

Goodness me. I can hardly believe that it's the end of the summer term. My Year 2 class are getting ready to fly the nest from the Infant School to the Junior School next door. They are all ready, even if I'm "the best teacher ever". I know that I will soon be replaced by the next "best teacher ever"!

My new class for next year are seemingly quite quiet, in comparison to this year's lot. I'm staying in Year 2, in the same classroom but with a different TA. There are obviously some interesting "characters" who will no doubt raise their heads once they are settled, but a bit of squashing will be put into place soon. The new books have already arrived in my classroom. A little sad. It's almost as if we're saying to the current Year 2s that we don't want them any more, we've got newer people who are better than you.

Today's "treat" for Year 2 was a 2 hour slot with a clown/DJ. Oh my word! It was dire and this was a treat? Bizarre. He did an awful lot of time-filling with rubbishy activities and then a bit of dancing at the end. I could have done better, for less.

On the plus side, the Tigers (Leicester Tigers, rugby...) have released their pre-season friendly calendar, including a visit from Munster to Welford Road.... during the summer holidays! Oh happy day!

Any feedback would be gladly received.