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Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Monday, September 12, 2005

KS2 first impressions

So, the 12th September eventually arrived... At first it seemed like it would never arrive, just a fictional date that I could keep telling those who asked what I would be doing, but then it just seemed to creep up from nowhere. Like most things. So, one day down (and how many to go??). It was a good day actually. Hempland school is an excellent school (from what I've seen so far) and the staff even remember my cousin's son who left there a year ago (it would be difficult to forget the talented and gifted Ashley. Or, as we like to call him, galented and tifted....) My first day was spent with years 1 and 2. They are incredibly sweet!! (It made me wonder why I chose to do secondary though...) Some of them only started school last week - bless - and there were the usual tears during the register. It was pretty funny to be called Miss Atkinson (mainly because none of them could pronounce it at all) and I had to keep reminding myself that that is my new name. I might get them to call me Jenny-sensei instead though (sounds nicer!). Maybe not... So anyway, I got to help them with their work (we were learning about different types of houses) and I got chatting to little Charlie, who wanted desperately to tell me all about Stoke-on-Trent where he was born, and how that is where the original gingerbread man was invented (if I can use the word 'invented') and where, apparently - bit suspicious about this one - they don't know what batter is (ie, batter on fish). I told him that probably he meant that they don't know what scraps are (because each region has its own term for those - like in Devon they say 'gribbles'), but he insisted on the batter thing. Anyway. And he was sitting next to Mustafa, from Turkey, who is adorable... Shame I won't be in that class tomorrow...

I think I will try and write about my classroom experiences, even though they're probably not interesting to anybody who might read this blog, but it's a good record to have. To look back on....

4 Comments:

Blogger impermissible wanyü said...

You're making me miss my kids, Miss Atkinson! All 400 of them back in a school in Taipei where I taught them English!! Some of them told me all about their secrets that I'm not supposed to tell anyone at all..

I also miss my friend Ellie's son Rhys. He was 3 when I met him and at first he was shy but later he decided I was a friend who just looks a bit different and finally was crying when I had to leave Wales for York...

11:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really was invented in Stoke-on-Trent you know. The wee kiddie was right.

Awful glad that you had a good day. Hope that today is going well too.

You probably chose to do secondary because by the fiftieth time you hear about my origins and heritage there will be nothing legal you can do to make little Charlie stop before you have to throttle him. Aah.

10:17 AM  
Blogger jennywren said...

Wow, I can't believe the original gingerbread man is reading my blog!! That's made me so happy:) I didn't see Charlie today, but I did meet a little boy who told me that he is, in fact, a superhero. Apparently I am the only teacher that he has told this to. I asked him what kind of superhero he is, but he's just a normal one. So he then went outside for playtime to practice his superhero skills.

My second day has been good, but tired from painting all afternoon. Tomorrow I get to sing!!

3:11 PM  
Blogger impermissible wanyü said...

Can't belive I'll miss your singing, but tomorrow I'm going to Loughborough! A band new place to me! So exciting.

What are you going to sing?

12:37 AM  

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