Hello everyone!
Sorry it has been such a long time since I posted. I hadn’t intended it to be, but it has been less than you think – my last post didn’t turn up in my RSS feeds, so there is a chance that it hasn’t in yours either. Check it out here.
I have been getting my head around being a teacher and phew it has been very hard. I knew this was a rough school, but I hadn’t realised quite what this meant in reality. I have been actually scared on one occasion and reduced to tears twice already. And I am not a teary sort of person. I have been thoroughly astounded by the rudeness of the children and shocked by their behaviour. Then I find out their home background and it all becomes startlingly clear.
Since I left my parent’s house 13 years ago I have lived in two different red light districts (not intentionally I found out afterwards!), one in a scummy, damp bedsit in Huddersfield, one in the heart of Brixton. I have also lived in a rough bit of Slough and the East End of London too, again in the rough bit, not the swanky bit and now I am living in a not very nice bit of Essex. And in all of these places I never encountered children very much, or at least they hadn’t cropped up on my radar. I guess even though I have lived in some rough areas it is not the same as being brought up in them.
It has been an eye-opening and humbling experience for me. I have to say I am pleased that my morning routine of meditation is paying off, I haven’t lost my temper and I have remained calm with the children (crying in the toilets after wards doesn’t count!). It is getting easier now that I am in my fourth week there – they are getting to know and trust me a little more and are being slightly less testing in the lessons.
I don’t want this to turn into a teaching blog – I am thinking about setting up a separate blog for that (it won’t be linked to this one if I do as that will be a professional one), but I just wanted to explain my absence and promise that I will get around for the lack of posts. I am on summer holidays as of Thursday afternoon (woo hoo!), so I will hopefully be posting more. Don’t forget to look at my last post – Oh bunt off!
Dark Purple Moon 
Its good to see you back, I’m sure things will get better with the teaching, hang on in there x
Such hard work but rewarding, it’s very important that you care, it makes all the difference in a teacher and kids know that, they know who wants to be there teaching and who doesn’t and just knowing someone believes in your potential makes a difference i believe. Keep the faith x
I am a teacher myself and I know things are a lot tougher over there in the classroom than here, I have friends who teach there and I hear the stories.
Hang in there and allow this transition time to pass, it will get better and don’t be afraid to tell the kids exactly what you observe them doing – ‘you are being rude and disrespectful because you are afraid of showing me that you can’t do the work’. It is amazing how quickly they start to cooperate when they are confronted by their own behaviour and realise that you know why they are doing it. It is the best behavioural altering technique I know – and I was working in a school where the kids told me to F###O## and that they would ‘cut’ me. Teaching is so much fun 🙂
Hugs
x
Secondary or primary?
I’m a secondary teacher and I love it. Having said that, I’ve heard from people who’ve taught in some rough areas of London that it can get a bit… interesting.
Just keep in mind… they can smell fear!!!! Bluffing works wonders!