I love my job

I suspect I'm not the only teacher that had forgotten. There are others like me who might have cried a few times this week; a few who are drowning in paperwork on a Saturday morning; several that promised themselves that, "it wasn't going to be like that this year." But we are week humans and in six weeks we have forgotten the pace we need to work at to keep up. 

I was going to be so organised this year and nothing was going to bother me. Stress: what's that? I don't even have it that bad. If I taught a subject that the government cared about it would be a lot worse but teaching can be never ending. 

Over the summer, when I had a bit more energy I was full of bright ideas. Things that would excite and challenge the children. Thinking was the fun part but now it's time to implement these ideas I'm wondering how I'm going 

to fit it all in.

I always worry that I've forgotten how to teach and spend my first week in a blind panic, worrying that I'm not doing it properly. The second week is better. Children walk into class singing the song we did the previous week or talking about their listening diary or asking if they can carry on with their composition. "Phew," you think, "I wasn't talking to myself."

But with the second week comes the feeling that to do all the things you'd like to do you would have to go so fast that you'd break the space time continuum and meet yourself coming backwards. 

Of course, by the second week, it's not just your ideas. You have colleagues, headteachers, pupils and parents all making suggestions at you. 

"Miss, when is recorder karate going to start again? You need to start soon because I'm going to get my black belt this year."

"Can you teach the play leaders some singing games?"

"You'd like to come on the school trip, wouldn't you? It's on the day you don't work, so that will be fine."

"Oh, I'm glad I've caught you. I've decided that being in the band would be good for Billy this year. He's just started bagpipe lessons. When will you be able to have music ready for him?"

"Miss, can I be Jesus at the Royal Albert Hall?"

"Will you make us a rehearsal CD?"

"We are expecting Ofsted this term."

You'd forgotten just how long it takes to mark a set of books, plan a differentiated lesson that is entertaining and informative, sharpen your pencils, put up a display, arrange music, type up song words, make resources. You had started to believe the hype that you only worked between 9 and 3.  But you'd also forgotten just how wonderful and funny children can be. You'd forgotten that feeling when you realise that you've taught someone something. You'd forgotten 'end of day staffroom hysteria'

One of the jobs we were asked to do (let's show ofsted a broad range) was put up an advocacy board for our subject.  We were asked to have a child generated wordall. Teachers panicked. It can be tricky to be creative when you are struggling to remember between 30 and 300 names. I worried that I might not be up to it. I worried that the children would come up with unprintable words. I asked them to write 5 words about music or music lessons. Some wrote 'fun' five times and although I despaired for their lack of creativity it was better than if they'd written 'boring' (thankfully, no one did).  Even 'crazy' was a compliment and then there were loads of brilliant musical words. Finally, there is the pleasure of seeing something that you have created come together.

There can't be many jobs with this much variety and I really do love my job. Just remind me of that next time I'm exhausted and tearful.