I am really enjoying this week and seem to have loads of energy. The year 11s have started their piece of controlled assessment, year 12 and 13 are back in lessons after having exam leave last week, and the practice sessions for the inter-house Eisteddfod, which I mentioned in a previous entry, have started.
I have also been looking this week for something extra-curricular for students to do or perhaps a visit to take pupils on relating to chemistry – or indeed just the general subject area of science.
This is something that I have been finding particularly difficult. I like the idea of making science come alive outside of the classroom and I also want to look at a topic that interests students, but is not necessarily on the exam specification.
I think it is easy for students to find something that interests them about science, but because we can’t cover every topic in the classroom it would be nice to engage with some of the concepts and ideas that are not specifically on the curriculum.
I recently found a free science fair nearby that looks great and it is targeted specifically at secondary school-aged students. I am yet to talk to my head of subject area about this, but I am hoping they will be on board with the idea of organising a visit.
This will be the first trip that I, hopefully, get to arrange – so here’s hoping that I can go ahead with it.
As I stated last week, I had been looking forward to marking the year 12 mock exams from the week before. I took them home over the weekend and the results varied. Many students met their target, some over-performed, and some did not even achieve a grade. Looking at the other teachers’ results within the chemistry department this seems to be the trend throughout the year group.
It is always hard to not feel a little bit deflated when a student underperforms, and it is never enjoyable to give students a low grade when they feel they have done well.
Some students have taken this really hard and it can be difficult to turn the experience into a positive for them. From my perspective, I am glad my students care so much to be upset about this.
On the positive side, in some instances students were just one or two marks away from their target grade – at this point in year 12, when they are not even 25 per cent of the way through the A level! Being that close to your target grade is really impressive. I have no doubt that by this time next year they will be achieving their target grades in their year 13 mocks.
A final, but great thing happened this week. Earlier in the week I received an email from the headteacher asking me to come in for a 10-minute meeting to discuss my contract. I am a self-admitted worrier and I think anyone would find it a bit ominous when your employer wants to “discuss your contract”.
Fortunately, when I went to meet with the head he informed me that the school would like to continue my employment and offer me a permanent contract (I am currently on a one-year contract).
I am absolutely over the moon. Ever since my training started at my school I knew it was the place for me and it just feels like home.
I am being offered more and more opportunities within school and I can really see myself staying in this school for a very long time as my career grows.
- SecEd’s NQT diarist this year is a teacher of science from a school in the Midlands.