A day of ups and downs.

Day 3 of the cycle is always a problem because I have 3 grade 6 classes 1 after another and depending on the weather, moon cycle or even the day of the week they can be either great or a nightmare. Today I had each class start the day by spending 15 minutes sanding the benches need less to say I now have clean graffiti free benches - so that was an UP.

I selected 25 kids from grade 8 to go to a robotics exhibition but then found the school had decided 25 was too many and instead they would prune off the ones with a low grade average. Since the trip was a technological trip and the kids chosen were ones I felt would benefit from the visit or had shown good skills in technology, for the school to then veto my decision I find annoying so a definite down. (Had they advised me before handing out the letters to the kids that would have been fine but to tell me after I had told the kids I found a serious lack of thought and professionalism) and therefore a DOWN

The two boys who had decided to try remodelling their features in yesterdays brawl (Something the headmaster was shocked at hearing over lunch .. Never known that to happen he said - I can assure him it did.) have had their parents called in and I sent through an email STRESSING how serious the situation was due to tools and equipment etc and possible injury not only to themselves but to other kids distracted by their behaviour. The fact something was being done I look on as an UP.

One of my Grade 6 classes simply refused to be sensible today carrying on, and doing NO WORK so I made an example of them and brought them back in for a Lunch Time Detention, 3 didnt turn up out of 25 but the rest did. So A DOWN and an UP.

Finally had a Grade 8 class at the end of the day who were really good fun to work with, what is strange is that this class is the one I had marked last term as the problem class - but this time they really do seem to be getting into what is required. they have 2 more classes till they have to present their SHOP model and documentation, so by end of next week I should have some images to show of how they did. Maybe. But a definite UP

So apart from today being like a roller coaster the actual day was pretty good. Even lunch had a nice twist
Sausage and Egg with ...... Chips and beans (OK I lie the sausage and egg yes but with sodding rice !!) My imagination made the rice seem like chips and beans but was still rice... yeah ok another Lie, Rice tastes like Rice no matter what they do to it. but the poached eggs and sauusages were nice.