The aim of this post is to look back at some of the things I’ve done and learnt from this last year and to set out a few goals and hopes for the year ahead.
LOOKING BACK TO 2014
1. Changing school – Leaving the only school I had really worked in was a big and scary step. I was happy in my old school and worked with some amazing people, including @ianaddison and @clairemarie00, which made it hard to leave. I had completed my second PGCE placement there and my NQT year so I felt at home, comfortable and knew my place in the team. It was also the kind of school where you know you make a positive impact on children’s lives everyday and that felt great.
However, I had the opportunity to move to a very exciting school which offered me the chance to work in a very different environment and broaden my experience further. The move has been overwhelmingly positive so far and I know I’m very fortunate to be able to say ‘I love my job‘.
2. Blogging – In 2014 I began to blog about some of my teaching experiences. I have found this particularly useful in reflecting on my own practice as well as sharing with others. I will definitely carry this on in 2015.
3. School Productions – Since changing schools I have continued to have responsibility for Music. Under the Music umbrella comes school productions and I’ve been lucky enough to help out with two fantastic shows so far. I’ve been amazed just what can be achieved while still managing to include every child in the school. What I thought might be optimistic or over-ambitious turn out to be awesome, thanks to some very dedicated staff and talented children.
4. The music stopped – This summer I stopped performing with my musical partner. This was for various reasons but we basically needed a break. It was a fun hobby which brought me a lot of joy, but it could also be stressful at times. It’s sad that I don’t do it any more, but I’m sure one day I will do something musical again. In the mean time I am enjoying focusing on other areas of my life.
5. Hanging out with my family – Since changing schools my work/life balance has improved dramatically, though it still has some way to go. I’ve really enjoyed spending more time with my family and watching my son grow and develop.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2015
1. Make a difference beyond my classroom – I’d really like to make more of an impact throughout the school with the subjects which I lead. This will include going on training courses to improve my own practice and sharing what I’ve learnt. I would like to be the best teacher I can be and help others to improve their practice too.
2. Samba – I plan to start a Samba band at school, giving children an opportunity to perform as part of an ensemble working and listening to each other. I hope this leads to a number of performances at school fairs and the like.
3. Sharing with teachers – I love the collaborative nature of the people who work in teaching. I’ve always found the willingness of people to share ideas (through twitter, blogs, #teachmeets, and in person) really helpful and inspiring. My aim this year is to continue with this blog, to contribute more at teachmeets and take any opportunities to help train others in the areas I have skills to offer. Having spoken at my first teachmeet November 2014, I plan to get involved much more in 2015. I also look forward to having more students in my classroom to help them grow and so I can gain from their new ideas.
4. Expand – This year I’d really like to expand my little family but in order to do this I’m going to need a bigger house! 2015 is going to be a big year one way or another.
5. Get fitter – I don’t want to make any rash promises about running marathons and such like. However, since tearing my ACL in May I have had to stop playing football. This in turn has lead to an additional spare tyre on top of the old spare tyre. I aim to throw myself into my rehab and get more active to benefit my body and mind.
