Can’t help but smile and start to shoogle when I hear this song (much to the horror of son when this is in the middle of Glasgow on a Saturday lunchtime!)
The clocks “spring forward” this weekend so it is time to enjoy the lighter days and maybe not having to wear so many vests! It is also a reminder (as if we needed it) that we are nearly at the end of yet another term and in a few short weeks we will be back for our final term of this session.
I am not going to go on about time flying by and such like – but it is warp speed around our school just now. We are beginning to really focus on how this session’s journeys are playing out; which developments have gone as expected, taken different paths, surprised us or gave rise to more questions. As I lament about where this year is disappearing to, I also get the familiar feeling of work done and so much more to do. My son works for a big sports retailor and they have a sign which says “There is no finishing line.” That sums up our school and how we work together. We have milestone checks where we gather up what we are doing and discuss what we are achieving, if we are on the right track or if we need a new route but we never say we are finished. We are all on journeys; professionally and personally and they change course, have peaceful times and some where there are lots of bear traps but they are always parts of a journey.
Our senior pupils enjoyed a great few days away with our cluster schools at an outdoor centre. The awfully clever DHT and two of our teachers went off on a bus and came back slightly dishevelled and grubby looking three days later. As usual, said DHT was muttering about never again, sleep deprivation and the Scottish weather. We at school tend to ignore this (his family do too) and as the stories are told, mused over and chuckled, at he starts muttering about doing it all again next session. Within the week he was delivering a short information session to our next session’s seniors and their families and we are planning again for it to happen next spring. Our annual Open Evening showcased all the amazing learning that goes on and gives everyone a chance to take stock of some great learning experiences that have been going on. It can sometimes be difficult as a busy class teacher to take time just to see all that is being achieved by everyone – lots and lots!
I spend some time over our spring break to revisit all the checks, debates, scribbled pieces of paper and other information pertaining to our School Improvement Plan for this session and the focus we have identified for next session. I enjoy it. I choose a day when everyone else is off doing other things, put on some music and spread everything on the table and muse about this session’s journey and where it may be taking us next session. I always find it brings about mixed emotions. I try to always date any notes or checklists we make so it is really interesting to see what we were thinking say back in October and then where we had reached in February. I remember the talks with groups and individuals, with the young people and adults, and I start to pull threads together to form next session’s plan. It usually takes several more weeks and lots of other input from all sorts of places and people before it takes shape. Sometimes I think we’ll never make it all fit but we do. Sometimes I think we aren’t getting anywhere but this always shows me that we are and that makes me happy.