I've just got hold of the great music (He Mele No Lilo from Lilo and Stitch) that the children danced to yesterday in assembly - and i can't stop playing it! Maybe one day when I have my own class I can bring it out again...! :)

I had my GTP interview on Monday, which went very well. I got into the last two, but the school only had one allocated place, so had to make a choice between me and another girl. The head said it came down to one task, reading a story to a group of children. I had 9 year olds and she had 5 year olds. In the end they gave the place to her, as the head said she was a little more 'interactive' with the kids. I think it's very hard to compare reading to 5 and 9 year olds - I read a bit of George's Marvellous Medicine, and tried to get them 'into' it, rather than turning it into a lesson. Ah well! I'm pleased with how it went, and it was good to get in a bit of 'interview experience'. However, the head said she wanted to employ both of us, but without another DRB for me, that's unfortunately not going to happen. She's speaking to a couple to see if anyone's likely to drop out, so you never know!

I really enjoyed my day at the school - the staff and children were very friendly, and I loved reading my story to them. It also definitely confirmed that i want to specialise in Key Stage 2 (although my PGCE is 'General Primary' - just means I spend slightly more time in KS2).

For the last week at school, we've been having 'International Week' - and it's been great fun! Year 1 were studying Hawaii, and literally every lesson this week has had a Hawaiian theme. On Thursday we taught them a dance (from Lilo and Stitch) and yesterday they performed it in assembly - I was so proud! Most of them tried so hard, and they looked wonderful. In the afternoon we had a Hawaiian party, which was great - although I came out of it stained a variety of colours from the food colouring we used in the cocktails! I haven't heard yet whether they need me back after half term - fingers crossed. However, I'm covering for a post of someone who left, so very soon they'll have appointed someone 'permanent'. I've had a wonderful time there - it's hard work, and some of the kids are very violent/disruptive, but I've really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. I'm definitely glad I threw in the towel with my last job - the last 4 weeks have been great!

A lot has happened in the last wek or so. TAing is still going well - I'm feeling less tired at the end of this week, so I think I'm getting used to it! Some of the children have been very difficult this week, but I'm still enjoying it.

My other 'big thing' is that I have applied for a place on the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP). It's an alternative route to the PGCE, where you're based in a school all year round, and basically learn 'on the job'. I've been attracted to that route since I first (re)considered teacher training, but thought that it was so hard to get a place on that I'd be better off concentrating my efforts on my PGCE application. However, my recent TAing has really boosted my confidence a huge amount.

Also, I received my pre-PGCE placement info from Southampton. I don't want to sound in any way like I think I know everything already, but most of the initial questions and tasks we have to carry out are really basic. I know I don't by any means know everything, but I do know some stuff, and I want to build on that rather than going straight back to the start. I know they have to aim it at people who might not have that much experience, to bring everyone up to the same level, but it made me think more about the content of the course, pricipally the 'masters level' side of it - essays and dissertations! I know I could cope with them, but in all honesty, I want to be a teacher, not a researcher/theorest! I'm a practical person, and I just want to get stuck in, learn as I go along as opposed to being pumped full of theory for an entire term before even entering a classroom (yes, I received my PGCE timetable too).

So, I looked online, and found a primary school about 5 miles away who were advertising for a KS1/2 GTP position... connected to the University of Southampton! I emailed the headteacher, who seemed very nice, and arranged to visit the school after the school day last Wednesday. Apart from a comedic/embarassing start where I couldn't open the main door and had to phone the office (turns out it opened inwards... so why have a handle on it?!) I enjoyed the visit very much. The school buildings and facilities were very impressive, as was the standard of work up on the walls. I'd sent in my application that morning (Wednesday was the closing date... yes, I was cuttint it fine!) and was told by the head that if I was called for interview, I'd hear by phone on Thursday. Thursday came and went, and I heard nothing, so I set about convincing myself that the PGCE route was oh so wonderful and amazing, and perfect for me. Then at breaktime on Friday I checked my mobile... and I had a voicemail from the school inviting me for interview... on Monday!

I was so happy to have heard from them, although I felt slightly strange at the same time, having spent the last 12 hours convincing myself that the PGCE was the way for me. But the more I think about it, the more I realise I would like to train in a school all the time. I'm looking forward to visiting on Monday - it's a whole day thing, so if nothing else it'll be interesting to spend a day in a different school. I'll spend the morning in classes, and the afternoon having a formal interview. GTP interviews are well-known for being infinitely more rigorous than PGCE ones, sdo I've started re-swotting up on everything I researched for my PGCE interview. Lukcily most of it is still there in my head, so I've been supplementing it with lots of GTP-specific info. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surfing the net to find any useful info out there on any topic, so it's been going well. in fact, that's one thing that makes me think GTP is for me - you have to be an independent learner, and that I very definitely am.

So, by the end of next week, I'll know for sure which direction the next year of my life will be taking. It's kinda exciting!

Well, the past 2 days of Teaching Assistant-ing have certianly been interesting... and on the whole very enjoyable (and tiring)! I've been spending the morning in one year 1 class, and the afternoon in the other, and then the opposite way round the following day (i.e. Tuesday: am - class 1, pm - class 2. Wednesday: am - class 2, pm - class 1 etc). The two teachers have very different styles, and handle the often difficult behavour in very different ways, with varying levels of success. I'm picking up lots of things that I do want to do when I'm a teacher, and a few that i don't, so it's definitely useful. I've been really 'involved' in everything, which is good - the classes are always doing things, always noisy, so I'm completely occupied 100% of the time - there's no sitting around! Today I worked solidly from 8.40am until 12.15pm, had 40 minutes for lunch, then did just before 1pm until 3.40pm. It may not seem amazingly long to those of you who work 9-5pm (as I used to), but trust me, when you're on your feet 90% of time, and dealing with lots of hyperactive kids, it's many times more tiring than 9-5 in the office.

So far the lessons I've been involved with have been numeracy, literacy and PE - there hasn't been any history/music/etc etc which i am looking forward to. The guy who teaches class 2 structures the day very clearly, and has a lot of respect from the kids, even though they still mess around a lot. In PE today it was all him and I could do to stop half the class climbing the apparatus (leaning against the walls, not assembled)! I've seen some very different approaches to numeracy and literacy, which is interesting too...

The last two days have definitely affirmed my passion for teaching, and made me sure that leaving the world of office work to temp in schools, then do a PGCE, was definitely the right decision. I enjoy being in a classroom with so many different kinds of children (in terms of behaviour, outlook on life...) and I enjoy being part of their learning. I've been sole supervisor of children in the class (up to 15 at a time!) for large chunks of lessons, so my behavour/classroom management skills are already being put to the test - and I'm not faring too badly. This afternoon I had 10 children in the classroom, whilst the other 10 went with the teacher to do 'creative stuff' in another room. Some of the ones i had were terrors, but I managed to keep the majority occupied by reading them a (long!) story then getting them into doing timed sit ups/pressups and jogging on the spot on the carpet. It was great - they were quiet, concentrating on something - and it was tiring them out, so I bet their parents will be pleased!!

I've just had a call to say the school would like me back for the whole of next week, so it's nice to know they think I'm doing OK. It's great to be getting more experience, and I'm very happy to be asked back, as it really means I can get to know the children better. Hopefully after these 2 weeks the agency will be able to find me more work, either in this school or another, as I'm really getting into this...!