1 and 1/2 days to go (and counting the minutes!)

 Last week of this term has not been short on craziness.

I had worried parents of one of my Year 9 students phoning me and asking for a meeting because their child seemed unmotivated towards school. I had to talk to all her teachers and get feedback and found out that she is very bright and capable but can be talkative when she finishes the work early.

Aha! I thought. This child needs extension and work that is challenging. I spoke about it to her parents and we had a meeting where I did a big-sell on extension. The student was worried that it was more work. I ranted on about Independent Studies and how it was about more challenging work rather than more work. I said that she should be enjoying work and she would find it less boring and more engaging.

After about 15 minues of my time, her mother turned to and said:

"This extension could be great. What do you think?"

"Nah," she said. "I'll just do the normal stuff."

Arrgggh.

In lunchtime madness, I helped judge the auditions for the Variety concert. There was a lot of Hip-hop dance routines and two tap dancers auditioning separately. The teacher-in-charge asked if the tap dancers (who were both really good) could team up for a performance as the concert probably didn't need two tap routines.

"But we do totally different styles of tap!" they complained.

Huh? There are different styles of tap? Colour me ignorant. I had no idea. What actually are these oh-so-different forms of tap? Street tap? Old school tap?

The Goth rock duo were my favourite though. A girl singer and boy on guitar with their own original composition that was a damn catchy ballad. The lyrics were great - a morbid love song all about wanting to be someone's nightmare and torturer. One teacher was worried about a line about "I want to drain you of all your blood" but I assured her that it was fine for the genre and style. I went over to talk the girl after and said "that was great and you totally have to goth-it-up in costume and staging". She was really enthusiastic and assured that she 'goths-it-up' whenever possible.

I have made my new fabulous Cow pez my school key ring and my Year 12 girls looove it. It is pretty much the most awesome key-ring ever. Thanks Giffy.

S is for Sucker

 Well, I have one again been sucked into giving up my valuable sandwich-eating lunchtime. Wretched students who are entering the Rockquest craftily weedled at one of the Senior management team to be allowed to have a concert for the senior sudents during lunchtime. Of course he agreed but now is unable to supervise due to the fact today is alos Variety concert audition day. It is also the day when the Arts co-ordinator, HOD of music and drama are busy organising other stuff at lunchtime. This meant that nobody who was experienced and capable of managing a concert for the rowdy senior school was available. Naturally they resorted to picking someone who while not capable or experienced might be naive enough or eaasily bullied into taking on the challenge...me.

I should have backed away but I didn't. The whole 'the students won't be able to have it if a staff member doesn't supervise' routine worked. I admit it, I am a sucker.

I wasn't actually reassured when other staff members who overheard me agreeing to it laughed in the embittered way of people who too once had been eager and innocent second year teachers but now knew better.

To make matters worse today is a mufti day. The year 13s are wearing pyjamas. Oh god, a screaming bunch of teenagers liberated from the chains of despair and order that is uniform* and year 13s moshing in their PJs. Shudder.

I now know not what battles lie ahead. Will I emerge from the AV theatre at the end of lunch with ear-drums bleeding and the shell-shocked expression of someone who saw too much too soon. I can only hope that I come out of the experience alive. Sadder, greyer and wiser, maybe, but ultimately and gratefully, alive.

* It is remarkable the dramatic effect that not wearing uniform creates. With many students it is scary how different they appear - not just their clothes but also their demeanor and the way they walk. I actually struggled to recognise some of them. They also seem louder and less focused.