Damian Bariexca has challenged me to reflect on my first week of teaching. It’s actually been a week and a half, but I’ll ignore that. As someone who’s always in favour of a spot of reflection, I’ll take up the challenge and keep the questions as the same as Damian used from Todd’s original post.

What went well? Did you do anything this year that you keep telling yourself you should do?

I’ve (theoretically) no longer got a ‘front’ to my classroom. My interactive whiteboard (IWB) is on one wall, my standard whiteboard on another wall, my classroom next to the wall opposite the IWB, and my desks arranged in ‘islands’. I like it! :D

Did you start off with the right tone? Is there anything you’re not happy with? Did you do that thing again that you keep telling yourself not to do?

I started off a bit ‘harder’ and ‘meaner’ than normal. Especially on Year 7. I feel a bit sorry for them sometimes, but it’s for their own good. Their first homework was simply to cover their exercise books. A number forgot to do it. Given that their school planners haven’t arrived, I can kind of see how that could happen (despite my website). I still put them in detention though.

I’m a lot better planned with my Year 11s and with the photocopying situation. I’m worried, however, that standardisation might be at the cost of creativity…

I’m still not happy with the school network. The Internet has gone down in the middle of lessons twice already. I’ve been told that to guarantee uptime would cost a lot of money which isn’t going to be spent when a new build could be just around the corner. I’m also not over the moon that my new IWB has been installed at a height where I have to stretch to reach the top (I’m around 6′ 1”). What if I want my Year 7s to use it?

How are your classes looking, just from your brief introduction?

Some of my Year 11s seem a lot more mature and have recognised this is an important year. I’ve some Set 4 classes which in any other school would be difficult to teach. At my current school that’s not a problem: it’s an ability rather than a behaviour issue. Overall, I can’t complain. :)

I’ve noticed a huge range in ability with the ICT classes I teach. Upon further (brief) investigation this seems to be due to a lack of a computer at home. I’m concerned, therefore, of the emergence of a ‘digital divide’ and it becoming a political/class/access issue.

Short-term goal

To get all of my History and Geography classes signed up for a Google Apps for Education account via mrbelshaw.co.uk. I’ve already shown my Year 11s how to get reminder text messages sent to their mobile phones about homework, coursework deadlines, etc. and last year they used Google Docs for their coursework. Next I want to try Using Google Docs as an assessment for learning tool.

How’s your first few days/weeks been?