Missing in Action

Yep. I've been missing AND there has been plenty of action. Eliza organised a fantastic Halloween themed birthday party for me at home on the 1st Nov., (pics to come) so all Saturday was spent preparing and all Sunday was spent clearing up! It was a lovely balmy night, great decorations by Eliza, lots of friends both young and old as me, people from different groups mixing and chatting, fires in the braziers, lounges out on the back deck, spit roast, wine, dance and song. No sooner had I cleaned up and had an early night on Sunday, it was 5.ooam and - up and at 'em for school camp. Canberra, three days, two nights. The four teachers were a great bunch, we work really well together, and the kids had a great time. Just the usual midnight feasts, sneaking into other's rooms, occasional overtiredness etc. (the kids, not the teachers!)Then back to school and the usual program on Thursday and Friday! Ugh!
By Friday at 3pm, it was definitely: Thank God It's Friday.

Friday again? Already?

This time of year sure gets busy for teachers. I have to make a real effort to balance work/life, and housework comes a poor third! Public Education Week is coming up, reports are looming, so we are doing a lot of reflecting on our teaching practice. I took a lot of informal, unposed pictures of my class over two days to use for a "A Love of Learning" poster (the theme of Ed.week). When I looked at them on the computer screen, I was struck by something I've never noticed in the hurly-burly of each school day - every child was engaged in their work, happy, on task. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees!