New year - new beginnings

At the start of 2010 I made four resolutions and, perhaps unwisely, I put them in our newsletter. I promised that I would review them at the end of the year so I have pulled them out, dusted them off and had a look at them. They were: 

• Help my students develop a love of the subject.
• Always write a target when I mark a piece of work.
• Greet every student with a smile as they come into the classroom.
• Make relationships with students and colleagues more important than my to-do list.

I confidently added: And the funny thing about goals is that we often achieve them without giving them another thought. It is the setting of them that is powerful.
 
I had completely forgotten what the goals were and it was with some trepidation that I re-read them; it's all very well to say goals can be achieved without thinking about them any more but would this really be the case?

So it is with surprise and pleasure that I find myself able to say that:

• I almost always write a target when I mark a piece of work.  
• I now habitually greet students as they come in the door.
• I enjoy my friendships with both staff and students and value them more than my to-do list.
• Most students appear to enjoy my classes.

My own experience is hardly scientific proof of success but it's good enough for me. In 2011 I'm going to think big:

• I will enjoy and appreciate every class I teach. 
   

I'll let you know...          Happy New Year!                                               Janet Grant

Emotional intelligence for trainee teachers
 

  The University of Innsbruck in Austria is pioneering a
  two-day course on emotional intelligence for trainee
  teachers. And so it came to be that I found myself at a
  Christingle market in Innsbruck one evening in December,
  after a productive day with 30 young men and women
  looking at social and emotional aspects of teaching and
  learning.

  The VisionWorks programmes provided great examples of
  activities to boost personal confidence for students and teachers, and everyone enjoyed the chance to explore this vital aspect of education. More of this Europe-wide in 2011 please!

Ofsted results

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all schools who have recently received an "Outstanding" result. In the feedback we receive, it is clear that using the VisionWorks programme It's OK Being Me as a part of improving the emotional and social wellbeing of their students, has played a key role in attaining a better result with Ofsted. The evidence is now compelling that improved emotional literacy leads to improved behaviour, communication, self esteem, empathy and learning.

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