Parent's Evening

I had the second out of three parent's evenings tonight and after my successful first one, I wasn't too worried about this one. All I wanted to do was get it over and done with without any parent telling me they didn't think I was doing a good job! But I never expected what I did get!

I think I felt so much more relaxed and had some really good conversations with some parents and a bit of a laugh, which was really nice. It felt like they actually had faith in me and wanted to talk to me as a human being and not just someone that they thought might or might not be teaching their child well. By the time my last parent arrived at 6:20, I was ready to go to bed but I was so grateful for what the parent said to me that it made all these late nights and constant workdays worth it.

She actually thanked me for everything that I was doing and will do for her son. In her words, she thanked me for laying the foundation for her son and she called me an unsung hero. And at that moment in my tired, mentally and physically drained emoional state, I just felt like crying. Crying a sigh of relief and of happiness. You can impress your headteacher or mentor but to impress and have that said by one of the parents whose child is in your care, that is on a whole different level. 

It felt amazing. It really did!!

Wordless Wednesday

October Resolution

I haven't made a monthly resolution in a while and that's not surprising because I haven't really done much with this blog for a while but this is where everything changes. I am starting some resolutions for this month and I really hope that I can stick to them. Fingers crossed.

1. Blog more.

Now, how many times have I said this over my entire career of blogging? But I have been to a few NQT courses now and they stress trying t maintain a work/life balance (which right now I'm failing at) and maintaining those things that you love to do. And it just happens that I love to blog and write. I just never find the time to do it. And so, I have decided that this month will be the month that I get back to blogging. Even if that means that on Sunday night, I pre-write loads of blogs to make sure that I keep up regular blogging. Or if I spend the bus journey writing a quick blog to put out to you all. I aim to blog more.

And if I don't, please remind me. My comments go straight to my email and I check my emails daily so it'll be a nice reminder to keep up my blogging!!

2. Be positive.

I find by the end of the week, if I'm tired and feeling stressed, my positivity goes right the way downhill. It takes a nosedive and if it were an iceberg, it would be right at the bottom of the ocean. I know this is wrong because I work with little children and I feel myself getting irritated by them by the end of the week and I can't help but show it. I feel so bad and want to be the happy positive teacher all the time. I need to find ways to escape my downward spiral of being negative and feeling stressed and this might tie in with blogging more so I can vent my frustrations at you :)

3. Get out the house more.

I find myself saying no to invitations out and doing things because I feel tied down by my work. I literally think "If I spend that time going out, I won't have time to plan" and so I say no to my friends. That's really bad. I just find it hard to teach well and not get too overwhelmed if I've not planned everything to the last second. I'm still getting the hang of everything and I think that if I'm planned then nothing is going to go drastically wrong. I just need to find that work/life balance.

And what better way than to find it today with my friends? We are ging out for a pub dinner and I can't wait. Last week or the week before (I can't remember) we had planned to go out for dinner and it fell through, which I was really sad about so now I just hope we take it out and I can relax just a little bit :)

Do you have any October Resolutions?

Leave me a comment down below to say hi, to give me a bit of encouragement or just to share your resolutions with me. I'd love to hear from you. I miss you!!

xxx

Motivational Monday #54

You know what? Monday is probably not my worst day of the week. I think from now on, I'm going to need two motivational days. I like Mondays because although I've spent the weekend working, I feel like I've somewhat rested and become a little more tolerant of life. Mondays excite me because I get to see the cute little faces of my beautiful children and have them come up and want to tell me about what they've done- as if they've missed me. It's a lovely feeling. I think that for me, Wednesdays are probably the hardest time for me. Wednesdays are those days that although you know there are only two days left, there are still two days left and they also are my longest day- I stay at school til 8PM. *yawn!*

Anyway, my message of motivational for today is

Everyone knows that nothing is handed to you on a plate (unless you are a really rich child that gets everything they want, or you couldn't get less, sit about on your butt and get handed money...) and you have to work hard but I don't think everyone knows this until they grow up. You don't get praise or you don't get good at something unless you take those stairs that make your thighs burn after you've finished climbing them. You have to put that extra hard work in to climb those last couple of stairs to get that success. And when you're at the bottom, it feels impossible to get to the top and the first couple of stairs are easy but then when you get tired, they become harder and harder.

I feel like my first couple of weeks were hard, those first steps were some of the hardest I've taken but these next steps are even harder. It's become easier in terms of I know what to expect but the expectations have just flown through the roof. And I know now that there is no easy way for me to finish this year and pass my NQT year.

There is going to be a lot of sweat and tears that goes into this career and I hope that at the end, it'll all be worth it!

This is where my strength lies. I may cry a lot during the week because of how much stress I'm under and not feeling good enough but I know no matter how much I cry or how defeated I am, I refuse to stay down. I refuse to fall and stay there. I get up the next day and try even harder.

The tears I have shred over this job (5 weeks in) are more than the entire amount of tears I have cried over any work before, including any uni work. It's insane but those tears show how much I care and that caring will get me through anything.

Monday, come at me because I'm ready for you! Have the fighting spirit and always strive to have more, to do more and to reach higher than you could ever possibly dream of.

Be the best you can be and get to those stars in the sky!

I love you all. You all have so much potential, try and reach it

xxx

Sunday Stress

I don't know how any one else's Sunday goes but for me, as a teacher, my Sunday is far from the day of rest. I woke up this morning at 7:30 and refused to get up. I went back to sleep for as long as I could - 9AM because I knew the second I got up that would be the time that I start work. And I dread starting work on my day off. Anyway, I got up, had some cookies for breakfast (real healthy, I know!) and then got cracking with figuring out what I needed to do for work. I started planning the outside area for the week and making the resources.

Now, that was fine  because I found it exciting but then I realised that I had loads ore planning and resourcing to do and it was only 1PM. Anyway, I waded my way through all what I needed to do and then before I knew it, it was 5PM and I hadn't really had anything proper to eat (I had eaten a doughnut and a packet of crisps- too healthy today!). I took a rest and had some toast. I realised how sad my day had been and so took a small rest. It's funny how people always moan about how teachers get loads of time off but I want you to name me another job that spends their weekend working without actually being at work. I know some people work weekends but not of their own accord. After that, I emailed my plans and had to change some (still getting the hang of it all).

Then, to take a break, I decided to go to the station to top up for oyster card ready for tomorrow. I am in the ultimate slum clothes and refused to get changed. The closest jumper that I had was a Christmas jumper and so I went to the train station in my Christmas jumper at the beginning of October- what a fashion diva! Anyway, I almost made it by not being seen but as soon as I got to the machine, a train had arrived and a billion people came out of the station... I wasn't embarrassed but I just thought, just my luck, eh?

This is THE jumper! Also, look how ridiculously short my hair was... 

Anyway, I can't wait for half term! 

Here's a really quick summary from last year if you wish to revisit!

♥ 29th September 2013: New Phone

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/new-phone.html

♥ 30th September 2013: Motivational Monday #23

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/motivational-monday-23.html

♥ 1st October 2013: Hello October

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/hello-october.html

♥ 2nd October 2013: Assignment Hell

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/assignment-hell.html

♥ 3rd October 2013: Heck Of A Mood

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/heck-of-mood.html

♥ 4th October 2013: PGCE Night Out

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/pgce-night-out.html

♥ 5th October 2013: TV Additions Are Back

http://nicolespearlsofwisdom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/tv-addictions-are-back.html

TADAAAA.

Now sleep.

xxx

TMI Tag

So, I saw these tag things on Youtube all the time and thought that I would grace you with a blog edition of the TMI tag...

1. What are you wearing?

Don't judge me but I am currently wearing blue jeggings, a faded Topshop top and my very comfy, very warm long knitted cardigan. It's my day of not having to look professional and smart.

2. Ever been in love? 

I thought so and it is possible that I have been in love but in terms of something as abstract as being in love, who really knows?

3. Ever had a terrible breakup?

I think so, it's stayed with me for a long time so I guess it was.

4. How tall are you?

5 ft 7/8. Somewhere in the middle?

5. How much do you weigh?

I thought about not answering this but then what would have been the point in this blog? My weight varies from 8 stone 12 all the way to 9 stone 4 depending on how much I eat etc.

6. Any tattoos?

No

7. Any piercings?

Only two in each ear.

8. OTP?

Michael Buble.

9. Favourite Show?

It is a toss up between Grey's Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries I think. Those are my favourite shows that are currently still on air. Of all time? I have no clue- there are too many!

10. Favourite Bands?

I love The Fray. They're old school but I can't help but connect to their music.

11. Something you miss?

Innocence. The only thing that you needed to worry about was what you wanted to do to fill your endless time. The only real dilemma you had to solve was about what you wanted for Christmas.

12. Favourite song?

It has to be "How to save a life" The Fray. This is one of the main songs that I can remember but that's not necessarily my favourite song. IF I think of my favourite song that I love more, I'll let you know!

13. How old are you?

22

14. Zodiac sign?

Gemini

15. Quality you look for in a partner?

Honesty.

16. Favourite quote?

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get!

17. Favourite actor?

Patrick Dempsey- the total hottie!

18. Favourite colour?

This is a mix between green or purple. A sage green and not a bright green.

19. Loud music or soft?

Soft.

20. Where do you go when you're sad?

To my bed to either cry or just fall asleep.

21. How long does it take you to shower?

10 minutes- I'm really not one of those people that can spend ages in the shower.

22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

An hour if I have sitting down and not rushing included or like 30 minutes if I'm rushing and just getting ready.

23. Ever been in a physical fight?

Don't be silly. I'm smarter than to get my butt kicked by someone else!

24. Turn on?

Funny guys, a bad boy that is really sweet deep down, guys that care and show they care and honest guys.

25. Turn off?

Liars and cheats, guys with too much confidence that it just makes them arrogant.

26. The reason you joined Blogger?

I wanted to have somewhere that I could share my views and it started as something just for myself but the more I enjoyed writing, the more I wanted to share it with people. 

27. Fears?

Not being good enough.

28. Last thing that made you cry?

Work. The stress of being a teacher. Not feeling good enough!

29. Last time you said you loved someone?

Today, to my two nephews and my sister's dog, Molly.

30. Meaning behind your Blogger name?

It's my name...

31. Last book you read?

The last good book I read was The Fault in Our Stars.

32. Last show you watched?

The xFactor. It's just finished.

33. Last person you talked to?

My Dad.

35. The relationship between you and the person you last texted?

One of my closest friends- Chloe.

36. Favourite food?

Chocolate.

37. Place you want to visit?

America- all over the country.

38. Last place you were?

In town, buying some stickers for the children in my class- always a teacher!

39. Do you have a crush?

On every single hot actor there is, yes! On a real life guy in my life, not sure I do at the moment.

40. Last time you kissed someone?

Far too long ago! Except my two nephews- I kiss them a lot.

41. Last time you were insulted?

On parents evening, last Wednesday.

42. Favourite flavour of sweet?

Cola.

43. What instruments do you play?

None, I never got the chance to learn any.

44. Favourite piece of jewellery?

A ring that I got that was really cheap but I really like how it looks on.

45. Last sport you played?

I don't really play sport at all so I would have to say football with one of my children from school.

46. Last song you sang?

Ghost from Ella Henderson. That song has been in my head for days now!

47. Favourite chat up line?

How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice!

48. Have you ever used it?

No.

49. Last time you hung out with anyone?

The teachers from my school for a drink in the pub.

50. Who should answer these questions next?

Hollie on her blog :)

Okay, so those are my answers to the questions from the TMI tag. If you want to give some of them a go yourself, please link me your blog or post the answers in my comments section below!

Love you all,

Nicole

xxx

Hello October

It's better late than never, right? 

I have had such a busy week. October started off with quite a bang and definitely think that it is an omen for how busy and stressful this month is going to be. I know that it is the 3rd now but I will let you know what I had for the start of the month and my plans for the rest of the month.

Prepare yourself. It is going to be filled with a lot of school based activities!

♥ 1st October - I had my first parent's evening and I just about survived. I started my meetings at 4:30 and ended up talking back to back with meetings and no breaks up until 7:20.... Absolutely mental. I saw almost half my parents and so I have a couple more left. Now that I've done one, I know that the other two won't be bad. They'll just be so tiring!!

♥ 8th October - My children and I have been practicing a Harvest assembly for their parents and today is the big day. I love all my children so much and when I see how hard they have been working, I know that this is going to be on of the day. Exciting.

♥ 9th and 14th October - PARENTS EVENING!!

♥ 10th October - My little brother is turning 21. Crazy how he is no longer little.

♥ 12th October - All my family are going out for a nice meal to celebrate my brother's birthday and I think that this is going to top my weekend off so that I can relax before another busy week starts. It's all go in the teaching business so taking the time out will be fab!

♥ 17th October - My children have their Halloween party and they get to dress up (and so do I). I can not wait to see their little party fancy dress outfits and to spend some time with them without having to constantly be their teacher. I love being able to have fun with them during the times that are a little bit more relaxed and away from formal lessons. I love finding out their little personalities.

♥ 24th October - It is the last day of the first half term and I hope that I survive until then!!

♥ 27th -30th October - HALF TERM!!!

I can not wait for some of the exciting things that are coming up, especially half term.

Mission for October is going to be a small and hopefully manageable one- I want to have blogged 10 times within this month. Start small after I didn't blog for like 2 months at all.

Do you think I will make it?

xxx