This week in Pip's world

Right, well I hadn't taught I Am Not Esther for few years but hauled it out for my mixed ability Year 10 and they are loving it...even the boys. And when I say mixed, I mean MEGA mixed. I am a little concerned about the challenges this will pose for me but am doing my best to support the lower ones and extend the higher ones. I can feel the need for even more PD in this area coming on. However for the moment, novel it is. Even if I do have to read it aloud to some of them. Not very key compentency-ish but what can you do?

My 201 class is getting right into Million Dollar Baby. I was hugely impressed that some of them cried through the last half hour. I have taught it a few times and the odd one or two cry but quite a few were moved this time. Might be the only text they end up loving this year because I am determined to do Shakespeare this year before it disappears into the English ether. Like I've told them, it's all about me! You'd think that I'd be over it but I am still a little miffed (pretty sure I can't use the word I'm thinking) that it's being taken out of the Level Three programme. I'm a bit too into my classics. Not going change.

And the big excitement for the week? My 203s are doing work...and a lot of it! I'm still a little stunned but there you go. We have one reading log completed; a Time Capsule letter completed; a short story read. They even went through and found 10 words they didn't know and looked them up. Pretty sure I was standing there with my mouth hanging open. I'm determined that it will continue.

All in all a bloody good week in the classroom!