STAFFROOM: Hooray! Survived to the end of another half term

[roisin]

I've been dreading today - 15 staff off (some internal and external courses, an interview, etc.), loads of cover, tired/grumpy kids and staff and non-uniform day! But it seemed to go off OK from my point of view.

INSET tomorrow (yawn, yawn), then a week's peace!

[janeite]

I'm running INSET tomorrow in a different school - scary!

Everybody is tired and grumpy and things seem to be kicking off a bit, especially with the Year Sevens, who must be very ready for a break!

[roisin]

What's the subject janeite?
Are you going to be boring?

[janeite]

Oh gosh, I hope not. It's all about supporting Literacy but I've got various games etc, so hope it won't be too awful.

[janeite]

Oh dear - maybe I'm so boring that you can't even bring yourself to reply!

[asdmumandteacher]

Our INSET looks lots of fun (NOT!!)

[roisin]

Sorry - I got dragged away.
Is that primary or secondary?

[SqueakyPop]

I'm half-way through my half-term

Have frittered away the first week very effectively, although did have to work one day as I had a course in London.

[roisin]

I wish we had a two week half-term, I could really do with a week to fritter away right now

[fleacircus]

Stinking non uniform day though. Roll on 3.30 say I.

[janeite]

Secondary Rosin - just finished it and it seemed to go really well; all the staff were very positive anyway. Phew!

Okay, that's it now - a week off is very welcome! BUT I have a pile of coursework to mark and a new scheme of work to write. I will TRY not to leave it all until next Sunday but can't promise!

[WhizzzingAroundOnABroomstick]

I survived too. Kids were all a bit bonkers today - but then most of the staff were too!

[childrenofthecornsilk]

Whizzz is that you?

[roisin]

Was it about supporting literacy right across the curriculum Janeite? Sounds interesting.

Ours was pretty good though: very useful and relevant. The speaker wasn't very dynamic though and the first session was a bit of a trial

The profile of students coming into our school is changing [downwards drastically] due to various ongoing situations. The school has not really adequately adapted to this and it is still regarded as an 'English Dept' problem ...

Do you use any literacy intervention resources/schemes for students below L4 at KS2 in Reading or Writing or both? Or know of any that are particularly good?

[janeite]

It was. Am happy to tell you more if you want but won't bore everyone on here with it.

The best Literacy intervention unit we've used is the Literacy Progress Unit called Reading Between The Lines, which made a massive difference to my Year 9 group last year. They were mainly Level 2 in Year 8 and all bar two got at least L4 and some got L5 in SATs.

The other thing we use a lot is the Big Writing stuff from primary.

[WhizzzingAroundOnABroomstick]

Corny - yes it is me - Whizzz with my Halloween name that's not won any prizes

[roisin]

Do you have CAT? (I don't at the moment - has lapsed and I haven't got round to renewing it )

Wow! That's fantastic progress L2 -> L4

Yes I teach LPUs and use Reading between the lines, to help teach infer/deduce. But we mainly focus on adapted versions of the Writing Units (Sentences and Writing Organisation), as these tend to be their weakest areas.

I don't know of 'Big Writing' at all.

As the numbers of students requiring intervention increases and CAT levels and similar fall, we are wondering about looking for something pitched at a lower level.

Also this year our L4c students seem to be exceptionally weak, which is very worrying.

(We do have a completely separate 'teach phonics from scratch' programme for those students who come in on B.)

[janeite]

I don't.

But you can email me at jane ite mumsnet at hot mail dot com if that makes sense.

[roisin]

I emailed but it bounced back.
I've tried again to jane ite dot mumsnet etc.

But I doubt that's it.

Am I being thick?

[childrenofthecornsilk]

Whizzz - hope you don't mind - someone was asking about training to help dyslexic chn - I said you were doing a course at the mo and they should maybe talk to you about it if they saw you on.

[janeite]

No dot before mumsnet

[janeite]

and I have lied to you - tis dot co dot uk

[roisin]

Do you know what? I am going to come back to this tomorrow when I am sober and awake and see if I can work it out.
I've tried it with an extra dot and without an extra dot

I'm confused, but very tired. I will try again tomorrow.

[janeite]

Sorry!

[email protected]

[WhizzzingAroundOnABroomstick]

No probs Corny - happy to help if I can

Whizzz_123 (at) yahoo dot co dot uk