Premature Heating

Oooops.....there was no heating. The fan was now working! But sadly, it was blowing cold air. Fortunately on Friday, the sun was out and shining through my unblinded windows, the room soon heated.
Monday will be the test. I will be in around 7.30am. The last few mornings have been frosty. I have left the blower on the ON position, so that when the school heating trips in around 5am, if there is heat, I will find it when I arrive. Here's praying!

This will be my final week. I will miss my new colleagues and my class and many of the children in the school. But I will not miss the stress of trying to teach with minimal resources.

My thoughts are now turning to my USA trip. I am starting to print off my air tickets, hotel confirmations and my car hire voucher. Then I will note the zip codes to enter into my SatNav.
Currency is next. Find the passport, check all cameras in working order, then do some tourist research.

My daughter is still job hunting. Not easy for graduates even with an Honours BSC. She had a good interview at a lab last Thursday. Hopefully she gets a call tomorrow for a second interview. Prayers please!

Beautiful sunny day today, the trees yellow and golden. I hope I still find autumn in America!

These photos were taken a couple of years ago at BlackCreek Heritage village near Toronto, in autumn. Well worth a visit.

My Classroom now has Heating!!!

Note the date. At 10.30am, a heating engineer arrived. Within minutes the classroom had heating...at last.
This morning the temperature on my way to school was 2C. When I went into my room at just after 7.30am, the room was bitterly cold. I had to keep my coat on while I worked.

Also, the projector for the smartboard was installed. I have an infant size board, but at last the projector. Except, when the sun shines we will see nothing as there is no money for window blinds.
And there is no smartboard software yet loaded, nor is ther sound from the computer.
But things are looking up. Mind you, there are still some downsides....like borrowing staples from the children because I had used up the 2 rows I had been allocated by the school.

The Authority also pulled the interviews for the post of Head teacher. This is the third time they have done so because not enough people apply......

I wonder why there are few teachers now going for promoted posts? Once upon a time scores applied for such jobs. What is this telling us? Why when early retirement is offered is there a deluge of applicants?
Why are so many retired teachers out on supply work when the Authority had decided - rightly- that this was not a proper way to go. Where are the all the unemplyed teachers? I will be leaving this post at the end of next week as I am going to America. Who is going to fill the post? I have been asked about coming back on my return from the USA.

But I have now worked almost a whole year, and I am on basic rate tax, so am paying 4 figure a month in tax though I am earning-with my pension - what I would be earning as a teacher, but with much less tax.
And teaching is not an occupation for those over 60. It is too demanding. The vast majority of teachers are conscientous folk who give their all and work many hours more than have been contracted for.

And if my present post is anything to judge by, things are not going to get easier. I am not the only teacher subsidising the Authority by buying out of my own pocket basic classroom materials like books, paint brushes, and paper. But this is wrong. It should not be down to the affluence of individual teachers, or just so they can manage to ease their own classroom position with regard to the curriculum.

Some photos from Gettysburg Battlefield, which I will be revisiting at the end of this month.

The Cone Gatherers

Last Friday night we went to the Theatre Royal to see Kenny Irelands' production of "The Cone Gatherers."
I read this story years ago, but it made no impression on me. So I came to it as new. John was in the play, and also wrote the music and songs used in the drama.

I found the sound a bit low, but this was to do with the fact the sound settings had been set for the Aberdenn Theatre, and had not been altered for the Glasgow theatre. Others felt this was an issue too.

The first half was for me a bit flat. It always felt like I was watching a play. I was not pulled into the story. And the girl playing the young boy I found disconcerting.

The second half was better, and I did become much more involved. And the final scene was a real shocker which had the audience gasping in reaction.

After the show we waited at the stage door to catch John. Liz Lochead was waiting too. She is the Scots Makar, or National Poet.

We went across the road for a drink. And there we were joined by Peter Arnott, scriptwriter of the play, Martin Travers, playwright of "Roman Bridge," and Alex Fthenakis, a co director of "Why Do Stand There In The Rain?"

We had an interesting and wide ranging discussion about all things theatrical.

All in all, it was a really enjoyable evening.

http://www.pepperdinedrama.com

http://literature.britishcouncil.org/liz-lochhead

http://www.traverse.co.uk/writing/artists-in-residence/peter-arnott/

http://www.uktw.co.uk/Tour/Play/The-Cone-Gatherers/T02002345716/

Where Is Our Global Warming ??????

Today was a holiday, part of the September Weekend. Saturday and Sunday were sunny, but hardly hot. Today it has not stopped raining, there was a strong cold wind blowing, strong enough to bring
branches down, and it will continue like this for the next few days. We have the heating on tonight.
My fruit trees have produced 4 apples in total on one tree. The other - nothing. And the berry bushes zilch.
Where is the Global warming we have been "threatened" with? Where is the proof for the justification for the onslaught of green taxes which have driven up the costs of just about everything we use? My flight to America next month costs more in taxes and  conservation fees that exceed  the actual ticketcost!!!
Enough is enough  already! Give it up. Tell us you are wrong. Take away the green taxes. And if the temperature rises??? Hooray!
The fact is the climate is controlled by factors beyond human control, principally the Gulf Stream and Solar activity.
The world has cycles of weather and climate changes. It is nature. We are being fleeced by powerful organisations who have no interest in anything save the acquisition of Global Power. And our Governments are under their sway.

So on a cold wet day we drove south a bit to Lanark and Biggar. En route we stopped at Craignathen Castle, the last purpose built fortress to be constructed in Scotland. Of that more in another blog.

Tomorrow it is back to school. We had an inset day on Thursday during which we kept our coats on because the school was so cold - no heating till the end of October. We were chilled!
I nearly got my smart board working. The technicians came to fit the projector, but sadly the fittings installed are the wrong ones. They will return another day........aye....right. I have a little under 3 weeks left in the school. Will my room have its projector before I leave?

I have an uncarpeted room - no money: no blinds on the windows - no money - which means that even if the smart board works, it faces the naked windows. If the sun shines it will be useless. And the smart board is an infant one, small and at low level!! It would be nice if class teachers were consulted in the design of classrooms.

I have a mixture of various tables that do not match up. Ditto the children's seats. I have no proper chair nor a desk. The childrens's trays are piled up 3 high on a worksurface, beside the single computer. How do you cover ICT for 32 children with 1 computer?

If another Government Minister says anything about Teachers having an easy life and having to be prepared to work longer hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

If another Government Minister says anything about Teachers having an easy life and having to be prepared to work longer hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

The trouble with TalkTalk

Our phone line supplier and ISP is TalkTalk. We have had some problems with them. It can be difficult to have a problem solved. Their help lines are in India, and sometimes, it has to be said, it can be difficult to understand the accent.

In August we kept losing our Internet connection. I contacted TalkTalk. After the usual online checks they found a problem and said an engineer would call....at a cost of £50. I protested. I pay for the line rental and the services. I do not pay when there is something wrong with the line. They agreed no payment. The engineer called, spent 40 minutes, said he would contact BT about the line fault.
24 hours later we got a text advising problem sorted.

Then 3 weeks later, we lost internet again, and then the phone went dead. They mooted another £50 charge, which was again withdrawn....till the bill arrived today with £50 engineer charge.
I phoned, was told there was no record of charges being waived. I asked to speak to a manager. After 15 minutes I was told none were available. I can expect a call within 24 - 48 hours.
I will cancel my direct debit and move to another supplier if they insist on this charge.
I now know why TalkTalk have a huge list of complaining customers.

I will keep you advised.

Elsewhere resources problems continue at school. I am preparing the class forward plan. I am having difficulty with some sections - Technology ~ no resources - Music ~ no resources - Art ~ no resources ( my wife has bought 33 paint brushes and paints, and supplied paper, scissors and library books) ICT ~ 1 slow desktop for 32 children - Topic Scotland ~ no resources - Spelling ~ no textbooks.
  My school e mail has begging letters from schools looking to beg or borrow materials.
The school is cold, but the heating is not allowed to be switched on till October!
What do we do?

Here are more photos from Leuchars.