9th - 10th March 2010 (Tuesday - Wednesday)

By the way, d'you like my fish? If you click in the pond you'll drop some food in the water and they'll eat it. I thought I'd put a gimmick on for a little while just to cheer things up - it's a pretty plain blog, after all.

I've just got back from the Non's Jolly Phonics 'rotation' classes.... Have to say, it sounds utterly insane but works really well, and I'm jolly, jolly phonics impressed. They split the kids up into groups of about five, and they have four sets of tables - each group had a tub of stuff they've been working on (sort of a large plastic washbasin) which they carry around from table to table. They start at one table and rotate round. Meanwhile at each table there's a parent supervising each activity - I really got the easy end of the stick today I think because I just got a sheet of written work to supervise - well, five sheets of written work to be done in about 15 minutes, to be precise but it's easy compared to what the others seemed to be doing - cutting out, sticking, stapling complicated shapes, goodness knows what. It's fantastic for the kids, actually, because of the short attention span it keeps their interest and frankly the pace if breathless - but as there's (with the parents) and extrememly good teacher to pupil ratio you do have a chance of keeping up with checking on all of them, and teaching all of them a bit - even including the few that really do have trouble. Have to say, the Non was not in this category, in fact there was a very bright nice little girl who was sitting next to her and I think dilligently copying her work on the written part at least. Also, if they really don't gel with an activity it was all over after 15 minutes anyway, so no huge tracks of time wasted. Teacher was milling about everywhere keeping an eye out for the ones that were struggling. They did this for an hour and a half and then they went for group activities and we went off back home.

It is SOOOOO much better than the 'system' they have in the UK, can't tell you. There we were forever being asked to fill tombola jars, make fancy dress for the kids so they could fund raise, bake cakes, an eternal round of rigmarole for really very little cash to be raised - which doesn't go far. I volunteered to come in at Beirton and eventually (after months) they came through with the CRB check but never made use of the offer at all. Here we just all sign a declaration that we're not criminals, sign the sheet on the door and turn up. Hey presto, you've got as much extra manpower as you want (and very interested and eager manpower at that), for zero effort, zero outlay and no administration at all, and who benefits? The kids of course - and the parents, because they get to know what happens at school much better. They're storming through the alphabet at a rate of knots - one sound each day - have to say I'm very glad the Non knows her stuff as she can use all the extra energies on understanding the rules, colouring in the right pictures, learning to stick stuff, opening and closing bottles and all the like. Not boring AT ALL for her, even if she IS reading Harry Potter at home and this is 'just' tracing the letter 'n' and colouring pictures in. The break-neck pace is exactly what she needs, right on the nose. They're getting the kids to listen to instructions, follow the rules, play the game. And the kids are all lovely, without exception - haven't seen a nasty little squit among them at all - which is incredible. Mind you they keep them so fearfully busy that I don't think anyone would have the TIME to be a nasty little squit even if they tried.

So much for the school. We did find the librarian at the end of the day yesterday (we went back after school finished - gosh it's nice being this close to the school), and found her in her cubby hole. Managed to lasso a Reading Challenge sheet of paper for the Non and two books.... librarian seemed inexplicably laid back, couldn't quite understand it. I said to her, yes she loves reading but she's not good a choosing books, she really needs some help with that. Librarian says, yes, she was with me yesterday and she didn't choose one. So I ask, well what do you do with kids like that, there must be more of them and she says, Hmm, yes, there are. And I say, well what do they end up doing? Just not borrowing any books? And she nods sympathetically and says Yeess. Slightly flabberghated I ask, well what can one do to move forward, then? And she tentatively asks - well, would you like me to - perhaps - help her? She seems to be suggesting this would be really quite inappropriate but she's willing to give it a go, so I venture - well, perhaps that would be a way, or if you'd like me to pop in, if that's acceptable, I'll make sure she chooses something. Yes, that's quite OK, quoth the librarian,suddenly seeming to wake a little from her stupor at the mention of assistance, I have them on Monday and they line up outside just at about 2 o'clock. Right ho, it's a date, I'll see you then, quoth I..... Well it's a bit unorthodox but hey, I'm close, I'm available, gives me another chance to see how things are going and hopefully after a few months it won't be necessary. Anyway, either it's some strange policy or the librarian is on a heavy dose of Prozac, but in any case we've started with the two books they let us borrow (per week- hah), but we can list the ones we get from the city library that have the markers for Reading Challenge on them anyway, so it's all good. She likes writing down the names of the books and talking about them afterwards, really adds to the experience. And maybe she'll eventually learn how to use a library by herself, which would be a bonus. Yesterday's book was Edward the Emu, it was hilarious. Would thoroughly recommend it but I suspect it's slightly Australia-bound.

In the meantime we've got our first playdate set up with Lillian the little birthday girl from the other day, they know that we still don't have our stuff so we might come and and play if it's cold or we could go down to the beach (they said they'd give us a lift) - either option would be highly relished by the Non. Once we get stuff in I think we can settle into a bit more of a routine - I've got my eye on a few of the girls there who would be good candidates, Ella the little girl who was copying from her for one and Channell the really helpful one who takes her by the hand and tells her what to do for another. Might still be a little strange without any furniture or toys, AND hopefully it's only going to be another week or so!!! CAn't wait. UGH that BED! The shipping company called yesterday to confirm addresses and so on, and said yes, shouldn't be long now. Hurrah! Mind you, must also arange for storage as we'll not have enough space in this three-bed to put everything in.

It's getting late, and I seem to have left a nasty horrible trail of lots and lots of letters all over the screen already so somehow I think it must be time to stop. Oh, I was going to say - I can't remember whether the bird DVD was in that parcel that you just received, or whether I sent it, or whether it's still waiting to be sent, or is it lost? No idea - did you ever get a bird DVD for Leo, Pie? I really don't have the faintest recollection except for definitely getting it ready - whether I actually posted it is another matter. Glad at least one of them got through - and to be fair, three months for sea mail is what they quote anyway, it's not that far out. I think sometimes they just come through faster, that's all - if of course they haven't stuck stickers all over the address. Ah, the post. Dynamite, anyone?

Lots of love to you all, Nancy xxxxx