Returning after the summer

After working a full year at a south east London school, as PPA cover,(quite the ideal role for someone that has done years of the donkey slog), I returned after the summer break. The 'temporary' feel was ideal for me and is ideal for my state of mind. My evening and weekends are absolutely mine; no compromises necessary. -- Back to the main point: I received a hug from the headteacher to whom I was extremely grateful. She had given me immense support through some tricky situations as a visiting teacher. Many of the chidren, some well-rared (and a few less so) greeted me with beaming smiles. 'I must have done some things right then,' I thought to myself:. One particular child that I had had to speak to quite firmly, on occasions, met me in the corridor (mid-lunchtime). With gleaming eyes and keeness he greeted me. When I asked how HE was and called his name. He was gob-smacked that I had remembered his name. He gingerly walked away from me, with several others, saying, 'I'm touched!'. This really tickled me. I had never seen this young lad (now Year 5) so demonstrative; and in fact melodramatic. Some new faces (children as well as adults); some new classes (one previously the detention room) added to the feel of unfamiliarity, a feeling I suspected would be short lived. After all, once you're not on contract and you don't have that class of your own, you're bound to take a little longer to settle back in. WISH ME LUCK for the next two terms!