A Positive Thing Happened At Work Today

[Guest]

Today I asked some children to tell me who was the "teacher" they liked best ( showing a photo of the whole staff team).

One boy said "My mum".

When I told mum at home time, her smile was precious ( her child has autism and the fact that he gave an answer made her feel good, having recently been told by a special school thay won't take him in September because his needs are too great for them to manage)

 

Peggy

[hali]

Excellent makes the job worthwhile

[Beau]

Well done Peggy. I had a good day too. The chair who has been agonising over whether to send her child to nursery or keep her at playgroup for another year told me that she is staying at playgroup.

[Guest]

Some days are really worth getting up for!

Linda

[Rea]

I did an appraisal of a member of staff. She's been with us just under 12 months and is about to finish her level 3. After all my moaning about another member of staff which was actually starting to make me doubt my leadership skills, she said how happy she was that I made her feel valued through accepting her contributions and how it had helped her to feel she was a valid member of the team. I came away feeling much more positive about my own abilities. I felt all warm and smiley. As it was her appraisal I just hope she got as much from it as I did.

[catma]

I was in a school today and watched the most wonderful play I have seen in ages. I could have stayed all morning and joined in but had to move on. Shame.

[Guest]

We had a successful staff meeting today ( few and far between because of "family commitments") The main agenda item being the kitemark module we are working on, Meals and Snacks. The input and discussion from all the staff was very stimulating and we managed to identify lots that we do well, a few items to develop and actually formulated an ACTION PLAN. WOW.

 

Peggy

 

( for those who have followed my staffing dillema's this was a good end to a good days work)

[Guest]

Peggy and all,

 

See, Peggy, I'm doing as I'm told (for once)!

 

Two (not one, but TWO) positive things at work today:

 

1) I was asked "Diane, read a book". I know it doesn't sound like much, but it came from the 8-yr-old ASD I work with. It was a four-word sentence! And ..... it was the first time ever that she has asked me to read to her. Even though I read to her regularly, being asked by her to read was really something! I felt pretty chuffed. And I had her attention for nearly 5 minutes - quite somthing! Unfortunately, she'd taken the book apart, so I had to make some bits up as I went along (missing pages). Not a problem.

 

2) Not a working day at pre-school, but I had to go in. Firstly, to ask for permission to do my next chunk of coursework (probably 6 obs, that won't have any use to the setting), and, secondly, to "ask" if I could do them outside paid working time (since when I'm there and working, I don't have opportunities for things like obs). Guess what! I came out smiling.

 

Maybe I could get the hang of this positive thinking stuff!

 

Thanks Peggy!

 

Diane.

[Susan]

Well done, Diane. I know how much the progress of your ASD child must mean to you.

Good luck with the observations!

[Beau]

Great diane - we'll turn you into a positive thinker yet! I wasn't at work today but had a lovely meal out this evening with my mums. (Sorry - am I knocking you all out with my alcoholic breath?????)

[Sue R]

Not me, Carol!!

 

But I may be rolling all of you over with my excess of energy!

 

A most FANTASTIC evening has just been had, quite unexpectedly, but oh, so welcome!!

 

Sue

[Guest]

Reading all your postive thoughts has really cheered me up. Been very down over the last 2 weeks afetr going into hospital in an ambulance the Firday before last. Driving home had excruciateing pain in my stomach and didn't make it home!!! Suspected appedicitus and an operation later i was very sore and fed up. Wasn't my appendix and now face a long battery of tests and scans to solve the problem. Signed off work fro 2 weeks and sick of daytime television!!!

 

Luckily i'm allowed back on Tuesday and i'm feeling really excited!!! Can't wait to see my class who have been all over the place and really unsettled...can't blame them really! Hopefully will have a lovely week next week and it looks liek its going to be sunny, even better, we can do lots of outdoor stuff, even my Year One's!!

 

THank for all your positive stories they have made light relief from the evils of Daytime TV!!!

[Sue R]

Hi Sarah!

 

I can fully sympathise on the daytime tv front!!! I had a surfeit last year after two extended bouts off work. Fortunately, I discovered this site, so I was rescued!

 

It's great to be anticipating the return, isn't it! Have a wonderful week, hope you soon find out what the problem is and that it's nothing too bad!

 

Sue

[Beau]

So sorry to hear of your problems Sarah but glad to hear you'll be back at work next week.

 

My positive for today was that our Development Worker popped in and was very impressed with all the changes we've made recently to the environment. Working from a village hall it's always difficult to find ways to offer children choice and independence. Plus there's the difficulty of displays etc but we have been thinking very creatively of ways to overcome these problems. She commented that it all looked very bright and welcoming.

[Guest]

Diane, you are awarded one of my very special, not given out too freely, smiley stickers

 

Thanks to all for sharing your positive days, as we do sometimes forget we have them.

I am going to try to post a positive experience EVERY day, so here is todays.

 

I accidently discovered a new sensory activity. At the beginning of the week we made Mr Grass heads - Tights ( well I actually only wear hold ups), sawdust, grass seeds, wobbly eyes.

 

Today I made some scola cell paste ( like wllpaper paste without the fungacide) It went all lumpy so being a very good crisis manager I got a length of tights, put it in a container, stretched the opening around the edge and scooped the "glue" in. My idea was to squeeze all the lumps out through the mesh.

 

Chloe was watching, "What are you doing?" she asked, " I'm giving my alien friend a massage" I said ( good at quick responses as well, you know .

Anyway, out came the water tray, more water & paste powder, lots of scooping and we spent 1.5 hrs playing in all the slippery slimy glue. GREAT FUN , WHERE ELSE WOULD YOU GET PAID TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS?.

Chloe made hers into a fish!! I shall post some pics tomorrow, off up the pub for dinner with my son, his girlfriend and my hubby

The only way to end a good week. AND we've got Monday off too

 

Peggy

 

p.s. I won't make all my positive posts this long.

Hope you feel better soon Sarah.

[Sue R]

I'm sorry to be party-pooper folks. I know i haven't posted any positives yet, but to be truthful, most of my days are positives!!!!

Could this be something to do with only being part-time these days?

 

I didn't think you'd want me to post any nasty days!!!

 

But when I have a really special day(work! I get lots of really special 'down time' these days ), then promise I'll post!!

 

Sue

[Susan]

Sarah, hope youre feeling better. Enjoy the weekend and look forward to the short week next week! It'll be lovely to see your class again on Tuesday.

[Guest]

Good, nice ones, everyone

 

Sorry about the need for daytime TV, Sarah. You have my empathy! Two years ago, I was completely immobile - had surgery on my foot, which left me in plaster for 6 months. I got so desparate (rural area), I hobbled to the pre-school (took me ages to get there and back) just so I could do normal things. All I can say is: get well soon because so many things are better than TV.

 

Peggy - was that positive? I wish I'd been with you today - soulds like my kind of thing!

 

Great time with ASD child today. "Diane be Shere Khan". Four words again! Maybe only three (ShereKhan could be one word to her). But, wow, am I good at being a scary tiger! And she is so good at being "scared" by me!

 

Downside to today (sorry for putting it here) .... Had morning of "in-house" training. Not a pre-school day, but the leader and deputy had decided that us underlings do not understand the foundation stage curriculum, so we had the first of 2 training sessions to address the ELGs. Today we did PSED, CLL and CD. I hadn't realised that the leader and deputy were delivering the training. Now we all know that "spatial awareness" is under PSED, sitting still on a chair is CLL and following simple instructions is CD! Sorry, being a little bit facetious here - some information from the leaders was on target. Some, but not most!

 

But, when I suggested, as OFSTED picked up on in Feb, that children could be allowed to "do their own thing" with crafts (rather than stick a on b, b on c, c on d and produce clones of the leaders' example). For example, if children are doing a collage of a tree - does it really matter whether it's our interpretation of a tree? Yes, says leadership! If it doesn't go home looking like "our tree" the parents won't like it. If we let the children do their own thing it negates the theme that we've laid down for that week. An example I was given: every butterfly must have two spots (pre-cut stuff) because this week we are working on bugs and the number 2!

 

Hell and high water! I'm not going to do this for much longer!

 

Good point of the morning's training session - leaders are encouraging unqualified staff. However, I don't think that asking two inexperienced (6 months) unqualified (not even IPP) staff to introduce "Jolly Phonics" (both have reception class children and think it's great) is the right way to progress the setting. If we're going to do something like this it needs a proper evaluation before implementation (and it needs to be tied-in with everything else).

 

 

Sorry, Peggy (!).

 

The really positive - I love the children at pre-school. All the staff are great - I just have to acknowledge that, although our goals are common (i.e. doing our best for the children), the goalposts are not always in the same place. I have the benefit of experience AND knowledge/understanding. These attributes are redundant, unfortunately.

 

I bet I'll have two REALLY positive things to say on Tuesday!

 

Diane.

[Guest]

I've found out this week that my contract will be permanent next year.

Can't really ask for better news than that!

maddy.

[Guest]

Well done Maddy

 

Diane

[Guest]

Oh Diane,

 

Re-read your post, scores per paragraph.

Empathy

Effort ( good)

Positive (Good)

Negative

Negative

Positive that turned to negative

Positive that turned to negative

 

Must try harder.

 

Am I being cruel? You have the benefit of experience AND knowledge/understanding. Value this by accepting you cannot change the system you are in at the moment but that your contribution does make a difference for the children and fellow staff.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Or, to put it another way, Diane (and forgiving the poor Latin)

 

No le illegimi carborundum

 

(Don't let the B*****ds grind you down)

 

Maz

[Rea]

This didnt happen at work, but on the rugby field today. Youngest son and his team WON the shield You know when you watch them battle away week after week and you can see them getting dispondent as the wins fail to come often enough? Today they beat three other teams, the roar form the crowd rivaled a premiership cup final, Chelsea fans had nothing on us!! I had tears in my eyes, we were dancing and just screaming. This is son as the last whistle blew

[Guest]

Rea, thats fantastic, bet your chuffed to bits. maddy.

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing, photo made me smile. A sense of achievement like your sons face shows is priceless.

 

Peggy

[Susan]

Well done, Maddy. Glad the contract is going to be permanent. Which age group will you be with this time?

 

Diane, keep smiling! One day someone will apprecaite you more.

[Guest]

Todays positives are: (note the plural)

EYAT visited, praised good team work, enjoyed story time and a pineapple milkshake which the children made.( but didn't want to drink!)

 

Area SENCO visited, full of praise.

 

New child stopped crying after 5 mins.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Todays positives are: (note the plural)

EYAT visited, praised good team work, enjoyed story time and a pineapple milkshake which the children made.( but didn't want to drink!)

 

Area SENCO visited, full of praise.

 

New child stopped crying after 5 mins.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Todays positives are: (note the plural)

EYAT visited, praised good team work, enjoyed story time and a pineapple milkshake which the children made.( but didn't want to drink!)

 

Area SENCO visited, full of praise.

 

New child stopped crying after 5 mins.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Todays positives are: (note the plural)

EYAT visited, praised good team work, enjoyed story time and a pineapple milkshake which the children made.( but didn't want to drink!)

 

Area SENCO visited, full of praise.

 

New child stopped crying after 5 mins.

 

Peggy