Week one done.

My first week of teaching has flown by in a flurry of lesson delivery, reflection, planning, re-planning, phoning, writing, talking and listening.  It has been really interesting! I am enjoying secondary teaching far more than I had ever imagined. I find it intellectually more challenging than primary teaching and less taxing on me physically and mentally; I go home to my own children far less tired at the end of the day.  There is something refreshing about having short, intense bursts of learning with students and then not seeing them for a couple more days. 
I had previously assumed that secondary students lacked the pastoral care element that primary students have with their teachers, but this is not the case.  Infact, the school I am teaching in has an extensive safety net for students which includes subject teachers, form teachers, year heads, support staff including AIEOs and Clontarf Academy and Broome Girls Academy.  
I do feel that my experience working with ELD students is lacking and this is something I will bring to my mentor when we meet next.