Extra Curricular Activities

I have become a massive advocate for ECAs. It’s value added education and can provide interesting outlets beyond the classroom environment. It was trialled and failed last year, but i’m determined to resurrect and resuscitate. I appoint Mr Solomon as “Student Betterment Officer“ to run the programme (plus Prefects, the setting up of a Student Council, and Emergency Evacuation Procedures),  but tell him i’ll train him up and help him out in the first instance. Mr Solomon has been stolen from the civil service as “Advanced Placement Teacher” and i want him to work hard for his extra Birr.

One of the first changes i implemented was a staffing sign in/sign out sheet and all teachers had to be in school between the times of 8am – 4pm. Teachers and TAs who last year barely made it before 9am and ran out of the gates at 3.10pm have had a massive awakening moment. 

I have made sure ECAs end by 4pm, so the teachers, at least on the surface, don’t seem too peeved at giving a one 45 minute activity of their own choosing during the working week. I show Solomon my letter i have written to the parents, how i want the activities collated, and despite the photocopiers’ best efforts, we manage to get all the forms out three days later than i wanted. The list is good! Their are plenty of varied activities for all our students to choose from, running four days a week – Wednesday is INSET day is in the process of becoming completely sacred and Holy. 

I’ve asked my sec. to collect in the forms of the students, and Solomon to collect them from her and collate the students’ preferences. He can then draw up a compiled register for each teacher and everyone is happy. 

Come Monday morning and i ask Solomon if we are ready to go in the afternoon. “I think so” he says with his usual air of confidence and self assuredness.  Come 2pm and i see my sec struggling with the ECA forms. I am somewhat surprised. 

“Why hasn’t Solomon got these forms?” i ask somewhat bemused.

“Because he hasn’t asked me for them”, L. says nonchalantly. 

There is 1 hour and fifteen minutes before they are due to begin, and there are some 120 forms that haven’t been processed. 

I grab the forms out of my secretary's hand, tell her to find Solomon and bring him to my office IMMEDIATELY!!!! 

Frantically i divide the piles between Early Years and Upper Primary, open up Excel on both my laptop and desk top and begin a frenzy of mad activity. Dear Ms J comes in and immediately comes to my aid. She can type with greater speed and asks me to read out the names and choices. Simultaneously i am speed-dialling Solomon on his mobile but to no avail. Twenty minutes later he walks into my office. “I have had classes all day” he offers in a way of a semi-apology. I’m positively fuming at him, but try to remain calm. Why he hasn't taken up my offer of helping cover his class is simply inexplicable to me? 

And then i hear myself utter the infamous Headmasterly catch-phrase “i’m very very disappointed in you”. I pass him the Upper Primary forms and tell him to “sort them out – NOW!” and in fairness he scurries out of my office and onto the Staff Lounge computer. We just about pull it off on time.

Mr Solomon does pull out the proverbial finger and by Wednesday forms have been characterized, room numbers issued and staff registers completed. He has risen from Mountain Man’s cesspit.

Not surprisingly Art Club is popular (it seems to have been left off the curriculum altogether, largely, but not exclusively, to the complete lack of resources. Ms Menbere (Grade 5 teacher) is leading the class for 7-11 year olds. I am curious to see what she has in store for them and where on earth she has found the resources.

In fairness to Ms Menbere she has managed to find some crayons. However the photo-stated picture of a cat to be coloured in is not quite what i might have done with the class.

Inspirational Art? Not really