Oh dear! Endings and New Beginnings.

Today I left my job!
2 weeks ago I had just got the email about the job I will start in 2 weeks time, when school starts in the New Year.
It has been a mad few days since being offered the job 3 days ago.
I was offered my new job, hoping to start my new one in January on the basis that we could find someone to replace me.
Someone "just happened" to come in to work, asking if there were any opportunities to gain some experience, whilst they do some training. Often, courses won't accept you on their training programmes without the experience.
So I have spent the last 3 morning sessions in school, with this lady working alongside me as part of a brilliant and timely hand over.
Perfect, these "just happened" moments, aren't they?

On Wednesday afternoon, I was asked to teach 3 classes as a supply teacher, which was great for me. The 3 classes of 9, 10 and 11 year olds seemed to like it too. I taught each class for 45 minutes. I made, or they made, or we made these:cute aren't they?
They are cute, made with baby sized up to adult sized hands and feet!

I got the idea from my niece, a few years ago.
If you haven't made them before, simply draw round one foot and left and right hands.
The foot becomes the reindeer head, the hands, the antleers!
We did this on brown paper and stuck it all onto card, for strength.
Use a black marker pen to draw round the outline to make it bold.
Write a message and the date, so it can become a keepsake memory.
We drew round a small coin in red card for the noses and stuck on googly eyes.
Some children chose one big and one small eye size, to make their reindeer have more character!
They then went round the edge of the hands/antlers to make them a bit sparkly and ooh ahh with colourful glitter glue.
Some used glitter very creatively!
Some children were able to build their reindeer at the sticking brown paper onto card stage, others stuck each of the 3 brown paper parts onto the card as separate pieces, to cut out and re-assemble later.
This was because they struggled with the cutting out skills with the fingers for the antlers, so we did it in stages.
All 3 classes loved it and many thought they might make a family of reindeer at home with their families!
Hole punch 2 holes for some thread to hang your "dear" festive creations!
My niece does it each year with her children and hangs them in a garland so you can see them get bigger each year!
I think she also sticks a photo of the children in the middle of the foot too.

Today was my last day in this job. Not every day was easy. One of the children I worked with could be quite aggressive and volatile towards me and other children. Some days at 8.50am would seem like very long days. Other days, would hold some rewards and breakthroughs, where we would make great progress, in attitudes, choices and learning. I also had the chance to invest and hopefully impact several other young lives throughout the school, helping them in their social and emotional development too.
It is the end of the last 2 years and my colleagues have been a really kind and supportive staff to work alongside. I will miss them but am pleased to have made some friends too. They very generously gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers and a lovely necklace to wish me well in my new job.

A new beginning.