A bit tired, mainly blah-ish in general. I've been getting pretty tired from having to get up extra early to drive to school from Island Bay, plus having to drop Beau off first, also means I arrive about 10 minutes earlier than I normally would. When I arrive at school it is normally still locked up!
I meant to go swimming yesterday but then I remembered that I had told some Y11s that I would be their "coach/supporter". It's only a social team and they just want to have fun, so they don't actually want any coaching. So I dragged Beau along too and we watched them play.
The funny thing is that there were at least 3 other teams from my school there. I didn't realise female touch rugby was so popular in highschool. I knew some students in all of the teams and it was weird/cool 'cause they got all excited to see me come to watch them play. Anyhoo, my team lost 2-7, but we were really proud to have scored anything. They're already better than the Y12 social soccer team I "coached" last year.
Those girls, now Y13, want me to "coach" them again. With this Y11 team and last years Y12 team, it really hits home to me how much difference it makes to my relationship with the students just turning up and cheering for them 10 hours a term can make. They really appreciate it and I can't encourage other teachers enough to take part in an extra-curricular activity with your students.
It might not be sport (I find it funny that I'm helping out with sport), it could be the school production, or debating, or whatever, but spending time out of class with the students shows them that you care about them and that you see them as people, rather than a zombie who can't balance ions. It also helps them to percieve you as more than the harridan who forces them to do boring/hard/unappealing schoolwork. When you go the extra mile for your students, they are more likely to go the extra mile for you.
It's probably true for people other than students too!
On a completely different note, I am going to try making croquettes with rice instead of potato and with canned tuna instead of mince. I'm also going to put a chunk of cheese in the middle. I'm told it will work out well and to me it sounds Delicious!