Planet Mad

Have been doing a credible headless chicken impression for the past two days, culminating in a treble-booking yesterday evening. Work progresses as ever: a mixture of marking, preparation, teaching and pastoral care. Today was the annual steeplechase - an innocent sounding yet deceptively nasty cross-country race, where finishers are awarded points for their house. This means that the kids spend all of their time trying to find an excuse to get out of it, whilst the housemasters and mistresses, constantly after more silverware to add to the house trophy cabinet, spend their time rounding up the shirkers and forcing the fake-invalid whingers to get off their arses and out into the mud. Needless to say, us sadistic teachers have no intention of running, and so merely stand around to watch the limping, muddy, and - on occasion - bleeding children return to the school, offering smiles, encouragement and chocolate. Yes - that's right: they made me the chocolate monitor. What a great job: endless gratitude from your customers and all the chocolate you can eat! Hurrah!! :-)