Summer time

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Jenny Léger

The summer holidays are almost upon us and today is my last formal planning meeting for next year. Exam results are out on Friday and so this marks the end of another school year cycle. I have been in the same school since September 1998, so that means this will be my 17th Rentrée in September. I have missed only one in all those years and that was when I was pregnant with Luke, now 13 !!

Personally I adore this time of year, when the promise of two months of summer stretch out ahead of me. This month of July will be studious as I try to prepare as much as possible for the coming year. Nothing is removed from this blog but the ARCHIVES section will get bigger as I have the big tidy-up !! New sections will appear as preparations get underway for next September. New classes, new challenges – today’s meeting will determine which groups and which classes I will be involved in at school. This will influence what new adventures will be happening in my professional life and reflected here and my other blogs.

The summer is, for me, a time to work my way down that reading pile that I love to make for myself. I have already finished three books since lessons ended in June, so now July is here, the serious stuff can begin. An eclectic mix this year, including The Fault in our Stars, Watership Down, The War Horses (a lovely coffee table book) and The Curious Incident of a dog in the night time (or some title like that). Some old favs will be revisited “The Boy in the Striped PJ’s” remains one of my greats ever. I shall be so busy reading that I shall wonder how I ever found time to go to work !! If anyone is looking for me and can’t find me, I shall no doubt be on my sun lounger under a shady tree somewhere in the garden with my book, a cool drink or a nice cup of tea and my iPod, catching up on my year’s work !! Don’t call me as I won’t hear you !!

Happy summer holidays to everyone reading this !!

St Philip Howard School, Barnham – well done !

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Jenny Léger

This article tells how a group of young people delivered a powerful message to 10 Downing Street today, insisting on the right to education for children across the world. Two of the kids selected to go to Downing Street were from our former partner school, St Philip Howard School in Barnham, West Sussex. For almost ten years, we ran an exchange between our school and theirs and I know my former pupils maintain links with some of their partners still today.

A special hello to Mrs Alison Baker, Assistant Head Teacher, who is behind this initiative and who ran the exchange with me – and who also happens to be one of my best friends and who helped me in my early years of teaching, back in 1989, when I was a rooky teacher in Angmering.

http://www.sendmyfriend.org/2014/06/young-campaigners-ade-adepitan-deliver-messages-10-downing-street/

Click on the link to read the full article. Great job, guys.

Rik Mayall

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Jenny Léger

If you are, like me, a kid who was a teenager in the 1980s, you cannot help but have been influenced by the absurdly politially incorrect TV series The Young Ones, that we all adored but our parents tried to stop us from watching !! I felt so saddened tonight to learn that Rik Mayall aka Rik from The Young Ones, died this morning at the very young age of 56. This has made me go back over what I knew about him and what I remembered of his various roles. Blackadder remains a favourite but TYO has to top it all and in particular, the scene when TYO appear on University Challenge. Classic.

Some of the one-liners from the show became our stock reponses to anything said by anyone in an authority position. We must have driven our parents and teachers mad ! I honed my sarcasm skills through watching this TV series and my rather silly and over-the-top sense of humour. The relationship between Rik and side-kick Vyvyen was hilarious. So, as a tribute to Rik, (yes we have a video) and as a reminder to those who remember, like me, how rude and outrageous he was, here is an obit article and a video, showing who it is I am talking about. And as I checked out some of my references before writing this post, I came across another of my favourites, which I use in class at least once a week and it is the legendary “Kevin’s ear”. Any Kevin that crosses my path is entitled to hear that on a regular basis. I had forgotten that it came from Rik Mayall (in my mind, I had thought it was a Harry Enfield number). I have enjoyed watching Kevin Turvey sketches this evening and I include one here, for ayone who might like to take a look. And to any Brummies who may be reading, I am loving the accent and thinking how happy I am not to talk like Kevin Turvey any more !!

Similarly whenever I have a Victor in my class, as I invariably do, I love asking the question “Is Vic there ?” My humour is wasted on my pupils who don’t get it, but it keeps me amused. So, in memory of Rik Mayall and with thanks for the hours of fun and for the gift that just keeps on giving, in the form of Kevin’s Ear, please enjoy the following …

Rik Mayall Obit’

June 6th 2014 – D-Day Commemorations

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Jenny Léger

I just love this photo. I don’t know who the gentlemen are, but it is just such a poignant picture to see them walking on this Normandy beach. Being based in Normandy, we always have quite a heavy diet of D-Day stuff around us, but this week, it has been extra fabulous, seeing all the old vehicles on the road, making their way to the commemoration events. On Monday, there was a whole convoy of about twenty ambulances, jeeps and army trucks lined up on the side of the road leading out of my town of Louviers. People were tooting and waving to the drivers. It felt so friendly and warm. Even the usually-so-cool teenagers from my school were joining in the fun and waving away to them. A wonderful moment as part of these commemoration events. Wishing a very enjoyable day to everyone involved.

Visit N°3 with our partner school

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Jenny Léger

We welcomed our partner class of CE2-CM1 kids to the lycée today. They arrived in time for a picnic lunch, had a guided tour of the school and then played some games with my 1STMG students before leaving to go back their school.

It was an amazing visit. The close bonds between the generations was touching to see. The older kids were very protective of the younger ones and very caring and attentive. The little ones obviously felt so grown up, being in the lycée. They were so excited at everything they saw. my interactive white board just blew them away!! A lab colleague showed some of them round the science labs. Wow ! A Spanish colleague welcomed some into her lesson. And a group that was visiting the Lycée Pro were given a go on the soap production machine, coming away with some bars of soap as a souvenir. Thanks to those colleagues. None of that was planned in advance – just some spontaneous gestures of kindness and availability that are so appreciated.

The CE2-CM1 kids had prepared some songs to sing for us. They then taught my pupils the songs. Seeing my older kids, usually so cool and image-conscious, joining in with Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes – that has to be one of my highlights of the year !!

During the games session, we wanted to introduce some questions based on telling the time. My 1STMG kids began to panic – we all know that telling the time is one of their weak points. The CE2-CM1 kids were being reassuring, saying they would help the older ones out !! Ha ha !!

It was a great visit. Having little kids around, so natural and innocent, makes you go back the basics of what school, learning and education shold be all about. Thanks to Karine, the class teacher and to all her pupils for thier infectious enthusiasm. And thanks to my 1STMG class – for following me in this wacky project, but one which will remain with us all for a very long time.

The end of the school year …

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Jenny Léger

… is fast approaching. It is hard to keep the momentum going and yet, there is still a lot to be done. We are starting to look ahead and plan for a new school year. This is one of my favourite times in the school calendar – lots of plans and exciting initiatives to put in place. The year ahead of us is like an open road – we can plan our route and then head off into the distance.

Why, Google, why ?

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Jenny Léger

Here is another enigma for my students – as I know I have a lot who like playing games.

Why have Google published this on their search page today ?

May 4th

Image

A giant water slide in the centre of Bristol

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Jenny Léger

Thanks to my nephew, Jamie, in the UK, I have heard about this giant project in Bristol, whereby the street is going to be transformed into a giant water slide today. It sounds like such a lot of fun. You can read more about it here : Bristol Park Street water slide project

For one day only, the giant slide will be installed the length of the main high street and the demand for tickets has been unbelievable. For 320 tickets, almost 100,000 applications were received and so only the lucky few will actually have the chance to take to the slide. The concept is part of a project to “Make Sundays Special” and I am all for that idea.

I don’t know about you, but in our household, fun on Sundays has for a long time meant washing and ironing, catching up on homework and watching the recording of Telefoot. As an avid fan of The Archers, I listen to the omnibus every Sunday morning (or nowadays, it can also very easily be a podcast), but I am the only one in our household to do this ! The idea of hurling myself down a 90 metre water slide in the city centre may not be my idea of fun, but fun it certainly is !!

The brains behind the idea set in place a “Pianos in the City” project five years ago and that certainly would grab me. As the mother of pianist sons, I absolutely love the sound of the piano and when we were in Paris this weekend, we spent a while in St Lazare station, listening to the young girl who was playing on the piano installed there.

How else to make Sundays fun ? Personally I don’t consider housework and chores as falling into the “fun” category. A trip to the cinema, a bike ride, a lunch party – those are more fun. And, as the weather improves, hopefully a spot of gardening. Not to forget, of course, the time spent in the garden chair with a good book, because the pile of books to read never seems to diminish, does it ? So much to read, so little time to do to it in !!

For anyone who hasn’t had the thought, where is Bristol ? It is a city in South-West England, not far from where I was born and spent the first seven years of my life, in a small town called Trowbridge. Going to the big city of Bristol was a huge treat when I was a little girl !! And there were no giant water slides in my day !!!

To complete this post, a panoramic view of the city and an example of work by the Bristol artist, Bansky.

A galaxy of Georges for Saint George’s Day

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Jenny Léger

As a way of celebrating the birth day of the Bard, I would recommend a compulsory dose of Shakespeare in Love. And for Saint George’s Day, well there is the compulsory dragon, of course and another cuter George in a selection of Georges to start off the day. Can you name them all ?