Thursday 16 October 2008

Thursday 16th October 08

Another early start, although as I'd bought two day's tickets yesterday, I was able to get to the station a few minutes later and go and hop straight on the train. Had a hassle free journey and was picked up by Mary, one of the staff at Paddock School, who visits the station every morning to drop her husband off so she waited for me to arrive at 8.30 and took me the 10 minutes to the school.

I was working with the KS 1 kids today.... reception and infants.... all doing Science Week, mainly stuff about bodies and senses, insects and minibeasts (a visiting animal wrangler with giant millipedes and a snake), this planet and the night sky (a planetarium) and my stuff on how things work, forces etc. So I again did three one hour shows, with very basic sciency info such as push/pull, weight, gravity, friction (explained with stickyness/roughness as opposed to not very slippery!) and gyroscopic forces explained (not!) with 'Derek the Diabolo' and an array of spinning tops and the like. Working with the very young is more difficult as their hand-eye co-ordination is not well developed, and some of the concepts might be a bit difficult, although I did check with the teachers first thing, and they said 'go for it'!

I had a good time with the teachers and other staff, a really lovely 'vibe' in the school. They seemed to enjoy the day too, and I was taken to the station and got the just-before 3 train back home. I stopped by the Building Society on the way home to put my cheque in, and at Country Fresh to pick up a medium box of compostables.

A peaceful evening... I pulled out of two meetings as Gill wanted me to stay in and ensure an easy evening for her, and anyway, I was tired so I was happy to have a quiet evening in.

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