@EDMONDSON, SANDRA
@DATA TYPE: RETROSPECTIVE
@LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
@COUNTRY: FRANCE
@PARTICIPANTS: S 
@SETTING: PRIVATE
@TIME: LATE
@SCHOOL: SECONDARY

Reflecting on live recording

* OK, in retrospect, the meeting appeared to be successful, however it proved not to be, with the fact that after Christmas Catherine's classes stopped attending again!  I usually contact teachers to let them know if their pupils are absent, but Catherine always used to say "Quelle dommage" or "They won't come if they don't want to, you are after all an extra class".  It's incredibly frustrating because all of the other teachers have made my classes compulsory - as a result I have 99% attendance.

* Did I give the right impression of myself?  I'm not sure.  I was assertive about my wishes to have concrete classes; however I feel that Catherine sees me as a temporary inconvenience!  However, I try to present myself in a better light, she's not interested.  I understand I'm not a permanent member of staff or a teacher, but Catherine has no time for me.  As an assistant who works with six of her classes, it's very annoying.  I'm left to my own devices, but now that I know that she's not actually my responsable, it makes more sense.

* On the whole, I feel that the meeting was held because I requested it.  There was little benefit to Catherine - Perhaps other than getting me to stop talking to her about absences when she's not interested.  The week before the February holidays, Catherine told me that I should be informing the bureau de surveillance if students were absent, and she asked me why I hadn't been doing that.  Nobody had told me such a structure existed.  Teachers have the choice to make attendance their issue or that of the surveillants.  As Catherine was not interested and she did not enforce the class lists she gave me - or refer me to the surveillants until two months after Christmas - the meeting was pointless and completely dissatisfying.  Even if at the time, I thought otherwise.

* Do I feel in hindsight that my tmoignage is an accurate reflection of what happened during that interaction?  I think I waffled for quite a bit!  I think that I was much more worried and preoccupied with only just being able to make out the recording.  The beginning is backed with white noise but it's OK.  My tmoignage isn't clear because I'm referring to the quality of the tape as 'disastrous' and the achievements of the conversation as 'successful'.  I wouldn't say the tmoignage is inaccurate, more incoherent!  I think it does show my surprise that Catherine isn't my responsable, but today it makes more sense.  
The best way to describe it would probably be a disaster.  Sorry.

Arriving at <school name 1>

I sent a letter to the responsable and the head teacher. The secretary contacted my by email to tell me about having a free apartment and giving me the school's phone number and the previous assistant's email address.

The school never contacted me after this, even after I telephoned, emailed and wrote another letter.  I eventually got hold of the secretary and discussed that I would arrive on the Monday.  The previous assistant had given me lots of information regarding my accommodation and Meudon as a town (what's where etc).

When I arrived, they expected me three days later!  The gardien took me to the apartment, gave me my key and that was it!  I went looking for staff the next day and met Catherine where she invited me to a runion with the other seven English teachers.

We had a meal in the staffroom and I was told I had two weeks observation before my timetable started.  I went to the recommended classes with the majority of my classes, but I had to wait about five weeks for a full timetable and another two weeks for room allocations - which as I described in my logbook remained chaos until Christmas.

The teachers spoke to me mostly in English, but I've since tried to insist on French.

Reflecting on relationship with responsable

Development of relationship

* Looking back through my logbook, although I wrote principally about Catherine, my mentions of Anne-Sophie demonstrate that she actually was my responsable!  I choose not to review journal entries as a rule which, perhaps, I should change because I probably would have realised!  My very first conversation with Anne-Sophie was in the staffroom, where we talked about where I was from, my studies and how she had a friend in West Wales, near my father's home town.  I felt that she was very friendly and extremely helpful, introducing me to staff, and helping me with admin.  Of course, now I know that she's my responsable, but we really get along.

* I think now we get along just as well.  We don't see each other very often but I think that because I really enjoy her classes, it makes things easier.  Tomorrow she's invited me to see Twelfth Night with her for free!  I've also been invited for dinner and I genuinely felt like it was a genuine offer rather than out of duty.

* My last logbook entry referring to Anne-Sophie said that I felt she didn't have time for me, but I now realise she was apologising as a responsable; I wasn't an inconvenience, rather she was just really busy with a new baby and moving house.

* My logbook isn't really a full accurate reflection of our interactions because I was focusing on Catherine; however I'm quite surprised how much I mentioned her before I knew who she was.  I'm a poor example really, a bit of an anomaly.  I don't think I've left anything of real importance out, my relationship with Anne-Sophie has been pretty smooth sailing: we get along, I find her very friendly and she's also very kind.

* I feel that participating in the PIC project made me much more conscious of what I did with teachers.  It perhaps made me a bit more paranoid about interacting in school.  I felt like a spy reporting back to HQ!  I probably wouldn't do this again (sorry!) solely because, because I was focusing on things so detailed, I couldn't relax - I needed to focus.  Sorry!

* As for Catherine, our working relationship hasn't really changed.  She's as ambiguous as ever - I never know really what she thinks but I don't take it to heart anymore, I just get on with it.

Reflecting on the assistantship experience

Responsable list
* Give transport information - how to arrive at school - perhaps meeting.
* Full meeting to meet all staff in that department (perhaps an informal lunch - it definitely benefited me!)
* A brief introduction to school system (6me = Yr 7 etc) Stage BEFORE starting work!
* Monthly responsable-assistant meetings (even if only 30 mins) to check everything is OK.
* More motivation for teachers to become responsables
* Need admin help

Observations
* Didn't pass on my letters.  Didn't know when I would arrive - even after I called!
* No timetable
* Problems with rooms
* Not told about the exams; Terminale - I was not told what to do other than 'talk to them'
* No information about curriculum - some classes obligatory
* I wasn't observed at all
* Extra curricular activities - London, Ray, Twelfth Night
* Social life with staff - v. professional/obligatory except Laurence and Julie (stagires)
* No judgement (?)
* Catherine "Quelle dommage" - absences
* Did I feel accountable to anyone?
* SHOULD HAVE PREP BEFORE WE START





2


