Momentum is a delicate, hard won, easily lost, funny old thing.
Sports teams gather impetus from wins or strong performances. Each win builds on the last and confidence rises as a result.
Musicians and bands make progress via success as well - measured by concert sales and movement up a sales chart. When sales fall they need a new success to continue the momentum.
Momentum for students is an individual thing and harder to quantify. For a whole school it becomes even more nebulous.
At this time of the year (two weeks away from the start of examinations for seniors) momentum is a delicate fragile flower.
Unfortunately, for me, the brakes were applied to any academic momentum I'd managed to engender in the first two weeks of the term.
A number of events have contributed:
- various Agriculture and Produce shows in our rural markets have meant girls and staff away from school at a crucial time;
- we held (very successful) athletics sports events on two days which meant changes to the routines of our school day and a complete focus shift;
- the anticipation and immediate aftermath of those sports days was little interest in academic activities (we were all in preparation mode or else bone tired);
- a large number of senior Year 12 girls are involved in a prefecture process;
- two holidays have happened creating less time in class;
- many Year 13 girls are shifting their gaze to 2016 and the rites associated with leaving a school many have known since they were very young;
- a major music competition is scheduled for the coming week.
I am a tiny bit kind of frustrated a smidge because I'm sure the school governors and senior leaders and parents will still expect me to get excellent results.
But we all know what happens when we take our eyes of a ball before it is caught don't we!
'Sright! It hits us smack in the face!!
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