St. George’s College (Week #50) – Day #228

Date for Entry: (Thursday 30 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (December 2023)

[T1, W:13 – D:60, (Td:4)*].

Dear Diary,

    I got to Valsayn with one Georgian boy. One driver behind was impatient today. I met a white Christmas tree at the side of my desk. It took me the way all day long. I got signed in and my time sheet was filled out before time. Didn’t know if to go over to 2L or wait by my desk.

    After waiting, Dr Blandin called me into her office and asked if I was willing to supervise the second session today for Food and Nutrition. It would be a two-hour exam starting from 11:00 AM. Since it was Miss Daniels’ exam, I decided to take it since she did a favour for my department during the previous term’s final exam. I began to feel left out because I was beginning to hear that there was going to be a staff meeting during the time of the exam.

    I went over to Block K immediately with my bag and met Miss Jones in the lobby area. She was waiting to see who was coming for supervision. I got the 2L papers from her and got the class to start one time. She said that the exam was to be for an hour and a half and that it was right to end earlier if everyone else was over early. There was a long wait for six people to finish. During that long wait, five students were asked to use the washroom and returned. We heard Miss Jones from 2F behind the wall trying to settle the children during the exam.

    At the end of the exam, at 11:55 PM, I asked the students to put their writing materials back into their pockets and vacate the building with their bags once their paper was taken. I collected papers by the columns. Only Seline remained. Miss Jones saw the class was empty but she jumped seeing Seline remaining to check through her work and went back outside. It reminded me of myself during the ABRSM exams at George’s Form 1 classroom. She only needed three more minutes and then Miss Jones came to collect the papers from me. Seemed as though 2M had already finished theirs.

    During recess, I went to the washroom and got some parts of my desk cleared up. I had already notified Miss Daniels at the doors of Block K this morning that I would do the supervision got the exam. I went to her in the staffroom and she showed me the papers. I took them into my bags after she ran through what was supposed to be done. When it was 10:45, I went to her to let her know that it was time to go over to the classroom. Shwe wrote out the time to start and end on the board and distributed the papers. One student was found cheating.

    A lot of noise occurred outside by Form 1s and 2s. There was a fight I saw too from out the large windows. I saw that the staff meeting was going on still while closing the door properly. The test was over in the last thirty minutes before the full duration. Everyone handed up their papers. The staff meeting was still going on.

    I wanted to go in but “Mr Williams” found me on the side and asked me for the recorder assessment. A lot of Form 1 students were coming in the background. I had him sit by the white bench with my book stand and they waited in the corridor. I saw Miss Harris coming late with the food that she was asking for people to buy the curry.

    The Third session started sometime after. I was finished late and then “Reeba” came to the office. He told me that they were short on my two exam papers. The machine was slow and then they mixed up some of the papers. I had to get it stapled. I gave “Reeba” my stapler when the office stapler crashed on itself and praise God Crystal helped me staple some. My head was all over the place. Miss Harris then asked “Reeba” to give Miss Roberts her box of food.

    As we left the office, he went running and the box fell out of his hands. I went hurrying like Mama doing the corridor. I couldn’t run that quick like him and got to Block K. One of the Form 3 boys that I had a babysitter when Roberts did not come to school said, “Sir, dah tes’ is garbage!” In truth, I did not even get to see what the Form 3 paper looked like. I just hope he studied enough.

    To my horrid surprise, the students in 1F were not there except for the students who were doing the arts. I wondered where they could have been. The door for 1L was closed and Mr Bain was inside. I looked in 1M and it was scary seeing all those children inside. Miss Gittens was marking papers by the teacher’s table. I was giving her the extra papers. She said that she would watch over all of the Form 1s and that I could go and grade papers if I had any to do.

    I went back to the office and sat in the Block K staffroom to do so. “Mr Marlon” came back later and got one class finished while waiting for Miss to finish. Some nice conversations occurred. Everyone filed out of the room at the end of school and Dana came in later. She got her curry. I had to warn her about the break in the box before it fell. Seemed as if Miss had forgotten me after the exam.

    I went back to Block C when my bags were packed and went back to grading papers. She told me that she had to go and make a sign for someone quickly and it did take some time to make. It was nice to be among the teachers in both staffrooms for the day. Donna was there with us late into the evening before she left. She was organising to purchase food from a catering that Susan was buying for her Form class. She offered to buy lunch for me on the day of the class parties but I told her she didn’t have too. She had insisted.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:58 am – 4:59 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #50) – Day #227

Date for Entry: (Wednesday 29 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (December 2023)

[T1, W:13 – D:59, (Td:3)*].

**papers

Dear Diary,

    Got to Valsayn with three Georgians and Deon in the same maxi this morning. The driver was “Musician”. I saw “Ravin” waiting but he ended up in front although he was driving the maxi on Lockheart Street. I met Miss on the way to meet her. She had a nice surprise for me.

    I had one exam with 1F (English Literature) this morning too. Maria was their teacher. ‘Doctor’ was in there early with us because of the bleach smell in the classroom. I kept the bag with all the Form 1 projects with me. She was settling them down. Nigel told me that when the exam was over to close the windows and door when I leave.

    I have out the instructions and then shared the papers to begin the exam. Janessa visited us one time at the later part of the test to leave some exam papers. I gave her the 1L papers to deliver for me. The long wait was tiring. I did not have breakfast or use the washroom for a second time. As soon as the exam was over, I got the windows closed up and then went to give 1M their projects before leaving the building. I went to set the papers on Maria’s desk. My small bag from Mr Bacchu was heavy.

    I returned to my desk to have breakfast. I have three more projects sitting on my desk from students in 1F. I didn’t want to take them. I graded the three of them and they will have to get them by lunchtime. Miss and I were both upset. Different things happened to us separately by different people. She had MMT so I could not inform her of what I had to tell her. I went to get my Form 1 and 2 papers out of the storage room during the second session’s exam time.

    During lunchtime, I got “Cody”, “Max” and “Mr Mohan” to do their practical conducting assessment. I got three Form 1s to do theirs also. Janice hurried me to get the papers. I went to my desk and gave her the Form 1. Deon too was supervising a 1F exam. Miss Roberts had already called to ask about her papers. She was in 2L waiting. I wondered what time she got to school this evening. I gave her the papers.

    I got to 2F and waited. I did not know why everyone was not there yet. Miss met me in the corridor outside the classroom as I called her. She too didn’t know where everyone was. I gave her the 2M batch of papers and showed her the attendance sheet and then the invigilator’s instructions guide. She laughed out before walking off to 2M and said, “All this Drama?”

    Time was running out. I got 2F settled and then the attendance sheet was filled out first before distribution of the papers. During the exam, Afisha came to let me know that she had to supervise a Form 1. I gave her 1L which was the only batch of papers remaining and told her to have them fill the attendance form first before sharing the papers out.

    Deon came back and was confused about the students who could not do music. I had to take a moment to remember there were five of them that could not do it. I told him that he could put them in an area at the back of the class and they could review work for another exam. I forgot to tell him to have them sign the attendance form as they were present in class.

    Once I took my first sit on the teacher’s chair early into the eighth period, I forgot to give the children the St George’s score. I told them to use it when they got to that question and handed it turned upside-down. There were certain penalties to be given by a few. I did not know who the Form 1 exams were going on. I wanted to go over and see if there was anything to clarify in the test.

    Only after the test at the end of school, I had a discussion with Sanjay on the Eb Major scale. He had to leave soon after. Miss Jones and Roberts met me in 2F to return the papers. Seems as though I would be getting to mark all the papers by myself. It would be plenty of work but I was glad I did not have to wait.

    I got the King Wenceslas project submission from “Loui” during the evening when returned to my desk after school. I will have to grade his work when I get home and that will be the last of the projects. However, I got it graded in school so I would get my first class of exams to grade when I got home. “Mr Warner” project will have to settle for the low mark since I cannot access the document emailed to me. I got two exams done in the staffroom when I got there. It was nice and the new red pen I got was writing lovely.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:50 am – 4:21 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #50) – Day #226

Date for Entry: (Tuesday 28 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 12 December 2023)

[T1, W:13 – D:58, (Td:2)*].

Dear Diary,

    I got to Valsayn this morning with one Georgian. Daddy was late and as I got to Lockheart’s street, “Trevor” was taking the money before his maxi took off. Others in the back were impatient and wanted to go. I was “Kendrick” third in line waiting to drive onto the main road. I ate my first pie as soon as I got there and got a timesheet out of the drawer to fill out by the time. I had to do it over because there was a big mistake on the sheet done yesterday.

    After 9:00 AM, I went through more Form 1 projects. Only two names were not signed. I had to sign in for them in the submission form. Miss Gittens and Miss Jone were hurrying me to go do the exams as they. They wanted to end the exam early to finish faster. Got into a fallout with someone on the way to class. The woman stopped me to talk and she couldn’t speak. They were not even in the building when I got there.

    I went to 1L and got the exam started sometime after entering the classroom. Students were wondering why I was there and realised that I was supervising them today. I had the Visual Arts students sent out of the classroom so that the test could begin. However, Dr Blandin came and asked where everyone else was. I had to let her know that no one told me the other students would be staying in the class while the exam was going on. That was not good planning there. I made the students wait a bit longer than they had to.

    Miss Jones came to collect the papers one time from me as she saw the children were leaving. As I got back to my desk, I saw a Form 1 and a Form 2 project left for me. I had to sign for them. As much as I did not want to take the projects it was better to give them something other than zero.

    I made a mistake and sent Form 2 before checking to see who signed and who did not. That evening I went to deliver the Form 1 projects. “Rianna” and Kyra both came back with me to the office to do their conducting assessment. They were glad that the office was not the place to do it but when I took them in the corridor there were a lot more people. They were scared at first. We were also joined by Jesse. “Max” did not want to try. That evening I left early to get the copies of the project bound by Isa.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:50 am – 3:31 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #50) – Day #225

Date for Entry: (Monday 27 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 12 December 2023)

[T1, W:13 – D:57, (Td:1)*].

Dear Diary,

    This morning I got up as soon as Daddy tapped the glass window. I got the computer turned on and got the charts WhatsApp to the Form 1 and 2 chats. Last night the current went for a long time and it was too late in the night to send them. Nathaniel and Nathan got theirs to send to 2M. I got to school late with gas. I didn’t eat because the exam was about to begin and I was supposed to Supervise an English Exam that morning.

    I met Miss Libert in the Block K staffroom. Me and “Maria” were late. Miss Libert walked me over to 1F and she told me that I could begin the exam one time. Mrs Santana said that the exam should not be more than one and a half hours. As soon as Mrs Pope walked out the door, I got the children the papers and began the exam. I kept in mind that 10:20 AM should be the end of the exam’s duration.

    Hunger took me the entire time of the exam and had to wait to use the washroom. The students were not told that they were responsible for getting their papers. Students were allowed to get paper from a notebook in their bag one at a time. I walked each student to their bag and tore the pages out myself. Once the exam was over, Column by column was dismissed. The students were asked to take their bags and vacate the building. Packing their bags in class was not allowed. The papers were delivered to Miss Libert’s desk.

    I went to eat my potato pie after. It was a triangle in shape. I didn’t pay attention to the man and lady watching me in the waiting area. They were both gone by the time I began to unstapled my favourite project submissions from Form 1s and 2s for photocopying. This time around I decided to make copies of my favourite ones and bind them into souvenir books. I ended up standing like a zombie by the printing machine for the papers to finish print. The tiredness was real.

    Before my copies were done, Jeanice gave me the Visual Arts papers for 2M this evening. I left the copies on my desk and went to make the Form 1 project copies. All of the projects were stapled and returned to their folders after school. The time ran out when students came to do practical assessments. Lunchtime also crept up on me by surprise. I Aleah, and Kenya when they came to the office. was greeted by Ari, “Kate”. I felt lost today too because I left my pencil case home.

    I got to 2M late with the practical assessments by seven minutes. I got the students ready and we got the exam completed. The test was over five minutes before school was dismissed. The children were all laughing at their Grinch drawing. Coming back down to the bus shuttle area, I gave Miss Gittens the 2M papers and went to the office. Was more zombie than this morning.

    In the staffroom, I had my second pie and graded three more projects before leaving school. Miss was marking her final Form 2 papers and Susan was stapling papers for tomorrow. “Maria” was grading essays at her desk. We left school last. I got Samuel’s project from the office to take home with me and Jeanice called me out before I walked out.

    Had a nice evening playing chess with Sanjay in the library, after leaving the 2M papers with Miss. He had to leave and that was the end of our seriously difficult game. It was a while since I last played it. We played over the chess app on his phone. That was my first attempt using Saw some of my 1L students playing and running about. I got someone’s number to send them pictures of charts and other information for their final exam.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:50 am – 4:45 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #49) – Day #224

Date for Entry: (Friday 24 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (December 2023)

[T1, W:12 – D:56, (Td:6)*].

**time sig description chart

Dear Diary,

    It was too hard to wake up this morning. I got to Valsayn with one Georgian in the maxi. Didn’t know Isekel was in the back. We spoke and then I went to duty. Ate one pie and then got into my projects like diving into a swimming pool but just with clothes on.

    I did not realise that lunchtime came so quickly. “Ella” came one time and asked to do the make-up test from yesterday. I was a bit shocked and we laughed. “Tika” was supposed to come and do it too since she was sick and had asked for “Ella” to take her to the office. “Mr Simmons” came and he and “Ella” shared my brown table in the ‘waiting area’ of the office. “Mr Hoyte” also came for the make-up test.

    Sanjay and “Freddy” came to do their practical also. Form 1s too came in to drop last-minute projects and I had the forms crazy all over the place. I took Sanjay and “Freddy” outside with my music bookstand to do the conducting assessment. “Yash” came to do the practical conducting too with Nathan but Nathan said Monday. I hope ‘Monday’ will come. I could see that the questions were difficult for “Yash” but he did try hard.

    I went back into the office to see the three students still doing the make-up test. I hope they did not cheat. They finished up their exams and went back to class. As I was about to clean up my desk for the fifth time for the day, Kayley came in to do her make-up exam too. I was concerned that she would be missing her class. I opened the brown table for her and told her it would be better to do it one time.

    “Miss Coker” came to ask a question on the Major scales. She had brought her practice worksheet with her thankfully and I could have gotten to assist. She was able to take the 2M projects with her to return to the others. I went to deliver the other projects that could have been handed back early. The school day was done when I exited Block K. I heard Riley shout to me with his hand up and a big smile, “Sir! Iz ah boss!” Seems like he did well in his Time Signatures and Beaming test.

    “Nicole” and I spoke in front of the auditorium for the bus shuttle. Not a nice story. I went to the other side to help Aleah with some of her questions in the exam paper that she got back. “Miss Noel” and “Freddy” were there listening in. I showed her ‘example’. I also went back through the formula for the Major scale and pitches for the tonic triad.

    “Jenny” showed me her blue bard board flower. It was nice but it was wet and she had to hold it. I offered her to make an envelope for it. She and two others went with me to the office and I made the envelope out of three sheets of paper. Sadly, I did not get a picture for my journal entry. She left to wash her hands and I wrote her name on it before handing the other student to carry it for her.

    As the evening got later, I went to erase the pencil line for the time signature descriptions chart that I made that evening. “Miss Wilson” was having a loud session with her mother by the gate. She said that she had her project for me but left the form in her class. I told her to get the sheet for the submission. I had enough time to erase the chart and send both that and the table back inside. Wondered if she couldn’t find it or if she had left. Soon she came and handed it to me. I told her that I would take care of the insertion for her.

    I went to pack up my bag. Jeanice was stapling the Form 3 Visual Arts exam papers for next week. There was a lady who misplaced her child in the compound. She seemed to be in a rush. As soon as Nigel brought the child to the office, we could hear the parent’s voice walking out of the compound. I went over to the staffroom. Looking forward to my weekend with these projects.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(8:22 am – 4:32 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #49) – Day #223

Date for Entry: (Thursday 23 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 11 December 2023)

[T1, W:12 – D:5, (Td:5)*].

**Jenny's cardboard flower

Dear Diary,

    I got to Valsayn late this morning., Went to bed after one. Crystal was in the same maxi and I told her about what happened with marking projects last night on our way on the road to the campus. I had my pie and then went off to Block K. Some children from 1M were loud and chatty. I had to wait for Miss Chote to come out again. Two students did the practical in the last few minutes before class ended. I only remembered to pack the Form 2 cause I knew they’d have the exam.

    I waited in the same Block K staffroom for recess to finish. I went through Facebook until it was time for class again with 2L. Students were out by the door buying Subway cookies from the footballers. My bags were stuffed with books, exam papers, and Form 1 and 2 practical assessment slips. I gave them one minute to finish the cookies. They had to be yelled up while the exam papers were being distributed. Only one student did the practical conducting in the last ten minutes.

    I spoke with “Nicole” outside the art room. Everyone was outside while they were bug-spraying the room. Strangely the compound was beginning to be filled with a lot of flies. Two flies came into the office and were starting the others in the admin section. No one else came for the practical assessment during lunchtime.

    After lunch, a lady came to see Miss Pope. She had to wait. I messaged her to let her know that the lady was there and had a quick check by her desk. I took the time to make over another time signature description chart. I felt like my choice of colours was not good. They came out too dark and I did not have all of my colours with me.

    I did not work on the papers from 2L until after school. I was happy for Susan’s daughter. She had finally accomplished what she had set out to do. We went for a ride that evening too into Valpark. We got lost in all of the back roads until the road to the highway was met. Real nice adventure, lol. I got all of 2L’s papers graded and corrected. I had a bible study session with Aunty and Uncle. It was late and felt tired in the night.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(9:10 am – 4:20 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #49) – Day #222

 Date for Entry: (Wednesday 22 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (December 2023)

[T1, W:12 – D:54, (Td:4)*].

Dear Diary,

    I got to Valsayn with a new driver today. Nodarse and an older Georgian were with us in the Maxi. We got a crossing help from the driver too. I had a double for breakfast with a newspaper on my desk. No one was in the office still and someone needed copies.

    I went to 2L and felt I was late. We completed the conducting worksheet. In the last thirty minutes of the third period, I allowed 5 students to do the practical assessment. I got more projects during recess. Everyone signed first and then I took their project in my hands. I hoped that more would be coming by lunchtime. I saw the “Princess model” come into the office for a short time and went. Mr Marlon spoke with me before leaving the office with Miss MacMillian.

    I got my exam supervision schedule. I had to walk back to the office to make new copies. When I went to deliver Miss Jones’ timetable. She had her Form 4s doing their final exam in the Theatre Room. When she said that she wanted to go and do a final with her Form 3s I told her that I would stay with them. I took the papers with me to the office for safekeeping. She met me back in the office and gave her the exam papers while continuing to make the projects. "Mr Samlal" got his leg twisted during the fifth and sixth periods.

    As lunchtime came, I was not feeling so well. I did not even get to do the chart that I wanted to make. I forgot that “Mr Danclare” was coming to submit his Parang project too. Then “Yash” came to meet me for a music session and I was not expecting it. I had to send “Mr Lallwah” back when he came with his recorder. 2M this evening didn’t look like they were going to do so well in their test. I got Matthew with two questions. I left the office for the staffroom early after school.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:52 am – 4:53 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #49) – Day #221

Date for Entry: (Tuesday 21 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (December 2023)

[T1, W:12 – D:53, (Td:3)*].

Dear Diary,

    Came with one maxi. A day came out behind me and Deon was in another in front. I saw Miss Chote in the office. I felt like I was lucky when Abigail came in. I asked to beg if 1F could have gathered back in class at 12:30.

    When I met her at my entrance in Block K, she said that she forgot to tell the children. I had class with 1M first and it was a long session. We got through with the first two recorder exercises during those two periods. Janessa was late for 1F. I passed by to write a message on the board to remind the students to return at 12:30 pm. Some of them were still coming from Woodworks.

    I returned to the office and got some more projects from 2F graded. Some of the Form 1 projects were also graded. At this point, the projects were corrected, marked and graded as they were in the heap. I went over to Block K at lunchtime with my umbrella again. Rain began to pour down heavily and I waited a while. Only a few students remained in the 1F classroom. I worked with the students who were there and lunchtime was over before we knew it.

    In time for the lineup to re-enter the classrooms, the Forms 1s were kept outside for making noise during all recess in the corridors. I stood in the 1L Boys’ line at the back and waited. It took a very long for them to get inside. They also had to wait for the students responsible for sweeping the classroom for the day to finish, then roll call and then I could enter. Mr Marlon greeted me as I was about to wait by the door and he rolled back on his chair into the staffroom.

    1L did the same thing as 1M this morning for the double period. There were three students to attempted the practical assessment that evening in the final ten minutes before school to over. The practical slips for Forms 1 and 2 were with me. I preferred to do the Form 2 assessment more. Not sure if it was because I liked the Music Theory trivia questions. Only one more project was submitted this afternoon too. “GG” was talking too much and too loudly. Couldn’t focus too much.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(8:07 am – 4:28 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #49) – Day #220

Date for Entry: (Monday 20 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Sunday 10 December 2023)

[T1, W:12 – D:52, (Td:2)*].

**Christmas tree

Dear Diary,

    I came to Valsayn with “Chess” in the maxi. The driver was Frank. He was in a hurry today. I saw “Nicole” going up to the staffroom as I was heading into the office. We spoke by Miss Mary and “Alicia” office until the bell for roll call. There was no hall assembly this morning because of upper school examinations. I had a class with 2M this morning. We did the ‘two-four’ conducting exercises.

    During the third and fourth periods, I had 1L. Initially, the Forms would have gotten to the music room but I took them because of no Air-conditioning and the untidy room. They did recorder practice for Exercises 1-2. Each student took turns. They were very excited to play. Many times, I had to ask for the recorder to be placed down on tables. Exercises 3-4 were given to them as homework for the next time that we would focus on recorder practical. There was no Ameer today.

    Recess came quickly. I got to 2F on time with new worksheets. The time signatures and ledger lines exam were given first. With less than forty minutes for time, I didn’t bother with the major scales test. I decided I would give them that test as practice instead.

    2F class was given a short review and run-through of the six conducting exercises. The first three were reviewed, which was given previously, Then I taught them the final three. Ari submitted his Good King Wenceslas project early. He was telling the others that the project was the only reason why he came to school that day. We had a laugh that he gave the class the submission form to sign instead of the other I had for that day.

    Miss Chote had forgotten her duster that I returned at lunch. I gave the photographer student my email to send to the video girl at the Diwali function to send me an email of my performance. As lunchtime continued, I returned to my desk in the office and started grading all of the papers. Donna came later in period seven to print her Form 3 Spanish papers and asked to borrow my scissors. We sat down and stapled a large portion of it together. School ended faster than expected.

    A nice surprise came too. Miss Paul came for a visit to the school. She came to do some business. I was very happy to see her. I walked her out to her car as she was about to leave some long minutes after school. I had done cleaning my desk which loves to get untidy swiftly. I got my bags and went to the staffroom to meet up with “GG”, Mr Raymond, Susan, “Maria” and “Nicole”.

    While waiting in the staffroom, Janessa came to ask me for my double period with 1F tomorrow. Students and teachers said that she was looking for me all day. I didn’t want to at first because I wanted to have the final practical with them. I knew they could do it on their own if they tried so I told her to take the two periods.

    The others were liming and grading Susan’s Form 1s’ Sombreros. I helped them decorate the Christmas tree and then “Maria” added her crochet angels. We back to get Mr Raymond four bars of my staples for his exam papers. If I knew I would have gone over earlier and gone to help him staple them.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:48 am – 5:01 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #48) – Day #219

Date for Entry: (Thursday 16 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 09 December 2023)

[T1, W:11 – D:51, (Td:2)*].

** special performers’ food

Dear Diary,

    Quick rain and a bright sun in the sky this morning. Maxi filled quickly and long wait for the light to change. A lot of traffic bugged the road too. I washed my hands after getting in and then walked Miss Ali into the office. We somehow were matching in colours. She had a nice outfit but the jacket was better. The office got quiet and there was a rush for copies. Only Afisha and I were there.

    I didn’t want to stay in the office much longer because of the noise. I went to the staffroom with projects from students of 1L to grade. I met “Maria” there and Mr Raymond on the couch. Surprisingly, Nicole came walking into the staffroom with new hair. It looked good. She asked me if I was surprised to see her. It was a whole week. I got a few of the projects graded.

    I went to help them move drinks from the café to the library and then the old 1M room, now occupied by Form 5s, was used for food and the old 1L room was used for cake and ice-cream handled by “Choo-Choo” and “Kimmy”. I stayed with Nicole to serve the drinks in the other room. Nicole and Afisha served the food.

    We had concerns about the aesthetic since it was packed in Box Lunch boxes, which were catered for the school by Box Lunch people. Also, the juice ran out too quickly. We had a few people who stopped by. The programme finished too late. Not many of the performers came to get their special food. Many of us helped each other with those.

    As school finished, the OJTS were in the office and the two news ones left early. I stayed helping “ChooChoo” and Waverley clear out the bins for the drinks and I individually sorted out the bottles into their types and brands. They had to get some footballers to clean back up the room. They were paid for with the extra special performers’ food and extra water afterwards.

    In the staffroom, we had some extra cake from the crumbs after. “ChoChoo” said she would have done the same thing when she was small after seeing me sticking my hands in the crumbs. I used my clean left hand and fed her a bit from the scraps in the box. I got a ride from “Maria” to Curepe. The rain came back down heavily and so were my bags too with the food and projects.

    I gave Daddy the food to hold and I held onto the projects in my hands. Praise God there were extra bags in the office. Andrew was sick so he didn’t come with us. We spent a long while looking for my calculator. He said he would get one for me tomorrow. I learned from one of the classes that tomorrow too would be no school since it would be the Principal's Holiday. I hope those children prepare my project for submission next week.

LINK(S):

• St. George's Achievement Day (2023) - Programme.**

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:58 am – 3:36 pm) 

St. George’s College (Week #48) – Day #218

Date for Entry: (Wednesday 15 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 09 December 2023)

[T1, W:11 – D:50, (Td:1)*].

Dear Diary,

    Too much rain fell this morning. Got soaked with Daddy. He couldn’t buy his doubles again. There was a money manager in the maxi for the driver and both men spoke on walkie-talkies. The rain got to stop but I kept it open just in case. It was nice that a lady in her car stopped for me to cross the road. Crystal was there already in school.

    I got my Form 1 test printed last minute. The printer started to send the black lines out. One student in Form 1M got a paper with one of the lines. He had to write over his answers. The 1F students were small in number. I gave Vishmul the new recorder that I had bought for him while waiting for Dr Blandin-Maharaj to exit the classroom and told him to throw away the older one. Zidane and Mr Hosein were play-dancing in the corridor.

    I sat back at my desk after recess to grade the papers. I got all of them completed. Kelis spoke with me during recess. She was scared about missing choir practice. Then Miss Roberts showed up late minutes to lunch and made noise in the office with “Tia” and Harry. Didn’t see her again today. Miss Ali was sitting by “DDs” desk and chatting with Kiel. She was asking me from across the room what I was wearing to the Achievement Day event tomorrow. I didn’t know that we had to even come to it.

    I had my class with 2F and we corrected the scales homework. They were given the topics for the final exam. Pictures from today’s work were also sent to their Parents’ WhatsApp group. I did some more Bases with Sanjay until his parents came for him. I travelled to Curepe again. Not sure if Susan went down with the shuttle again. I didn’t get to do the names in the mark book for “Maria” as planned today.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:53 am – 3:29 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #48) – Day #217

Date for Entry: (Tuesday 14 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 09 December 2023)

[T1, W:11 – D:49, (Td:6)*].

**Sweets from MRs Ramshingh

Dear Diary,

    Yesterday was no school because of the Diwali holiday. I was late to school. Had to go to the stationary store. I ate first and then did the staple work. That was the plan but I wanted my papers to print since Miss Ali was free. Five boys and 3 girls from 1 M came to submit their projects during recess. I sat down and did the stapling one time. Got a lovely bag from Mrs Ramsingh with sweets from Diwali. The patterns on the bag were nice.

    At lunchtime, 5 Boys and 6 Girls from 1L came to submit. They came from Block K the long way and met me in the corridor after leaving the Visual Arts room. Miss Roberts came to me at my desk. She asked me about the paper that she left for me to do with the classes. I told her that I only did one class on Thursday and that was it. She did not specify if it was a practice or coursework or what to do with it. She got upset and darted off again.

    After lunch, I made envelopes for the final exam papers out of long half-sized Bristol board sheets. Thank God the idea came to me and worked. I still placed rubber bands around their papers to hold everything together for proper storage and improper handling. More students from 1M came to submit. Still none from 1F.

    Mrs Sawh gave me a block of Barfi during the seventh period while making a chart for the Form 2s on describing time signatures. It took her by complete surprise when I hated the whole thing in one bite. We had a nice laugh. I was feeling unsure about the description for the ‘three-eight’ time signature. I knew I learned it one way and then the UWI teacher insisted it was Simple Duple.

    Susan told me after school that “Maria” was not there. My eyes seemed to hurt in the evening. I had one from 1L. I met “Ace” and “Burnie” back at the office after school. Janessa asked about this online journal and how it worked. I only got to tell her about the music one and not the DAPHA Projects one. Hope she reads it soon.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(10:12 am – 3:11 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #47) – Day #216

Date for Entry: (Friday 10 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Saturday 09 December 2023)

[T1, W:10 – D:48, (Td:5)*].

Dear Diary,

    I got to Valsayn with one Georgian and Abraham sitting in the front. I saw next to the short-haired lady who stopped by the KFC corner each morning. Only Crystal was in the office this morning as I entered and Miss James came in after I signed. Needed to use the washroom. Deon came shortly after too. I had to go to the staffroom to do Bible reading.

    I took a few minutes before the end of the second period to get Genesis 24 done. It was very cold in there for the day. Then the rain came down. I got a bit adventurous with using my umbrella but I waited and then went over to Block K. Miss Harris sent the umbrella back to me with a student and I went to teach 1M semiquavers and beaming. Miss Chote finished long.

    At the end of the session, I remained in the building during recess. The staffroom had another chair praise God. I went through Facebook while waiting. I got to use the washroom and it was amazing inside of there. 2L had a lot of absent students. The same was done with 2M, major scales.

    I had large grand staves drawn up on the board. It looked like they were not studying and some of them got lost. Deane and Miss Marson were kicked out of the class for the rest of the double period. Never thought I would have been cussed up by a student before, lol. I left the children early to recuperate from that long and brain-cramping session. ‘Mr Warner’ too told me that his brain was cramping from all of the writing on the board.

    I walked back to my desk not knowing if “Varry” or “Bernie” would come to visit at lunchtime for another private review session. “Ace came to ask for a copy of the old exam paper but we told him that I could not give him. Printed and stapled the Form 2 King Wenceslas Project for the students who did not get one on their own. I had everything set up on my draw. The Form 1s were given their copies first and then the Form 2s during the eighth period.  

    I remained in the staffroom and Susan joined me soon after. I did not feel like doing anything at all on that Friday evening but I forced it and started drafting the Form 2 final exam by hand. We had a while. I was able to get 45 points worth of questions before departing the campus’ compound.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:50 am – 4:09 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #47) – Day #215

Date for Entry: (Thursday 09 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 15 November 2023)

[T1, W:10 – D:47, (Td:4)*].

** Papered book

Dear Diary,

    I came with one Georgian this morning in the maxi. I had a hot pee to hold since we were on the road leaving home. I got my pie done and went to Block K to wait for class with 2L. Miss Gittens was coming over while I waited. A small number in attendance again. Full notes for major scales were given and then they constructed the grand staves for their homework.

    On my way back to the office, someone told me that they saw a short portion of my performance. They told me that ‘Doctor’ was the one who had hit on her WhatsApp status. I met her before she left with Candice. Candice told Miss Ali that she should let me see about the teachers’ attendance register since that is my expertise. She was having trouble to paper it.

    When I got up from the desk to see it, I realised that I had forgotten to paper it and remind them that they were going to need a new book. When I got the book, I saw that she used the back of a sheet in a large desk calendar. I appreciated that she tried.

    When I asked how come she was papering it now she said that Dr Blanding didn’t want the white cover of the book to get dirty. I explained to her first and then to Dr Blandin that the paper usually gets wrapped up when teachers fling the pagers through. Not all are carrying with the handling of the document and it was better to paper the book afterwards before it goes into storage. She was okay with that and I took over the calendar paper.

    There were two more sheets of brown paper that I had. They did not have scotch tape. Usually, I would have to meet some teachers coming to sign for the evening and I would have to stop for them to get the book to sign. They did not have scotch tape in the office but only masking tape. I used that I sat by the computer in the Admin section of the office doing this. I had to stand because the chair was too low for me to sit and do that work.

    While finishing up, “Varry”, “Ace” and “Burnie” came inside. Surprisingly, they came to visit me. “Ace,” said that they had come to see me and that they came to ask if they could go through time signatures. I had them sit in the waiting area by the time and then I got my brown table out. I got scrap paper to write on and my pencil case. My chair was pulled to the side and then we began. I had “Burnie” sit in the middle since he needed the help.

    We reviewed the time signatures, the meaning and then the note represented by the lower numbers. The time was cut for recess and I had to let them go. They met me back at lunchtime. The office was a bit filled. Luckily, we found a wide circular table outside in the corridors and did class there until the end of lunch. It was about 1:17 PM when we finished. The lunchtime session was to write everything, describe time signatures and go through some questions from the first practice test they had done before.

    I had 2M after lunch. I waited for Mrs Jaikaran to finish attendance and then went inside the teacher. That double period was to correct and teach the major scale homework. I would say it is taught since some of the children don’t do their homework. I’m glad that the class went well. I’m just hoping that the children will remember how to do it. I had Seth, Sajid, Suvir and Shiv sit in front with their chairs. Too much talking was coming to them. I had forgotten to take attendance when school was over. Some of them signed and the list of names on the register was used as it was.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(8:03 am – 4:13 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #47) – Day #214

Date for Entry: (Wednesday 08 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 15 November 2023)

[T1, W:10 – D:46, (Td:3)*].

Dear Diary,

    Came to Valsayn with “Lady” Georgian and “Choo-Choo” in the back. “Choo-Choo” and I spoke on our way into the campus about the term and then I signed. Two were in the office before me.

    I went to 1M for class. Mr Bain to take a while to come. I set my bags and went back outside to wait for him to finish. They were the last to have the homework review session. After was 1F which was the first t0o get the semiquaver lesson with beaming. There were new amendments to make to my notes. There was the same lesson for later that evening with 1L.

    For lunch, we started late. ‘Doctor’ had two meetings with committees for Achievement Day. I didn’t eat any breakfast or lunch. It was only in the middle of lunchtime that we ate. Everyone came to the kitchen late. Mr Ustashe and I ate together and ‘Doctor’ came in. She ate with me and then I cut the cake and shared it with the others. She was glad that the cake was eggless and loved it. Everyone said that the song was beautiful from yesterday.

    I got a surprise call from “Super” during the second half of class when I was in 1L about the SATB note input in Musescore. The was working on homework for Mrs Ramlal’s Music Theory class. It meant that he had gotten into the Music Degree. I had to video chat to see what was on his computer screen to guide him. He had to do over the notation to get the voicing in the program done properly.

    I waited in the office a while to see if he would call back and then went to get back the remainder of the cake. I had a good laugh with Donna and “GG” asking about Roti making the trip. Donna said not to write it in this journal entry but I did anyway, lol. I took the remainder of the cake to the staffroom and gave “GG” and Susan a slice. “Maria” didn’t want to so I ate it instead. Miss Gittens wasn’t there today. She said that she left early. We left and I had to wait for Daddy to come in Curepe.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:59 am – 4:51 pm)

St. George’s College (Week #47) – Day #213

Date for Entry: (Tuesday 07 November 2023)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Monday 13 November 2023)

[T1, W:10 – D:2, (Td:2)*].

**Video

Dear Diary,

    One Georgian girl came with me in the maxi today. I got to the office and met four bags of 25 Kurma on my desk. Mrs Sawh came and removed them for me. Plenty of teachers were wearing green. I was about to wear my green shirt too. The principal asked me to open the door for her but she stood up talking and I left. I went to class and did the major scales lesson with 2M. The full note was received and the same homework was done.

    I moved on to 1L and did a review of all the homework that they were assigned for the term and in preparation for their exam. No homework was given. I did not use the remainder of the note conversion worksheets again. I decided to continue from the review since that was enough and get to lesson six. Another test was required for coursework. Ameer submitted along with another boy. I showed the class that they would have to sign a similar attendance form when they are submitting it next week.

    I ended up finishing my recess late by waiting for stationary with Mrs Blandin-Maharaj. We entered the library for the staff meeting at 11:09 AM. It had already started:

• Exams start the Monday (20th) after Achievement Day week (for Lower School).
• HODs to set the timetable for teacher supervision in their departments.
• Papers to print must be sent early (24 hours before).
• Permit for fundraisers to be authorised by the School’s Supervisor.
• Halloween Movie Night was a success.
• Exam papers are to be set (by Monday 13th) to print.
• Supervision by Dr Blandin (3 Teachers): 23 – Code of Conduct, MOE.
• Supervision to be sorted out by HODs when teachers are absent??
• Dr J: (E40, 2011)??

• FINAL WEEK: Tuesday – Staff meeting; the last for the term.
• FINAL WEEK: Thursday – Deadline for submission of Grades.
• FINAL WEEK: Thursday – Class parties.
• FINAL WEEK: Friday – (After Class Party) Teachers’ Lime.

 

    The meeting ended in a very unsettled manner and abruptly on some occasions and also disagreement. When I heard the deadline for the uploading of grades to George’s system and class part was the same day, I found it strange. I wished they would have mentioned the actual date instead of saying the day and last week. Mis Laurance got a copy of the “Gymnopedie No. 1” for her Clinical Supervision tomorrow (French class) before I left the library.

    I went back to the office and asked Mis Mohammed if I could have used the ‘dungeon’ to change my clothing. We had a good laugh. I had the must-stand already mounted up and had it set on the stage. My second entrance to the staffroom is where I met “Neesha” and Mrs Jaikaran. They were giving out invitations to the programme and we went over to the hall. They ended up leaving me. The school had to go through an early roll call and had the students assemble in the hall for 1 PM.

    I waited and waited for my turn to perform. I ended up falling asleep like one upper school boy who slept through the entire function. Some of my 2F students were in the back in front of me. “Jereem” tried to find out the name of the song since Tuesday. I told him that it was a surprise. Only after my performance, did I give him a copy of the music that I used.

    There were many dances done for the day. A very lovely one done by Mrs Jaikaran. Before it was my time, “Neesha” came to ask if I could have cut the performance in half “like two verses and two choruses” because the time for school was drawing nearer and their function had to finish too. When I was called to perform, the models had already blocked the two sides to get to the stage. I decided that my entrance would be from the central aisle. Sadly, there was no music for me to walk to but my cheering Form 1 students did perfectly.

    Once I was on the stage, I got the bookstand in front of the pan, clipped on the score and began immediately. I was very nervous. The introduction was messed up lightly but it was the correct rhythm even though the order of pitches was wrong. I continued to the end of the chorus on the first page and called it the end. It felt very abrupt as the staff meeting ended too, which made me feel like I did a crash landing. Somehow during the performance, the students started to clap to the beat. They ended up stopping too.

    As I took my seat back at the end of the hall, the bus shuttle came. Immediately all of the shuttle children got up and left the hall just like that. I got up and left Miss Bacca to go up in the front. They had a dance. A girl was dancing and I felt overshadowed as if I had failed but her music too had cut and then she ended up not doing the rest. I was looking forward to hers all evening. She even took the time to tie in the Ghungaroo. ‘Doctor’ was still in front watching the final dance before the modelling.

    Later that evening I got Kurma from “Choo-Choo” in a big box. I got another one. This one had a coconut flavour. But the other from Mrs Jaikaran had the ginger that gave it the real Kurma taste. I wished I had another pack. I went back to change the ‘dungeon’ back into my shirt and pants. 

    Late as I was leaving the office ‘Doctor’ told me that she appreciated and enjoyed the performance while walking her out. Mr Ustach was asked if school was being cancelled tomorrow but she said no. He wanted to know where we would be having lunch tomorrow if it flooded. I suggested that we go by the river. She laughed.

 

UPDATE

Saturday 11 November 2023.

    ‘Doctor’ had sent me a recording of the performance that she took during the Diwali Programme. On this day the Final exams for Form 1 and 2 were also verified by Miss Paul for approval and were both approved and sent to Miss Gittens for HOD approval/review.

    The school was emailed copies of the same exams along with the instructions for invigilators to do the exam and then another exam for the Forms 1s was set for this week. I did not teach anything much for the day from 8 AM to 4 PM. To cheer myself up I went and crafted the Form 2 Major scales and typed it up for when the time was right.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

(7:53 am – 4:48 pm)