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Glitter. Everywhere. On tables, chairs, books, windows, on carpet, paper, clothes, hair and bags to name just a few. And yes, if you look closely into the mirror, you’ll see a tiny sparkly dot right on the tip of your nose.

With just hours to go before the Christmas holidays, festivities are taking over. Lessons, in the traditional sense, are being replaced with all-singing, all-dancing, sparkly, card-making fun. And don’t worry about the state of education. All the cards in my classroom have good old-fashioned history themes. Even those tiny-but-not-as-cute-as-they-might-look year sevens have been advising the Roman Empire that conquering another country isn’t such a bad idea.

Outside the classroom, smiles and laughter are replacing the weary faces of staff and students alike. Christmas assemblies and latin-hymns fill the corridors with high squeals of “not long now miss”. The staffroom laughter intensifies with the annual secret Santa: this year it’s hot pink thongs and fart machines. Staffroom or playground? Same difference.

Form tutors, giddy from chocolate coated gifts, dance down the corridors. And, as the day draws to a close, the prize for best teacher is announced with yet more chocolate prizes on offer. It’s obvious who last years’ winner was. Eyes follow Mr. Gee as he waddles and wobbles through the canteen.

“With just hours to go before the Christmas holidays, festivities are taking over. Lessons, in the traditional sense, are being replaced with all-singing, all-dancing, sparkly, card-making fun.”

Yet with all the chocolate, buzz, sparkles, singing, creativity and excitement, it seems hard to leave those smiling little faces who’ve become, (one hopes), so eager to learn.

Buried among the ribbons, gifts and glitter there’s an emptiness to the frivolity and excitement of holidays that we all seem to ignore. The teacher sees three sorts of students: those who will enjoy happy families, those who will play happy families, and those at liberty to do neither.

We might not all enjoy a merry Christmas, but nobody can stop that glittery end of term feeling.

Love to all.

Say Hello To Emma Kleinfeld

Emma is a Teach First teacher, and although she’s too modest to admit it, she’s darn amazing at her job. She is sunshine fun, a little bit more than a little bit silly and an all round closet geek.

It now looks as though she can add writing to her list of never-ending talents. What an annoyingly beautiful human being she is.