Christmas Eve at a Kindergarten - who are you going to call?!

Does my tummy look big in this suit?

Santa gets gee'd up for his big entrance!

 Readers will excuse my bad language in the previous posting, but to be let down on the eve of such a big event for an entire kindergarten of children is unforgivable. Not a phone call or an attempt to offer up a replacement, even. Extremely poor show...and perhaps understandable that I have been a bit busy in between visits here to remedy the situation without having to don the red suit myself. Any wonder why school owners tend to have no hair?

Don't get me wrong, I love being Santa - it really is a lot of fun if you do it nicely. But, if the kids know you it is not much of a surprise treat for them and a lot of hassle for Santa - beard pulling etc.

Eternally grateful then that our Santa arrived from Singapore (he's a busy bloke!) and brought a couple of elves with him as well. A bit of hanging around, as we did not know the exact schedule, but eventually beckoned into the hall by a VERY expectant crowd!

Father Christmas makes new friends!

Then the shocked silence when The Secret Kindergarten Teacher entered the hall as well! 

Oh my word! Must be the real one then :) and with elf-help, proceeded to give away presents to all the children. The teachers needed presents too, we thought, but they are often left out when in fact they are the stars of the show. Some of the children were asked if they had been good - must have asked the right ones because they all said "Yes!", before interviewing some mums who said they mostly wanted 'cake' for Christmas. We did not have any in the sack to pass around, I'm afraid!

So here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody having fun!

Posing for class photos was jolly, but all to soon we had to escort the Big Red Man and his helpers back to their preparations for the very big night ahead of them...of course, everyone knows he has to start his deliveries in Japan!

Without the kindness & support of the Hogan family, today would have been a disaster. Thank you for bacon-saving heroics!

Merry Christmas everyone!

We've a Santa down, and other crises

Remembered to try & use Class Dojo app on my phone with the funky red class. It is useful to manage attendance (take a roll call). Unfortunately, it assigns each child an avatar (monsters) so it is impossible to look up and spot a shy responder or reinforce that name on your memory. I would like to take snapshot portraits and import those. It also alphabetises a class list by first names...the teachers take attendance in a few different ways here! By gender, by age group, by 'team'...and always family name first - and that according to hiragana order, not alphabetical. Of course students always know when their name is coming up next, but try flicking through thirty odd names in a hurry as the teacher is trying to make it fun or fast! Looking around for alternatives.

Got hit on knob for the third time already this morning, and although the snow is gone and the football clique back in action, I'm not in the mood for it.

Cleaning up detail by the looks of it today. 

Breaking news...fucking Santa just bailed out on me for the Xmas party. What is the date today? How many shopping days left for Father Christmases is that? Thanks a fucking heap Gary. You only promised, a cast iron guarantee, in September...now what do I do?

I found out that M-sensei is a big fan of (big) readers, so will try & do something to satisfy her, and in the meantime showed her group the Wheels on the Bus song - loads of actions. Would be more useful if my activities were not tagged on to filling in at home time.

Meanwhile, across the hall, I-sensei bollocked her naughty boys - strongly. Loads of tears as they really want her love. Devastating loss of favouritism for them! Meantime, I did something painful to my shoulder picking up kids = let's try not to do that anymore!? At least my stiff neck finally cleared up - spent whole of September feeling like I had a hunch!

Elsewhere, R-chan laid the smack down on A's attention deficient miscreants - various boys in tears and about time too. A-sensei forever goes walkabout for a gossip & just does not notice what her lot are up to. But, beautiful piano playing to get them singing & a personal note about her own kids recovered the feelgood factor


. Clever.