Kudos

This has been a week for feeling appreciated.

Firstly, a large percentage of my kids at school have come up to thank me specifically for something I've done - from helping them achieve well in the exams to teaching them this term, to being willing to answer their questions, to being gracious with them (!!). It's been fab! As a teacher, you get used to busting a gut with no reward (teaching is its own reward... apparently), and to being taken for granted. So this has been such an amazing week in that regard.

I've also just had my appraisal meeting (called IQMS in SA education), in which I was really affirmed by my appraisers. Again, it was really nice to hear that I'm doing a good job, better than I was expecting (but then I know I tend to under-estimate myself). Of course, as in all things, there are areas to work on, but then, I'm not perfect [yet], so I wouldn't expect anything less. But it was still nice seeing the things I'm getting right being affirmed by my colleagues.

And then tonight, I made pizza to die for (well, ok, maybe not die for, but very nice pizza!). I used a new recipe. Usually I use baking powder, but this one called for yeast, so I did the right thing and gave it enough time to rise and do its thing. The result was more than worth the preparation. And the dozen or so people who came for supper agreed!

It's nice to be appreciated. It definitely makes the effort well worth it.