This the first thing that came to mind when I was asked today if I blog…my answer was yes, but then it hit me that I didn’t keep my promise of updating my blog regularly after letting it slip for so long. Oops!
A lot has happened since July and my last post. I have started on my teaching career with a bang after a few discouraging thoughts as the first days were coming and going. I wasn’t sure how all this occasional teaching was going to go- would I get called?; would I get called soon?; how do I make a good report with the principle or vice principle so that I get called more often? Then enter my amazing mentor teachers from last year and the power of dropping them an email to say I’m ready to tackle the world of work. They both so generously forwarded my name to their administration and not even 48 hours later my phone rang at an odd hour of 6:10 am and the ball started rolling. I started with a full day replacement if a core French teacher and by chance visited with another colleague from last year and mentioned I’d be willing to take on anything that came my way…enter the principle & vice principle calling me over the weekend to start MONDAY morning in what could be a long term sick leave replacement. I had no clue where to start other than to look at the curriculum and put together an activity to get me through the first day so I can re-evaluate after that. The first week was…how can I say this…rough…exhausting…exciting…challenging…and a great learning experience. Teaching intermediate core French is the ultimate challenge one can have and I’ve landed this challenge. I’m entering a class that has had a different teacher for each week of the school year so far, many behavioral/maturity issues let alone the learning challenges. I am going to admit I have good days and bad days and seriously it’s been about 50/50 so far…I need to mix up the style of activities I do with them because they are a artistic group that loves to draw, doodle, sketch etc. All the while, I also have a grade 3/4 class that is happy go lucky and is so willing to learn that it is a change of pace to end the day. Science & Phys Ed is my specialties with my “Littles” and we’ve been having fun doing experiments, games and drills.
Outside of the classroom, I don’t have a whole lot going on. I’ve been concentrating a lot of time preparing my lessons and resources so that I can be as affective as possible. I am now in the throngs of long range plans & progress reports; I am so worried that I won’t do it right (the perfectionist coming out in me!) that I think I’m over complicating both. Time will tell here as I hand them in for the administration to review & edit them. Until then, I’ll keep working away within the unknown!
I PROMISE to be back by the weekend to update on quirks, comedy or troubles I’m having in the classroom. Until then, be careful & have fun! J
