For the first time in a long time I have finally been getting a decent amount on work. But not in the states schools. Instead I heard about a job at a private school so sent them my resume, had an interview and got the job. It’s only a two week job in a grade two class but it might go for an extra two weeks after the holidays. Also the Principal was so impressed with me he has been hiring me for supply work until the contract starts.
The first day of work I had at the school was the day straight after my interview with them and was with a grade four class. The class wasn’t too bad, they were fairly chatty and at times a little bratty. Like when I took them out for fitness some of the children decided to run under the sprinklers. I was actually quite annoyed with them at the end of the day but then I thought about all the classes I have taught in state schools and that made me realise they weren’t so bad, after all there was no swearing or physical violence hahaha Kind of sad when you are no longer surprised to see that with kids.
The next time I was at the school was this Monday when I was the librarian for the day. I loved this job! To start with I was meant to work with a prep class for an hour first up but they were playing sport at another school so I had free time, then was ‘administration time’ which basically meant put away any books but there weren’t any children through yet so I basically sat around the library reading books for two hours. . . and getting paid for it!!! After that was first break and I had a duty but at this school if you do a duty you get paid extra for it! State schools would never do that! My duty was in the library so I just had to watch kids on the computer. After that I had two year seven classes for an hour each and I just read them a story and then we summarized what happened. I also got to use the scanning thingy to return books and borrow them out to kids. . . that thing is seriously fun! Could really see myself as a librarian! Then it was lunch time again, no duties this time. After lunch I was meant to have more ‘administration time’ but instead the principal sent me to the grade two class I would be getting to observe the normal teacher but the class was at sport so I chatted with the teacher for a while. Then I was meant to teach a grade six class in the library but another support teacher took them for me so I could actually get to see the class. They seem like nice kids.
Then Tuesday I was back at the school relieving teachers while they do their planning. First up I was with a grade five class whose teacher actually used to teach at a school I went to and we worked out at some point he would have been my physical education teacher. . . small world. The class wasn’t too bad, kind of like the grade four’s with their chatty behaviour. We we out for a game and then some maths, then I read a bit and then it was lunch time, after lunch I took them to the library for the librarian to read to them while I got to use the scanning thingy again to return and burrow out their books. Seriously love doing that!!! Then half way through my day I went down to the grade two’s in the class I would be taking to relieve that teacher. Was good to get to see the kids with just me in charge and not their normal teacher, got to have a taste of what was in store for me and to see some of their personalities. We did some maths and coloured Fathers Day cards and then it was lunch, had no duties at all that day. After lunch the children came back inside and brushed their teeth (first time I have ever seen that in a school!), did silent reading and then we did some literacy followed by their unit work. They seem like a nice class so I am looking forward to teaching them.
There are a few things at the school that I’m not too used to though. The school is a religious school and the children are required to pray first thing in the morning and just before leaving in the afternoon, so far I have worked out half of their prays. Also they attend Mass, something I haven’t done since I was a child so that should be interesting. Ohh and one of the kids in my class has a parent that goes to my dance class and the other grade two teacher also goes to my dance classes.
So that is a very long recap of events of late. I start my contract on Monday and am really hoping all goes well.
Miss Snix.
