Not that anybody reads my blog lol But I recently stumbled back upon it and felt I should give a little update on life now and perhaps have a bit of closure for it.
Well I finished my Special Education Masters degree!!! However after completing it I have not worked since because....I had a baby! I worked a few days early in my pregnancy doing relief work but became very ill and Dr told me no more work. I ended up having pre-pre-eclampsia and a very dramatic birth; induced early, in labour for 4 days, had a caesarean and then that night had pulmonary edema which put me in a coma for a couple of days. I had a small hole rip in my heart and damaged lungs, but I am being treated and monitored and am finally starting to feel like a normal person again. And my baby girl is a little over two years old, happy, healthy and full of beans!!!! Due to everything that happened and the possibility of her being my only child (can fall pregnant again but been warned it is risky) I have decided to be a full time stay at home mother...although we are never at home! She has such a busy little schedule: Mondays-Kindermusik class, Tuesday-Swimming lessons, Wednesdays-Kindy Gym, Thursdays-Playgroup, Friday-Kindy Gym (she loves it!). And I am absolutely loving being around so many little people!!! It is reminding me why I wanted to be an Early Childhood teacher in the first place, and after being worn down with stressful employment dealing with older children and other dramas it is such a nice feeling :)
I have also been offered a job at my daughters swim centre! The owner asked me if I was interested in training to be a swim instructor working with the babies/toddlers. Unfortunately (well not really) we are heading overseas soon but she is very understanding and said to let her know when I am ready next year so that is something great to look forward to. Have also been thinking about what I would like to do once my daughter hits school age which is a while off but good to think about. While the swim instructor would be great while she is young chances are it will only be a part time thing, you never know though. But I have seriously been thinking about doing home daycare, I love the younger aged children, am really not a fan of the school system any more (although I do miss the pay!) and think it would be the perfect transition for what I am doing with my child now to then take it on professionally. Anyway at the moment I am just 'thinking' of my options and in the meantime I am embracing and enjoying every moment of being a mother <3 p="">
So until next time...
Miss Snix.
Job Interview
I worked the full day with the grade five class and I had a student teacher with me so I made him teach for most the day...until he flipped out at the children over minor chatting ekk. They were not the best class but I've had worse. A few of them remembered me from last year, not that it helped.
And the student teacher was so weird and serious and not chatty but I found out he is doing a grad-dip in Ed. so only studies for one year and does one ten week prac and that's it, then he's a teacher! And to do his one and only prac in a private school (and he lost his temper at something not so big), I wish him well teaching in state schools!
In the end I never applied for the librarian job but did apply for the inclusion job and had an interview but don't think it went that well. Two ladies interviewed me and one of them I worked with on a prac in a child care centre back in uni, I remembered her. There was about 7 pages of full on questions and took them a few mins just to get through asking/reading out the questions and I barely understood them. They kept asking me about childcare legislations etc. And what experiences I have had with QR and ELF (What the!?!) they explained what they were but I haven't been in a childcare centre since 2005 at uni. And they asked me a question about children "of a minority" so I started answering "...minority groups..." they stopped me and said they don't like to be called that (THEY JUST SAID IT). The very first question I had was to tell them about where/what I would like to see myself working in the future so I said I was passionate about children and the early years was where I really love being. They were concerned then because the job would be working with teacher/carers/parents not children (didn't read that way in the ad or on their website). And they wanted to know how I felt about driving up to 8 hours a day to visit places in all the area and sleeping over ect. Said I would find out in about 2 weeks but it'll probally just be a rejection call which after hearing about the actual job is okay but I'd rather they not bother calling lol
I also now only have 2 assignments and 33 days until I finish my Masters degree :)
Miss Snix.
And the student teacher was so weird and serious and not chatty but I found out he is doing a grad-dip in Ed. so only studies for one year and does one ten week prac and that's it, then he's a teacher! And to do his one and only prac in a private school (and he lost his temper at something not so big), I wish him well teaching in state schools!
In the end I never applied for the librarian job but did apply for the inclusion job and had an interview but don't think it went that well. Two ladies interviewed me and one of them I worked with on a prac in a child care centre back in uni, I remembered her. There was about 7 pages of full on questions and took them a few mins just to get through asking/reading out the questions and I barely understood them. They kept asking me about childcare legislations etc. And what experiences I have had with QR and ELF (What the!?!) they explained what they were but I haven't been in a childcare centre since 2005 at uni. And they asked me a question about children "of a minority" so I started answering "...minority groups..." they stopped me and said they don't like to be called that (THEY JUST SAID IT). The very first question I had was to tell them about where/what I would like to see myself working in the future so I said I was passionate about children and the early years was where I really love being. They were concerned then because the job would be working with teacher/carers/parents not children (didn't read that way in the ad or on their website). And they wanted to know how I felt about driving up to 8 hours a day to visit places in all the area and sleeping over ect. Said I would find out in about 2 weeks but it'll probally just be a rejection call which after hearing about the actual job is okay but I'd rather they not bother calling lol
I also now only have 2 assignments and 33 days until I finish my Masters degree :)
Miss Snix.
First Full Day of 2010
This is the second week of term 2 of the year and I have finally been booked to work my first full day of the year. I got a phone call about 8pm tonight from a private school principal asking me to work tomorrow, I agreed to it only to then find out it was with a grade 5 class. I taught the grade 4 kids at the school last year and really did not enjoy it one bit but since work has been non-existent this year I agreed to it. As soon as I hung up the phone though I have had this nervous, anxious feeling about it and my first thought was to call him make and say I'd change my mind. But as my mother and friend (who he called before me and she turned him down - says it all lol) keep telling me to just think about the pay, but private schools in Australia pay supply teachers greatly less than state schools do and I have had a lot of problem with this school not paying me in the past (had to spend a lot of time sorting it out so I did get paid). So I am just hoping the day goes really quickly, the kids have a lot of classes (music, library, pe etc.) away from me and most importantly they behave well for me!
On another note this week I have found two, non-teaching, jobs to apply for. The first is a three month contract working as a librarian in the public library. Personally I doubt I'll get the job but can't hurt to put in for it. The second is full time 'Inclusion Support Facilitator' with organisation called Noah's Ark, they are wanting an Early Childhood trained teacher to work with special needs children. I graduated as an Early Childhood teacher in 2006 and am 2 months away from graduating from a Master of Special Education. So this job is more up my ally.
So please wish me well for tomorrow (I need all the luck I can get) and with the job applications :)
Miss Snix.
On another note this week I have found two, non-teaching, jobs to apply for. The first is a three month contract working as a librarian in the public library. Personally I doubt I'll get the job but can't hurt to put in for it. The second is full time 'Inclusion Support Facilitator' with organisation called Noah's Ark, they are wanting an Early Childhood trained teacher to work with special needs children. I graduated as an Early Childhood teacher in 2006 and am 2 months away from graduating from a Master of Special Education. So this job is more up my ally.
So please wish me well for tomorrow (I need all the luck I can get) and with the job applications :)
Miss Snix.
Easter
Happy Easter! We are officially on Easter holidays here for ten days (until the 12th of April).
Not a whole lot has happened since I wrote my last blog. I worked about two weeks ago for three hours again. This time in a state school that I had previously taught at a few times on contract. The school requested me through the relief agency which was nice. I was in a grade 4/5 multiage class. A lot of the children remembered me from previous years which made things a little bit easier and I remembered a few of the more challenging characters so knew how to handle them straight off but overall they were a lovely class. We started off the day with some literacy, and all were so well behaved but then the teacher had planned for me to take them outside to play a game. This is where their lovely behaviour disappeared…they started yelling and acting very silly, requiring a few reminders about their behaviour. Thankfully after the game was their morning tea, and I got to do duty in the 6/7 area and again most the kids in this age group know me so had no troubles. I finished my duty 15mins before the bell to return to class rang and just as I finished and went inside it started raining so that was good timing! After the break I had them for another hour and they did some story writing about something that has happened to them in the past. Most did this with no trouble, others however tried being silly with it. One boy kept doing things eg. picked his ruler up and put it down again and wrote about it and every other movement he made because it was then past tense. Another tried to get a reaction out of me by saying the only thing in his past he could remember was his father trying to kill him (he was telling me with a cheeky smile on his face) so I told him to write that. I kept getting little silly questions and said that I wasn’t the one reading them, their teacher was and if they think he would be pleased than write it. The time with the class actually went by fairly quickly and overall was fairly pleasant, I’ve had a lot worse! Lol
I have just joined a very active teacher forum online where most of the people are from America and it’s very interesting reading their posts. They talk about job fairs and interview seasons which we just don’t have here in Australia! I have only ever had one interview in my four years teaching and that was for a private school last year. I have been getting a bit jealous reading about all the available jobs there are over there and the different opportunities that are available. One day my time will come though…one day…I can hope at least! Although with term one already over and I’ve only had six hours of supply it’s not looking good :(
On a positive…I only have 69 more days and I will have finished my Master of Education (Special Education)! Again I am hoping desperately that this will help with my chances of finding a job but I’ve learnt not to hold my breath.
Miss Snix.
Not a whole lot has happened since I wrote my last blog. I worked about two weeks ago for three hours again. This time in a state school that I had previously taught at a few times on contract. The school requested me through the relief agency which was nice. I was in a grade 4/5 multiage class. A lot of the children remembered me from previous years which made things a little bit easier and I remembered a few of the more challenging characters so knew how to handle them straight off but overall they were a lovely class. We started off the day with some literacy, and all were so well behaved but then the teacher had planned for me to take them outside to play a game. This is where their lovely behaviour disappeared…they started yelling and acting very silly, requiring a few reminders about their behaviour. Thankfully after the game was their morning tea, and I got to do duty in the 6/7 area and again most the kids in this age group know me so had no troubles. I finished my duty 15mins before the bell to return to class rang and just as I finished and went inside it started raining so that was good timing! After the break I had them for another hour and they did some story writing about something that has happened to them in the past. Most did this with no trouble, others however tried being silly with it. One boy kept doing things eg. picked his ruler up and put it down again and wrote about it and every other movement he made because it was then past tense. Another tried to get a reaction out of me by saying the only thing in his past he could remember was his father trying to kill him (he was telling me with a cheeky smile on his face) so I told him to write that. I kept getting little silly questions and said that I wasn’t the one reading them, their teacher was and if they think he would be pleased than write it. The time with the class actually went by fairly quickly and overall was fairly pleasant, I’ve had a lot worse! Lol
I have just joined a very active teacher forum online where most of the people are from America and it’s very interesting reading their posts. They talk about job fairs and interview seasons which we just don’t have here in Australia! I have only ever had one interview in my four years teaching and that was for a private school last year. I have been getting a bit jealous reading about all the available jobs there are over there and the different opportunities that are available. One day my time will come though…one day…I can hope at least! Although with term one already over and I’ve only had six hours of supply it’s not looking good :(
On a positive…I only have 69 more days and I will have finished my Master of Education (Special Education)! Again I am hoping desperately that this will help with my chances of finding a job but I’ve learnt not to hold my breath.
Miss Snix.
First Day of 2010
Had my first teaching day last Wednesday, was only for three hours while the teacher went to training but a job is still a job. I got to have the prep class. This is the age group I love teaching the most so was happy with that. I also had a teacher aide with me for the first hour and a half which was helpful. Most of the children were very well behaved except for a couple who thought they’d push their luck and not do as I asked. But it is also the start of the year and they are just getting used to being in a school environment, some may not have been to childcare before I don’t know, so it is understandable they weren’t as settled as they will be latter in the year when they are used to school. And I guess I am the first relief teacher they had for the year so all new for them. Anyway, it was nice. Haven’t had any work since but neither have my other relief teacher friends (actually they haven’t had any work, so I am a little lucky there) but I assume (hope!) it will start to pick up soon.
Miss Snix.
Miss Snix.
Job Hunting
Tomorrow is my first day back doing supply work for the year. Am only booked to work three hours though. And not sure what year level other than it’s in the junior school. Hope it stays that way and they don’t change their minds and give me an upper grade. Looking forward to making some (very little though) money again, too many bills over the holidays with no income has not been fun. Although not really looking forward to going back to work as a relief teacher. This is my forth year and in all honesty I am starting to hate it. I have contacted the district offices and sent my resumes to every school in the area but have had no luck. I want to have my own class and be considered a ‘real’ teacher not just a glorified babysitter who spends most my day dealing with unruly attitudes and not getting to actually do much real teaching because I am not the ‘normal’ teacher. Unfortunately these two articles sum up my position perfectly: http://www.theteachersareblowingtheirwhistles.com/thecontractwork.htm and http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,26638206-3102,00.html
On a positive note though I only have two more classes to complete and my Master degree will be all finished! On the 11th of July I will be submitting my last ever assignment…not that I’m counting down lol But even with someone studying their Master degree you would think that is someone schools would want to hire. Clearly not. I can only hope that once I finish the Masters it’ll give be a better chance at getting a full time job. Sadly I doubt it will.
Miss Snix.
On a positive note though I only have two more classes to complete and my Master degree will be all finished! On the 11th of July I will be submitting my last ever assignment…not that I’m counting down lol But even with someone studying their Master degree you would think that is someone schools would want to hire. Clearly not. I can only hope that once I finish the Masters it’ll give be a better chance at getting a full time job. Sadly I doubt it will.
Miss Snix.
Update from Last Post
After sending emails to both my union rep and the head of the teaching department in my area I finally got an email back in regards to the letter I was sent, however I was not given any explanation as to why I got the letter or why I was being deactivated. So I sent an email straight back using the email given to me asking once again for an explanation but as yet have no reply. I find the whole thing very odd. I have friends who graduated at the same time as me who do supply work while still looking for permanent work (the exact same situation as me!) but have not been sent this letter! So why me???
New Update! (day after previous bit was typed)
Got a phone call this morning from a man at the office who called to double check that my 'issue' had been sorted out. Well no it hadn't since no explanation was given as to why this was all happening! He explained to me that every teacher gets sent this letter every year in November. But firstly, I have never been sent the letter and secondly as you can all clearly see on the last post the letter was only sent in January! He response everytime I disputed his explanations was "ohh that's odd" I even told him about my friend who is in the same situation not getting the letter "ohh that's odd" AHHH After going around and around in circles with him I realised it was no good. I am 'activated' until December this year at least and he claims I should get another letter sent to me at the end of the year like I have always had...even though I never have before! The whole matter is just way too stressful and quite frankly way too stupid. Hopefully for now at least the matter is resolved. I hope!
Miss Snix.
