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.
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.
