Canadian Adventures 2011: Starting Work

I started teaching on 10th January, 5 days after arriving :-Z I started mid way through the term, which I have found tough and then also I started a week late due to having to delay leaving Australia because of surgery - I can't believe it is 8 weeks since the surgery today.. and the doctors didn't think I'd be leaving until now! Yay me :-) Anyway all is great where the surgery is concerned, which is amazing.

Kelly took me into the school the Friday before to meet the principal and the class, which was just overwhelming. I spent the weekend before starting getting a few things organised and going over the plans Kelly had left. I must admit I fumbled my way through the first week (and all weeks since come to think about it :-) quite successfully - God bless text books! Ha Ha :-)

I am teaching grade 8 :-Z The kids are great, 13/14 years old and in their last year of elementary school .. teenagers! I have to say the kids have been really good and I am enjoying them, they are mostly respectful and I really can't complain about having behaviour issues. Some have there moments but overall they are great. It is a real mixed bunch, 26 kids with some having no idea and then a few who are identified as gifted, and fly through the work. Mostly they are teenagers and would rather talk to each other and be else where - me too guys :-) The work on the other hand - oh my god! I should have listened more during algebra in Maths or Fluids in Science when I was at school! I think having walked in half way through the subjects was difficult so as I start new units hopefully I will feel like I have some idea ..... maybe not! Really we only have to keep a day book, but I am finding myself planning a program just to know where I am going and teaching out of a text book makes it all that much easier for me.

The staff are wonderful :-) So friendly and helpful, such a nice group of people. I have been offered so much, one teacher even loaned me her car one weekend, to get out and about in - wow! When it comes to planning and teaching we are all on our own, so really quite different from Australia. Even assessments for the same topics are planned by the teacher, so kids across the grade are taking different assessments for the same topic?? I will also mention 'treat' day every Friday! Staff are allocated a Friday in which to bring in morning tea and .... I have to stop eating - with the cold and then treat day Friday I'm not going to fit back on the plane to come home!

Now playground duty - I will never complain about it again when I am back in Australia :-) I spent my first duty walking around in amazement - thats when it really hit me that I was here in Canada, playground duty in the snow! Luckily Kelly (my exchange partner) has left me appropriate clothing, we are the same size which is great! I have big -40oC boots, quite the fashion item :-) and down filled jackets to wear - although funnily enough you still feel the cold somewhat ... nothing is suitable for - 10oC (and colder) days! The school has never canceled outside play, only shortened the time out there to half of lunch or recess! I still can't believe they go out in it. It is funny seeing all the kids in ski/snow gear running through the snow!