Tuesday, December 12, 2006

One Week, One Week!!!

Hey, just one week to go and i'll be a free woman. Free, as in - not having to work. What a thought. looking forward to it but before i know it, i'll be back in the classroom for another term. I felt really appreciated yesterday: it's not often we get praise or positive feedback for anything we do but i got some yesterday. Not really in a way you'd expect. rather, the person i'm covering classes for came in to see the principal and decided not to come back - she'd rather be a full time mum.
So it took 10 minutes after she'd left for the principal to come into the room where i was teaching and ask me what my plans were next year. Since i'm on fixed term contract, i said my plan was to work till April and then see what happens. so he offers me a permanent job right there and then, carrying on past april and into my life full time. i was a wee bit speechless. mainly cos of the fact that i never have a clue if i'm in the right place at the right time or missing important meetings, or treating the kids properly, or teaching the right thing for the curriculum. he never acknowledges the good or bad and so i don't know if i'm any good at all. so i was chuffed to be asked if i wanted a permanent job. 'course, i turned him down cos i've got other plans from april onwards.
However, it was even more interesting when we discovered the permanent food tech person has left and the teacher who's been covering the last couple terms while she's been off sick has been offered a job for a term "while we advertise and interview for the position."
So, they'd keep me, but they wouldn't keep her. not quite sure how that works, but i'm flattered. i know i've improved over the last few months but heck, i've got a long way to go before i think i'd consider myself to be a 'good' teacher.

Man - i had choir today to practice a song they're singing next week. very interesting! i don't think i've heard a group of polynesians sing so badly!!! they try it on with me anyway with chatter and singing the wrong thing or just putting in no effort, but heck!!!!!!!! i don't think any choir could beat us. this is one reason why i don't think i'm a great music teacher. i like working with choirs, but when they sing stoopid things and talk all the way through it doesn't really prove my competence as a choir director. Band is going alright. not a bad achievement considering these students don't read music, have never played in a group before and don't understand the point of a conductor.