And for anyone that's reading this and interested, i'm off to the UK again in April. I'm actually looking forward to it. Mainly 'cos i know i'll be coming back to NZ to live. Residency is currently being processed. i'm waiting for my passport to come back, but i think i'm gonna be able to say that i got residency in less than two months. That's not bad considering it normally takes 3 - 6 months.
i sent in my application on 1 Dec 2006. i then recieved a letter asking me to sort out a problem in my medical, get a letter from my employer, get a contract sent, etc. sent it all back within two days. Then just before finishing up for christmas i called to find out if they'd got everything and my immigration officer told me that she'd already authorised it and i should get a letter in early January.
6 January - got letter asking me to pay a migrant fee and put in my passport and stating that i should recieve it back with residency permit within 30 days. That takes it to a total of 2 months for a whole load of paper work and the all-important stamp on my passport.
So, in March my man travels to the UK. 5 weeks later i'll be joining him, working there for a wee while. Earn some money, pay off some of my student loan and then see what we decide to do. At this stage there's no time limit been put in place except for the return ticket that needs to be used within the year. guess we'll see what happens.
I did consider finishing up at school early and going over, but it'd be really nice to be able to do a full year at one school without bailing out... not that i have done before hand, but i did 7 months in my first school and now i'm here. although they offered me a permanent job, i'll not be taking it, but i'll be leaving having fulfilled my contract and no leaving them in the lurch. good for me, eh!!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
AND ON, AND ON, AND ON...
Teachers have the best life, don't they? high stress, holidays dotted throughout the year, all public holidays, massive summer holidays.
They just keep on going :)
i've got loads to keep me busy though. today was the first day i sat down and actually went through what i'm going to teach a certain class. Dance & Drama. it'll be the first time i've ever taught that subject but i'm excited about it. I'll have to be ahead of the game though, and well organised. got some great ideas this morning, just got to write out my lesson plans and focus now.
Ah, but if you think that's all, think again. that's just two classes a week. I've also got my ICT class to think about. and i realised that unless i get a fresh year 7 class, i'll be having to have a new focus with new tasks and new assessments. yeah - people think we can just regurgitate the same things. nah!!! the kids know when you're being lazy and repeating work in a new context. they're always the first ones to say 'we've done this before, why do we have to do it again?'
so ICT classes to do.
Then there's my music - first a plan for the Tamaki lot (they're special you see...behaviour management is always an issue when creating lessons) Then there's the outside schools who get more lessons in a block and who learn faster. i don't need to create a lesson around behaviour when i plan for them. i'm always amazed at the difference between morning (outside schools) and afternoons (tamaki students). at times i wonder if i'm really cut out to be a teacher (usually in the afternoons) and then other times i realise that i'm actually not too bad (normally in the morning after a successful lesson).
and apart from the lessons, i've also got to decide on some stunningly wonderful songs to sing for assembly. think i'll get a couple from the kiwi songs - should be some good ones there.
They just keep on going :)
i've got loads to keep me busy though. today was the first day i sat down and actually went through what i'm going to teach a certain class. Dance & Drama. it'll be the first time i've ever taught that subject but i'm excited about it. I'll have to be ahead of the game though, and well organised. got some great ideas this morning, just got to write out my lesson plans and focus now.
Ah, but if you think that's all, think again. that's just two classes a week. I've also got my ICT class to think about. and i realised that unless i get a fresh year 7 class, i'll be having to have a new focus with new tasks and new assessments. yeah - people think we can just regurgitate the same things. nah!!! the kids know when you're being lazy and repeating work in a new context. they're always the first ones to say 'we've done this before, why do we have to do it again?'
so ICT classes to do.
Then there's my music - first a plan for the Tamaki lot (they're special you see...behaviour management is always an issue when creating lessons) Then there's the outside schools who get more lessons in a block and who learn faster. i don't need to create a lesson around behaviour when i plan for them. i'm always amazed at the difference between morning (outside schools) and afternoons (tamaki students). at times i wonder if i'm really cut out to be a teacher (usually in the afternoons) and then other times i realise that i'm actually not too bad (normally in the morning after a successful lesson).
and apart from the lessons, i've also got to decide on some stunningly wonderful songs to sing for assembly. think i'll get a couple from the kiwi songs - should be some good ones there.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
HOLIDAY TIME :-)
1 - out walking...? on Mount Taranaki.
2 - avoiding the camera.
3 - milking the cows. he decided to join the queue of milkers. 130ish cows to be milked every morning and night. (we never got up on time to milk them in the morning, i'm afraid)
christmas holiday's at last. went to my sister's farm for new year. over a week we were there. i think that's the longest time i've spent with my sister since about 8 years ago. it was well fun - managed to leave my mark, donate some clothes, etc. hey - if you want anything that was left feel free to keep it. i have no idea what i've left so it's obviously not important.
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