You'll Be Alright!

Hi everyone!  I feel so badly about not posting for two weeks!!  I am doing fine but things have been pretty nuts.  I don’t quite know where to start…

Most things to do with school I cannot really go into detail about in a public space like this, but I will say that over the past two weeks I have:

-Been sworn at by my most behaviourally challenging student (who was then suspended for three days).

-Been told that said student would be placed in another teacher’s class, only to see him appear in my room again on Tuesday and to be told that he had been given another chance before being moved (which is good and bad).

-Been inspected by our school improvement advisor and scrambled to get ready from government inspectors who will come this Monday.

-Been left less-than-prepared with no resources or guidelines for teaching lessons to my Maths class on three consecutive days.

-Been bombarded with information at new teacher induction meetings (which were helpful but stressful!!).

-Survived my first ‘open evening’ (when prospective students and parents visit the school before they apply for enrollment for next fall).

-Been driven crazy by students for many reasons.

-Got home from school between 7:30 and 9:00pm on at least three occasions.

-MARKED my brains out for many nights.

-Functioned on very little sleep.

-Felt frantic and overwhelmed.

BUT

Strangely enough I have not once felt the need to ask “what on earth am I doing here?!?” or to say that I wish I had never moved to this new country all on my own.  I HAVE asked myself why I decided to become a teacher a couple of times but I know that everyone in this profession has done that numerous times.  It’s difficult and emotionally and physically draining but as much as the kids get on my nerves at times they are also the ones that make the job worthwhile and enjoyable.

This will sound pretty weird but I genuinely feel like a celebrity at school sometimes.  Students are eager to say a cheerful hello whenever I am walking through the halls.  Sometimes I walk through the quad and hoards of them will excitedly shout “HI MISS!” because I’m the cool Canadian girl.  When I cover other teachers’ classes there are usually students who come running in all excited that they get to have me as a teacher for a lesson and I will hear the ones that have me for a mentor or in other classes bragging to their friends about it.  As I have never felt especially cool at any point in my lifetime, I find it all pretty amusing.  It’s just these simple things make me feel like students like me and it encourages me throughout the day. 

Although I am stressed, I am generally happy in my life.  As nothing can quite capture the essence of emotions and experiences like music, I have had two theme songs over the past few days which I think sum up my feelings pretty well. 

One is You’ll Be Alright, an original song (to the tune of a ‘Spring Awakening’ number) from our Faculty of Education musical last year which was centred around the adventures of a stressed out new teacher. 

There’s a moment you think ‘I’m done’

It’s all just work, it’s not more fun.

I’m tired oh yeah, just wanna quit

When you think it’s time to get out of it…

You’ll be alright put up a fight

You can kiss your worried mind goodbye. 

You’ll be alright keep your head on tight

Somehow we will survive…

My second theme song has been “Never Once” by Matt Redman: 

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step you were with us.

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much you've done
Knowing every victory is your power in us.

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did you leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, you are faithful.

There has been some good time with friends in between all of this madness though including a lovely Thanksgiving dinner!  Some sweet friends here fit it into our Home Group schedule since I will be missing out on celebrating with family next weekend.  I had a lot to share when we went around the table to talk about what we are thankful for!

That is all that I really have to say about the past two weeks.  Again I am so sorry for the long gap between updates.  I will try to post something much sooner next time. 

I love you all and I hope you are well! 

-Heather <3