4.12.07
mere civilians we are...
the man in the bowler wouldn't let us through to peep into the courtyard....
Pip pip
me. my cap and umbrella. a wee rain, and lovely Oxford University. methinks I'm in England. pip PIP, i say.
shall we go with ms. brigitte?
I've been sitting around this morning, waiting to hear if I have to go into work today, and thought what better opportunity to let you all know what is going on in the work-sphere of Brigitte's life...
Let's begin with supply teaching: It's not terrible. Truly. There are definitley benefits to doing day to day work: there is no planning, no marking, and best of all, it's all left behind when you go home - which is great when you experience a bad day. (However, for someone like me, not taking my work home with me is difficult, even if it is supply... I am slowly learning to not take things too personally). Downside to supply teaching: if you want to actually teach, it is difficult to get this done while working as a cover teacher. While it is silly to generalize, and all depends on individual students, different classes, and different schools, cover work means a lot of management, and less teaching. Let's be realistic - most of us know that successful teaching (at least in secondary school) has so much to do with the relationships developed. When a student knows their teacher and has an established relationship with them, a lot more can get done. When a student doesn't yet know the teacher, there is little trust, a lot of testing, and not much else. And, as someone who was in high school not too long ago, I understand that it is a process that we have to go through. I just wish it wasn't so difficult sometimes. This basic outline of the difficulties of supply work, coupled with what I see as some systemic issues, certainly make for some interesting days of work. However they also make for some very difficult days of work...
So, what is the solution, you ask? Well, Ms. Brigitte has been offered a full time position begining in January! Happy to say I will be working at Hillcrest Girls School, teaching English and Special Needs. The contract will be for the term to begin, with the possibility of extension. I have done quite a bit of work at Hillcrest, and to my surprise have quite enjoyed it. While I didn't expect to dislike it, I was surprised at how much I do like the girls-only environment. (There are, of course, male teachers. Some characters you will likely hear more about). I can definitely see the benefits to separate sex schools, especially when dealing with this specific age group. Students in secondary school here range from 11 to 16 years old - all of those wonderful hormone-filled years. The girls on their own can be right little tarts (note: i am being nice here), and they can be quite catty with each other, but things can be made much more difficult when there are boys around. In addition, as much as I like working with boys, the constant fight with what is appropriate can get frustrating. I know if I had my own classes this would become less frustrating as limits and boundaries would become better established, but at the moment it is something that I am happy to not have to worry about.
And so I begin the next chapter in my teaching career. I look forward to the new year and the new term with enthusiasm and optimism, and a good amount of jittery nerves. I know that I have plenty to learn, and in the process I will have a lot to laugh about, some to cry about, and hopefully plenty to write about.
Let's begin with supply teaching: It's not terrible. Truly. There are definitley benefits to doing day to day work: there is no planning, no marking, and best of all, it's all left behind when you go home - which is great when you experience a bad day. (However, for someone like me, not taking my work home with me is difficult, even if it is supply... I am slowly learning to not take things too personally). Downside to supply teaching: if you want to actually teach, it is difficult to get this done while working as a cover teacher. While it is silly to generalize, and all depends on individual students, different classes, and different schools, cover work means a lot of management, and less teaching. Let's be realistic - most of us know that successful teaching (at least in secondary school) has so much to do with the relationships developed. When a student knows their teacher and has an established relationship with them, a lot more can get done. When a student doesn't yet know the teacher, there is little trust, a lot of testing, and not much else. And, as someone who was in high school not too long ago, I understand that it is a process that we have to go through. I just wish it wasn't so difficult sometimes. This basic outline of the difficulties of supply work, coupled with what I see as some systemic issues, certainly make for some interesting days of work. However they also make for some very difficult days of work...
So, what is the solution, you ask? Well, Ms. Brigitte has been offered a full time position begining in January! Happy to say I will be working at Hillcrest Girls School, teaching English and Special Needs. The contract will be for the term to begin, with the possibility of extension. I have done quite a bit of work at Hillcrest, and to my surprise have quite enjoyed it. While I didn't expect to dislike it, I was surprised at how much I do like the girls-only environment. (There are, of course, male teachers. Some characters you will likely hear more about). I can definitely see the benefits to separate sex schools, especially when dealing with this specific age group. Students in secondary school here range from 11 to 16 years old - all of those wonderful hormone-filled years. The girls on their own can be right little tarts (note: i am being nice here), and they can be quite catty with each other, but things can be made much more difficult when there are boys around. In addition, as much as I like working with boys, the constant fight with what is appropriate can get frustrating. I know if I had my own classes this would become less frustrating as limits and boundaries would become better established, but at the moment it is something that I am happy to not have to worry about.
And so I begin the next chapter in my teaching career. I look forward to the new year and the new term with enthusiasm and optimism, and a good amount of jittery nerves. I know that I have plenty to learn, and in the process I will have a lot to laugh about, some to cry about, and hopefully plenty to write about.
27.11.07
an afternoon in Shrewsbury
what do you get for free at a "free house"?
a windy street, with dr. seuss's crooked home
a medieval castle... with a wall and a tower, and fabulous view of the town.
17.11.07
what i like...
lemon curd. canals. tea. fish shops. german markets. cobblestone. pedestrian streets. chips with curry sauce. roundabouts. churches. old things, like medieval towns. visitors from home. british street names. "normal" guiness...
16.11.07
15.11.07
Please don't call me "Ms."
Teaching in Birmingham has now begun for me, with 5 days of supply under my belt. I will first make a note of the fact that I use the term "teaching" very loosely, as there is not a ton of teaching that gets done when one does cover work. As much as I feel bad about the fact that I may have "low expectations" with regards to how much will get done when I am covering a class, I am trying to be honest about it with myself - every day I go in I simply hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Let's face it, it hasn't been that long since I myself was in a high school classroom as a student, and I remember well the amount of work that got done with supply teachers. Even the "good students" tended to do very little work. At this point I am happy to have an incident free day.
The schools here are much different than at home. The system is different, the curriculum is different, the teacher's are different... and I have yet to do any real curriculum planning or marking. Where to start... So far, the two schools I have been to are quite big - something that I didn't have to experience at home. The youngest students in a secondary school can be as young as eleven - which is quite a few years younger than I what I am used to. To be honest, the little guys are so young and so small - they look to me like they should still be playing on school yard jungle gyms. I have found that I need to remind myself of their age while teaching, and adjust my expectations accordingly. The senior students in secondary are only 16 - which to me seems to young to be finishing high school (although many go on to 6th Form - sort of like CEGEP in Quebec, I guess).
I am well aware of the fact that relationships between students and teachers vary greatly, depending on the individual teacher as well as the school. However, what I was not prepared for, what I am not used, and what I will not get used to is the nature of the student-teacher interaction here.... speaking very generally, the differences seem stem from the focus on the tradition of formality and the ideas of manners and respect that surround that tradition. It is not something I am accustomed to, to say the least.
Different habits for different rabbits, as they say. I am excited to see how this teaching year progresses. I know I have much to see and learn and think about. But I will say this: in this situation, I will not be going along to get along... "When in Rome..." will not happen with regards to much of the teaching practice as I have seen it so far...
The schools here are much different than at home. The system is different, the curriculum is different, the teacher's are different... and I have yet to do any real curriculum planning or marking. Where to start... So far, the two schools I have been to are quite big - something that I didn't have to experience at home. The youngest students in a secondary school can be as young as eleven - which is quite a few years younger than I what I am used to. To be honest, the little guys are so young and so small - they look to me like they should still be playing on school yard jungle gyms. I have found that I need to remind myself of their age while teaching, and adjust my expectations accordingly. The senior students in secondary are only 16 - which to me seems to young to be finishing high school (although many go on to 6th Form - sort of like CEGEP in Quebec, I guess).
I am well aware of the fact that relationships between students and teachers vary greatly, depending on the individual teacher as well as the school. However, what I was not prepared for, what I am not used, and what I will not get used to is the nature of the student-teacher interaction here.... speaking very generally, the differences seem stem from the focus on the tradition of formality and the ideas of manners and respect that surround that tradition. It is not something I am accustomed to, to say the least.
Different habits for different rabbits, as they say. I am excited to see how this teaching year progresses. I know I have much to see and learn and think about. But I will say this: in this situation, I will not be going along to get along... "When in Rome..." will not happen with regards to much of the teaching practice as I have seen it so far...
B'ham Jewellery Quarter
or, le quartier des bijoux... I spent an afternoon wandering around this part of town. It's quite nice - however city planning is an interesting thing here. I won't say too much - as I don't really know much about the history of this city or the development etc. - but... while they are begining to spend tons of money on rejuvination projects etc., a lot areas tend to be mostly residential, or mostly commercial, rather than mixed. The Jewellery Quarter was lovely during the day in the middle of the week, but I had a walk up there one sunday and it was virtually deserted... I guess people don't really shop for engagement rings on Sundays.
9.11.07
7.11.07
in and around b'ham
my hood...
and... the west midlands canal system... the Canal side is a favorite place to take walks. My two favorite pubs (so far) are both on the Canal. but you have to watch out for the geese - the Canadian geese are much more brave than they are at home...
and... the west midlands canal system... the Canal side is a favorite place to take walks. My two favorite pubs (so far) are both on the Canal. but you have to watch out for the geese - the Canadian geese are much more brave than they are at home...
3.11.07
a place to hang my hat...
Brigitte is in B'ham - and this is her blog... Truth be told, I never expected myself to ever start a blog, never fancied myself that kind of girl... whatever that kind of girl is. And now, here I am, scribbling away at this electronic travel journal for those of you back at home, waaaay across that great big pond. I don't even know where to begin...
It was over three weeks ago now that I found myself sitting alone at the bar in Pearson airport, discreetly crying as I poured over a little package put together for me by my best friend, wondering what the heck I was doing getting on a plane with a one-way ticket to a city where I knew no one, in a country that wasn't mine. It's been a long three weeks - but a long three weeks that have flown by. I have had my good days and my bad days, had my ups and downs. And although I frequently pause for brief moments of disbelief at my being here, I am settling in. I found a flat in the first week, where I have been for over two weeks now. I live on Thimblemill Road, in a house with great flat-mates. Lesson about myself: I am not a good vagabond unless I have a place to hang my hat... and that isn't really a vagabond, then, is it?
I suppose I should include in this little journal the reasons behind my temporary (but indefinite) move to Birmingham - or rather, to the UK. Reason number one (aka the superficial one): teaching. As many of you know, I recently fiinished teacher's college. I needed a job, and the UK likes to recruit us teachers from Canada as they are in dire need (for reasons which I may touch on another time...). Apparently I was not needed in Toronto, so here I am. Experience is a necessary thing... so why not get some here. Reason number two (and honest answer): un 'tit adventure.... or, travel. I thought if I was ever going to do some traveling alone, I might as well do it now... time's a tickin'. Travel is great, and if teaching allows me to do that from here, than great. I might as well take advantage. Reason number three (the real McCoy), has to do with my dad. My father came and lived and worked in England when he was 25... for some reason - whatever it may be - I have always wanted to do the same thing. Perhaps it is an attempt to get closer to my father, an attempt to get to know him better by experiencing something similar to what he experienced, an attempt to connect to something... While I acknowledge the extreme cheesiness of the whole thing, I am only being honest (and how easy that is when I don't have to face those to whom I am "talking"... ha). I am also aware, in all of this, that I may be chasing something I may never find... I may be attempting to fill a void that cannot be filled - as the physical presence of one person once gone cannot be replaced. I thought of this at some point prior to my departure, and breifly worried that I was making a mistake, fearful that I would be disappointed if I didn't feel that gap - or that void - was going to be filled. But a good friend of mine reminded me that some people go on living without chasing anything at all... and so even if I don't find that thing that set me off, I know that it will be a trip well worth taking for the experience in itself... and I will likely find something worthwhile. and so the journey begins...
more later on mushy peas, curry sauce and bacon fries.
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