...and a few weeks on.

Someone asked me today at school, "why are you still here?". I wonder why quietly. I used to work for a Christian group called Student Life on a university campus, when I first started I wondered if I could work with a group that had 'To change the world' in it's vision statement. I find that really hard to imagine. Yet surely that's why we do anything, to try and positively influence our little part of our ginormous world. My wife Lucy has really helped me to see that changing the world is not just some mythical unattainable dream, because she's doing it most days of the week. I'm praying pretty much everyday now that God can help me try and do it too. Being a follower of Jesus I've got a bit of an advantage in that respect.

Redemption

I wanted to quit teaching for ever it seemed about 5 weeks ago. I don't really know why, I just had had enough. It makes me a little mad all those ads in NZ and even here in the UK about teaching being this totally fantastically wonderful thing to do if you're fed up with earning tonnes of money doing a seemingly pointless job. Teaching for me has to be a calling. And I guess, no actually I know that that is why I'm going to try and stick it out. The kids in my classes are naughty... oh so so naughty. They swear at me, yell at me, push me, cause me to face the whiteboard and swear under my breath very very quietly. But I'm going to try and stick with them. Convince myself, and hopefully them too, that I am committed

Final Daze

After getting back from France I decided that I would try and last 2 more weeks and then call it a day. So that's what I've just done. Supply teaching is blinking hard over here, leaving 2 weeks before the end of term was mainly for the preservation of my passion for teaching youngsters, which had been being daily stripped away by harrasment from students and the seemingly pointless endeavor of attempting to teach under excrutiatingly trying circumstances. I'd walk out at the end of the day 100 pounds better off, but pretty discouraged. I was lamenting with another kiwi teacher about the fact that we both used to really enjoy heading off to school most days back home. Out of the 38 days that I have been a supply teacher I don't need a second hand to count the days that I've felt the same here. Shoot it's discouraging, but I guess it's just the truth of it.

Over all though, I've appreciated the experience, and I hope that it has allowed me to gain a few more skills as far as crowd control goes.

I am actually really looking forward to starting off with my own bunch of kids come september. Teaching, in my humble experience, is way more effective when you have a long term perspective. I reacon a lot of the kids that I've worked with are sick to death of short term people in their lives, teachers, step dads, social workers, church groups. Being another short term person to add to the list wasn't that nice.

I do hope though by some miracle of a graceful God, I have added a glimmer of light into the darkness of some kids' lives.

Why you should never write a post on Friday afternoon

I gotta do a new post... Hey France was so nice, loved every second of it. Back at school though this week has been the biggest drag ever. I have begun questioning my career choice..but then the reassuring thing is that 'career' is such an open ended word these days. I've been told that still in some parts of wales people's last names still elude to their jobs. Or maybe that was 50 years ago. I've really got an appreciation this week that job satisfaction involves a whole lot more than good money. Words like 'meaning', 'significance', 'influence', 'genuinity', 'service' spring to mind as things that my job currently lacks in any substancial degree it seems. Sorry, way too depressing. Can I just say though that throughout this week, this wonderful family that I have joined over here has bought me tonnes of yum treats to make up for the monkey enclosures that I've been trying to teach in. Thanks guys!!

I'm still shaking!!

My brother-in-law Steve just showed me a movie trailer linked to his mate's blog (a guy called Lloyd, a really fun and talented individual). It's like every kiwi's fear... the day the sheep get smart. There's something like 10 sheep for every New Zealander, don't get me wrong, some of my best friends are sheep, but we don't really give them much credit.

Well it's been ages since I blogged last, I think I'm just going through an unenthusiastic lull, or maybe I'm asking the question that every 'young' blogger asks..."is there any point?". Perhaps not, but I will press on through.

Just had a week off, zipped around the Lake District, it was so beautiful...benefit number 1 of supply teaching in the UK. Was awesome to hang out with family and see this beautiful world we live in.


Then after getting back I've been back at school for 4 days...benefit number 2 of supply teaching in the uk... often you don't work full weeks!! It was pretty hard going but I didn't kill any students, so I'd call it a success. Was a bit funny when a kid that I had busted for bunking classes (he was hiding behind my class and making heaps of noise) came in to my class at lunchtime and had a friendly chat, during which time he shared with me some of his romantic poetry. He said I could use them on my wife if I wanted... a kind offer but I delined nonetheless.

Now I'm off for another 2 weeks, going down to Bournemouth to celebrate the life of my wife's Grandma who passed away last week, then off across to France. The third and final benifit (in this post) of supply teaching in the UK... only a short ferry ride to the amazing tastes, sights and sounds of Europe! I'm excited.

Pay Negotiations

I just spent about 15 mins negotiating my rate of pay for the next 6 weeks with my agency. Nothing really out of the ordinary there, but the stupid thing was we both knew what the agreed rate would be before we started discussing it, we just both played this silly bluffing game in order to reach it. Agencies are kind of wierd. I reckon they're often big liars and trickers. Kind of like used car sales people, except leasing out people for allotted times. I tried to do it without going through agencies initially but to no avail. Oh well.

We're off to the Lakes district this weekend, school holidays for a week as well, followed by 4 days back at school then 2 weeks in France!! Shivers! My contract requires me to give 1 days notice if I can't be at school, but I try to be a bit nicer than that.

I'm going to be at the same school now till the summer holidays. It's good being able to anticipate the situation for a while. Still some hugely challenging kids though, I guess it will be good being able to mould their behaviour for the next 6 weeks (expectation is my enemy, flexibility is my friend).