Half way there!

On February 13, I completed 12.5 days towards my mandatory basic minimum of 25 supply teaching days. It felt really good. Some people wondered if I "cashed in some favours"?! I did not. I got assigned jobs by an automated system that called me at random times of the day and I also used my good sense to choose some jobs online when available.

I believe strongly in giving credit where it's due; however, I give way too much credit to anyone and everyone. Moving forward, I want to acknowledge the fact that no matter what the advice is, it really wouldn't make any difference if I don't act upon it or do something about it! Eventually, where I end up depends on the choices I make on my way there!

I believe I made good choices.

I have been at a few schools in the last 3 to 4 weeks, and each time I have come back home, I have been thankful for my own kids. The main concern I have is for the lack of respect that students seem to display in the classrooms - for learning and for teachers! Maybe because I am a supply teacher, the lack of respect is part of the package; still, why does it have to be?!

My best experiences have been in Special Education despite a pinch or a punch here and there! My most hopeful have been in Kindergarten classrooms. Currently, Grade 8 students are my least favourite lot. I do not entirely blame them; they are on the cusp of adolescence and they know not what they do!

In spite of the varied experiences in a short time, I am glad I chose to be a teacher. I don't care if I am in a classroom for 50 minutes or for the whole day, I want to teach. I don't care if the students don't show any respect for me, I want to leave them with something to think about.

I will not let a bunch of kids disillusion me.

There is this one school I swore I would never go back to! The other day, I saw a supply teaching job for that school online and kept wishing someone would sign up for it and it would go away. Then, the system called me and assigned me that job! I hated my helplessness to decline. I somehow managed to cheer myself and show up for this job the next day. After all, it was only a day's commitment!

I believe I did more than survive. I got to learn that in spite of not wanting to be at this school, I was strangely happy to be there. And I am going back to this school for a third time on Tuesday. It is for half a day. It will round up my number of days to 13. For some, that is an unlucky number. For me, it is a number that I have never feared and it is sweet that I get to it at a school that I feared so much until recently!

I feel good. 

Also, as of yesterday, it has been 7 years since my first blog post of "Hello World!".