Being Organized really does help!!!??

Wow! this year is off and running to a great start. It's been crazy, I don't think i'm doing anything that different from my first year of teaching, but what a difference - subtle changes yet highly effective. I've set up a couple routines - 1st off I'm keeping classroom discipline short and sweet. Work smart not harder. It goes - warning, moved/Sent out then SSD (ssd is removed for the rest of the lesson and sent to senior administration). Sounds harsh but when you set the bar high - kids will test the boundaries and then get on with it. Also you've got to crack the whip with british kids. I've only sent two kids to SSD thus far so it's been effective. My other big saviour on discipline is phoning the parents. I hate doing it, but every kid this year who's been sent out I've phoned home after school. Last Tuesday I phoned 13 parents after school... this week only 3 in total!!!! yippeeee! Lastly, i've been tracking all bad behaviour (any kids sent out or getting detentions with me for forgetting their recorders) in my Discipline log. This I use as proof when explaining to parents why their child was sent out of my lessons and tracks any repetitive behaviour.

On the good side, i've been planning a lot of games and competitions into my lessons. This gives students something to aim towards for the last 15 mins of the lesson and I achieve so much more in the beginning of the lesson than I was during entire lessons last year. I guess this goes with the saying "getting more bees with sugar than vinegar". I've also established routines for entering and exiting the classroom. I've found this really asserts your authority as a classroom teacher otherwise students start and finish lessons in a free for all. I guess the more organized you get the less stress you feel in this profession. I haven't lost my cool on a class yet and haven't had to freak out to get a group under control :D I must be doing something right!!!

Our school is tearing down one building and then building our new school site in its place including the playing field in front. Here's a picture from my office window of the construction sight looked like at the beginning of the school year and after the first week of construction... Crazy eh???

I'm sure there will be major curve balls on their way this year of teaching but this first month back has sure been nice. Luckily enough the brits don't know much about baseball... so maybe there won't be as many curve balls as anticipated??? lol

Back to School

I've been back to my school for one week and a day - it's surprising how different things are. I don't feel like my teaching has changed that much, but my younger groups seem to be listening and following rules better.... it's a little eerie. --------> I'm so knocking on wood because this could be what they refer to as the 'honeymoon period' before classroom discipline goes manic... lol. I do feel the label of being a "responsible adult" makes a bit more sense to me now. Nothing really felt real last year - i'm starting to see things more clearly this year and have a better grip on the reality of teaching.

It always feels like there's so much to be done that I can get overwhelmed with work stuff... I've noticed that my sense of adventure has been slipping a little bit and I need to reign that aspect of my life back in. Spending money and Paying off Student Loans/Visa bills doesn't always mix... but we're only young once right??? I was reading up on my friend Shannon's working travels in Korea and she seems to be traveling & partying while teaching English: this balance sounds good to me:) I guess when I look at it, I'm not here to become super star responsible teacher of the millennium right?

I should take things as they come, but a couple more nights out each month are well in order for this guy :) Looking forward to it.

YEAR 2

I've officially made it to round 2 - Year 2 "Ding Ding, Ding Ding" sometimes it feels like a boxing match half physical fatigue and the other half mental exhaustion..... but the thrill of the win keeps me going!!!! I'm well rested from the summer - and I feel a bit more organized.

1 year ago I said: This blog will describe my first year of teaching and living in the UK. I hope my Canadian roots and experiences will help prepare me for what lays ahead... This ain't Western Canada anymore;)

It feels really long since I wrote that....... almost naive but that was first year optimism and bewilderment about the teaching profession. Now i'm in Work Smart and stay afloat mode. I still feel like I'm a bit hit & miss with Discipline and Delivery but have good support at my school and a year under my belt. I do miss Canada - and the longer I teach away from there the more I feel like i'll have to catch up when I return - the worst part is that Salary for teachers in each province appears to start at Zero if you move there even with 5 years+ experience... not so cool in my opinion. I'll have to carefully consider how long i'll stay here. For now my goal is until I pay off my student loans - then I can make my next goal :D

As for this year:

This Blog will describe my 2nd year of teaching in the UK; the ups and downs; my traveling adventures, and personal growth. Watch out England - what hasn't killed me only made me stronger!!!