Feeling Better :-D

It's easy to rant - but I like to keep myself honest. This weekend feels a lot better and some time away helps put things back into perspective. The tough times make the good times look so much better. It is pretty cool to teach in a country where music is examined as part of the national curriculum. One thing's for sure - the British are great at organization and administration. All kids leave High School having studied Pop Music, Dance Music, Musicals, Electronic Music, Minimalism, Experimental Music, Serialism, Classical Music, Indian Raga, African Music and World Music. They've submitted two recorded solos and two compositions for external examination. I could even take a course and make extra money marking Music Exams for the National Exam board. After leaving my High School in Canada I could do the performance exam and that's about it. I think when I come back to Canada i'm going to take key aspects of the British Music Curriculum with me.

As for behaviour I just have to play by their rules. It's pretty much do as the teacher says or be removed from the lesson. After getting rid of a few crazies then I will have the keen ones left. Different mind set but comes with the new time zone I suppose.

4 weeks left until Christmas Break. I plan to see Wicked the musical next week and then the Lion King on December 12th; should be a pretty kick ass trip. Steadily paying off student loans as well - so I'm feeling good about that.

Frustrated!!! :(

GRrrrrrrrr!!! It's been a year and I'm still caught off guard by the culture shock in this country!!! When you talk to some British teachers they say this country is going to pot - Today the kids reminded me of this. There are just so many children that take things for granted and "can't be bothered". Even the nice kids have this school culture where they don't care if they get an education - they don't see education as something they have to work towards rather than be given. There's a thing about good teaching called motivation but I'm at my wits end with the majority of my kids. It really feels like school's compulsory here.

What I like about teaching is helping kids achieve their goals and motivating them to aspire for excellence. Here in England teaching is about making kids learn and forcing them to try new things... it's such a weird cultural norm. I think some of these rude, disrespectful hooligans should perhaps fall on their faces - and then when they see the unhappy alternative perhaps pick up their education once again. One problem I see is that too many people rely on government assistance - and this is the loophole for not having to make an effort in secondary school.... For example kids that don't do well in class don't want to get extra help or one to one tuition outside of the lesson - even when it's free and I'm giving up my free time. They refuse to come or just don't show up. What a fair trade to give give give only for students to treat it like a chore or be rude about it????

I just don't get this place!