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These are getting fewer and further between.. Unfortunately this reflects how I feel about prac too; I can’t be bothered.

A few interesting things occured over the last week. Last Tuesday was a manky day all round for teachers in general. Kids were horrible left right and centre, it really was quite ridiculous. Wednesday morning I rolled out of bed unable to stand due to random cramping in my stomach, so Dad called my supervisor to let him know he was taking me to the hospital. He happened to have the van from the night shift, so I got my first proper ambulance ride After a few hours and some anti-cramp drugs he took me home again, and I proceded to sleep the whole day away.. Thursday was another supervised lesson, which went a bit dismally.. The kids were hyped up on recess and at the end of the lesson I was exausted and disappointed. So as a debrief and a break out of the school the supervisor took me up to Port on an errand. I think its important to say I didn’t cry at school. I balled my eyes out when I got home instead. Friday was strange. My mentor teacher was out setting up gear all day so I had a relief teacher in with me for three classes. I really like her, she’s so nice to talk to and to have in the room. We had a really productive lesson with the 10s, some visiting year 7s in with the 11s, and even a half decent year 9 lesson. After Thursday, it was nice to feel like I could do something right.

Friday night was Welcome to Hedland night, and the kids performed. Having known most of them only for the last four weeks, I think its quite silly how proud of them I got. I went home worrying about how much I’ll miss them at the end of the term, especially the 11s.

Yesterday I should have taught my first science class, but the teacher was away and the kids were left a maths test to do so I just supervised that for the class. The music classes went ok i guess, but I still went home not feeling very happy. At least the bbq at the ambulance depot cheered me up, doubling as a farewell party for a couple of the volunteers. So that brings me to today. I finally taught the science class, which went really well and put me in a great mood. The music 10s brought in a bunch of baggage to deal with so I didn’t get lunch. Then I finished the day with the 11s. I always leave that class in awe of what awesome little muso’s those kids are.

If I can just make it through this week I’ll be half way, so it’s all down hill after the weekend.. No worries, right?

Later than usual but here goes..

The week was less stressful this time.. But that just means i did less work than I should have and left a bunch of stuff til the weekend.. Big mistake. As a direct result of a few debriefing drinks, Saturday was a write-off. Never again.

If I still live come this weekend, there will be no such thing as Friday night. Other than being at Welcome to Hedland Night with the kids anyway.. I will work my tiny hiney off all of Saturday and then sleep all of Sunday only if everything is done.

Well thats the plan. I fear that if I don’t stick to it I will burn out before the halfway mark next friday.. Which is actually marked nicely with a public holiday.

I feel like I do a lot of work. But then I teach a class and feel as though there was so much more I could have done. The content isn’t the problem, the motivation is.. I’m scared I’m turning into every not-fun music teacher I ever had (only two, but thats quite enough). I don’t want the kids to be glad to get rid of me when it comes time to go..

Mum keeps telling me it’ll be ok, I’ll do fine.. She’s my Mum, she must be right.. Right..?

Looks like you’ll be getting one of these a week folks.. My appologies.

I survived another week, and this time I taught a whole lot.

Monday was a bit unusual since my mentor teacher was out of the school. I had three different teachers sit in and supervise while I took the classes. Great for the feedback.

Tuesday was my Mum’s 50th Birthday- the first time I’ve been home on her birthday in five years. So she went to Karratha. Not on purpose though, she had a couple skin cancers taken off and the surgeon would only come up as far as Karratha, so she and Dad went down Tuesday afternoon and came back Wednesday night. When I got home from school Tuesday afternoon it was to an empty house. I then went to squash (to sub for Mum) all by myself, and came home to a fight with my delinquent brother. I had an okay day at school, but the afternoon and night sucked alot- getting beaten to a pulp at squash didn’t help matters.. I missed Mum and Dad, I hated that I’d had a fight with Keith after being back barely a week, I didn’t know what to do with my one and only class first period next morning, and I was ready to get the next plane out of town. I went to bed with a huge headache, which didn’t go away while I slept a few hours..

Wednesday I went to school with a headache, taught a terrible class with a headace, played in band with the same headache, and then packed my headache into the car to go home. Still to an empty house, as Mum and Dad didn’t get home until after 7pm.

Thursday’s classes went surprisingly well. My superviser made an appearance and picked up a timetable for my music classes, promising to come back the next day.

Friday finally came. I taught two of the three classes and my superviser saw a fairly decent lesson. I should really make a point of thanking one student in particular for not being as rotten as I know he is capable of..

That night I went to a bbq at a friend’s for a few drinks and laughs. It was such a relaxed night that I felt for sure that I must be doing okay on prac if I can afford not to stress for just a few hours.. I spent all of yesterday attempting to work but only succeeding in falling asleep, and I spent today trying to work my butt off while wishing I’d done everything yesterday.. My Mum spent Mothers Day making us lots of coffee and telling me to go do my home work

I’m even now trying to figure out what to do with two of tomorrow’s three classes.. The other I have planned for the whole week, so I hope to sleep a little more this time round.. We’ll see.

Eight days until settlement on the unit, then it will finally be ours.. I can’t wait to go back to Perth and move into a place I can actually stay in for more than a semester or so..

Well I survived a week.. Go me.

I’ve caught up with a few people since being here, and its been nice to spend some time with my Mum. Dad’s on daft shifts at the mo, and my delinquent brother is working two jobs, so if he’s home; he’s asleep. Actually its been really great to spend time with my Mum..

As for ATP itself, let me try to explain how great a small town is.

• Since no-one at the Uni wanted to visit so far away, my University Collegue (supervisor) is a deputy at the school, who I’ve met before and made a decent impression on at some point (thankfully). On Monday nights he goes to the volunteer Ambulance training nights at the depot with Dad. On Tuesday nights he plays squash with my Mum. And within the first ten minutes of the un-necessary school tour on the first day, he told me all about how he’d be reporting to my parents at all times. Oh Goody.
• My only year 11 TEE music student is my brother’s ex-girlfriend.
• My brother’s current girlfriend is in my year 10 class. I’ve had the “jail-bait” talk with him, to no avail.

I think the joys so far include the fact that I did know a few faces when I first walked into the office, and the other music teacher is a Graduate from last year- we’ve just spent four years in class together.

I miss Rob. I asked for this placement. Shot myself in the foot a bit there.