2 weeks in..
It's been almost two weeks since the academic year began.
The million dollar question that I get asked is "How is Samad?'
How do I summarise it. It is as all schools are generally - day school, average and nothing to shout about.
In terms of workload - I am in heaven. I don not envy any of my former colleagues in SA as their work load is already mountain high compared to my valley low.
I am not a form teacher - I am a mentor.
I am not the Head of English - just an ordinary English teacher with 5 classes under her belt. That is 5 classes x 5 periods = 25 periods a week. My timetable is spread in such a way that the only day they can possibly give me relief is on a Monday, if the are kind.
The classes that I teach? 3 classes of form 2 and 2 classes of f4. I have only one gifted class which I treasure like an oasis in a parched desert. The others range from mediocre to elementary. I say elementary cos they have not even acquired basic skills like the simple past tense. I have to completely revamp my teaching style and expect less. As long as work is done, collected and marked I am happy. And they have learnt after 2 weeks, that Pn Su fills up the board completely and expects work by the end of the lesson. LOL - that much hasn't changed.
So the only class I can do anything creative with is my gifted one. I hope I have inspired them. But that doesn't mean I have given up on the others. I will push and shove and they will get the message in the end. However, the work is physically draining.
I come home and am whacked. Is it age? But the best part is I have the luxury to come home and nap rather than work to death in SA. The fact that I have no paperwork, no proposals, no Human Management, no kowtowing to management, nothing except planning my lessons and marking = heaven!
So the answer to the million dollar question - I am fine, Samad is fine, I will find my place there.
The million dollar question that I get asked is "How is Samad?'
How do I summarise it. It is as all schools are generally - day school, average and nothing to shout about.
In terms of workload - I am in heaven. I don not envy any of my former colleagues in SA as their work load is already mountain high compared to my valley low.
I am not a form teacher - I am a mentor.
I am not the Head of English - just an ordinary English teacher with 5 classes under her belt. That is 5 classes x 5 periods = 25 periods a week. My timetable is spread in such a way that the only day they can possibly give me relief is on a Monday, if the are kind.
The classes that I teach? 3 classes of form 2 and 2 classes of f4. I have only one gifted class which I treasure like an oasis in a parched desert. The others range from mediocre to elementary. I say elementary cos they have not even acquired basic skills like the simple past tense. I have to completely revamp my teaching style and expect less. As long as work is done, collected and marked I am happy. And they have learnt after 2 weeks, that Pn Su fills up the board completely and expects work by the end of the lesson. LOL - that much hasn't changed.
So the only class I can do anything creative with is my gifted one. I hope I have inspired them. But that doesn't mean I have given up on the others. I will push and shove and they will get the message in the end. However, the work is physically draining.
I come home and am whacked. Is it age? But the best part is I have the luxury to come home and nap rather than work to death in SA. The fact that I have no paperwork, no proposals, no Human Management, no kowtowing to management, nothing except planning my lessons and marking = heaven!
So the answer to the million dollar question - I am fine, Samad is fine, I will find my place there.
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