Teacher Man

Hello everyone.

So far so good eh. It is all going pretty well so far. If you didn't know I have year 9, 10, and 11 science classes and a year 12 chemistry class. The whole thing is really busy - planning, teaching, meetings, duties, extra-curriculars - all in a days work. But the good thing is that being busy makes the days fly by. I can't believe that it is already week 4. (Six more till holidays!) The other thing I can't believe is how uptight I get about my classes missing school! Term 1 is full of athletics days and camps and assemblies and all that and every week it seems I miss a lesson with classes. It is really hard to keep up with what I should be teaching when there are so many days off. Oh well...any day off is a good day off I guess because it means I am getting paid and not having to teach.

On the weekend I paddled along side some of the students participating in the "Across the Lake Swim." Jess and I were up at 6am to be at the starting point at 6:30am for the 7am start. The morning turned out to be cold and windy. I was wet and cold in the kayak and I felt sorry for the swimmers. Our school did really well though - I think I heard that 2 of our students were the first and second women across the line.

Also on the weekend I signed up for the Xterra 11km trail run on April 8th. I am training for a Half-Marathon so this race will be a good goal to help in training. It should be fun. I even bought new shoes to get me there.

Not much else is new. I added a few more pictures to my picture site at my sister's request. There aren't very many, don't get your hopes up.

I hope everyone is well. I need a nap before volleyball - all this typing has tired me out.

last days

no...i haven't been diagnosed with some sort of terminal disease. i was speaking of my last days as a bum student. i'm still broke - don't get me wrong - but i'm not longer just a student.

yes...i had my first day of school on friday - it was a teacher only day but it was still the start of the school year. the kids come on tuesday (monday is our first holiday, waitangi day) and we are in school until april 13th from now on. i think i'm ready. i have some lessons planned for all my classes - year 9, 10, 11 science and year 12 chemistry. i don't really feel worried - well maybe a little - more so anxious i guess? yeah...that's it. i also have a year 10 tutor group - basically it's like home room but instead of being in your first class like at my alma mater, it is a separate class.

i think the main thing that i have to worry about or stress over is getting my students into routines. if they have routines to adhere to it leaves less time for them to be miss-b-haven. that's my goal for the first um...3 weeks. set specific routines.

not much else is new. i haven't gotten paid yet so i'm living on credit which means i'm living meagrely. i however did go to see "river queen" last weekend. if you haven't heard of it, it is a kiwi film set in the late 1800's during the land wars. i enjoyed it even though there were some minor irritations. i would recommend it overall.

i am trying to motivate myself to train for a half-marathon this year. there is one in town in july that i am planning on doing. i have been trying to get active and am starting to get a training plan together. it seems like such an ordeal but i want to do it if only to see if i can.

i will put some pictures on my photo site soon. i was going to do it today but i forgot my camera in jess's/my car's glove box. next week...

take care everyone.