Week beginning August 15th
Monday morning 8.20am staff meeting....and so the routine of being in school starts again. Monday is cold and wet (a bit like NIre cold) The rest of the country is suffering from large amounts of snow, but not us ! Ther is a flurry of snow in the morning and some studnts are allowed to go outside to experience. My class later that day are all chat about the snow. In other parts of the south island, life has stopped, with schools shops etc closed. while the rest of the country freezes, we enjoy really nice weather. Two weeks ago I saw daffodils in bloom, lambs are in the fields and there are moments when there is a spring feeling in the air. I cycled in shorts again this week and when the frosts melt there is warm sunshine.
This week I have worked more hours in the Wharfside, including saturday night when they had a band playing until late, when the owners left Lisa and I to look after the place and they went home ! We cashed up etc and left at 12.45am. Lisa was back in on Sunday morning by 9.45am and worked until 5pm. I got called in at 11am and worked until 3pm. The weather contributed to a busy sunday.
This week we made email contact with the people we are purchasing the house from. they unfortunately are not moving before the 30th Sept so that is the date we wil be reunited with all our stuff that has been in storage since it arrived here on the 30thnJune. We have bought a double bed from them and a 'weedeater'(heavy duty strimmer).
We went to garage sales on saturday morning. We bought essential items like an axe and a small bright PINK, wheelie bin ! On saturday afternoon Lisa went and did a club bike race while I went to Ecofest. It was a coolection of all things eco, including solar heating stands, eco housing etc. I did the unecological thing and came home with a forest of leaflets!!
New Zealand's latest world champions this week are the U19 underwater hockey team, who competed in Europe last week. I dont know how popular that sport it, but one of the local swimming pools have markings on the floor of the pool. Rugby world cup RWC as it is refered to here is reported on almost every day. Less than 3 weeks to go and it seems like it is going to get to 24 7 rugby soon. If the ABs (All Blacks) dont win the RWC I there will be a world class anticlimax throughout the country.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Week 15
August 8th -14th
The week starts again with a 8.20am staff meeting at school, followed by a 1hour 40 mins yr 13 class. Homework was due this morning, I got approx half the number I was expecting. This was due to absentees and several quite simple “I didn’t do it” , the reasons were all the same “just didn’t”. There is a system in school to deal with this, but the idea of homestudy seems quite alien to some of the students. This attitude was displayed to a lesser extent in the year 9 class. After work I go for a run along the coast. My sore knee seems ok, but not perfect.
On Tuesday morning (my day off) I waken up with a sore left foot. It is a lovely sunny, calm day. Lisa has gone to a bar managers course, so I cycle into the village to go to see the chiropractor. A few clicks later and quite a few dollars later, I come out feeling better. I cycle on into the village and, seeing a hairdressers that looked quiet, I went in to see if I could get a hai cut. 10 mins later I come out with half a haircut ! Lesson learnt….there is a good reason why a hairdressers may be quiet ! I cycle on to the wharf for a coffee in the sunshine. I enjoy the tranquillity and read the paper. Before leaving I chat to the owner and end up with a part-time job! I will go in on Sundays to cover the busy lunch period. I am then given a 60 second till training session. I am only supposed to clear tables and low/no skill work, so till training seemed a bit advanced for my low-level job.
A rare thing today…it is wet and cold.Lisa and I went for a swim on Thursday(by know my foot is very sore). In the afternoon we go to the solicitor, to see if our house we are going to purchase is all Ok. It is so we now pay our deposit and it is all go. We also spend the afternoon looking at electrical items etc we need to purchase soon. The sales people can’t believe their luck when we enquire about so many items. I haven’t shopped for so long it feels a bit odd, and not that enjoyable.
On Friday I teach my class and then get some relief work for a couple of classes. I then go for an interview for a youth coach job at a local education trust centre. It is a part-time job and would be a challenge. It is the usual casual chat type interview. I will know in a couple of weeks if I was successful. By the afternoon the house purchase is officially ‘unconditional’ so it is now all go.
That evening we go to dinner to a teachers house. It is a faculty get together with partners. There are 8 of us and we are served a full 4 course Christmas(mid-winter) dinner. It was delicious.
On Sunday Lisa and I go for coffee at the wharf before she started work at 9.45. I am due to start at 12, but get a call to start at 11. I finish at 2 and come home and do some school work. Lisa finishes at 5pm. By then it has turned really cold so I go and collect her. The forecast is warning about severe cold and snow across the country. This area doesn’t do snow, so we watch the news reports and feel thankful we live in this area. It will be a cold start to the week, but before that, we finish our week with a roast chicken dinner ( a bit of a treat), which I am about to eat so will sign off.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Week 14
A new format for the blog as I am now in the world of work, not to mention house stuff to take care of, so it wont necessarily be a day by day account.
August 1st Monday, 8.35am and I am in front of my first class in NZ. Garin College starts everyday with a staff meeting at 8.20am. There is a thought for the day plus announcements. I head off to the library where I have a double class of year 13 geography (1 hour 40mins). The library was also the venue for a Mauri welcome ceremony for the Japanese group who are staying at the school. We had to wait for it to finish before class could continue.
Pupils are the same the world over. Teaching in front of a class requires the same approach the world over. At least I'm teaching tourism so it is a pleasant topic for them and me. I then have a few free periods before my next class. The school day has two 40 min breaks, the first is at 11.21am and the second is at 1.43pm. this means there is only one class in the afternoon. It seems to work quite well, but it means you eat your lunch quite early or you are starving if you wait to the second break. After years of rushing to get a drink finished at break-time, it seems odd to have time to finish a mug of coffee AND eat.
I then met 9D before the second break. There are 27 of them. They are the same age as NIrelands year10(14 yr olds). The year 9s are the youngest in the school. I am teaching social studies and our topic for the next few weeks is 'Power Politics'!When I introduce the topic, they seem interested....long may that last !!
Later in the week when I give out homestudy(homework), there is a look of surprise in both classes. they tell me they dont get homestudy. I already knew that was true. I assured them they wouldn't get one every class, but they weren't impressed. I also told the year 13s they would get used to it, which, of course I know some of them wont.
I only have 7 periods to teach per week, but I spend a lot of time doing preparation. The staff all have a work area in the staff centre, I have a desk surrounded by the English/Performing Arts staff....all very entertaining. My Social Studies Faculty are a very nice bunch. The staff only day involved mostly eating and being 'social'.
This first week of school also included a full school inspection. I could only hope they would not find me. They didn't! To thank the staff, the Friday afternoon drinks were extra special. My weekend started at 11am, so I didn't stay to find out how special it was.
The week also included the house we hope to buy getting a building inspection. I met the guy at the house and he assured me it was a sound house that he would buy. A lengthy report would follow, but at least we know there is nothing nasty lurking in the building (except the colour scheme).
On saturday, lisa and I go to the clubs bike race. I help out as I am still injured. Lisa moves up a grade and goes OK until the last hard hill. She pays for working to bring the group together earlier in the race. It was over 70km long, so lack of training kms catches a lot of people out. At least she doesn't have to work tonight, so we watch the All Blacks trounce the Aussies. A warm up for the world cup !!
On sunday, Lisa goes to work and I start to move us all to another rental property. We are sad to leave Corrugate, but they have holiday bookings. the next place is a small shed that is now a cottage. It has fab views overRruby Bay. It means Lisa has to cycle slightly further to and from work, but it is flatter.
Bonnie also has to adopt to her new home. She now has ducks, pigs,sheep, a cow and Pukekos to watch/avoid. Sunday is national "Roast day", but we dont have time to throw together a roast dinner as well as move house. Debbie, our new landlady, leaves us some ginger tray bakes as a welcome present (very nice).
This week New Zealand has its youngest world champion...he is 7 years old. He was one of 20 under 12s who travelled as a NZ team to take part in the BMX world champs in Europe. That is typical of NZ sports that seem to travel all over the world from an early age. Funding doesn't seem to be an issue. Sport participation is massive and so is the travel bill.
Must go and do some marking !!
August 1st Monday, 8.35am and I am in front of my first class in NZ. Garin College starts everyday with a staff meeting at 8.20am. There is a thought for the day plus announcements. I head off to the library where I have a double class of year 13 geography (1 hour 40mins). The library was also the venue for a Mauri welcome ceremony for the Japanese group who are staying at the school. We had to wait for it to finish before class could continue.
Pupils are the same the world over. Teaching in front of a class requires the same approach the world over. At least I'm teaching tourism so it is a pleasant topic for them and me. I then have a few free periods before my next class. The school day has two 40 min breaks, the first is at 11.21am and the second is at 1.43pm. this means there is only one class in the afternoon. It seems to work quite well, but it means you eat your lunch quite early or you are starving if you wait to the second break. After years of rushing to get a drink finished at break-time, it seems odd to have time to finish a mug of coffee AND eat.
I then met 9D before the second break. There are 27 of them. They are the same age as NIrelands year10(14 yr olds). The year 9s are the youngest in the school. I am teaching social studies and our topic for the next few weeks is 'Power Politics'!When I introduce the topic, they seem interested....long may that last !!
Later in the week when I give out homestudy(homework), there is a look of surprise in both classes. they tell me they dont get homestudy. I already knew that was true. I assured them they wouldn't get one every class, but they weren't impressed. I also told the year 13s they would get used to it, which, of course I know some of them wont.
I only have 7 periods to teach per week, but I spend a lot of time doing preparation. The staff all have a work area in the staff centre, I have a desk surrounded by the English/Performing Arts staff....all very entertaining. My Social Studies Faculty are a very nice bunch. The staff only day involved mostly eating and being 'social'.
This first week of school also included a full school inspection. I could only hope they would not find me. They didn't! To thank the staff, the Friday afternoon drinks were extra special. My weekend started at 11am, so I didn't stay to find out how special it was.
The week also included the house we hope to buy getting a building inspection. I met the guy at the house and he assured me it was a sound house that he would buy. A lengthy report would follow, but at least we know there is nothing nasty lurking in the building (except the colour scheme).
On saturday, lisa and I go to the clubs bike race. I help out as I am still injured. Lisa moves up a grade and goes OK until the last hard hill. She pays for working to bring the group together earlier in the race. It was over 70km long, so lack of training kms catches a lot of people out. At least she doesn't have to work tonight, so we watch the All Blacks trounce the Aussies. A warm up for the world cup !!
On sunday, Lisa goes to work and I start to move us all to another rental property. We are sad to leave Corrugate, but they have holiday bookings. the next place is a small shed that is now a cottage. It has fab views overRruby Bay. It means Lisa has to cycle slightly further to and from work, but it is flatter.
Bonnie also has to adopt to her new home. She now has ducks, pigs,sheep, a cow and Pukekos to watch/avoid. Sunday is national "Roast day", but we dont have time to throw together a roast dinner as well as move house. Debbie, our new landlady, leaves us some ginger tray bakes as a welcome present (very nice).
This week New Zealand has its youngest world champion...he is 7 years old. He was one of 20 under 12s who travelled as a NZ team to take part in the BMX world champs in Europe. That is typical of NZ sports that seem to travel all over the world from an early age. Funding doesn't seem to be an issue. Sport participation is massive and so is the travel bill.
Must go and do some marking !!
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