Hello everyone!
This morning I woke up full of nerves and travelled the 90 minute journey from the South west to the north of London. I had to get three tubes and I experienced the claustrophobia of the tube for the first time. Unsure if it was my nerves or being literally surrounded by hundreds of people in a tiny, hot, cramped tube carriage, but I started to feel pretty dizzy and not very well! Luckily I got to Wood Green station and then walked the 15 minutes to the school.
I was so nervous! But there was another girl interviewing there as well from Ireland and she was just as nervous as me which made me feel a lot better. I then had to teach a year 10 (Aussie equivalent is year 9) class for half an hour about how to write numbers in standard form. I thought the class went quite well. The kids were responsive and understood the content, I got through everything I had planned and there were minor technical difficulties but I had a backup plan. Then I had an interview which I felt went alright, but due to terminology differences between teaching at home and in the UK, I didn't understand what one of the questions meant. But after they explained I was ok. I guess they were aware I am a graduate Aussie though so that's ok!!
The headmistress gave me and Sonia a tour of the school and the facilities were great. I left the school and walked to the tube station. It was violently windy, I got so much stuff in my eyes today. Not nice!! I rang Mum and Dad and Brendon to let them know how I went. Thanks for the pep talks before the interview guys xox
I decided to spend the rest of my day ticking off something else on my London list. I picked the Science Museum because it was on the Piccadilly line and so was the stop I was already at!!
I had some quick lunch and then spent a good 2-3 hours in the Science Museum which was free - yay! The museum was quite cool. Very extensive with five huge levels and lots of interactive exhibitions! I saw a part about steam engines, space (saw a small rock from the moon that weighs 83kg and learned that a spacecraft in one 90 minute orbit around earth experiences a sunrise and sunset!), the modern world, food science, who am I?, maths, communications and planes. The parts I found most interesting were the maths and psychology type parts. The maths section had some machines that made interesting patterns, and the psychology areas (food science/cravings and 'who am I?') were really relevant to what I've taught at home. The cravings section said that the colour of the utensils we use can alter the taste of what we eat! They even had brain slices from HM, an amnesia patient who we learn about in VCE Psych. They also had a section about how soldiers in Fromelles are being identified by DNA - very relevant to the last couple of weeks of my travels!!
I finished up at the museum and hadn't heard back from the teaching agency yet so gave them a call. I'm a little peeved to be honest. I was told that if the school liked me it would be for an immediate start, but when I rang up they said the school liked me but it wouldn't be until September. So I'm on their list for supply work (relief teaching) tomorrow and called my other agency too. Looks like I'll have to keep calling quite a bit and chasing them up for supply work. Nothing as yet for tomorrow but I'll call at 7am and by then they'll have lots of teachers calling in sick etc. Keep your fingers crossed for me because the way I'm feeling at the moment I'm picturing me getting no work and having rent to pay and no money to pay it with. Trust me to stress! Trying not to but just hope I can get some work. Think I'm being too hard on myself though, it's only been one day!! I've decided if I don't get any work tomorrow I'll have a tourist day and probably go to Greenwich. Might as well tick something else off my list if I don't get any work!
Then I started to head home. The thing I'm finding is whenever you don't need a Sainsbury's or Tesco's (supermarket) they're everywhere. Whenever you do need one you can't find them!! I eventually found one and got some stuff for dinner and headed back to Ann's.
Still feeling a bit negative about the whole teaching thing. I've worried myself into thinking I can't rely on the agencies and won't get any work. But I guess I did budget for not getting any work at first. At least I've found a place to live. Hopefully it all works out in the morning!!
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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