So firstly, today's post unlike the last couple of days is going to start off really positive.....
1) School went well
2) I have got work all 5 days next week - I CAN OFFICIALLY AFFORD RENT!!!
Ok! So today I got up at 5.30am, read over some of the school's policies, made my lunch and got ready. Then I walked the one hour to school. I've decided if something is an hour or less away I will always walk. Saves me money, saves the stress of packed out trains and the exercise doesn't hurt either.
I was quite nervous but not as nervous as I thought I would be which was good. It was my first ever day of being at the front of the class without someone helping me or someone taking notes on me at the back. Got some really lovely messages from people wishing me luck which was nice! And then I arrived at the school. When I got to the school I was walking up the stairs taking a couple of deep breaths telling myself I could do it, and I could see the Eye and the Shard out the window. That was pretty cool, and the realisation that I'm living and teaching in London hit me. I'm actually doing it!
Initially had a bit of a panic as the teacher hadn't left any work (oh my god, deep breaths!) but there was a teaching assistant there who works with the class every day. She gave me a run down of everything we needed to do for the day and I took lots of notes and asked lots of questions.
Started the day off by meeting some of the parents. I was teaching Reception which is I guess what we call Prep, but instead of being 5/6 like at home the kids were 4/5 as they have an extra (earlier) year of school here. Then the kids came and sat on the mat and I introduced myself. Tried to break the ice by getting them to guess by my accent where I was from. They said England. Didn't realise I had blended in that much already hahaha. So I gave them a hint by jumping around like a kangaroo. They got that bit, but when I asked where kangaroos are from they said Africa!! Africa !!!!!! Lol. Then I hinted koalas...still nothing. Getting a bit awkward by this stage so I saw a world map in the classroom and said "I'm from somewhere reeeeeeeeally far away on there that's orange". And finally one kid yells - "AUSTRALIA!". Thank god for that!
Basically after that the day had four parts. Part one was free flow. Fridays are a bit easygoing at the school especially at that age so for an hour and a half I pretty much supervised 20+ kids running wild in the yard. There were bikes, obstacle courses, chalk sticks and lots of "he hit me", "MISSSS!" and "when is my turn on the bikes?". Luckily thanks to an egg timer the bikes were shared fairly and there were only a few tears which were quickly wiped away. Then we had phonics. This is what I was afraid of. No experience whatsoever with phonics and I hadn't been given much help with it. Luckily another TA was there and she asked if she could take over it just this once so I could see how it worked. So now next time I know! It's basically a program they have over here to sound out words and teach kids how to spell. Then was lunch, followed by maths for half an hour. They were SO ratty in maths. Had to send one kid out of the room and we got through a bit but it wasn't all that productive to be honest. Friday afternoon for you I guess!! More free play this afternoon but art themed, so I manned the flower making station and helped kids make flowers out of paper, patty pans (which I got teased for saying - still clueless as to what they call them over here!) and tissue paper.
We then were meant to eat some biscuits they had made this morning but they would not listen to a thing I said so the TA and I decided no biscuits for them! There were tears, but hopefully they learn from it. One kid's mum made him come back and apologise to me! So at the end of the day I was feeling a bit crap to be honest, thinking I hadn't done a good job. But the TA thanked me and said I had done a great job and most supply teachers they get don't care, not learning kids' names etc. She said I did really well. So that was nice! And I had a nice confidence boost this morning when the agency called me and said the school I worked at on Wednesday had an opening all next week did I want to go back there, so I of course said yes!
Walked home for an hour. Learning fast in London that even if the forecast says no rain, take an umbrella. Rained the whole way back but I didn't get too wet.
Now I'm having a night in. Got invited to a party on by the agency I went to yesterday but after 2.5 days of work I'm knackered (sounds weak but just not used to it I guess, haven't worked since December 23 and teaching you're on your feet all day) and I have lots to do. Gotta help clean the house a bit tonight anyway because we have some more viewings tomorrow. Ann has gone away for the weekend so Millie and I are cleaning up a bit. There may be some Downton watched tonight too, but I'm a bit peeved after last night my favourite character died (spoiler alert, Sybil). I was going to watch the football but have decided after reading about how awful we were and that Grundy got injured that I'll watch it in bits. Tonight I feel like watching something enjoyable!!!!! Haha.
So if you can't tell, I'm feeling a lot better today. And tonight marks one week in London. I think I need to stop being so hard on myself. It's been seven days and I've achieved quite a lot:
1) Found a place to live
2) Made some new friends
3) Had a great night out with some existing friends
4) Got my laptop fixed
5) Had a job interview
6) Worked two days (earned £70 Wednesday and £130 today = $400 Aussie all together!)
7) Set up and fixed bank, phone etc
8) Moved a case into the new place
9) Signed up with a third teaching agency
10) Did some washing, cooked for myself
And there's more too, but those are the main ones. Doing a lot of growing up over here already, and there's plenty more where that came from! Just need to stop stressing and I'll be 'right. I'm really excited for the future here too. Just to name a few things coming up - local AFL match tmro, move in to flat next Friday, rugby next Saturday, Iceland the following Friday, a friend from NZ coming over arriving May 29, seeing Trevor and Janet June 6, Erika visiting June 10, Brendon visiting June 19 and Mum and Dad visiting July 9. Exciting times ahead everyone. I'm going to be ok! Woo! :)
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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