Well, I finally have my first week of being a professional teacher under my belt…and damn does it feel good! I didn’t work the full week this week (only 3 out of 5 days) but that’s mostly due to the fact that I just started out with the agency and need to build up a reputation with the different consultants. It’s just like any aspect of teaching, in order to get the bookings you need to have the experience and the relationships. The school that I worked at on Monday, Overton Grange, has been a wonderful school and I’m already starting to foster some relationships there. They booked me ahead of time on Wednesday and I covered a Geography teacher while he was working with Student Teachers in the school that day. Wednesday ended up being very relaxed compared to the rest of the week and it is nice being pre-booked. I don’t have to wake up with the uncertainty of whether or not I’ll receive a call back with a booking in the mornings, I don’t have to rush out the door while simultaneously finding my way there with directions, and I can generally take the time to mentally prep and grab a cuppa on the way to the school to get myself prepared for the day.
Thursday and Friday I did not work…I called in both mornings to let them know that I was available but nothing came out of it. With the guaranteed work agreement I do have the peace of mind knowing that I will be working the majority of the week but it will be nice to start getting 4 or 5 days of supply work throughout the course of a week. Though I’m not going to lie, the break in the middle of the week can be nice to unwind mentally and accomplish some errands and things during the day.
After the work week was over I ended up spending some social time with my flatmates. I just want to say right now that I definitely feel very blessed to have ended up in this house. I could have asked for 5 better people to live with. We have all gotten along extremely well and it’s fun spending time together at the end of the day when everybody gets home from work and just watching some t.v. This week-end I ended up going to The Tup (the local pub) with Nate and Meg and meeting up with one of their friends, Dave. We had a couple drinks at the pub, wandered back to Dave’s to make food and chill, and then back to The Tup for drinks until around 1. It was a really great night and I’m happy that I have great people already who I can go out with and have a lot of fun.
Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. This is one of the first, if not the only time, I’ve missed Thanksgiving at home. It’s always a great week-end in the Smith household that culminates in one hell of a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings, including my Mother’s homemade stuffing which incidentally is the best in the world!!!! It was a shame to have to miss that but we made up for it here by having a Thanksgiving potluck! My flatmates invited a bunch of their friends over and we had one hell of a spread. Roast chicken, Turkey casserole, salads, lasagna, perogies, stuffing, pumpkin pie and cheesecake, and so much more. It was a delicious way to spend Thanksgiving and there was at least 30 people here so I was able to socialize a lot and meet new people. After dinner we headed back out to The Tup for some drinks and dancing and then sauntered home in the wee hours of the morning for sleep.
It has definitely been a really busy and exciting week. Today we cleaned up the house, I’m doing a bit of laundry, and I had a chance to schlep on down to Starbucks for a cuppa and a paper. I think the best part of getting the first week out of the way is that I do not have as much anxiety about tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the classrooms and making that pay. The experience has really been helpful even after only three days. Overton Grange has also pre-booked me for this Friday, so the fact that I’m starting to get regular supply there is really boosting my confidence as well. Alright, it’s time to zone out with a little food and prep for tomorrow! I really missed everybody this week-end and I want you all to know I’m thinking about you and only wish the best for everybody.
Cheers, love, rock that world baby!
Erik
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