Half way through the first term!

I have well and truly broken the Beginning Teacher's golden rule...I smiled before Easter!!

The last 5 weeks I have been learning about behavior management, suddenly students falling asleep at their desks in China seems like bliss - at least they were quiet and the other students could hear what I was trying to say.  It has been an exhausting 5 weeks, but an absolute ball.

The people I am working with at Ross Intermediate are all so supportive, have great advice, resources and ideas coming out their ears, and there is such a neat vibe happening in and around the school.  I think everyone there loves being a teacher.  Such an awesome environment to be learning in, for children and myself.

My tutor teacher Lorna Beauchamp is just amazing, the ideas she comes up with on the spot are always helpful, practical and really fun for the students.

I have had a few tests (although I am sure I am other beginning teachers have had much worse things to worry about), learning how to settle the students, working out how to get them excited about something without losing control of the class, learning how to plan effectively, managing strong personalities, positive and not so positive.

Every night I get home from school exhausted, thank goodness I don't have a house full of kids, crash out asleep, wake up for dinner then head to bed after a bit of planning to get up and start all over again.

Each week is an improvement on the last, Thursday just gone was such a great day.  I felt like I actually taught the kids for the whole day and all of us enjoyed it.

I finally feel as though I have a bit more head space to use, the first few weeks were just so consuming.  But now things are all good, I'm fired up. I can't believe we are half way through the first term already... next up Camp!!