Teaching (and parties)

I've been doing some relief teaching at primary schools recently, and it's been lots of fun. I have learned that Catholic primary schools are often called St Francis or St Josephs, and that they spend quite a time in the morning on the prayer and affirmations. I've been at 5 in the past few weeks, supervising from year 1s through to year 7s and it's been very interesting seeing how the curriculum and learning progresses. Some teachers have the classroom regimented and little year 3s with their sense of fairness can be well disciplined, responsible, and carry out a range of tasks. One little girl drew a picture specially for me, while in another school another little girl welcomed me with some flowers. Some year 7s are independent learners, while others don't seem to 'get the message' and struggle with organisation. But, as we know in senior school, by year 9 the wheels have fallen off for many as their hormones kick in and they have forgotten all the manners they learned in primary school. They're the guys I usually teach. Really, though, why does it have to be that way? There is a discontinuity between junior and high school that ought to be redressed, I think.

Anyway, I've struggled for a few years to get a permanent part-time position teaching high school science and maths within a 10Km radius of home (this includes many schools). Perhaps I was being too fussy. Doing relief teaching has widened my horizons, and hopefully this will help me get a satisfying yet not too pressurised job in the new year. I have a BSc and Hons, yet they say there are not enough qualified teachers in the system. Here is an article about a teacher who drew blood (WTF?!) in a strange "science" experiment. So some of us might look askance at students who do silly things, but what can we do when the teachers are doing crazy, erratic and downright dangerous things to the kids? It's a world gone mad, I tell ya!

On a different topic, we are going to an 18th birthday party this weekend, and a 50th next weekend. Looking back on my life (as I do a lot, nowadays), I realised I've been to hardly any parties. Yes, it is a bit sad. I had a disco for my 15th and a barbeque at my family home for my 21st, but I don't actually remember being invited to any school friends' parties (oh, except Sandra Sutherland's, which is a whole other story). Perhaps I have a bad memory. We didn't have a school formal and most rapidly dispersed to overseas unis after final exams. Kids these days are lucky they have a big formal and big parties; hopefully they will treasure the memories and friendships that come from them. Have you been to your fair share of parties?