Work
So, I completed the 3 week contract at the state school this week, on Thursday - I'd been looking after a Year 8 form group, teaching them English, Humanities, Visual Arts (!!) and My Journey (a bit like PSHCE), for 3 days per week. I really enjoyed the focus and the different subject areas. I was covering for the regular teacher who was taking long service leave - after 10 years' service, teachers are entitled to take paid time off. What a brilliant way to retain teachers' skills in the profession! I also had to assess the work against the criteria for each task and provide feedback, enter all the marks into a global markbook and would have written the reports, if the MIS system had been working. There was no formal lesson plan template but all teachers have laptops and many of the resources are on a system called C2C, which is the whole Australian curriculum with activities, etc, for all to use.
What I've learned about assessment so far, is that students have control over their exercise books, for all subjects. Teachers don't mark these at all. Assignments for every subject, including the PSHCE one, are set every term and students are provided with the criteria way in advance. The assignments span around 4 weeks; teachers then mark the assignments against the shared criteria, grade it A+-E and report back to parents/carers once a term.Teachers have to have a Learning Intention or Goal on the board at all times (like the UK) and also a Success Criteria for every lesson, which the students write in their books.
I had two duty slots on my timetable too - the main job is to ensure that everyone is wearing a "bucket hat" if in the sunshine. There is a longer break in the morning ("morning tea") and then a shorter break in the afternoon. I've also come across a school which is running a 7 day timetable.... that's a new one on me! I'm used to 5 or 10... but 7? I don't know what the rationale is but I know that I'm going to really have to focus on what day it is!
I did lots of online CPD too over the last month; CPD has to be recorded and every teacher has to do 20 per year to continue being a teacher. I've already done 24!! I like the fact that it's online and you can do it at your own pace. I've now done 3 different types of child protection: state, Catholic and private/independent schools!
Students are fascinated by the accent ("do you have an ACCENT?!") and also by the fact I've been away in Europe for 44 years and now I'm back. It's great to teach European history (I was doing medieval life earlier this week) but to put an Australian spin on it. Truly fascinating.
School buildings have been interesting at the schools I've been working in. Mainly concrete with airways through at ceiling level; very little glass around the sites; solar panels to reduce electricity bills; corrugated metal roofs to protect us from sun and rain over all the pathways; ceiling fans everywhere.
I've now come across some textbooks - if you remember, I hadn't seen many in my first two schools! What I really like about them is that they are written for the Queensland curriculum by serving Queensland teachers - there's an info page about who is teaching where. Also, there is only one exam board - Queensland - for the final year exams, so no competition there. It also means that there should be comparability across the state? The textbooks have online videos, animations and workbooks to go with textbooks - I'm wondering if this is because of the remote regions where maybe teachers can't get access to more resources; but also, this might be helpful for those students who are remote and can't actually get to school.
One of the schools I've worked at is really well resourced; the students all have a Mac provided by the school (but paid for by the parents). When I took a supply lesson I saw that all the laptops had the students' names printed on them - facing me when they're using them - so straightaway I knew which student was which, such a brilliant but simple idea.
Uniform is often like a sports shirt and shorts, with the house colours and name on the sleeve. Students sometimes have different coloured hats for their different houses too. At some schools the girls have to wear ties but the boys don't - I'm not sure why that is but the girls don't like it! At other schools, the girls are wearing uniform dresses. The boys told me at one school that their winter uniform (for term 2, which we're about to start after Easter) has trousers, not shorts.
So the best work news is that I had two interviews and got one - which is for a Humanities/English maternity cover from Easter to Christmas. Lovely staff and a great feel to the school, my own set of classes (6 of them) and all Year 7 and 8. I think it's a superb way for me to understand more about Queensland education and what I can contribute. I have done supply at the school and been made so welcome, so I'm really looking forward to being part of the team for three terms.
I've also learned about the Teacher Classification Teams - unlike in the UK, where it's the school/principal who decides the pay grade - here it's an external team who look at your qualifications, your experience and then say "you're 4 years qualified". What??!! You have to provide "statements of service" to prove where you've worked and as what - I had to get this notarised as a statutory declaration by a JP... luckily the local library provides a JP every single day, which is free. I thought this was brilliant - and it shows you how many people need to get statutory declarations done for work/life! I'm hopeful that for my 3 term contract the team will review my "you're 4 years qualified"... it's 20 years!! But it's made me research how to become more qualified in the QLD system so I am paid for the years I've done.
Life
The furniture FINALLY arrived last Friday, just under 3 months since I last saw it. 156 boxes were delivered and I spent the weekend trying to make sense of it. I've been ruthless again with clothes and took 9 bags to the Salvation Army store in Caloundra. I've kept all the packing boxes because this lease runs out at the end of Jan 2020, and I'll need to pack again. Three items haven't made it to me yet: my grandmother's bureau which I use as a desk (needs fumigating due to borer beetle?!), my grandmother's antique oak blanket chest (ditto) and my pressed corsage framed after my son's wedding in June (has to be gamma rayed due to seeds?!). I've had to pay $1876 for the privilege of the fumigation/gamma! And it should be arriving later this week, fingers crossed.We've had some storms and rain in the last month, as summer turns to autumn. My cousin Will is regularly updating me on what's coming at us from what direction! I notice that there are more biting bugs (like mosquitoes) after the rains, so I've invested in bug spray, flyswatters and after-bite cream! Temperatures are still around the top 20s to 30, so still warm enough for shorts! I've now got a duvet on the bed (very lightweight though) for the 3am chilly moments.
I've bought blockout curtains for the west side of the house - keeps the sun out, and therefore the heat, which means I don't need the aircon on as much.
The water bill came for my first 2 months.... $18! Madness. I think it's because I had no washing machine or dishwasher, though I was having 3 showers a day at the height of the humidity!
I've been playing the Lott (lottery) each week and actually won a couple of times, which is encouraging. Pokies (arcade machines) is a big social issue here - they are in pubs etc and lots of people are struggling with an addiction to them.
A national election is looming so there are lots of TV ads and debates on the news channels. There are also lots of expose TV programmes investigating wrong-doing by those in power - a regular 7pm nightly programme!
I've been avidly reading Scott Pape (the Barefoot Investor), who writes in the Courier Mail (on Sundays) about finance and all things moneywise in Australia. He gives great advice about which bank account to use, what super (pension) to get, etc - a bit like Martin Lewis in the UK. I've found it supremely useful and I've written lots of notes for when I'm in a position to do those things. Barefoot says you should have FOUR bank accounts - you put 60% in an everyday one for bills, 20% in a fire extinguisher one (for emergencies), 10% in a splurge account (for holidays) and then 10% in a grow account. I'm aiming to do this when I've got a regular income - now it's still a bit hand to mouth.
A big blocker to my organisational prowess has been the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and the lack of a Tax File Number (TFN). This is something you apply for online, print out (which for me meant a trip to the library to print until my furniture came!), then a visit to the Post Office for them to verify your identity with passport, driving licence, etc.. and then you wait 28 days..... and wait.... I did it the first time on 19 January at Nambour Post Office... waited... lost a lot of money from my February salary as no TFN number... then I rang the ATO... who couldn't find it (despite it being online and instant) and said do it again......did it again on 13 March at the Caloundra Post Office (didn't trust the first one)... waited 14 days and rang the ATO.... who couldn't find it (despite it being online and instant) and said do it again..... this time I escalated the complaint to a supervisor.... and then complained to the Post Office in Caloundra, who were lovely and confirmed it HAD gone to the ATO... I still don't have it, so next week will be the 28 days and I'll be ringing the ATO again!! People say, it will come back when you do your tax return in July.... but I'm keen to get it sorted now so I know what my salary will be/should be.
One of my favourite activities is after a hot day at school, just drive to the beach, change into my swimsuit (which is always in the boot of my car) and plonk myself into the sea to cool down. Those are the moments when I realise how different my life really is now!
Cats
They've settled much more since I last updated, and in particular are loving the furniture - both of them slept on the kitchen chairs after they were unpacked last night, rather than the bed! They still like to get up early (currently 5:15am) to check out the birds, especially the noisy miner (boy it is noisy) who lives in the front garden. They've caught another gecko which I saved from them but then it ran under the fridge - I have no idea if he ever escaped. And the worst thing they've caught this month - a beautiful blue-green dragonfly. As it's cooling down, they're eating more of their food and also losing less fur. A vet appointment is already scheduled for end of May for their annual jabs and a good check up. I've also found a new catsitter team who will be looking after them when I'm away. Little one really likes the ottoman which was delivered a few weeks ago, goes with the lovely Sadie chair which spins round!UK
My lovely children are really well; my son and his wife will move into their new place in a few days in London. I've loved seeing their renovation (reno we call it here) photos and am really looking forward to seeing it in person in December. My daughter and her husband are now back in harness in London after their 8 week honeymoon - I think they missed their puppy hugely while they were away! I've used online Hotel Chocolat to send Easter eggs, which is so helpful - I did that last year from Leeds too!
My mum has settled in on the Isle of Man, where she now lives with my sister. I Skype her every weekend and she has quickly got the hang of that at 80! They have been doing a reno too, to create a bedroom and en suite out of a garage!
I'm using Whatsapp every day to chat to my loved ones, which is so easy - and free. I still use Twitter and Insta too, but I'm not as focused as I once was on the latest Ofsted consultation update, etc!
Finally, my Mr Wonderful is due out here next week to spend some time in the sunshine with me after a big operation. I'm hoping that he really likes the climate, the beaches and the lifestyle and doesn't go back at all!
