April 2012, Canada
I've now been back in Montreal for as long as I was in Australia, well almost as long.
Although I did not have the Australian adventure I had envisioned, I still had a great experience and I can legitimately say that I love Australia.
Since I have been back in Montreal, things have fallen into place it seems. I started subbing regularly within the first two weeks of returning. I got my own adult ed. Beginner's English class, which is an experience I never entertained having. It turns out that I love it, minus some of the complicated English grammar rules that I never really knew about until I started teaching English. It's funny how you learn your native language as opposed to how you learn second, third, fourth, etc. languages. It's just not the same.
So I've been subbing at elementary schools during my days and teaching English to immigrants 3 nights a week. It's a really busy schedule but my night classes will be ending in three weeks. This is good because in one week's time, I will be taking on my own elementary class. It will be my first elementary class. I'm taking over a group of grade 3 and 4 students at the school where I did my longest stage. Their teacher is going on mat leave. I will be teaching bilingually (which will be a huge challenge for me) and I will have to cover: Math, English, French, Univers Sociale, Art, Erc, and Musique. Not only that, the students are on chapter 7 out of 14 in their Math textbooks! That's a little bit stressful because I start with the class on April 23 and they have their final math exam on May 7. So how about those other 7 chapters? There is no way I can cover 7 chapters in two weeks. Hahah this is going to be so stressful. Actually, I can't even really think about it or I get all stressed out. I think I am going to throw the textbook out the window (for the most part at least) and just go over different concepts with the kids on the smartboard.
As for how I am going to teach French... Well this is kind of funny because I have no idea how. Although, I really had no idea how to teach English as a second language either and I figured it out pretty quick. My French/English dictionary and my Bescherelle are going to be my two best friends.
Not to mention that this school is a tough one both behaviourally and academically. I've met my class however, and they seem pretty awesome. I also know the resource teacher because she is Chris' cousin! Actually my favorite of Chris' cousins. So it's really great to have someone you already know and like at a school. Especially when some of the staff members seem a little catty. What's with all women staff and the level of catiness? I see it at elementaries and I also saw it big time at daycares. I can't stand that stuff. I'm know I'm already a magical cat but I don't want to become a backtalking biatch. You would think that people outgrow that Mean Girl stuff but I guess not everyone does. Maybe it's just too much of the same type of hormones in one place.
Anyways, I got a little off track there. I'm getting my own class and I am very excited and a little nervous about it. I start in about a week. For the first two weeks I will have my class everyday of the week and also my adult ed. class at night. The first two weeks might be brutal but after my night classes are over, working one job might seem like a vacation :)
Not to get ahead of myself here but something good seems to be brewing for me on the romantic front. I don't want to write about it yet but for once my instincts seem to be into it. That's a big thing because it seems in the past I have none the opposite of what my insticts told me and later regretted it in a big way.
Although I did not have the Australian adventure I had envisioned, I still had a great experience and I can legitimately say that I love Australia.
Since I have been back in Montreal, things have fallen into place it seems. I started subbing regularly within the first two weeks of returning. I got my own adult ed. Beginner's English class, which is an experience I never entertained having. It turns out that I love it, minus some of the complicated English grammar rules that I never really knew about until I started teaching English. It's funny how you learn your native language as opposed to how you learn second, third, fourth, etc. languages. It's just not the same.
So I've been subbing at elementary schools during my days and teaching English to immigrants 3 nights a week. It's a really busy schedule but my night classes will be ending in three weeks. This is good because in one week's time, I will be taking on my own elementary class. It will be my first elementary class. I'm taking over a group of grade 3 and 4 students at the school where I did my longest stage. Their teacher is going on mat leave. I will be teaching bilingually (which will be a huge challenge for me) and I will have to cover: Math, English, French, Univers Sociale, Art, Erc, and Musique. Not only that, the students are on chapter 7 out of 14 in their Math textbooks! That's a little bit stressful because I start with the class on April 23 and they have their final math exam on May 7. So how about those other 7 chapters? There is no way I can cover 7 chapters in two weeks. Hahah this is going to be so stressful. Actually, I can't even really think about it or I get all stressed out. I think I am going to throw the textbook out the window (for the most part at least) and just go over different concepts with the kids on the smartboard.
As for how I am going to teach French... Well this is kind of funny because I have no idea how. Although, I really had no idea how to teach English as a second language either and I figured it out pretty quick. My French/English dictionary and my Bescherelle are going to be my two best friends.
Not to mention that this school is a tough one both behaviourally and academically. I've met my class however, and they seem pretty awesome. I also know the resource teacher because she is Chris' cousin! Actually my favorite of Chris' cousins. So it's really great to have someone you already know and like at a school. Especially when some of the staff members seem a little catty. What's with all women staff and the level of catiness? I see it at elementaries and I also saw it big time at daycares. I can't stand that stuff. I'm know I'm already a magical cat but I don't want to become a backtalking biatch. You would think that people outgrow that Mean Girl stuff but I guess not everyone does. Maybe it's just too much of the same type of hormones in one place.
Anyways, I got a little off track there. I'm getting my own class and I am very excited and a little nervous about it. I start in about a week. For the first two weeks I will have my class everyday of the week and also my adult ed. class at night. The first two weeks might be brutal but after my night classes are over, working one job might seem like a vacation :)
Not to get ahead of myself here but something good seems to be brewing for me on the romantic front. I don't want to write about it yet but for once my instincts seem to be into it. That's a big thing because it seems in the past I have none the opposite of what my insticts told me and later regretted it in a big way.
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