14 September, 2014

Priorities

Well hello there!  Yes, I do still exist.

Let's just say that the last few weeks have been a struggle for me.  While I love teaching, we have had a number of changes at school this year.  The one that impacts me the most is that all our lessons are now only 40 minutes long (make that 30 minutes with transition time between classes) and on most days I will have 3-4 of those 40 minute classes back to back, often changing between grades - logistically difficult when each grade is doing different things but I don't have time to set up the classroom differently.  This has create a frantic atmosphere at school where we all constantly feel like we have to watch the clock and never get anything done.  Add to that 20 minute breaks (if we are lucky) for lunch/cleaning/planning, and you can start to comprehend the manic-ness of the school day.

On top of that we had back to school nights over the last 2 weeks which meant 3 days of staying until 9 for me (as I teach across all 3 sections of our elementary school: early years, lower and upper elementary).  I'm not going to lie; 3 days of 7 am until 9 pm almost wore me into the ground.  Although I am still struggling to keep up with all our planning expectations even though I do most other days 7 am to 5:30 pm.  I have spent the last hour of my Sunday updating the 5 blogs for school that I am supposed to do every week: one for each grade I am teaching.  I have another few hours work ahead of me just to get up to where I need to be with my planning.

Needless to say, this blog is way down on my priorities at the moment.  Or at least it should be.

I've been thinking about whether I should pull the plug on it as I just don't have time to spend on it right now, but I love having it as an avenue to share with people.

So I will just have to say that I will do my best with it.

I'l post a few photos that I've taken over the last week.  Even those for instagram have been few and far between.  Matt's been in London for the week and is in NYC next week.  I have been coming home and jumping into bed, often without even eating dinner.  My one sanity keeper at the moment is listening to my audio book in bed and art journalling; it allows me to totally shut off from school.
From my art journal

Fortunately Ella comes to school with me in the car in the morning and home with me most evenings.  I've hardly seen Kit this week, and with Remi now working nights at a bar I rarely see him!  I am hoping that this will settle down and become more manageable...the sooner the better.

AND, just so I don't have all my family members worrying about me, I make sure to totally switch off on Saturday.  I go for my massage and then Ella meets me and we go and find fun things to do. I even went out this Friday to see Potted Potter which was loads of fun.  Matt booked the tickets months ago and then had to go off to London this week so we invited Ella's friend, and fellow Potter fan, and her mum to go with us.  It was at Jubilee hall which is an intimate old theatre in Raffles Hotel (I didn't even know it was there).  We had a lovely evening; laughter is the best therapy. 
Jubilee Hall
Raffles hotel courtyard
,
Singapore Sling at Raffles with a friend: my first
Out and about in Singapore
Yesterday Ella and I discovered this funky little shop which had a pet cat in it.  Right up Ella's alley.


3 comments:

  1. well glad I never taught at a school like that, mind you I wouldn't have for long....I do enjoy when you show bits and pieces of what I like to imagine as the real Singapore. As far as the bog goes definitely keep it going even if you only most whenever...in a couple of years when you move on it will be an important record...actually I can't post to my blog for some reason and it is somewhat annoying, mind you not that I have any art to post anyway.
    love
    Dad

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  2. Honey, I was concerned to hear about your hectic schedule. Those 40 minute turnarounds don't seem to be ion anyone's best interest. Can you apply for a part time teaching job somewhere, now you have this experience on your CV? Sorry I haven't been in touch either; I've just been away for 10 days - a week in the Bay of Islands NZ with Colleen, Jo and a few NZ friends to celebrate Jo's birthday. It was lovely but a bit rainy. I stopped with Ken in Melb on the way back through.

    When do you head off to the US for Christmas?

    Thanks for posting the blog. I think that pet cat looks real! lots of love to all of you, Mum xxx

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  3. grrrrr, can't get much done in that time but hopefully you will find things to work.
    Would love to see the Potter thing, sounds fun.
    I love your pics of out and about in Singapore!
    xx

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