Hats

This week I learnt two big lessons- both of them about hats!


Lesson One- The Classroom Teacher Hat

The big, important lesson was that Classroom Teachers are working very hard with the new C2C. I did my best to wear a Classroom Teacher hat with a class for the first week of school. We hit the ground running, starting C2C lessons on day one. With the support of other Teachers on the year level I was able to do the kids justice- but it was such a huge workload. In short- the Classroom Teacher hat is bigger than ever. The pace of the C2C is a gallop- so it is more important than ever to follow any instructions left for you so that Classroom Teachers don't fall behind.

Lesson Two- A Faded, Worn Hat
The second lesson may have been seemingy unimportant- and it certainly was accidental. I was very happy to outfit myself with a brand new school wardrobe (much of it pink), with one notable exception. I haven't found a suitably pink hat to replace my much-loved and faded one from last year. I don't think I will replace it until absolutely necessary now. Without breaching the privacy of any students- let me just say that a student was reassured that they were not the only one who wasn't completely kitted out with new school supplies.

I hope your first week of school was also full of learning. If you are yet to work, why not drop by a school with a resume or to help out where you can? The sooner you get back to a school or two the better!

A Gift

I have been given the gift of a week working with the new C2C curriculum in a 5/6 composite class. I have no idea how classroom teachers are managing to tackle this each and every day. We started lesson 1 on day 1 of school. It's all go go go- and I can't think of a better way of learning it than to do it. It's quite the ride!

The Best Laid Plans...

So when I said that I didn't have a booking but did have plans... well it turns out I was wrong. I ended up with a booking and cancelled plans. That's right-even after buying stickers (for the Preppies), tissues (for the parents) and cake (for the Teachers and Aides) I actually ended up with work. I am very grateful to be working again and today (inspired by some QCT PD I did) I asked each child to share their "good thing" for the day with the class before going home at three. I'm off to note down my good thing in my "one good thing" diary. It was a great suggestion.

Gung Hay Fat Choy! or Happy New Year

As far as I can figure, this is my Great Great Grandfather (by marriage) with 3 (!)  of his wives and 17 (!) of his children.

So this year, Chinese New Year starts on the first school day of the year. It's a time to scare away bad spirits with loud noises (I'd say any undercover area full of kids would do the trick) and encourage wealth by feeding magical lions money (hmmm... does taking spare pencils for kids who don't have them count?). I hope your 2012 teaching year is a great one, and I also hope that I don't take the "Year of the Dragon" thing to heart and remember that my inside voice is probably best for most situations!

PS- I need to get permission to post those resource links I mentioned- as soon as I have that permission they will be right here on the blog.

Ready For School Yet?

I start school Monday.

I don't have a booking, but I do have plans. I'm going to school... just like everyone else.

I get to be there to help out the Preppies on their very first day of school. How did I get this chance? It's insanely easy really- I just asked for it. The school is glad to have an extra set of hands, and I'm glad to have something really constructive to do to kick off my 2012 teaching year. What are you going to do to ensure that you have a great start to the year? Tomorrow I'll be posting some great links for resources that you might like to look at so that you too have something to kick-start your 2012 teaching year on Monday.

Back Together Again

Maybe I'm just very lucky, but I really don't think that is the case. For everyone out there delaying visiting their schools I have to say- get back there as soon as you can. I spent the day in PD in the company of colleagues who could not have made me feel more welcome. So my message for you today is to get out there, visit your schools and before you know it you will be back doing the job you love!

I'll post details of the PD and some very useful links from it over the weekend. Happy weekend :)

Cake!

So all of the Classroom Teachers were in school today, working hard on PD and planning. They have spent a small fortune on stationery, arrived at school well before bell-time and did their usual hard-working thing.

I didn't.

I didn't have to go to school today. I didn't spend any money on stationery. I chose to go to school today, and I chose to buy cake. I got to visit a school I love and decided- why not bring cake? I'm sure it was cheaper than the stationery purchases of the Classroom Teachers- but it did bring a smile to their faces. It was really lovely to see everyone again and it's something I'll probably do again from time to time. After all, do you know a teacher that DOESN'T deserve cake?

Dress Ups

Yes, today is the day- it's time to deliver your resumes. While I am no fashion plate what you wear can help you to make that all-important first impression a good one. I'm not talking about wearing a designer suit, I'm talking about dressing to be the teacher that you want to be. If you are the sporty teacher who wants to referee football games on the side, then get out your sneakers. If you are the artistic, creative type- then dress to reflect that. Whatever you wear to deliver your resume, make sure you feel confident in it. You may be visiting a range of schools with wildly different (unofficial) dresscodes- and you need to feel appropriately dressed in each and every school. You also need to feel like YOU.

And so we come to the whole "Pink Supply Teacher" thing. Yes, it is rather literal. If you've met me you will know that. But how did it happen? When I first started teaching I cobbled together a working wardrobe from a mix of my old corporate clothes with a few new shirts thrown in. I needed the "office" clothes to feel confident and professional. As time went by I found that clothes that made me smile, and made me approachable were more important than anything corporate. Out came the brightly-coloured canvas shoes. Kids would bet what colour I'd wear on a given day. People remembered it, and when they did they smiled. My favorites were pink, they went with the pink hat I have for school... and the first day I overheard a Preppy reassure a new student with "That's Miss Pink, look for her if you need help."- well that was the day that I settled on wearing something pink each day. The kids remember me for it an seem to find it reassuring, it makes me smile (and that only helps me to have a better day), and now it's just part of who I am as a teacher. Practically speaking, it means a pair of shoes I can (and have) climb mountains in, pants (I can never get the hang of skirts for work) with lots of pockets to hold anything and everything I could need, and a bright tshirt that was cheap enough that I don't wince when I see painting on the day plan left for me. It works for me, and I hope you find something that works as well for you.

Resume resume delivery in 3... 2.. 1...

See what I did there? Took something I had to do (think of a title that made sense), and had a little fun with it. That's what you are going to do this week. You have to deliver resumes (well you don't have to- but if you want to get work you need to let schools know that you want work). You are also going to have some fun with it.

First- the resume... ready
Make your resume as easy-to-navigate as possible. Mine is a single page these days. It clearly tells anyone who even glances at it that I am only looking for Supply Teacher work- the size 30 font in the margins literally spells it out. It has my EQ employee no. and my QCT registration no. right alongside my contact details. My referees are currrent. My resume is ready and complete- anyone who sees it has all the information that they need to employ me. Having a resume that is really ready to hand out is important- take the time to get at least three people to read over your resume today so it's ready to hand out tomorrow.


Second- the delivery... aim

When you actually deliver your resume, make sure the right person gets it. In some schools that will be the Principal, in others the Deputy Principal or the Registrar. In some schools it's the all-knowing, all-powerful (and I genuinely mean that) "Office Lady". You need to use all your people skills to find out who that right person is. There is little use in delivering a perfectly-crafted resume to the wrong person.


Third- the follow-through... fire hired
If you can, follow up your visit with an email or another visit. Bring something useful, something that you have mentioned on your last visit. Show you are reliable, responsible and willing to follow-up on things that are important to you. My egg cartons go to a certain prep class, I often bring readings or web-page links for my colleagues. Find an excuse to show your face in schools that you love working in to remind them that you are available to hire.

Well that is your mission for today- the ready part. Get that resume read by at least three people to make sure it really is ready. Tomorrow you will be aiming and (being) hired!

Make 2012 Your Best Teaching Year Yet!

Welcome to the 2012 teaching year. Yes, I know that the kids don't start back at school until next week, and that most schools don't have PD until Tuesday or Wednesday- but the 2012 teaching year is already here. School Admin staff are back at work, many have been for at least a week, and as for TRACER- with their new myHR changed I'm not even sure that they got a holiday!

So what does the start of the teaching year mean for us Supply Teachers?

Well for anyone following my blog it will mean a warm-up week of tips and advice to get you ready for your best year of teaching yet. Today's homework is to polish up your resume and to make sure you are on TRACERs Supply Teacher list. More to come tomorrow, in the meantime- happy polishing!