My birthday has just passed and as a gift a fellow Deputy - newly appointed as a Principal gave me a journal on the proviso I would begin my book. Well I laughed it off and joked that one day it would happen. But the reality is, I liked the idea of the chapters being named after each of my many sayings and so I jotted them down. From there I started to record ideas and recollections of things that fit under each and I was amazed at how quickly the ideas started to form. For many years I have worked under the impression that coming up with the ideas would be too hard. It is now a case of which ones matter the most or would be noteworthy for others. I wrote my first paragraph for the chapter I have titled “what’s the purpose” and I just re read my previous blog and it will fit nicely with what I have already penned as they say.
I had a tough day today, having to sit in on a parent meeting to discuss a student’s continual non compliance and disrespect for his teacher. It was very apparent that the behaviour was learnt from the parent - nature or nurture - a question that is often debated. It continually amazes me how accepting of poor behaviour so many parents are today. So many students have poor manners, forgetting their please and thank yous when they ask for something or receive something. A sad reflection of society and something that should be a concern for all. The sense of entitlement and that the world owes them a favour continually astonishes and yes, saddens me. It may be an old fashioned concept but I really believe that as a society this is something we should work towards correcting. Perhaps it is the onslaught of media, perhaps it is an inevitable evolution process or perhaps and I suspect this is more the case, it is easier for parents to let these courtesies slide as it is hard to constantly guide and shape young people into respectful and responsible citizens.
I also worked with two teams of teachers today. One of mixed teaching experiences and lengths of service and one tightly knit group who socialise outside of work and share a perceived elitism due to the nature of the children in their classes. One group I was guiding through the enlightenment of inquiry based learning and integrated teaching units to help them work smarter not harder and put the fun back into teaching and the next was looking at innovate learning spaces and the impact on teaching and learning. In between I had to talk to Family and Justice Services about a student, go to the girl’s toilets and secure a broken door, organise a spare teacher to mark and assess a large pile of papers for enrichment screening and sort bags of lollies for an upcoming fund raiser. I finished the day by doing gate duty, keeping parents out of the car park for student safety as they completed an external assessment after school. My office looks like a bomb hit it and tomorrow is looking just as hectic.
I wish I was one of those neat organised glamorous looking teachers that look as good at the end of the day as they did at the start and always have a neat tidy desk but alas I am not. I am messy, busy and often frazzled looking but I am always always on the ball. Despite the look, I am a perfectionist and get very upset when things do not go to plan. I get frustrated when people judge me on what they see. I try hard but it is not natural to be neat, tidy, ordered. My room is how my brain works. I jump from thought to thought and juggle many things at once. I know what I am up to and where I am at I just wish others would stop trying to mould me into something I am not. I sometimes feel if tgey booked me into the beauty parlour I would leave a different person - but I doubt I would be happy with the result.
