All right, I should really update this more often, but time has become something of a commodity out here. When I was a student, I didn't think teachers had homework. Now I know they have TONS of homework. But hey, at least I was lucky enough to get into a placement that is giving me a lot of independence. So, like the last update, I will do this pointform, and expand on the things I feel I have something to talk about.
Placement started on St. Patrick's Day. My first week was pretty uneventful. I had four days of observation and then a five-day weekend for Easter holiday. Talk about easing us into teaching practice! I have three class totaling 12 hours per week: a year 9 (Grade 8) academic class, a year 10 (Grade 9) "basic" class, and a year 12 (Grade 11) class.
New Zealand doesn't mark students the same way as Canada. Students here are all marked on achievement standards. For each unit/achievement standard, the students must complete and assignment. I got to teach the creative writing unit for my year 12s, and they are currently working on their NCEA achievement test.
An all-boy's school is actually really fun to work at. The boys love it if you play games and/or tease them. That's how to gain their respect it seems. That and to tell them what to do.
On the
Easter Break, a bunch of us (13 of us) went to Kaikoura and Hamner Springs. Kaikoura is probably the most beautiful place I've been so far in the entire world. Plus, we got to hang out with seals all day. The group miscalculated the tide on our way back, so a bunch of us had to climb along the bottom of the cliff in order to get back around to the parking area. This involved jumping from rock to rock and timing it so that you weren't splashed by a big wave at certain points. It was a lot of fun... but the seals we ran into were what made the day. We would come around a bend and had to stop quickly or else trip over a seal! We ran into two seals this way. The first one ignored us and just kept on sleeping as we slowly slipped by him. The second one was a whole different story. Shaun sidled past him first, and the seal quietly watched him. The rest of us thought this was a good sign, and as J-Mac was about to go, the seal jumped up and barked at us! A couple of the girls screamed (which was funny in itself) and the seal settled down and let us continue on our way.
Most fo the last few weeks have been taken up with lesson planning and marking. My associates all kick major butt. They are all very helpful and I couldn't have asked for a better school to start my teaching career with.
I went to the dress rehearsal of a NZ play "Letters to Blanchy: Stir Crazy" written by two Kiwi semi-famous comedians, so that was cool.
I've found Role-players here, so every Sunday we play apulp-adventure game based in 1936 (think Indiana Jones) and order fish and chips. SO good, so much fun.
I am definitely going to teach her for a couple of years before heading back home. New Zealand is a great country and I know they I can't experience all I want to in only one year. So I'm staying, and if any of you have extra money for a plane flight over here, I urge you to come and see this wonderful country.
I now know that I won't be picking up any accent at all, but I am definitely picking up their slang! "Good on ya!" "Chillybin" and others are quickly becoming part of my daily vocabulary.
I am now on my two week break. I am teaching fulltime when I get back to school, so this week I am dedicating myself to lesson planning. This Friday, Lydia and I are heading down to Stewart Island with Carla and her fiancee Richard. We are staying there for the weekend, then heading to Queenstown. From there we are heading to the Glaciers, then back to Christchurch. We are then picking up our roommate and heading to Lake Tekapo and Mt. Cool (aka Mt. Doom).
Lydia and I are on a huge Heroes kick right now. We also realise that Americans STILL don't know the geography of Canada, as they say that Sudbury is "100 miles outside of Ontario". Lol
Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll try and post more often from now on.
ANZAC Day is the NZ version of Remeberance Day. We recite "In Flanders Field", they SING it. I think it may detract from the poem as a whole.
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