Ephemerion
10-12-2003, 10:41 AM
Hello everyone,
I thought I would tell everyone a little about what is going on over
here in Europe as of late. We've managed to get settled in and are now
enjoying the luxury of all the modern luxuries like Internet and phone
and bank accounts, and TV. I am getting called out on supply a little
more as the school semester progresses. More teachers are beginning to
feel the strain of teaching and are taking a few days to recover from the
stressful beginning of term. I thought I would include a little story on
why some teachers are likely to be calling me in to temporarily relieve
their teaching post.
I'll warn you ahead of time, this may be a long message!
I managed to work 4 days out of the 5 last week. However, the first day
at this one school located outside of Manchester almost sent me packing
for a different career. I cannot fully explain to you how absolutely
insane these kids were. I've dealt with some behaviourally challenged
youth, and even some hyper ADD kids in my time, but nothing could
prepare me for the treatment I got when I started the day. I was to
fill in for a Drama teacher, so I think that was the start of why I was
so shocked. I love drama and was looking forward to the opportunity to
actually teach in this environment. I get to the school and was put
into this normal classroom minus a couple desks, and was told that the
drama teacher didn't leave anything for me to use i.e. no plan. No
problem, I can whip up some games for the grade 9's to play. I usually
start a class with my usual niceness, as I did in this circumstance, but
after 10 minutes of unsuccessful attempts at quieting down the obnoxious
bastards I realized my niceness wasn't taking me very far. My voice
started to get more authoritative, but in response there voices starting
getting louder, in an attempt to out vocalize me. :bandhead: Kids were running
around, swearing, hitting eachother, screaming at eachother, stealing
everything that wasn't bolted down, breaking tables from sitting on
them. I thought this was the closest thing to classroom hell I would
encounter. I screamed at them constantly, directly to their faces for
those that continued to talk while I was screaming, and after the class
got to a talkable level I now had to lead these guys through a couple
games. Complete disaster, they weren't interested in games. Yet there
was about 5 kids that just sat there watching the classroom spiral out
of control and wanting to leave because obviously this class wasn't
going to be the drama class they had elected to participate in. I felt
sorry for them, myself, and the assholes that wouldn't be going very far
in life with this level of respect. I think I got through half a game
in an hour session. And to imagine it was only 9:55 in the morning.
Needless to say everyclass was like that. orderless, disrespect, loud
kids, stealing, swearing, disrespect, hitting, screaming, interuptions
from loose kids in the hall, disrespect and more disrespect. :WTF: After the
day finished I was comletely defeated. Barely functionable enough to
actually drive home. My spirit was deadened, partially because of the
day and mostly because I was booked to go back to this same school the
next day. :bawling: As you know I'm not a quitter, but I was seriously
considering using my Stay at home free card for tomorrow. Dejected and
delirious, I couldn't stop thinking about the horror of the day. My
library book was even used as a club to hit a kid because it was the
closest thing in reach to a crazed girl :devil: who wanted to hit a boy for
buggin her close friend. Needless to say it was wrecked, ripped, and
had its protective cover torn from the spine of the book. I felt like
that book. My defenses had been stripped, I had been used by the
teaching agency much like girl used my book, I had been the agent of
discipline, thrown into an environment I simply wasn't prepared to be
in. And consequently damaged in the process. But I still woke up at
6:30 the next day, mad determined and not willing to be thrown about
like I had the day before. To my relief I was not placed in the
makeshift drama room, instead I was to cover Modern Foreign Languages
and teach Spanish and French. Fearing the worst considering I couldn't
even speak these languages, I dug my scuffed heels in an refused to have
a similar day as the last. In the beginning I could tell the students
tried to make it as such, but now that they were in desks I could move
them immediately if they were being difficult. I didn't start the class
with my niceguy routine because I was still pissed off from the day
before. Setting this standard off the beginning seemed to work wonders.
Now I guess they saw that I wasn't a push-over and so they didn't not
push the line as extremely as they had before, but by no means was it
easy sailing. For the entire day I had to use crowd control. I don't
think I cracked a smile once. :unsure: But the kids actually got some work done.
Is this going to be my career in teaching, being a miserable bastard
just to get some results. :mad: I doubt it, but it sure seemed like it would
be the case for this school. Well apparently the staff was impressed
that I actually came back the next day so the deputy head invited me
back for the Friday. Having no other bookings I decided I couldn't turn
down the money when I was in such dire need of it. :loser: I accepted on the
condition I wouldn't have to teach drama. So I went back, finished the
day, and was invited back for two days this week. That's the problem in
any line of work, if you can handle the **** jobs you are going to be
pigeon-holed into doing them. But at least I've developed a hard skin
to this job, and don't think I'll be having to deal with my first day
problems again for quite some time. I kind of see the experience as a
trial by inner-city school fire. I think despite it being so
debillitating, by going back a couple days I have become a better
teacher. A louder teacher, and a grumpier teacher, but nevertheless, a
better teacher. We'll see how the next couple days go, I could be
eating those words.
But nevertheless, its allowing us to continue to live here in the UK,
despite the expenses. Not to mention, this agency I recently got hired
on has recognized my past work experience as being relevent experience
so they have generously bumped me up a payscale. So instead of getting
paid 90 pounds a day from the other agencies, they are paying me 119
pounds. So I really don't mind what schools they find for me, as long
as I am working throughthem I'll tolerate teaching Satan's offspring any
day of the week.
Well hope everyone's days are being lived easier then mine. And if not
tell me about it because it may make my life easier knowing other people
are going through worse. Its unfortunate if you are however, and I'll
say that ahead of time. Life can be lonely over here so brighten my day
with a message from home.
I've talked enough, take care everyone.
Sincerely,
Eph
p.s. Well at least I still have the Outlaws :wootrock: :wootrock: :wootrock:
I thought I would tell everyone a little about what is going on over
here in Europe as of late. We've managed to get settled in and are now
enjoying the luxury of all the modern luxuries like Internet and phone
and bank accounts, and TV. I am getting called out on supply a little
more as the school semester progresses. More teachers are beginning to
feel the strain of teaching and are taking a few days to recover from the
stressful beginning of term. I thought I would include a little story on
why some teachers are likely to be calling me in to temporarily relieve
their teaching post.
I'll warn you ahead of time, this may be a long message!
I managed to work 4 days out of the 5 last week. However, the first day
at this one school located outside of Manchester almost sent me packing
for a different career. I cannot fully explain to you how absolutely
insane these kids were. I've dealt with some behaviourally challenged
youth, and even some hyper ADD kids in my time, but nothing could
prepare me for the treatment I got when I started the day. I was to
fill in for a Drama teacher, so I think that was the start of why I was
so shocked. I love drama and was looking forward to the opportunity to
actually teach in this environment. I get to the school and was put
into this normal classroom minus a couple desks, and was told that the
drama teacher didn't leave anything for me to use i.e. no plan. No
problem, I can whip up some games for the grade 9's to play. I usually
start a class with my usual niceness, as I did in this circumstance, but
after 10 minutes of unsuccessful attempts at quieting down the obnoxious
bastards I realized my niceness wasn't taking me very far. My voice
started to get more authoritative, but in response there voices starting
getting louder, in an attempt to out vocalize me. :bandhead: Kids were running
around, swearing, hitting eachother, screaming at eachother, stealing
everything that wasn't bolted down, breaking tables from sitting on
them. I thought this was the closest thing to classroom hell I would
encounter. I screamed at them constantly, directly to their faces for
those that continued to talk while I was screaming, and after the class
got to a talkable level I now had to lead these guys through a couple
games. Complete disaster, they weren't interested in games. Yet there
was about 5 kids that just sat there watching the classroom spiral out
of control and wanting to leave because obviously this class wasn't
going to be the drama class they had elected to participate in. I felt
sorry for them, myself, and the assholes that wouldn't be going very far
in life with this level of respect. I think I got through half a game
in an hour session. And to imagine it was only 9:55 in the morning.
Needless to say everyclass was like that. orderless, disrespect, loud
kids, stealing, swearing, disrespect, hitting, screaming, interuptions
from loose kids in the hall, disrespect and more disrespect. :WTF: After the
day finished I was comletely defeated. Barely functionable enough to
actually drive home. My spirit was deadened, partially because of the
day and mostly because I was booked to go back to this same school the
next day. :bawling: As you know I'm not a quitter, but I was seriously
considering using my Stay at home free card for tomorrow. Dejected and
delirious, I couldn't stop thinking about the horror of the day. My
library book was even used as a club to hit a kid because it was the
closest thing in reach to a crazed girl :devil: who wanted to hit a boy for
buggin her close friend. Needless to say it was wrecked, ripped, and
had its protective cover torn from the spine of the book. I felt like
that book. My defenses had been stripped, I had been used by the
teaching agency much like girl used my book, I had been the agent of
discipline, thrown into an environment I simply wasn't prepared to be
in. And consequently damaged in the process. But I still woke up at
6:30 the next day, mad determined and not willing to be thrown about
like I had the day before. To my relief I was not placed in the
makeshift drama room, instead I was to cover Modern Foreign Languages
and teach Spanish and French. Fearing the worst considering I couldn't
even speak these languages, I dug my scuffed heels in an refused to have
a similar day as the last. In the beginning I could tell the students
tried to make it as such, but now that they were in desks I could move
them immediately if they were being difficult. I didn't start the class
with my niceguy routine because I was still pissed off from the day
before. Setting this standard off the beginning seemed to work wonders.
Now I guess they saw that I wasn't a push-over and so they didn't not
push the line as extremely as they had before, but by no means was it
easy sailing. For the entire day I had to use crowd control. I don't
think I cracked a smile once. :unsure: But the kids actually got some work done.
Is this going to be my career in teaching, being a miserable bastard
just to get some results. :mad: I doubt it, but it sure seemed like it would
be the case for this school. Well apparently the staff was impressed
that I actually came back the next day so the deputy head invited me
back for the Friday. Having no other bookings I decided I couldn't turn
down the money when I was in such dire need of it. :loser: I accepted on the
condition I wouldn't have to teach drama. So I went back, finished the
day, and was invited back for two days this week. That's the problem in
any line of work, if you can handle the **** jobs you are going to be
pigeon-holed into doing them. But at least I've developed a hard skin
to this job, and don't think I'll be having to deal with my first day
problems again for quite some time. I kind of see the experience as a
trial by inner-city school fire. I think despite it being so
debillitating, by going back a couple days I have become a better
teacher. A louder teacher, and a grumpier teacher, but nevertheless, a
better teacher. We'll see how the next couple days go, I could be
eating those words.
But nevertheless, its allowing us to continue to live here in the UK,
despite the expenses. Not to mention, this agency I recently got hired
on has recognized my past work experience as being relevent experience
so they have generously bumped me up a payscale. So instead of getting
paid 90 pounds a day from the other agencies, they are paying me 119
pounds. So I really don't mind what schools they find for me, as long
as I am working throughthem I'll tolerate teaching Satan's offspring any
day of the week.
Well hope everyone's days are being lived easier then mine. And if not
tell me about it because it may make my life easier knowing other people
are going through worse. Its unfortunate if you are however, and I'll
say that ahead of time. Life can be lonely over here so brighten my day
with a message from home.
I've talked enough, take care everyone.
Sincerely,
Eph
p.s. Well at least I still have the Outlaws :wootrock: :wootrock: :wootrock: