First Advent

Since my last update, I have my voice almost back...my high voice is still faltering and croaky, but I can talk fine. It's been another week of ups and downs--some good days, some bad days. Tuesday was a rotten day for my entire household--we commiserated with each other that night about how stressful it had been. It was particularly so for Melissa, who experienced an OFSTED visit in the last hour of the day. As I mentioned in a previous blog, OFSTED does the inspections of the schools every three years, or more often if they got poor grades on their previous inspection. It's like EQAO in that it gets publicized which schools got which grades, except that instead of simply relying on the grade scores that students achieve on standardized tests, inspectors come in and observe teachers teaching and go over all their lesson plans and assessment files with a fine-tooth comb, besides which administrators, teachers, parents and students are all polled in surveys about the school on issues from safety to community/cohesion to curriculum delivery/quality of lessons. So Melissa's kids behaved very badly (intentionally, she felt) for the inspector and ruined her lesson. she felt very much unsupported by her school, which made no attempt to give her extra help with her seven students on an IEP (that is, students needing specialized attention for learning difficulties or behavioural issues) on what they knew would be a stressful day. The guy came back the next morning for another hour of observation which fortunately went much better and she got a "good" rating in the end.

Most of the week was better than Tuesday, though Friday was another poor day because the seven kids who were there (5 away for Eid) were just really silly and not inclined to listen for even 30 seconds. Friday night was another poor night for sleeping after a week of reasonably good sleeps. I told Gina (my Kiwi housemate) on Saturday morning that I was feeling like I was developing general anxiety disorder, and she was really helpful by telling me that I need to think of it as a job, nothing more. Everyone else gets their weekends off, and I need to take my weekends off too, rather than poring over plans and making resources all day. She told me that she thinks it's insane how much curriculum they try to cram in here, and she basically takes it with a large grain of salt (my expression, not hers). I need to enjoy the kids and not be stressed out trying to meet all the curriculum demands. She told me to play more games with the kids and fit in the curriculum as I can, without burning myself out with worry about it. She asked me what is the worst thing that can happen if I go in unprepared on Monday.

So on her recommendation, I didn't spend any time on school work yesterday, but instead went out and had an accupuncture session, did some shopping around Barking, and then in the afternoon I went to IKEA and bought myself a bookshelf and lamp, as well as a few puppets for school and some scented candles. I spent an hour or so this morning organizing my room and filling my new bookshelf. I am very happy with the result.

After a good nights sleep, I've decided to putter around home this first Sunday of Advent morning, and go to my Mennonite church this afternoon. I'm looking forward to going back since I haven't seen them since I started this new job three-and-a-half weeks ago. I've committed to participating in music this afternoon, though whether I'm on piano or songleading, I'll find out when I arrive.

I am so glad Christmas is coming--at this point, I'm just looking down the road three weeks to vacation, and keeping my spirits up by playing lots of Christmas music as I'm planning in the evenings.

With regards to the weather, it's feeling chillier here now (5-10 C)...but we haven't seen any frost. The grass is still green, the pansies are beautiful, and there are a few brave roses still tenaciously hanging on yet on my street.

the new BILLY bookcase

New Lamp