Yesterday, I finally started with my first Aussie teaching job. It was an answered prayer. For months now my family has been praying about it and when I finally got a call, the rest as they say is history.
So there I was, ready as ever, hoping that my more than seven years of Primary school teaching experience in Manila has equipped me for my new role. But I was wrong. As soon as I stepped inside the school grounds I knew it woudn’t be an easy day for me. As time ticked I felt that everything was going wrong. To start with, no one even gave me an orientation. 10 to 15 minutes before the bell rang, I still didn’t know whose class I was going to take, what the topics for the day were and the activities as well. It’s like I was left inside a totally dark room looking for my way out. People around don’t seem to care as well. I am thinking they were assuming that I could already handle everything. Finally, the class started. 5 minutes before the class started, the teacher who I was going to replace finally listed down the things I needed to do. I was new to everything. I managed the get hold of the kids’ attention for 30 minutes but after that there was another change in the to-do list. Students from two other classes just went inside my room. I wanted to tell my students to wait as I summarize what we had in the morning, but they were all in a hurry. So there I was trying to do another activity for an hour in a new batch of students. It didn’t help that there were a few students who were being silly and naughty inside. If I were in Manila I would have raised my voice to those kids already and send them out in the classroom. I could have easily done that, but I was in a new country. Rules for kids are strictly implemented. I wouldn’t want to have a record on my first day and be totally banned from teaching. So there I was trying all sort of positive discipline styles. By lunch time I wanted to cry already. Oh how I miss my former school!
I wanted to end the day as soon as possible but for some weird reason, time seemed didn’t fly as fast as I hoped it to be. I had to endure 3 more hours of misadventures and surprises. I was adjusting, trying to unlearn what I had in Manila, but I was also trying to learn the new system I was now in. Can’t thank heaven enough when the final bell rang and the teacher gave me her go signal that all is done for the day. I was disappointed, because I felt I didn’t do well on my first day. I was shaken because everything went so fast and unplanned. No order, no routine, nothing. And it was not me. On my way home I tried to recall everything that happened in school. I was sure glad the day was over. But it made me think as well. It was a wake up call. I am truly out of my comfort zone. I believe that this experience generally gave me an idea of the next teaching jobs to come. Next time hopefully will be better. I am still thankful for this first. I am not complaining, because at the end of the day, whatever happened during the day, it is still a blessing.
So there I was, ready as ever, hoping that my more than seven years of Primary school teaching experience in Manila has equipped me for my new role. But I was wrong. As soon as I stepped inside the school grounds I knew it woudn’t be an easy day for me. As time ticked I felt that everything was going wrong. To start with, no one even gave me an orientation. 10 to 15 minutes before the bell rang, I still didn’t know whose class I was going to take, what the topics for the day were and the activities as well. It’s like I was left inside a totally dark room looking for my way out. People around don’t seem to care as well. I am thinking they were assuming that I could already handle everything. Finally, the class started. 5 minutes before the class started, the teacher who I was going to replace finally listed down the things I needed to do. I was new to everything. I managed the get hold of the kids’ attention for 30 minutes but after that there was another change in the to-do list. Students from two other classes just went inside my room. I wanted to tell my students to wait as I summarize what we had in the morning, but they were all in a hurry. So there I was trying to do another activity for an hour in a new batch of students. It didn’t help that there were a few students who were being silly and naughty inside. If I were in Manila I would have raised my voice to those kids already and send them out in the classroom. I could have easily done that, but I was in a new country. Rules for kids are strictly implemented. I wouldn’t want to have a record on my first day and be totally banned from teaching. So there I was trying all sort of positive discipline styles. By lunch time I wanted to cry already. Oh how I miss my former school!
I wanted to end the day as soon as possible but for some weird reason, time seemed didn’t fly as fast as I hoped it to be. I had to endure 3 more hours of misadventures and surprises. I was adjusting, trying to unlearn what I had in Manila, but I was also trying to learn the new system I was now in. Can’t thank heaven enough when the final bell rang and the teacher gave me her go signal that all is done for the day. I was disappointed, because I felt I didn’t do well on my first day. I was shaken because everything went so fast and unplanned. No order, no routine, nothing. And it was not me. On my way home I tried to recall everything that happened in school. I was sure glad the day was over. But it made me think as well. It was a wake up call. I am truly out of my comfort zone. I believe that this experience generally gave me an idea of the next teaching jobs to come. Next time hopefully will be better. I am still thankful for this first. I am not complaining, because at the end of the day, whatever happened during the day, it is still a blessing.
