The Rain stopped....

The last 3 days have been very wet and because its been overcast the sun hasn't been able to get through as such the overall temperature seems to have dropped a lot... or of course I am getting aclimatised now, but I definitly find it cooler.

Today was short period day and I had 3 grade 6 classes which are hard work in an hour session but when its down to 45 minutes it almost feels like as soon as we are getting started its time to tidy up. However to balance that I also had the BEST grade 8 class I teach so that made it slightly more interesting.

BUT WHAT made my day was one of my other Grade 8 girls. I had returned their project work to them to improve it and this one girl came today and asked for advice on how to improve her work. The work itself is very good with just some minor graphical errors in perspective and some generalised tidying up to achieve a good mark.

I demonstrated a few examples and then out of the blue she said she had been trying to do a 2 point perspective of the inside of her bedroom but it wasn't working she couldn't get the view the way she wanted it. Cue a new technique for her I demonstrated Planometric from a simple plan view and it was like watching a big light bulb come on, she was actually excited and amazed by this simple technique, but one that met her needs exactly... I felt really good when she said she loved the Graphics side of the course and would be really interested in looking into architecture as a career. I'll be honest Graphics is my personal preference if I had a choice to teach only 1 subject and to see someone else get excited by the way a pencil and a ruler can create on paper a picture that you can see in your head is so satisfying.

Its moments like that where you realise that some of the things you take for granted as a teacher can sometimes have a life changing effect on your students when you least expect it, and in the process reinforces the reason why you went into teaching in the first place.

I have also spent a lot of time reading through the TES Forums, they can be instructive about schools abroad but I find it quite sad that so many supposed professionals insist on not just warning people against particular schools but then go on a personal rampage to stop anyone else considering a position. It comes across as sour grapes, I accept some people will never be happy but they should accept that when they leave a school their life there has ended and they are now starting a new post so forget the past and concentrate on the future, why feel they need to tarnish the school over and over is beyond me.

The big thing is it always seems to be the same names that come up time and time again, these particular teachers seem to spend their lives moving from one school to another destroying its reputation as they leave, because they feel agrieved over one thing or another. Some people seem to have no life if it isnt a life of complaining.
Oh and if the posts are to be believed so many of the international teachers that post are conceited, big headed and over confident a$$holes! who seem to think the schools should be jumping through hoops to have them come work for them...

It seems teaching is the same as business... 1 unhappy customer insists on telling 10 people how bad the service is but a happy customer rarely says anything, just being happy in their good service. Such is tonights lesson in life.

Manyana mi amigos...Chao