I am a teacher

I have had a big break from blogging.  I haven’t lost interest in all things Education; instead I have been busy enjoying being a new High School Teacher.  I am working in a great school with wonderful teachers and awesome students.  I have learned that I actually get a kick out of teaching Business & ICT to Year 8 students; they are my favourite classes so far.  I am hoping to teach Year 7 students next year as well.  I have also learned that schools can be insanely busy places!  🙂

I am officially a High School Teacher now but I have thought of myself as a teacher since I started tertiary teaching in Canada in 2001.  I loved being a Business & IT Professor at Durham College, Ontario.  Yet, my biggest or longest teaching achievement would have to be my ongoing impact on my children.  I don’t often explicitly “teach” to my kids; with them it’s been more about exploring the world, thinking & discussing topics that interest them and giving them the opportunities to experience new and different things.  It’s this type of teaching that I try to incorporate into my High School teaching as much as possible.  I truly believe that taking the time to think critically about things, instead of just learning facts & information, is real and valuable learning.

Some other things that have been keeping me busy:

• went horse riding with my Mum and my kids -> a first-time experience for my kids
• sold our home through Auction
• packing everything and organising for our move to a new home, new schools, new neighbours, new friends etc.
• I am excited to start reading “Making Classrooms Better: 50 practical applications of mind, brain and education science” by Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa (arrived in the mail today, yippee!).
• Getting excited and ready for a family holiday to Fiji in a month (celebrate my graduation & my B’day).
• Last weekend my family and I attended my graduation ceremony at USQ Toowoomba and we celebrated my graduation along with the University Medal I received for high academic achievement.

My goals this year:

• continue to enjoy teaching and the people around me
• take my kids to Sydney and/or Canberra to check out the art galleries and science museums
• try to get back into a routine of regular mountain biking and light-weights aerobics -> once I’m settled in new home I will aim for at least twice during the work week and a long-ride on the weekend
• learn more about neuroscience & education -> apply to my teaching
• blog more often!