Day 66: 7/11/12
I got a call from the teaching agency this morning when I was in the shower- a bit of a scramble to answer it! And no, I didn't do an Alva on it- I managed to get out!! It was for a day teaching in one of the schools I was in last week- different class though.
It was year 1 and 2 today. First time I had kids that young. That's like senior infants and first class. There was another year 1 and 2 class next door. I don't know why they mix them and dot just put the year ones together. There must be a reason!
The office didnt have a plan left from the teacher so I was trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do them when the teacher next store came along and opened the teachers office and there was a plan there. Thank God!!
They had Maths first. All the year ones go together and I had them. They were counting in 1's, 2's, 5's and 10's. These were only senior infants and they had no problem at all- counting forwards and backwards! We really only do that in 2nd class- a little in 1st. They are definitely way better at counting here! The teacher had sums left on the board though. 8 tens 6ones = and vertical addition and subtraction (no renaming). This is 1st class Maths really. Some of them had no problem but most of the class found it hard. Looks like their Maths is way ahead of ours though!
Then they had spelling rotations. They were in groups. One group had to make their spelling words out of play dough. One group had to cut letters out of magazines to try to make their words. The third group had rainbow writing, which meant they wrote their words out in lots of colours. The last group had to write a sentence with the word in it. I though it was a good way to get them repeating the spelling over and over again. And they weren't bored!
After break they had dancing practice for a few minutes as they have a school bush dance at the weekend. The dance was called heel and toe and it was very like our heel and toe, except they were going round in a circle, rather than a straight line.
Next the teacher wante them to write about the thing they most like to do with their family. Then we had to read a book about chickens and figure out some facts about them.
After the next break they had reading groups. Other teachers and aides, including a parent came in for that so we only had one group each. I only had four kids so it was grand! Their reading didnt seem to be better than the Irish standard but I have a feeling I had the weakest group! I noticed today too that the youngest kids, the prep year stay in school all day. They don't go home earlier than the rest. Maybe that's why they're ahead!!
While I was waiting for the bus back to the city I got a call from the childcare agency to work tomorrow. So I'm going to do that. If I get a call from the teaching agency early tomorrow I don't know what I'll do- we'll see if I get one! After tax I think I would only get about 100 a day, compared to 300. It's great to get anything at all but it there's a chance of a teaching job it would be better!
I went into town then for a little while. Later I walked back home. I passed by Ten news where the reporter was doing a broadcast with the river behind them. I don't know what she was talking about!
I didn't so much when I got home. I watched some tv, chatted to Mam I Skype and went to bed early in preparation for these toddlers tomorrow!!