Home of Slightly Cracked Dreams

Well, for me anyway.

I’m about to head off for my first day of school for my final prac *gulp*.

I’m very lucky with my school placement, and as a result I’ll have had a fairly wide range experience of schools through my four prac’s: an elite private school with one of the highest academic achievement levels in the state, and a very small school: a large regional state high school (ie as one deputy put it to me “a bit rough”): and a state school recognised as the most innovative in the state, and one of the most innovative in the country, even if they do have over 2000 students in years 8-12 *gulp*.

The downside (upside?) to this school is their split timetable, and split shift for staff which means classes for me start at 7:30am, and when I start my prac full time after the school holidays I will be teaching every morning at 7:30am on the dot. Ouch. Where’s that coffee?

Of course the upside to this is I finish school officially at 1pm (or 1:05pm if you want me to be really specific) so am able to spend a couple of hours at school before doing the after school madness with the kids.

And while this isn’t the most exciting thing that’s happened this week, it’s certainly the happiest. And with that, I’d better get gone and get myself sorted.

I always knew it would be tough coming back to my Dip Ed after a 6 year break. In Queensland the syllabus documents work on a 7 year cycle, which means everything I learned 6 and 7 years ago has changed.

The degree I’m doing has changed 5 times since then.

The teaching staff at university have all changed.

The requirements for teacher registration and employment with the state have VASTLY changed.

And I knew nothing about any of it.

So it’s no wonder really I’ve felt like I’ve been playing catch up all the time.

One of the new requirements is that pre-service teachers, in order to be provisionally registered and allowed to accept employment in a registered school, is that you have completed a certain number of days of “wider professional experience”. Similar to teachers’ professional development, demonstrating basically that you’re committed to teaching and willing to give up extra time to do stuff. As an example of some of my wider professional experience, I have used things such as:

• Assistant coaching U6 soccer team
• Austswim training course
• Hosting Lions exchange students
• Organising Lions Youth of the Year
• Assisting with Lions youth camps
• Helping out in my daughters Prep classroom

Still, all these new requirements and changes have left me feeling majorly uninformed. Because of this, I’ve also attended two conferences this semester, the first was the annual conference of the Business Educators Association of Queensland (BEAQ) and just this weekend gone the Beginning and Establishing Teachers Association (BETA) pre-service teachers conference. Both were so vastly different, yet at the same time very informative. I met some wonderful teachers who were only too happy to share their knowledge and wisdom, and even got some free accounting advice from an accountant with his own practice who teaches in a country school on his “day off”. I picked up some job leads, some tips for getting a job, a better understanding of new system changes, of curriculum issues. I caught up with perhaps my most influentual lecturer of my uni career - who is now a principal in a school near where we’ve moved from - in case we were considering moving back he offered me a job LOL.

Now, I would probably have considered attending these conferences anyway, particularly the BEAQ one, but these new requirements kind of forced my hand and I’m glad they did.

If nothing else, the freebies at these kinds of things are awesome.

Assignments assignments everywhere.

Well, that’s how it feels anyway. I have handed in two already this semester, and even recieved one back. I’m not entirely sure of my mark, what with using high school criteria sheets for a university assignment (ie 5 levels of achievement vs 7 levels of achievement) but since I had 4/5 ticks in the highest column, and one int he second highest column, I’m claiming that as a high distinction. Hooray for me.

Pity it is worth just 10% of the final grade for the subject. I mean, it is a plan for the other assessment for that subject, which is worth…. 90% of the final grade. Oh, and that’s due in exactly 11 days.

Why yes, I am procrastinating, are you really surprised?

Following that I have one other major piece of assessment, but it isn’t due for a month after this one, so I can take my time with it a bit more.

Of course I have a million other things to do. Like my prac, which starts single days the day of this great big assignments due date. Of course I don’t have a school yet, so I can’t plan anything. And you all know how much I hate not being able to plan. I have to organise child care, depending on the school before and after school care, transport arrangements etc etc etc, not to mention the actual organising of work to teach etc etc.

No, I’m not stressed at all. Although my shoulder/back problem is reappearing. You know the one my osteo said was “study back”. Yeah. Drugs are high on my list of priorities first thing in the morning. Actually most of the day at the moment, which isn’t great, but my doctor assures me is normal with my problems.

Still, that’s where I’m up to with my assignments. I’m fairly happy with how I’m doing - I’m not terribly behind in everything. There’s just so much to do and think about - and I need to start applying for jobs.

But one thing at a time.

For the last three weeks we’ve had two very special visitors - two more Lions youth exchange students. I really had a ball with them this year, I spent heaps of time taking them places and visiting a few places I hadn’t been to for a while. If you’re thinking of visiting the Sunshine Coast here is what we got up to with them:

Mooloolaba Beach
Noosa Beach
The Big Pineapple
The Ginger Factory
Malany & Montville
Eumundi Markets
Australia Zoo
Brisbane Ekka
DFO at Brisbane Airport
Ettamogah Pub
Fraser Island

In addition to all that we dragged them to soccer games, ballet practice, family dinners, lions meetings and generally integrated them into our lives. By the time they left I was well and truly attached and even begged one to stay and take care of my kids (she wants to be a kindy teacher - perfect!). Both very much became part of our family and I can’t wait to catch up with them again when we (finally) make it over to Europe.

Here’s some pictures I shamelessly stole from them.

I’ll just do a mad catch up. It seems this blog really is my procrastination, and when I’m not studying I ignore it.

For the first weekend of school holidays we went camping at Inskip Point. It’s gorgeous up there, and the kids had such a great time we’re going back in the September school holidays and taking an extra one with us.

Here’s just a couple of pictures:

The campsite from the beach

Hubby and Kiki fishing

Miss Moo, my Dad and uncle having fun on the beach

The weather was pretty ordinary while we were there. In fact the first night there was a storm and our tent was at nearly 45 degrees and I swear the waves were hitting the outside of our tent. We had a few leaks, but nothing major and the kids all slept through it.

But after that it fined up and we had a pretty good time.

As for the recipe, I have been experimenting with making my own pasta/bolognaise sauce and it’s been a big hit. I generally start with 2-2.5kg of tomato’s, and dice them up finely (because my kids don’t like tomato).

Bung it all in a pot with some salt, pepper, basil, oregano if you’re feeling adventurous, and mixed spice.

Simmering in the pot

Simmer in a pot until it reduces to the consistency you like.

Then let it cool for half an hour on the bench, and in the fridge overnight (or use it straight away) before packing into meal sized portions. I worked on about 400g given the size of a tin of diced tomato’s or a jar of sauce.

Packed for the freezer

I packed them in zip lock bags however when defrosting you need to be careful they don’t burst.

You can, as always, add to this basic recipe. Onion, garlic, capsicum spring to mind as options. My kids being the fussy eaters they are wouldn’t touch that, but they do eat this just plain on pasta, which was quite a shock, but very VERY handy when I’m in a rush.

They had me cornered.

I had nowhere to go.

And they knew it.

One after the other they came to share their stories, show me tins of chickpeas, laptops they’d made, dolls.

To tell me stories about the giant that rides the big machines at roadworks.

And eventually to throw tantrums.

There was nowhere to go.

They knew it.

I was trapped.

When will I be able to go to the toilet in peace???

In the lead up to Mother’s Day I was almost certain I was in line to be spoiled. Hubby boasted that he had actually bought a present for me, and M&M and Kiki at school and daycare had been letting things slip about what they had been up to. Including the $5 I gave to M&M to buy something at the Mother’s Day stall at school.

Helping out in M&M’s class I was no stranger to the work that was going into Mother’s Day. I recieved a beautiful invitation to her Prep classes “Mother’s Day Spa” on Friday afternoon which involved a crown and necklace presented to me on arrival, with a glass of “prep champagne” (punch and ginger ale). At the day spa there was head and shoulder massages, hand massages, a nail salon and a makeup centre (I heard a rumour that one of the other prep classes had a foot massage as well, and whilst I was jealous, I’m so ticklish on my feet it probably wouldn’t have been a great idea. Before the session was over we were also presented with our gifts - a photo frame and beautiful photo of our kids.

Sunday came around and I duitifully stayed in bed after hearing everyone get up and sneak down to the kitchen (although for M&M & Kiki, sneaking might be not the right word to describe the yelling and jumping…) and actually managed to go back to sleep.

I was woken just before 8am (bliss!) to a pancake specialty (cream cheese filling and berry sauce) and a cup of tea, as well as presents from everyone!

In addition to the traditional card from daycare from Kiki, M&M had bought me a box of chocolates, and Hubby had bought me a new dressing gown (I’m actually allergic to the one I currently have, so it’s not very effective…). I felt thoroughly spoiled.

When we were all dressed, packed and ready we headed off to Brisbane for lunch with my step-mother and siblings. Despite the traffic delays getting there it was a wonderful afternoon. The kids had a jumping castle, animal nursery and face painting to keep them busy, and a couple of boys had some soccer balls which of course my girls loved kicking around.

But I guess the best part of the afternoon came when we bought tickets in the meat raffle. $8 worth in two draws.

And then we won! And these were not scungy meat trays like I’m used to. I weighed it when I got home and it was 2.5kg of prime rump steak from a top Brisbane butcher. But not only that! I got a $40 TAB voucher, which I though I may as well save for Melbourne Cup Day, but later discovered I can redeem for cash, so I might just keep it handy and cash it soon and go and buy myself something nice. There was also a box of Rose’s chocolates which we all shared with tea and coffee before coming home.

All in all a fabulous day, and this is one thoroughly spoiled Mum!

I hope you all had a Happy Mother’s Day!

Tuesday was one of those days that just. don’t. stop.

I was up and going at 5am and it wasn’t until after dinner that I collapsed sat down and just got to stop. Then of course it was impossible for me to get moving so I had to sit through a pile of rubbish television until my beloved NCIS was on so I could go to bed.

The mere fact it took me a whole day to recover says it all.

Though the worst part is that I don’t feel like I’ve achieved anything. I have far too many things hanging over my head right now, so it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and have the time to get to things I want to do.

I am planning to spend the rest of the day making lists of things I really want to achieve over the next few weeks. Of course I am working on the assignment that is due on Monday. It’s almost at the drafting stage now - which is my plan for tomorrow while the house is quiet with kids in daycare.

In the meantime I’m just working on my notes so the writing is as easy as possible.

Procrastination? Yes it’s going great, thanks for asking…

You can pretty much guarantee my posting will become more frequent now. Why? Because in the next two months I have 3 exams and an assignment.

You, dear readers, are my distraction, my tool of procrastination.

I can sit here and type all the rants that would normally have me pacing the house waiting to explode and then return to the study. Eventually.

As usual I’m rather behind.

I guess I’m not feeling it this term. Getting into the swing of it is harder than I thought.

Combining it with Hubby at a new job, a new school, after school stuff and whenever I do find a spare second or two I’m wont to fall asleep.

Things are improving though. I am catching up, albeit slowly, and the one exam I’ve done I got 13/20. Clearly something is sinking in. Though not a lot I suppose.

I guess it’s just making myself start. Once I get going it gets easier to keep going.

A bit of peace and quiet would help though.

Now we’ve been here a few weeks, days are starting to settle into a routine.

It’s taken a while, and some false starts to get to a place that seems to be working, and I suppose the lack of internet helped with that. It’s so distracting. It calls to me. From the other end of the house….

Enough of that!

We started out walking to school. It’s less than 1km, so I figured 10-15 minutes at the most. I forgot to factor in one 4 year old and a tired 5 year old after school. As a result, a round trip can take anything up to an hour and a half.

Clearly not a frugal use of my time.

With some assistance from my parents, I discovered that if I leave of an afternoon by 10 minutes to finishing time I can park a block away and walk the last distance and be there in time to pick M&M up (the traffic and parking outside the school are ridiculous).

If I need to get a park outside the school for some reason I need to be there 1 hour before finishing time. No, that’s not a joke. With 900 kids and 40 car parks for the school, some of which are (illegally) utilized by the university accommodation in the same street which didn’t provide enough parking for residents and a cul-de-sac it was always going to be a nightmare. I went to the university around the time the school opened (12 years ago) and it was a nightmare then when the school was 100 kids. I don’t know why they thought it would get better by adding more children.

Ahem. Back on topic.

Afternoons are now chaotic with one after school activity after another, so quick pickups are imperative.

So that’s sorted.

Drop offs are another matter entirely. Being that M&M is in prep, she is really supposed to be dropped off and picked up at the classroom by someone (older sibling, parent etc). After a few performances from Kiki wanting to stay with M&M for school (she will be in prep next year) the teacher and I discussed it and decided that the mornings I have Kiki with me, I will drop M&M off at the gate, from which I can watch her to the classroom door.

These developments have freed up an enormous amount of time. I still walk one morning a week and in the afternoons when we don’t have an afterschool activity, but for the most part, my busy days just got a lot quieter.

Well, until I filled them with something else.

Hubby, bless him, has been working some long hours, which for the most part has meant I’ve been getting up earlier (although not this morning, which is a topic for another post). This has enabled me to get the majority of my cleaning done before leaving for school (since we’re leaving later). I can have two loads of washing on the line and the downstairs parts of the house clean before school, leaving me with my school hours to, well, theoretically, study.

Of course it doesn’t always work that way. I have errands which are mostly conveniently done straight after school drop off. Tuesday’s Miss Moo has swimming lessons. Etc. But when I get home, generally, I can distract whichever children are home with whatever I can find (another post there as well) and firmly plant myself at my desk until the cries of hunger are too loud to ignore. Kiki has taken to sitting at the other desk colouring while I work, and especially when Miss Moo is sleeping I can get an awful lot of work done during the day.

Around 2:30 I check the clock and panic (might have to set an alarm on my phone or something to give me a bit of a chance to get organised) and pack bags, snacks etc for whatever afternoon activity we have, then pile everyone into the car and off we go.

Afternoons/evenings are another matter entirely. Probably another post even.

It’s no wonder I fall into bed exhausted every night.