That's the (literally) six figure question - do I love teaching? The question behind the question is 'was it worth giving up your career, your life, your SALARY for?'.
The answer to that specific question is that I don't know...yet. However, it's the wrong question. The right question is 'do I love my new life?'. The emphatic answer to that question is yes, with bells on it.
The fundamental reason for doing this whole thing was to change the balance of my life so that I could enjoy it more. Making the dramatic break from corporate life gave me back the freedom to choose, a freedom I seem to have lost on a career journey that took me from Brentford to New York in 20 memorable years. The word I have heard most often in those late night, deep conversations with friends and colleagues, is what they can't do because of their job. They can't spend time with their kids, they can't get fit, they can't sit still and contemplate their navel for 20 minutes, they can't do what they really want to do.
I can. The reality is that I could have done it before but did not have the strength of character or energy to take control. I choose to teach, I choose to be at home when Ellen rants and raves, I choose to run fast, I choose to sit in an armchair and do nothing.
I love the freedom to choose. That includes choosing a new career that I have always wanted to try.
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Day 229 - Kinasthetic Learners
Tuesday December 1st
24 days til Christmas and our first icy cold snap. I spent the day at a Maths course in a theme park. It was all about helping children with different learning styles to access Maths. This is a big one for me as I am very good at learning stuff by listening, reading, writing down and figuring it out through logic and practice. Therefore, that is how I teach.
This is OK for the kids who learn like I do but there are plenty who learn differently - they are much more visual or kinasthetic - they need to access through seeing and/or doing. The lecturer was very geeky but I thought very good and gave us some very good ways to teach a little differently. We used interlocking cubes, straws, pipe cleaners, an abacus, loads of different stuff that we can use in the classroom. I really enjoyed it and it gave me some ideas BUT it's still going to be hard for me because I'm still at the stage when, if I explain something clearly, simply and logically, and the child still doesn't get it, I think there's something wrong with THEM.
Day 161 - Perspective
Thursday September 24th
Today I assessed my 8.2.4 class on how much they had learnt from my teaching of sequences. Not much it seems. A very good reality check for me as very few of them had grasped "the nth term" and I thought I had done very well on communicating it. There's also a big difference between what you think they get in class and what they can regurgitate back. A bit of a blow, but not unexpected.
Put my football boots on for the first time in ages up in the school gym. Very pedestrian but enjoyed it and managed to plan a busy day tomorrow.
Day 146 - Keep Smiling Til Christmas
Wednesday September 9th
Full day at University today so caught the bus there and back. It was a good day as I was familiar with most of the presentations in the morning and the lack of teaching jargon was refreshing. The guy who presented dismissed the thought of "don't smile til Christmas" with exactly the opposite. I like that.
My Head of Dept is leading the Maths specific content and I embarrassed myself with one of the questions she asked. Oops. Bless her though, she moved swiftly on to spare my blushes. She may be questioning her decision to hire me though.
Day 130 - The Grand Old Duke Of York
Monday August 24th
Uneventful journey up to York, other than bumping into Charles and Suzan at Waterloo (what is the probability of THAT?). It was fun to be on the train and walking through Waterloo and Kings Cross again. Got the bus up to campus and for about an hour was horrified at the thought of spending a whole week here. It seemed a little geeky and I had nothing to say to anyone. Things improved as we walked around doing a Maths Quiz and by the evening had met a few people who I could talk to.
I really want to blurt out my story but I only get as far as "I start teaching in September...." at which point I am sure people are already judging me. I can't complain because we are all the same, it's human nature, but there is part of me that wants to tell everyone that I had a very successful career in my chosen field, was earning a very nice salary and then CHOSE to go into teaching. Of course, I want people to think I'm special. It's not going to happen so I will just have to remain special in my own mind.
This evening a venerable old professor donned period costume and told the story of Euler. This was striking on many fronts, not least that it was pretty interesting. I had no idea who Euler was until now. He used hand written overheads on and OHP....wow!
The course leader is pretty impressive. He is prolific in his output, very forthright in his opinion and is passionate enough to run this summer school. Good stuff. His presentation notes are unorthodox to say the least.
Uneventful journey up to York, other than bumping into Charles and Suzan at Waterloo (what is the probability of THAT?). It was fun to be on the train and walking through Waterloo and Kings Cross again. Got the bus up to campus and for about an hour was horrified at the thought of spending a whole week here. It seemed a little geeky and I had nothing to say to anyone. Things improved as we walked around doing a Maths Quiz and by the evening had met a few people who I could talk to.
I really want to blurt out my story but I only get as far as "I start teaching in September...." at which point I am sure people are already judging me. I can't complain because we are all the same, it's human nature, but there is part of me that wants to tell everyone that I had a very successful career in my chosen field, was earning a very nice salary and then CHOSE to go into teaching. Of course, I want people to think I'm special. It's not going to happen so I will just have to remain special in my own mind.
This evening a venerable old professor donned period costume and told the story of Euler. This was striking on many fronts, not least that it was pretty interesting. I had no idea who Euler was until now. He used hand written overheads on and OHP....wow!
The course leader is pretty impressive. He is prolific in his output, very forthright in his opinion and is passionate enough to run this summer school. Good stuff. His presentation notes are unorthodox to say the least.
Day 83 - Fresher
Wednesday July 8th
Headed off to the University of Southampton today to register formally on my GTP course. I tried to drop Alice off at school but followed the wrong car into Bar End. Whoops.
It was a good morning. We spent it with Keith Smith, the lead tutor. I did not say a word as tempted as I was. It truly felt like being back at school, or at best University. I need to get used to it because this is what it feels like to be back at the start of something. I'm smart but know nothing about teaching so need to be OK with making mistakes, looking foolish in front of others. Not today though
Got the all important handbook and learnt about the infamous portfolio of evidence I have to accumulate. Basically, I have to put together 2 box files of documents that show I have mastered the 33 standards expected of a qualified teacher.
Headed off to the University of Southampton today to register formally on my GTP course. I tried to drop Alice off at school but followed the wrong car into Bar End. Whoops.
It was a good morning. We spent it with Keith Smith, the lead tutor. I did not say a word as tempted as I was. It truly felt like being back at school, or at best University. I need to get used to it because this is what it feels like to be back at the start of something. I'm smart but know nothing about teaching so need to be OK with making mistakes, looking foolish in front of others. Not today though
Got the all important handbook and learnt about the infamous portfolio of evidence I have to accumulate. Basically, I have to put together 2 box files of documents that show I have mastered the 33 standards expected of a qualified teacher.
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