Reflections on the 9-5 and the rest of it!

Melinda rightly prompted me to add a post to my blog. She's right. I have not blogged much in a while and it isn't because I have had little to say! It's 'that time of the year' - the catch cry of many a high school teacher who is juggling report writing with the marking of assessments and programming and planning. Add to that debating and a whole host of other activities that make up the ever increasingly demanding life of a teacher and that gives you some reason for my lack of posting! So...this post is about work!

Someone whom I admire, Winston Churchill once said "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." and I think that this is so true. It speaks true because teaching is altruistic. Francoise De Motteville once said "The true way to render ourselves happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure." When I think about my colleauges, my amazing colleagues, I can really see both of these quotes ring true. Essentially their altruism, their dedication and hard work bring forth the most amazing results from their students. To see a student suddenly understand something - to see them slowly finding their place in the world is indeed a privilege that I imagine is not extended to most people in their daily 9 to 5 routine. To be able to contribute to the formation of a young person - to help shape them and prepare them for the world beyond the confines of the school community is indeed something that gives life to the 9 to 5 of the everyday. One of my favourite quotes about teaching is "Teachers who inspire know that teaching is like cultivating a garden, and those who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers." It is a great quote that reflects the reality of teaching. I think all teachers would agree... 

Autumn at a crossroads

I took a long, hard look at the park near my place today and noticed that finally the leaves were developing a lovely crispness to their exterior... yes there is still much green adorning the branches of trees, but ever so subtly, Mother Nature has finally allowed the leaves to fall to the ground and turn a lovely red, or yellow or brown. It reminds me of some phrases in a poem by Robert Frost... The Road Not Taken... two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I love that Autumnal description of the yellow wood....and then to the road that wanted wear...

Autumn reminds me of that poem and the fact that in a season of transition... we do get to a crossroads and do need to make choices.

A Weekend of Opportunity

It has been 'one of those weeks.' A week where work seemed to dominate almost every waking hour of the day. The demands of my role, along with my inability to rid my body of this ongoing throat ailment has meant that my usual willingness to meet each challenge has been tempered by my impaired health. It reminded me - someone who has seen a doctor once in the last 18 months, of how lucky I am, and, how much I do take my health for granted. I don't mean that in the sense that I eat the wrong foods or don't exercise, rather I am talking about how I have in some ways expected so much of myself, constantly pushing myself hard - whether it be work or sport or anything. Being sick allows for compulsory 'down time' - and for me I have been forced to have some of that over the last week. No running, no gym classes...just resting (when I'm not working)

The title of this post reflects my hopes for the weekend. I am about to go for a 1 1/2 hour personal training session, followed by a visit to Eveleigh Markets with a dear friend, Helen. The rest of the day is free for me at home with the anticipation of a family birthday dinner tonight, and Mother's Day tomorrow. Thus, without hesitation I can safely say that this weekend will be a weekend of opportunity - opportunity to do the things that I love, with the people that I care most about for the weekend. Hopefully there will be an opportunity to cook soup, to plant and to tend to my plants, to read and to finish some of those work tasks that seem to call me from the table in our dining area. 

Sans Voice and sharing it with the world

If you somehow happened to have succumbed to the phenomenon that is facebook or twitter, you will have no doubt been subjected to my recent microblogging about the loss of my voice. Yes, I will acknowledge here and now, that this blog post will be somewhat self indulgent. Posting or tweeting about my voiceless existence is self indulgent. That I want to share my current physical ailment with the rest of the world...well at least my online 'friends' or 'followers' depending on whether you are a facebook or twitter type is really self indulgent. Thinking about it led me to think about the point of microblogging, posting and tweeting. What do I want my 'friends' or 'followers' to do after reading my post? Do I want them to post a reply, wishing me well? Actually - no. I don't. Because those who know me well, know I am a very private person. So why post about my voice? I think it has something to do with how I see myself and how others see me. Words are 'my thing.' I love words...and the power that they have to evoke emotions, persuade, and the power to enact positive or negative reactions. Losing my voice in a sense forces me to take a step back... perhaps to do something else I quite enjoy.... to listen, to observe and to reflect.