Teaching as of Late

  First off, I need to thank my husband for hijacking my blog and writing about the exhilarating end to my rookie hockey year. It really was a blast and kept me active through the winter months. Secondly, I've been really delinquent about my blog lately and keeping things up-to-date. My goal was to write once a week and its been more than a month since my last post! Life has been busy in Whitehorse, especially with hockey playoffs, a March Break daycamp job, and house sitting. I've also been teaching a lot this past month.
  I was a phys. ed. teacher for one week which involved teaching a cross-country ski unit and a hip hop dance unit (with a guest instructor). I really enjoyed that week. Then for a week and a half I taught grade 9 and 10 math and grade 12 Geology. I really enjoy being booked in a classroom for more than a day because then I actually get to do some real teaching, rather than just supervising students do projects. It took me a bit to remind myself how to do grade 9 and 10 algebra, but once I caught on again I really enjoyed teaching the concepts.
  Today I was at a school for the morning that I've never been at before. It is a school for kids that get kicked out of other schools. It starts at 9:30 instead of 8:30 so I got to sleep in! When I arrived, I received the heads up about how this school works by the Educational Assistant that was present. There are nine students, but she expected only three or four to show up for the morning classes. Each student works at their own pace on their own program. Each student has different triggers and has their own story as to why they are in this alternative program. The school has three rooms: a classroom, a woodshop, and a kitchen/lounge. Surprisingly, none of the youth showed up for class today! Really! So I spent the morning chatting with the EA about the program, about how to get a teaching job in Whitehorse, and about life in the Yukon. It was really enjoyable. I had to stay the whole morning just in case someone did show up and I'm sad none of the students came because I think I would have enjoyed interacting with these youth and learning more about how this alternative school works. Maybe I'll get called in to supply there another day. Now I have the afternoon to get some errands done, blog, and make some phone calls to people back home.
    Tomorrow I have been asked to be one of the chaperones for a grade nine class going to the hospital for the Party Program. It is a program which involves the students going to the morgue, learning about the effects of drunk driving, and listening to interactive presentations by a number of health professionals about safety at youth parties (sexual health, alcohol, drugs, peer pressure, etc.). I've been working with these grade nine students a lot lately and I'm looking forward to being able to experience this program with them. Then on Friday, I get to be a phys. ed. teacher again and play fun games with students! I cannot complain. I'm so thankful for all the work I've been getting and that I also have had lots of free time after work to do things I enjoy too. It is pretty amazing to work a full day and be home by 3:30 and have no homework, prep, or marking to take home at night or on the weekends.
   Off to to my errands and enjoy the sunshine!