It has been a while since my last post. Things have been rather crazy the last month and I'm not sure what I would have said, or rather what I wouldn't have said if I had the time to write it down for you.
This is the last full week of classes before the Christmas holidays. I started the week in a bit of a mad rush but today being a snow day puts the nail in the coffin of what I was going to salvage of my great Christmas Concert Masterpiece. My adorable students will be singing Jingle Bells, complete with bells and I'm quite impressed with them on it. On top of that I had reworked a cute version of the Littlest Christmas Tree for the primary grades to do. I was fully aware it would be a lot of work but I miss drama class sometimes so I was excited about it. Unfortunately, the other class decided in the first practice that they had no interest in it and it wouldn't work. And with today being a snow day thanks to heavy winds and a bit of snow (to be followed this afternoon with plus 3 and rain) I think we'll just scrap the whole thing. I have learnt that the only thing I will gain from taking everything on myself is stress and I have had enough of that. On the up side this gives me more time for the other million things I need to do in the next week!
School over the past month has been quite the rollercoaster. Our principal left the village the beginning of the month, the new one won't be here until after Christmas. We have been without principal, we've had a replacement from the board, and now we have a supply from our own staff for the week. We had to shut down school twice last week because we had no water and the water truck was broken, today we have a bit of a storm outside so no school, last week we also had a ped day so it's like we haven't really been in school lately. Now that Christmas is coming everything is quite busy though and I hope that the next 8 sleeps go quickly because I am at the point where I just want to be home with my family and friend who know me best and love me anyway! There has been too much drama for such a small group of people and I'm not particularly fond of drama. If the year continues to be such a mess I'm not sure if I want to stay another though returning to work in a grocery store is NOT an option so I'm not sure what else I would do.
My students are doing well for the most part. Over the past few weeks we've established a good routine and they have improved in a lot of ways. I've had improved attendance from the two girls and my grade 4 who was developing an attitude when his cousin was around has become his sweet self again now that his cousin has not been attending school. Not to say my classroom is full of little angels, only a few weeks ago I had a biting issue involving Aloupa's teeth and my leg to be followed by a hurricane in my class the week after resulting in the Christmas vocab words dying a painful death and the fire alarm being pulled. As of now there is nothing in his desk and I plan to keep it that way.
I have decided, even after the disaster that was the pumpkin carving that I am going to have my class Christmas party on Friday at my house. I've decided this because my students think it's about the most exciting thing going to go to a teacher's house. Also, we want to bake cookies and so we will be needing a bigger kitchen than the little one at school so we have opted for a cookie baking, pizza eating Christmas party at my house... I may regret this one later but I hope not.
Saturday we are having a Christmas party for ourselves. I was quite excited about it but I'm kind of over it now, to the point that I think I may need to talk myself into getting dressed for it on Saturday. I would much rather be on an airplane out of Aupaluk instead. I'm at the point of making lists, packing and planning for home!
There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home....
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Wishing I had Ruby Red Slippers
Today was an OK day. We had a ped day so we had no students which makes for a nice change of pace and atmosphere in the school. Not that we didn't work hard, I got all my report cards finished and worked on planning some fun for the upcoming Christmas holidays!
The problem with quiet days are that you have more time to think... and boy did I do some thinking! I have been up here in the middle of nowhere, almost another planet, since August now. I'm tired and I'm anxious to go home.
On my classroom whiteboard is a count down to the number of school days we have left until Christmas holidays start (26 teaching days). As of today it is 40 sleeps, 5.5 weeks, 3 pay days, or however you want to count it until I am on my way home! I have never been so anxious to see home before.
These are just some of the things i miss in no particular order:
- Trees- in 2nd year university when I took Environmental Science I wished they didn't exist... I take it back now... you have no idea what it is to live without them!
- Going out- anywhere and I mean ANYWHERE! I want to go to a grocery store, the mall (even the West End Pembroke Mall!), for coffee.... oh to go where you can order something or buy something and not know everyone!
- Coffee- A joy in my life has always been going for coffee
- Restaurants- as an army brat I've never been a lover of eating out. But when you have nowhere to go you miss the idea of "I don't feel like cooking lets go out"
- Home Cooked Meals- OK I miss this everywhere I go. When you have parents like mine you dream of homemade suppers when you're away!
- Having a social drink in a public place- I would like a Tom Collins and a good dancing night with my girls!
- Seeing the people I love- you know who you are and I miss you every day
- Choosing to stay in... because here it isn't a choice!
- Being there for the people you love when they need you... because that is so important! At times like these I wish I could be home because nothing makes you feel more helpless then being too far away to be really supportive when you know someone you love needs it!
It is in my nature to count down to the next big holiday, or the next big event... maybe this is why I became a teacher because our lives are so artificially dissected. However, never have I looked so forward to going home as I do now!
Here is to hoping the next few weeks go quickly and smoothly because tonight I wish I had ruby red slippers, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home."
The problem with quiet days are that you have more time to think... and boy did I do some thinking! I have been up here in the middle of nowhere, almost another planet, since August now. I'm tired and I'm anxious to go home.
On my classroom whiteboard is a count down to the number of school days we have left until Christmas holidays start (26 teaching days). As of today it is 40 sleeps, 5.5 weeks, 3 pay days, or however you want to count it until I am on my way home! I have never been so anxious to see home before.
These are just some of the things i miss in no particular order:
- Trees- in 2nd year university when I took Environmental Science I wished they didn't exist... I take it back now... you have no idea what it is to live without them!
- Going out- anywhere and I mean ANYWHERE! I want to go to a grocery store, the mall (even the West End Pembroke Mall!), for coffee.... oh to go where you can order something or buy something and not know everyone!
- Coffee- A joy in my life has always been going for coffee
- Restaurants- as an army brat I've never been a lover of eating out. But when you have nowhere to go you miss the idea of "I don't feel like cooking lets go out"
- Home Cooked Meals- OK I miss this everywhere I go. When you have parents like mine you dream of homemade suppers when you're away!
- Having a social drink in a public place- I would like a Tom Collins and a good dancing night with my girls!
- Seeing the people I love- you know who you are and I miss you every day
- Choosing to stay in... because here it isn't a choice!
- Being there for the people you love when they need you... because that is so important! At times like these I wish I could be home because nothing makes you feel more helpless then being too far away to be really supportive when you know someone you love needs it!
It is in my nature to count down to the next big holiday, or the next big event... maybe this is why I became a teacher because our lives are so artificially dissected. However, never have I looked so forward to going home as I do now!
Here is to hoping the next few weeks go quickly and smoothly because tonight I wish I had ruby red slippers, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home."
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A Whole Lot'a Drama!
It's been a while since I've written and so much has happened (hard to believe in Aupaluk) I don't know where to begin!
Halloween came and went and we teachers survived for the most part by working together! I find that since the beginning of the year we are becoming more and more (for the most part) a close and supportive team. I always find it interesting to be in situations like these, where you are away from home and family and all that is familiar and you come to depend on and love people who you may not necessarily be bonded to in a normal life situation. In England I developed a close group of people who I call my "foreign family" and who I still love and miss today. Here in Aupaluk we don't have a lot of choice in who we spend our time with, but despite that I love my "Aupaluk Family" because without them I would feel so much more isolated.
As for Halloween, the morning was a bit mad but could have been worse (I think). We showed a movie in the gym but the kids were pretty uninterested in it. We switched to Halloween games which went a lot better. After lunch we had the haunted house which we were all pretty excited about and had worked very hard on. Three of us were hiding in the "haunted hallway" to reach out in the dark and scare the kids. The first group through were little kids and they were great. The second group were secondary students, even though we had said we only wanted little kids at first to make sure they got the full scary experience. Unfortunately, as the 3 secondary kids went through they ruined the fun when they started reaching through and tearing down the black garbage bag walls we had worked so hard to put up. My entire covering was gone in a matter of seconds and I was livid! We tried to replace everything but it was not the same after, and no matter what we said they kept sending more "big kids" who ruined it again and again.
Skip to following week... this was the week all the stress that has been building grew tenfold! We are all getting to the point that we are tired, frustrated, getting a bit burnt out and it is a long time until Christmas holidays. Now, to top it all off our principal has resigned and we know very little about what has brought it on and how and when things will be "fixed" and I hate that. There are few things I hate more in life than the unknown, I like an organised plan and I like to know exactly how things will be happening at all times. There have been a lot of rumours, a lot of talk, and a lot of tension but now I just have to wait. More updates to come... I think. I have really really learnt the old saying "never judge a book by its cover" is true. I knew you should never avoid the book that's ugly and torn on the outside but now I know the pretty shiny one can be just as deceiving.
My students! They are wonderful and demanding, adorable and aggravating all at the same time! There is one in particular who has become quite dear to me. At the beginning of the year this student came to school and I thought I would lose my mind with him. He would tear books, spit on the floor, destroy his work, refuse to listen, and was "unmanageable." After a lot of documentation we were given funding for a shadow for him (I've had 2 and each lasted less than a week) and he has been able to get some help from social services that has really turned things around for him in the past few weeks. This little boy has had a life that you could not even imagine in your worst nightmares, and he is living with people who are not his family and who don't take care of him or love him as he should be cared for and loved. I've been working very hard to build up his self-worth and show him he can trust me and I think he has shown such change over the past week it is hard to believe that he was the kid who tried to spit in my face in September. Yesterday however this student came back to class from recess and did not look happy at all. When you work with these kids you learn to read their facial expressions and body language to predict their moods and how close they are to exploding and I could see the beginning of an explosion on his face. I decided to give him some time to see if he would calm himself down but when he started colouring his poppy with a red pencil crayon like he was going to make a hole in the desk I knew it was only getting worse and when he began to tear his artwork (and he loves art) into tiny little pieces I thought I should get someone to help because I was worried about him. I asked the principal to send up Maggie or Jeannie because I thought that he would respond better to someone who spoke Innutitut with him because I tried to talk to him but he only ripped his paper smaller. Maggie came and spoke to him but even with her he was not responding much. My principal asked if he was violent and I said no, I was just worried about him because he was acting so strange and wanted to make sure he was OK. So they decided he should go downstairs which is when things got really bad. He did not want to go so they carried him out and I could hear him screaming all the way down the stairs. After school was let out I went downstairs to find him crawling on the floor in the hallway refusing to put on his coat and it just about ripped my heart out. I feel like this little boy has a hard enough life and all I want is for him to feel safe and happy at school and that is not what he was feeling yesterday at all!
26 teaching days until a nice holiday with my friends and family... can't wait!
Halloween came and went and we teachers survived for the most part by working together! I find that since the beginning of the year we are becoming more and more (for the most part) a close and supportive team. I always find it interesting to be in situations like these, where you are away from home and family and all that is familiar and you come to depend on and love people who you may not necessarily be bonded to in a normal life situation. In England I developed a close group of people who I call my "foreign family" and who I still love and miss today. Here in Aupaluk we don't have a lot of choice in who we spend our time with, but despite that I love my "Aupaluk Family" because without them I would feel so much more isolated.
As for Halloween, the morning was a bit mad but could have been worse (I think). We showed a movie in the gym but the kids were pretty uninterested in it. We switched to Halloween games which went a lot better. After lunch we had the haunted house which we were all pretty excited about and had worked very hard on. Three of us were hiding in the "haunted hallway" to reach out in the dark and scare the kids. The first group through were little kids and they were great. The second group were secondary students, even though we had said we only wanted little kids at first to make sure they got the full scary experience. Unfortunately, as the 3 secondary kids went through they ruined the fun when they started reaching through and tearing down the black garbage bag walls we had worked so hard to put up. My entire covering was gone in a matter of seconds and I was livid! We tried to replace everything but it was not the same after, and no matter what we said they kept sending more "big kids" who ruined it again and again.
Skip to following week... this was the week all the stress that has been building grew tenfold! We are all getting to the point that we are tired, frustrated, getting a bit burnt out and it is a long time until Christmas holidays. Now, to top it all off our principal has resigned and we know very little about what has brought it on and how and when things will be "fixed" and I hate that. There are few things I hate more in life than the unknown, I like an organised plan and I like to know exactly how things will be happening at all times. There have been a lot of rumours, a lot of talk, and a lot of tension but now I just have to wait. More updates to come... I think. I have really really learnt the old saying "never judge a book by its cover" is true. I knew you should never avoid the book that's ugly and torn on the outside but now I know the pretty shiny one can be just as deceiving.
My students! They are wonderful and demanding, adorable and aggravating all at the same time! There is one in particular who has become quite dear to me. At the beginning of the year this student came to school and I thought I would lose my mind with him. He would tear books, spit on the floor, destroy his work, refuse to listen, and was "unmanageable." After a lot of documentation we were given funding for a shadow for him (I've had 2 and each lasted less than a week) and he has been able to get some help from social services that has really turned things around for him in the past few weeks. This little boy has had a life that you could not even imagine in your worst nightmares, and he is living with people who are not his family and who don't take care of him or love him as he should be cared for and loved. I've been working very hard to build up his self-worth and show him he can trust me and I think he has shown such change over the past week it is hard to believe that he was the kid who tried to spit in my face in September. Yesterday however this student came back to class from recess and did not look happy at all. When you work with these kids you learn to read their facial expressions and body language to predict their moods and how close they are to exploding and I could see the beginning of an explosion on his face. I decided to give him some time to see if he would calm himself down but when he started colouring his poppy with a red pencil crayon like he was going to make a hole in the desk I knew it was only getting worse and when he began to tear his artwork (and he loves art) into tiny little pieces I thought I should get someone to help because I was worried about him. I asked the principal to send up Maggie or Jeannie because I thought that he would respond better to someone who spoke Innutitut with him because I tried to talk to him but he only ripped his paper smaller. Maggie came and spoke to him but even with her he was not responding much. My principal asked if he was violent and I said no, I was just worried about him because he was acting so strange and wanted to make sure he was OK. So they decided he should go downstairs which is when things got really bad. He did not want to go so they carried him out and I could hear him screaming all the way down the stairs. After school was let out I went downstairs to find him crawling on the floor in the hallway refusing to put on his coat and it just about ripped my heart out. I feel like this little boy has a hard enough life and all I want is for him to feel safe and happy at school and that is not what he was feeling yesterday at all!
26 teaching days until a nice holiday with my friends and family... can't wait!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
This was my day!
My day today can be summed up in 3 "conversations":
On prep in my classroom, Tommy runs (and I mean runs) into my room.
"Kelly you have ghosts!" (will post pictures of my door for Halloween later)
"Yes Tommy I do, and you should be in Inuttiut class"
"Kelly, Your eyes is green!"
"Yes Tommy they are green"
"Kelly you are a zombie!"
And he runs away...
Later while carving a pumpkin with my students (for the record never making that mistake again)
"Kelly this stuff is eww"
"Yes the pumpkin guts are squishy Juana"
"Kelly look!" students point at Aloupa
He has chewed the seeds and has a mouth FULL of pumpkin insides drooling out of his mouth!
While on recess duty...
"Kelly Kelly Kelly!"
"Yes Mickey?"
"YOU'RE FIRED!"
"Thank you Mickey I've been waiting to hear that all day!"
Enough said!
K.
On prep in my classroom, Tommy runs (and I mean runs) into my room.
"Kelly you have ghosts!" (will post pictures of my door for Halloween later)
"Yes Tommy I do, and you should be in Inuttiut class"
"Kelly, Your eyes is green!"
"Yes Tommy they are green"
"Kelly you are a zombie!"
And he runs away...
Later while carving a pumpkin with my students (for the record never making that mistake again)
"Kelly this stuff is eww"
"Yes the pumpkin guts are squishy Juana"
"Kelly look!" students point at Aloupa
He has chewed the seeds and has a mouth FULL of pumpkin insides drooling out of his mouth!
While on recess duty...
"Kelly Kelly Kelly!"
"Yes Mickey?"
"YOU'RE FIRED!"
"Thank you Mickey I've been waiting to hear that all day!"
Enough said!
K.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Long Days, Late Nights... Frustrated!
When I came up here I was told by many of you who I know and love a number of different things. I've been told I'm brave, I'm crazy, I'm courageous, I'm doing something others would never imagine doing alone, and well everything in between. I can tell you though that while you think it is brave for me to come here I think it is braver for my children to endure all that they do.
I hear heartbreaking stories every day, some from other adults, some from the kids themselves. Sometimes I am witness to the stories myself. I think I have been writing very surface stories and thoughts and I don't know why.
My students endure so much and deserve so much more. We have breakfast every day at school, we feed every child who comes no matter if they may have eaten at home too. This is not always enough though, because the children who need it most come later after lunch to say they have no food at home and nobody there to feed them sometimes. I try to give my students all the understanding I can but sometimes I push too much because I don't know what is going on in their lives and here you have to know in order to teach them. Sometimes my classroom becomes a nap room, just this morning I had a child sleeping on the story time mats while I was on my prep because she had a rough night. I don't know what she may have dealt with all night, and I don't think I could even imagine it if I wanted to because I was lucky enough to have a safe home to grow up in with locked doors and loving parents who I could trust to keep me safe (and I know now I can not thank them enough for that). If I had to spend a day in these children's shoes I don't think I could make it... they are the brave ones not I!
I am frustrated that I am powerless to save them, I am angry that I cannot fix things for them, and I hate that I am all about how I feel and vent about how sad it makes me!
After I went to Kenya I felt hope that if everyone cared, if everyone tried and dreamed then this world could be so much better. I think it is because the people I was surrounded by, the children, the local villagers, the people who worked there all had so much hope and dared to dream. Here, my students do not have dreams and that is heartbreaking because without dreams what kind of future is there for them? When I was 8 if you asked me what I wanted to be it was a different thing every day; if you ask my students what they want to be when they grow up they just shrug their shoulders, stare at the floor, and have nothing to say. Where is their hope? I wish I could give them every dream I have for them. I wish they could see the strong and brave faces I see when I look at them!
If you could hear their stories and see their faces you would never be impressed with mine. I am just a girl who lets herself get bogged down with self-pity because I miss everything I don't have here but I have a house to myself with a door that locks, food and clothes, and people who care about me!
I hear heartbreaking stories every day, some from other adults, some from the kids themselves. Sometimes I am witness to the stories myself. I think I have been writing very surface stories and thoughts and I don't know why.
My students endure so much and deserve so much more. We have breakfast every day at school, we feed every child who comes no matter if they may have eaten at home too. This is not always enough though, because the children who need it most come later after lunch to say they have no food at home and nobody there to feed them sometimes. I try to give my students all the understanding I can but sometimes I push too much because I don't know what is going on in their lives and here you have to know in order to teach them. Sometimes my classroom becomes a nap room, just this morning I had a child sleeping on the story time mats while I was on my prep because she had a rough night. I don't know what she may have dealt with all night, and I don't think I could even imagine it if I wanted to because I was lucky enough to have a safe home to grow up in with locked doors and loving parents who I could trust to keep me safe (and I know now I can not thank them enough for that). If I had to spend a day in these children's shoes I don't think I could make it... they are the brave ones not I!
I am frustrated that I am powerless to save them, I am angry that I cannot fix things for them, and I hate that I am all about how I feel and vent about how sad it makes me!
After I went to Kenya I felt hope that if everyone cared, if everyone tried and dreamed then this world could be so much better. I think it is because the people I was surrounded by, the children, the local villagers, the people who worked there all had so much hope and dared to dream. Here, my students do not have dreams and that is heartbreaking because without dreams what kind of future is there for them? When I was 8 if you asked me what I wanted to be it was a different thing every day; if you ask my students what they want to be when they grow up they just shrug their shoulders, stare at the floor, and have nothing to say. Where is their hope? I wish I could give them every dream I have for them. I wish they could see the strong and brave faces I see when I look at them!
If you could hear their stories and see their faces you would never be impressed with mine. I am just a girl who lets herself get bogged down with self-pity because I miss everything I don't have here but I have a house to myself with a door that locks, food and clothes, and people who care about me!
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Beginning of the Middle...
Every adventure has a beginning, middle and an end. I'm pretty sure I'm in the middle part somewhere, the part where you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hoped that this week would be a "normal week" at school but I think this week has shown me that a normal week does not really exist.
I have a student who's temper is like nothing I have ever seen before. There is no such thing as compromise with him, it is his way or in all seriousness he will turn the classroom upside down in a matter of seconds. One minute he is sitting at his desk and the next thing I know he has turned every desk on its side, every paper is on the floor and even things from the walls are in pieces. This week an educational psychologist from the school board was here in Aupaluk and she assessed him in class and agreed he should be seen by a professional. Then she proceeds to tell me I should reward him more... I'm sorry but he just does not listen to compromise so how does that work? I am not about to give him 20 minutes of do whatever you want time for 2 math questions when he is more than capable of doing 10 he just refuses to do it because he would rather colour or go on the computer and won't agree to taking the reward after the work. I think sometimes people who work for school boards who have never taught a day in their life should have to step inside a classroom and see what it is really like. I have 6 children with a hundred problems each and all different needs and grade levels, I can't stop the world for one and if I could it would be for my student who came to me yesterday afternoon hungry because there is no food in the house and no parents around to feed them!
I have volunteered to be a academic advisor for the hockey program here... I should have known from the "orientation" in September that was a bad idea. I got an email this week from one of the men who "run" this program saying they need me to find a child to go to the tryouts this week. He emailed me wednesday afternoon, I got it wednesday evening after a two and a half hour intervention meeting with other teachers and the psychologist and I was so not in the mood for their ordering me around. It is not part of my job to find children to go to their tryouts so I emailed him back with about the 3rd reminder I have sent them saying that my job is to teach and that I need at least a week's notice if they want my help with things but I would do my best. I got a snarky email in response saying if I "don't care about the children of Aupaluk" and it's "too difficult" for me just let him know. This has apparently been a trend of theirs and I guess they have never experienced someone who didn't bow down and do as they command. Well I found someone by 1pm Thursday afternoon (the deadline for the ticket was 4pm that evening) and emailed it immediately. They either didn't read the email in time (so the children must not be so important after all) or they decided to use a child to try to push my buttons because last night I had an 11 year old boy call me practically in tears because they called him and told his mother that "I" didn't book the ticket so it's my fault he can't go to tryouts now! I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do about this one now but I'm not happy. What do you do when grown men act like 6 year old children? I hate drama and especially when it is coming from what should be a strictly professional situation!
Anyway it's the weekend! I have only 39 teaching days till Christmas holidays and this week went by very quickly and I think the next few will as well. We have Halloween this week, thursday night will be devoted to hauted house making for the kids on friday. Most of friday will be Halloween games and activities. Then we will be getting ready to do report cards two weeks after that. I think this whole post just turned into a massive rant for which I apologize... happy weekend to you all!
I have a student who's temper is like nothing I have ever seen before. There is no such thing as compromise with him, it is his way or in all seriousness he will turn the classroom upside down in a matter of seconds. One minute he is sitting at his desk and the next thing I know he has turned every desk on its side, every paper is on the floor and even things from the walls are in pieces. This week an educational psychologist from the school board was here in Aupaluk and she assessed him in class and agreed he should be seen by a professional. Then she proceeds to tell me I should reward him more... I'm sorry but he just does not listen to compromise so how does that work? I am not about to give him 20 minutes of do whatever you want time for 2 math questions when he is more than capable of doing 10 he just refuses to do it because he would rather colour or go on the computer and won't agree to taking the reward after the work. I think sometimes people who work for school boards who have never taught a day in their life should have to step inside a classroom and see what it is really like. I have 6 children with a hundred problems each and all different needs and grade levels, I can't stop the world for one and if I could it would be for my student who came to me yesterday afternoon hungry because there is no food in the house and no parents around to feed them!
I have volunteered to be a academic advisor for the hockey program here... I should have known from the "orientation" in September that was a bad idea. I got an email this week from one of the men who "run" this program saying they need me to find a child to go to the tryouts this week. He emailed me wednesday afternoon, I got it wednesday evening after a two and a half hour intervention meeting with other teachers and the psychologist and I was so not in the mood for their ordering me around. It is not part of my job to find children to go to their tryouts so I emailed him back with about the 3rd reminder I have sent them saying that my job is to teach and that I need at least a week's notice if they want my help with things but I would do my best. I got a snarky email in response saying if I "don't care about the children of Aupaluk" and it's "too difficult" for me just let him know. This has apparently been a trend of theirs and I guess they have never experienced someone who didn't bow down and do as they command. Well I found someone by 1pm Thursday afternoon (the deadline for the ticket was 4pm that evening) and emailed it immediately. They either didn't read the email in time (so the children must not be so important after all) or they decided to use a child to try to push my buttons because last night I had an 11 year old boy call me practically in tears because they called him and told his mother that "I" didn't book the ticket so it's my fault he can't go to tryouts now! I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do about this one now but I'm not happy. What do you do when grown men act like 6 year old children? I hate drama and especially when it is coming from what should be a strictly professional situation!
Anyway it's the weekend! I have only 39 teaching days till Christmas holidays and this week went by very quickly and I think the next few will as well. We have Halloween this week, thursday night will be devoted to hauted house making for the kids on friday. Most of friday will be Halloween games and activities. Then we will be getting ready to do report cards two weeks after that. I think this whole post just turned into a massive rant for which I apologize... happy weekend to you all!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sunshine and a Pizza Party!
I am always amazed at how different each day is here in the North. In fact I can leave school at lunch having had a terrible morning and return after lunch to a suprisingly good afternoon, or just the opposite. I am learning to not be stuck on my expectations.
Yesterday morning I arrived at school in a suprisingly good mood (I guess any friday is better than a monday). I decided the night before that I am going to try meditation with my kids. I know they don't do well with new things and they can be a little difficult but I decided it was worth a try. They act out at school a lot because they don't have any coping strategies for what they experience in their daily lives. I think if they have the ability to take control of their feelings and the power to leave a situation (even if it is only in their mind) and find a safe space they would be better for it. The meditation went better than I had allowed myself to expect. I had only 2 of my kids, and in the beginning there was a lot of fidgeting but after a short time they stopped and they relaxed so much that when it was finished they were asleep! I'm going to do it regularly now I think. It takes time out of a busy day but reality is that I will never get through all the curriculum when dealing with kids who can't focus because they didn't sleep, they are hungry, they have been abused in any and all ways we don't want to imagine so why not take the time to teach them a skill that may help them in their reality.
After lunch we had a pizza party. We had made the dough in the morning and let it rise. After lunch we finished it off and during this things seemed to fall apart. Juana decided that she had a headache and would not even help anymore. I'm never sure if she really does feel sick or if she just wants to go home and since there is nothing I can do to stop her and she doesn't have a phone at home to call her parents I have to let her go. That left me with Willie so we started to watch the rest of the movie from thursday and just as the pizza was finished Jobie and Eric came in late. Now, the pizza party was for only students who had earned 10 stars or more.... Jobie has one. But, being the day it was I had nowhere else for him to go so he got to come to the class and eat pizza too.
Yesterday was our first day with sunshine in.... oh I can't even remember! After work Alex and I went for a lovely walk in the sunshine. You don't realize how much we need the sun and how much a beautiful day can improve your mood until you haven't seen the sun in a while! To our great suprise and appreciation the sun was out again today! Despite the cold we went for a walk to the lake and had a picnic. It was a lovely day and a good way to destress from a crazy week in Aupaluk. Thanks Alexandra for a long walk and a long talk!
Now I am hoping the next week is better and the time goes quickly here because I am missing everyone at home so very much.
Bunches of Love
K.
Yesterday morning I arrived at school in a suprisingly good mood (I guess any friday is better than a monday). I decided the night before that I am going to try meditation with my kids. I know they don't do well with new things and they can be a little difficult but I decided it was worth a try. They act out at school a lot because they don't have any coping strategies for what they experience in their daily lives. I think if they have the ability to take control of their feelings and the power to leave a situation (even if it is only in their mind) and find a safe space they would be better for it. The meditation went better than I had allowed myself to expect. I had only 2 of my kids, and in the beginning there was a lot of fidgeting but after a short time they stopped and they relaxed so much that when it was finished they were asleep! I'm going to do it regularly now I think. It takes time out of a busy day but reality is that I will never get through all the curriculum when dealing with kids who can't focus because they didn't sleep, they are hungry, they have been abused in any and all ways we don't want to imagine so why not take the time to teach them a skill that may help them in their reality.
After lunch we had a pizza party. We had made the dough in the morning and let it rise. After lunch we finished it off and during this things seemed to fall apart. Juana decided that she had a headache and would not even help anymore. I'm never sure if she really does feel sick or if she just wants to go home and since there is nothing I can do to stop her and she doesn't have a phone at home to call her parents I have to let her go. That left me with Willie so we started to watch the rest of the movie from thursday and just as the pizza was finished Jobie and Eric came in late. Now, the pizza party was for only students who had earned 10 stars or more.... Jobie has one. But, being the day it was I had nowhere else for him to go so he got to come to the class and eat pizza too.
Yesterday was our first day with sunshine in.... oh I can't even remember! After work Alex and I went for a lovely walk in the sunshine. You don't realize how much we need the sun and how much a beautiful day can improve your mood until you haven't seen the sun in a while! To our great suprise and appreciation the sun was out again today! Despite the cold we went for a walk to the lake and had a picnic. It was a lovely day and a good way to destress from a crazy week in Aupaluk. Thanks Alexandra for a long walk and a long talk!
Now I am hoping the next week is better and the time goes quickly here because I am missing everyone at home so very much.
Bunches of Love
K.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A Rant About Grocery Shopping in the North!
To make up for being so negligent I have decided to do another post for you tonight. I really could tell you about the funeral I went to yesterday but I think after the last post maybe I should do something not quite so heavy. So I am here to talk to you this evening about grocery shopping in the North!
In some of the larger communities people do not have to order quite so many groceries because they often have 2 grocery stores (generally a Co-Op and a Northern Store) where things may sometimes be more expensive but I'm pretty sure it works out even. Here in Aupaluk we have 1 Co-Op! The things at the Co-Op are very expensive and not always edible.... the potatoes have fuz, the milk is 3 months past due, and I swear I saw a loaf of bread walk out the door one time! The Co-Op is great for avacado though, especially if you want to make guacomole!
Here in Aupaluk we order or groceries from "down south" which basically means Montreal. Every weekend I look at my cupboard and fridge and decide what I'm missing, then I think what meals I will want to make and if there is a get-together on the weekend what I will want to bring, then I make a list.
You can order from Metro or IGA and each is better for different things. If I am ordering produce of any kind or anything that needs to be packaged carefully it is always Metro. The people who work there take a lot of care to pick the best fruit and vegetables, they always package them nicely so there is less chance of things breaking. So, every saturday or sunday I look that the metro flyer, make a list of what I want and email it to the office. Generally orders need to be in by monday morning so they can be sent on tuesday. For IGA you shop by viewing and selecting the products online, and the order must be in by sunday in order to be in that week. Any orders made later are processed too late and if your groceries come in on the weekend there is nobody to pick them up at the airport for you! Also as a rule IGA's packing is terrible and any fruits or vegetables are not up to par which can be frustrating. And unlike Metro who will call if they do not have something or will give you red apples if the green ones don't look good, IGA will either not send it at all or will send you the brown broccoli (I hate that!)
So you ask what is IGA good for... excellent question! They send wine and beer while Metro will only send beer... so IGA gets a few points! Plus they do have some good sales on sometimes and because their packing is sub-standard it is cheaper!
So after spending a lot of time planning your grocery order on a sunday all you can do is wait. Grocery delivery day which is usually wednesday or thursday evening can go one of two ways. If all goes well it's like Christmas morning when you get exactly what you asked for... or it can be a total disappointment and you feel like you're being punished and you just recieved the ugliest sweater ever! I spend wednesday night listening for the plane to land and hoping for a knock at the door and a few beautiful boxes full of goodies. When it doesn't come you go to bed so dissapointed you feel someone just stomped on your heart! Then sometimes it does come but things you ordered are missing and after carefully planning each item this can suck too. Sometimes these things come later but sometimes they never come at all. Sometimes you find yourself so counting on your wednesday night delivery that you don't make dinner until late and when it doesn't arrive you are too sad to care about dinner and your dinner becomes Special K or some toast (if you have milk or bread that is).
I have never liked grocery stores, I have always tried to plan my grocery shopping at the least busy time possible, I hate the crazy shoppers and often have to breath through urges to run people over with the cart. So I thought when I came here that having groceries delivered would be fabulous... it is just a different evil. Now I have to make sure I have not forgotten anything, try not to think of anything new before the groceries do arrive, and hope they get here on time and in one piece. Waiting is way harder than having to go myself, at least if I pick out my own apples I know what I'm going home with.
Furthermore, you can't get everything you get at home! Two words come to mind here... Ice Cream!!!! You never know where your groceries will be left, if they will make it to the freezer section or if they will sit on the runway for a while... the last thing you want is a box of ice cream soup to arrive.
This week I ordered my groceries. I ordered from Metro because I thought I had a better chance of getting everything as it was a long weekend, further I was out of apples! I had my order in on monday morning as always, I was lucky that they were able to reach me when they needed to to replace a few things and so had a good feeling about my groceries this week. Yesterday, our usual delivery day was the funeral, I was a bit afraid for the first time ever that they would arrive then. If the groceries came Emma would probably be too busy with funeral things to get them for me.... still when the power went just as the plane was to land I was sad. They did come today however, while I was at school, and as I looked out my window and saw the school truck pull up to my house I did a little dance! There was a casualty this week however, a jar of green olives smashed and leaked everywhere! Happily it didn't take the rest of the contents with it.... unlike the time a tub of yogurt exploded last month.
So, next time you forgot something and you complain that you have to go back to the store think of me in Aupaluk where if I forgot something I have to wait for an order and an airplane. Enjoy your ice cream all!
Lots of Love,
K.
In some of the larger communities people do not have to order quite so many groceries because they often have 2 grocery stores (generally a Co-Op and a Northern Store) where things may sometimes be more expensive but I'm pretty sure it works out even. Here in Aupaluk we have 1 Co-Op! The things at the Co-Op are very expensive and not always edible.... the potatoes have fuz, the milk is 3 months past due, and I swear I saw a loaf of bread walk out the door one time! The Co-Op is great for avacado though, especially if you want to make guacomole!
Here in Aupaluk we order or groceries from "down south" which basically means Montreal. Every weekend I look at my cupboard and fridge and decide what I'm missing, then I think what meals I will want to make and if there is a get-together on the weekend what I will want to bring, then I make a list.
You can order from Metro or IGA and each is better for different things. If I am ordering produce of any kind or anything that needs to be packaged carefully it is always Metro. The people who work there take a lot of care to pick the best fruit and vegetables, they always package them nicely so there is less chance of things breaking. So, every saturday or sunday I look that the metro flyer, make a list of what I want and email it to the office. Generally orders need to be in by monday morning so they can be sent on tuesday. For IGA you shop by viewing and selecting the products online, and the order must be in by sunday in order to be in that week. Any orders made later are processed too late and if your groceries come in on the weekend there is nobody to pick them up at the airport for you! Also as a rule IGA's packing is terrible and any fruits or vegetables are not up to par which can be frustrating. And unlike Metro who will call if they do not have something or will give you red apples if the green ones don't look good, IGA will either not send it at all or will send you the brown broccoli (I hate that!)
So you ask what is IGA good for... excellent question! They send wine and beer while Metro will only send beer... so IGA gets a few points! Plus they do have some good sales on sometimes and because their packing is sub-standard it is cheaper!
So after spending a lot of time planning your grocery order on a sunday all you can do is wait. Grocery delivery day which is usually wednesday or thursday evening can go one of two ways. If all goes well it's like Christmas morning when you get exactly what you asked for... or it can be a total disappointment and you feel like you're being punished and you just recieved the ugliest sweater ever! I spend wednesday night listening for the plane to land and hoping for a knock at the door and a few beautiful boxes full of goodies. When it doesn't come you go to bed so dissapointed you feel someone just stomped on your heart! Then sometimes it does come but things you ordered are missing and after carefully planning each item this can suck too. Sometimes these things come later but sometimes they never come at all. Sometimes you find yourself so counting on your wednesday night delivery that you don't make dinner until late and when it doesn't arrive you are too sad to care about dinner and your dinner becomes Special K or some toast (if you have milk or bread that is).
I have never liked grocery stores, I have always tried to plan my grocery shopping at the least busy time possible, I hate the crazy shoppers and often have to breath through urges to run people over with the cart. So I thought when I came here that having groceries delivered would be fabulous... it is just a different evil. Now I have to make sure I have not forgotten anything, try not to think of anything new before the groceries do arrive, and hope they get here on time and in one piece. Waiting is way harder than having to go myself, at least if I pick out my own apples I know what I'm going home with.
Furthermore, you can't get everything you get at home! Two words come to mind here... Ice Cream!!!! You never know where your groceries will be left, if they will make it to the freezer section or if they will sit on the runway for a while... the last thing you want is a box of ice cream soup to arrive.
This week I ordered my groceries. I ordered from Metro because I thought I had a better chance of getting everything as it was a long weekend, further I was out of apples! I had my order in on monday morning as always, I was lucky that they were able to reach me when they needed to to replace a few things and so had a good feeling about my groceries this week. Yesterday, our usual delivery day was the funeral, I was a bit afraid for the first time ever that they would arrive then. If the groceries came Emma would probably be too busy with funeral things to get them for me.... still when the power went just as the plane was to land I was sad. They did come today however, while I was at school, and as I looked out my window and saw the school truck pull up to my house I did a little dance! There was a casualty this week however, a jar of green olives smashed and leaked everywhere! Happily it didn't take the rest of the contents with it.... unlike the time a tub of yogurt exploded last month.
So, next time you forgot something and you complain that you have to go back to the store think of me in Aupaluk where if I forgot something I have to wait for an order and an airplane. Enjoy your ice cream all!
Lots of Love,
K.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
An "Average" Day in Aupaluk...
Ok I'm sorry I know I've been lacking in posts. So much that I'm hearing people are asking about them... so having "kind of" a down spell I'm going to do my best to update you on what has been going on.
First I should take you through an "average" school day here in Aupaluk:
On monday mornings I am on breakfast duty. We give the kids cereal every morning because while some of them have breakfast at home some do not for various reasons. Mondays are particularly strange days at school and breakfast is no exception! Sometimes they come bright and early and are for the most part happy to be there, while other times they come in no earlier than quarter to nine silent and still half asleep. Those days are the hardest and a good indicator that I won't get a lot of teaching in that day. They are still half asleep because they have had no sleep at home, they have been out all night avoiding the drinking and people who are at home or they spent the night with furniture up against their door to keep people out. With so many people living in one house my students don't have their own room, their own space or even their own bed sometimes. Mondays after a shipment of alcohol has come into the village are the worst!
Every morning and afternoon we brush our teeth, not a routine I ever expected to be doing. After that we go through the calendar naming all the months and days of the week. We talk about what day it is, what month it is, how they know what day it is... some days this goes more smoothly than others but they forget easily.... we're working on it. After the calendar we do journals, usually we do a whole class journal because they get frustrated when they don't get something perfect.
My students have no autonomy at all which makes teaching 4 grade levels a lot more difficult. When I want to work with the grade 3's for example, I cannot just give the others independent work to complete and expect they will work quietly, even if it is something they have done before. I am right now working on training them to do work plans and learning centres. I hope by the end of the year if I teach them anything it is to think independently.
As a rule I have 2 students who attend regularly and the others come occasionally. One of my grade 3's almost never comes to school, she just doesn't feel like it and there is nobody around to make her go. It is frustrating to see her fall so far behind. I have another student from another community who lives with a foster family. He has a lot of anger and gets very angry very quickly. If he decides he does not want to do something he won't and has on more than one occasion destroyed my classroom. Just last week he got angry enough to hit me twice. In the moment it is easy to be angry about his behavior but often I feel terrible because knowing he has been through so much and he has learnt it from watching those around him.
Some days I plan to accomplish a lot and have to throw it all out when I see the mood of my students. Some days I use math games and letter games and colouring to get little bits of work out of them. Other days go smoothly and I feel I have accomplished something but they are rare. It is difficult because the community just wants us to come here and teach but you cannot teach children who have so many other things on their minds like food, alcohol in the village, things they saw the night before, if they will sleep tonight. So my classroom has to be a safe place for them where no matter how I'm feeling I greet them with a smile.
I have been in the North 2 months now and I think the honeymoon stage is over. I came to build my resume, cut my debt, see a bit of Canada and teach some children. After all the stresses of the past 2 months I realize I cannot change the world for them so I will do what I can and remember I am not here to stay forever.
Thanksgiving weekend was a bit of craziness. Holidays make me homesick and as it can be pretty lonely here I was feeling a bit of that already. When you add the turkey being consumed by my loved ones without me it only gets worse. We teachers spend time together but you can only do that so much since we also work together every day. Not being able to go for coffee or to the mall or the park is getting to drve me a bit crazy.
Over the weekend a woman in our community was out on the bay digging for mussels with her daughters. The weather was rough this weekend, the tide was strong and the wind was blowing with it and as it came in fast she was caught in the water and drowned. We spent the weekend waiting to hear about funeral arrangements and did not hear until 8:30 monday night that the funeral would be tuesday afternoon. However, the weather has been foggy and the planes could not land yesterday so the people coming for the funeral could not get here, so it was postponed to today. The community has taken it pretty hard, I think the rest of the week will be very quiet ones in school. This means that I have not had school for 5 days now because we had to close the school yesterday and today as well. It is hard to adjust to the way things work here, I'm not sure if I ever will.
I have not had a lot of contact with the community here. I know the Inuit women I work with but not many others. I don't often go to the co-op and people keep to themselves a lot. Yesterday however was a whole new story. About 2 weeks ago a guy showed up on my doorstep asking if he could "visit" and of course my response was to slam the door in his face. He had been calling my neighbour and after he knocked on my door he called her to apologize. Then Monday night someone broke into another teacher's house. So, I spent my tuesday making statements to the police. I found out yesterday people have been asking about me though I have no idea who any of them are. It is a bit unnerving and I was definitly not expecting to deal with any of this though I guess it adds some excitement to life... right!
Anyway, I think that brings you all up to date for the most part. If I don't get my groceries tonight maybe I'll write you a rant about that, and with this fog you may be in luck there! Sorry this was so late coming and I will try to make an honest effort to write more!
K.
First I should take you through an "average" school day here in Aupaluk:
On monday mornings I am on breakfast duty. We give the kids cereal every morning because while some of them have breakfast at home some do not for various reasons. Mondays are particularly strange days at school and breakfast is no exception! Sometimes they come bright and early and are for the most part happy to be there, while other times they come in no earlier than quarter to nine silent and still half asleep. Those days are the hardest and a good indicator that I won't get a lot of teaching in that day. They are still half asleep because they have had no sleep at home, they have been out all night avoiding the drinking and people who are at home or they spent the night with furniture up against their door to keep people out. With so many people living in one house my students don't have their own room, their own space or even their own bed sometimes. Mondays after a shipment of alcohol has come into the village are the worst!
Every morning and afternoon we brush our teeth, not a routine I ever expected to be doing. After that we go through the calendar naming all the months and days of the week. We talk about what day it is, what month it is, how they know what day it is... some days this goes more smoothly than others but they forget easily.... we're working on it. After the calendar we do journals, usually we do a whole class journal because they get frustrated when they don't get something perfect.
My students have no autonomy at all which makes teaching 4 grade levels a lot more difficult. When I want to work with the grade 3's for example, I cannot just give the others independent work to complete and expect they will work quietly, even if it is something they have done before. I am right now working on training them to do work plans and learning centres. I hope by the end of the year if I teach them anything it is to think independently.
As a rule I have 2 students who attend regularly and the others come occasionally. One of my grade 3's almost never comes to school, she just doesn't feel like it and there is nobody around to make her go. It is frustrating to see her fall so far behind. I have another student from another community who lives with a foster family. He has a lot of anger and gets very angry very quickly. If he decides he does not want to do something he won't and has on more than one occasion destroyed my classroom. Just last week he got angry enough to hit me twice. In the moment it is easy to be angry about his behavior but often I feel terrible because knowing he has been through so much and he has learnt it from watching those around him.
Some days I plan to accomplish a lot and have to throw it all out when I see the mood of my students. Some days I use math games and letter games and colouring to get little bits of work out of them. Other days go smoothly and I feel I have accomplished something but they are rare. It is difficult because the community just wants us to come here and teach but you cannot teach children who have so many other things on their minds like food, alcohol in the village, things they saw the night before, if they will sleep tonight. So my classroom has to be a safe place for them where no matter how I'm feeling I greet them with a smile.
I have been in the North 2 months now and I think the honeymoon stage is over. I came to build my resume, cut my debt, see a bit of Canada and teach some children. After all the stresses of the past 2 months I realize I cannot change the world for them so I will do what I can and remember I am not here to stay forever.
Thanksgiving weekend was a bit of craziness. Holidays make me homesick and as it can be pretty lonely here I was feeling a bit of that already. When you add the turkey being consumed by my loved ones without me it only gets worse. We teachers spend time together but you can only do that so much since we also work together every day. Not being able to go for coffee or to the mall or the park is getting to drve me a bit crazy.
Over the weekend a woman in our community was out on the bay digging for mussels with her daughters. The weather was rough this weekend, the tide was strong and the wind was blowing with it and as it came in fast she was caught in the water and drowned. We spent the weekend waiting to hear about funeral arrangements and did not hear until 8:30 monday night that the funeral would be tuesday afternoon. However, the weather has been foggy and the planes could not land yesterday so the people coming for the funeral could not get here, so it was postponed to today. The community has taken it pretty hard, I think the rest of the week will be very quiet ones in school. This means that I have not had school for 5 days now because we had to close the school yesterday and today as well. It is hard to adjust to the way things work here, I'm not sure if I ever will.
I have not had a lot of contact with the community here. I know the Inuit women I work with but not many others. I don't often go to the co-op and people keep to themselves a lot. Yesterday however was a whole new story. About 2 weeks ago a guy showed up on my doorstep asking if he could "visit" and of course my response was to slam the door in his face. He had been calling my neighbour and after he knocked on my door he called her to apologize. Then Monday night someone broke into another teacher's house. So, I spent my tuesday making statements to the police. I found out yesterday people have been asking about me though I have no idea who any of them are. It is a bit unnerving and I was definitly not expecting to deal with any of this though I guess it adds some excitement to life... right!
Anyway, I think that brings you all up to date for the most part. If I don't get my groceries tonight maybe I'll write you a rant about that, and with this fog you may be in luck there! Sorry this was so late coming and I will try to make an honest effort to write more!
K.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The School Year Begins... and I can't sleep!
School has been in for almost two weeks now, and the only way I can begin to describe these two weeks is "other worldly." I am not naive enough to think that this would be sunshine and roses every day, but I am not sure I was ready for a roller coaster ride such as this.
Firstly, I love being in the classroom again. Aside from my slight addiction to power and control I really do enjoy sharing what I can and helping my students find their way. After a year away from it, and the year previous to that being more of a zoo keeping job I was worried I would be rubbish at it. I don't claim to be perfect but the first day was not as terrifying as I thought it would be.
The first week was all about routines and getting to know each other. I am already of the opinion that my students are amazing little people despite their occasional resistance to rules and journal writing. Our first day we also had a school picnic and on a "hot" day we took the kids swimming. Taking students swimming on a whim would never fly back home, imagine the legal issues with that one!
My students, while amazing are a challenge every day! I have found myself in a room with four different grade levels and 7 different need levels and an obligation to fulfill both. They need more encouragement to try new things, to look at the world outside their village, and to take a risk every once in a while. I have handed out toothbrushes, changed my lessons based on their moods, and been given the responsibility of giving medication which was given to me my first day. I have been privy to information about my students that I would never have known anywhere else, but it's vital to teaching here. The North really is another world like no other. The past two weeks have been late night lesson plans, re planned lesson plans, and a few sleepless nights (such as tonight). Their needs are so different from other Canadian students, I just hope I can adapt enough to be able to give them what they need.
I think the most shocking to me has been the dramatic change on a daily basis. Monday was a good day, everyone tried their best in class and worked hard. Tuesday was a terrible day, the kind that makes you consider running for the airport and getting on the next thing flying out of here. I am just stubborn enough to stick it out though.
Outside of work things are also a bit strange. I finally got a phone hooked up though it does not always work properly. Often there is an echo, and occasionally people cannot hear me at all. The Internet is unreliable to say the least and sometimes painfully slow. I don't think I ever realised what a luxury grocery stores are until now. Currently the Co-op (our only store) has no store manager so what they carry is generally out of date. We get our groceries by ordering online which is not as simple as it seems. So those of you who complain about having to go to the store, please think of me first!
I was not expecting to actually enjoy living in a village with two streets. Maybe things will change when we are surrounded by snow, but for the most part it is nice to be able to walk up a hill to work. Evenings are mostly quiet, sometimes interrupted by the sound of 4-wheelers or by students knocking on the door. As teachers we are forming a close group already which is a comfort on the not so great days.
And on that note I'm going back to bed!
Firstly, I love being in the classroom again. Aside from my slight addiction to power and control I really do enjoy sharing what I can and helping my students find their way. After a year away from it, and the year previous to that being more of a zoo keeping job I was worried I would be rubbish at it. I don't claim to be perfect but the first day was not as terrifying as I thought it would be.
The first week was all about routines and getting to know each other. I am already of the opinion that my students are amazing little people despite their occasional resistance to rules and journal writing. Our first day we also had a school picnic and on a "hot" day we took the kids swimming. Taking students swimming on a whim would never fly back home, imagine the legal issues with that one!
My students, while amazing are a challenge every day! I have found myself in a room with four different grade levels and 7 different need levels and an obligation to fulfill both. They need more encouragement to try new things, to look at the world outside their village, and to take a risk every once in a while. I have handed out toothbrushes, changed my lessons based on their moods, and been given the responsibility of giving medication which was given to me my first day. I have been privy to information about my students that I would never have known anywhere else, but it's vital to teaching here. The North really is another world like no other. The past two weeks have been late night lesson plans, re planned lesson plans, and a few sleepless nights (such as tonight). Their needs are so different from other Canadian students, I just hope I can adapt enough to be able to give them what they need.
I think the most shocking to me has been the dramatic change on a daily basis. Monday was a good day, everyone tried their best in class and worked hard. Tuesday was a terrible day, the kind that makes you consider running for the airport and getting on the next thing flying out of here. I am just stubborn enough to stick it out though.
Outside of work things are also a bit strange. I finally got a phone hooked up though it does not always work properly. Often there is an echo, and occasionally people cannot hear me at all. The Internet is unreliable to say the least and sometimes painfully slow. I don't think I ever realised what a luxury grocery stores are until now. Currently the Co-op (our only store) has no store manager so what they carry is generally out of date. We get our groceries by ordering online which is not as simple as it seems. So those of you who complain about having to go to the store, please think of me first!
I was not expecting to actually enjoy living in a village with two streets. Maybe things will change when we are surrounded by snow, but for the most part it is nice to be able to walk up a hill to work. Evenings are mostly quiet, sometimes interrupted by the sound of 4-wheelers or by students knocking on the door. As teachers we are forming a close group already which is a comfort on the not so great days.
And on that note I'm going back to bed!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Welcome to Nunavik.......
Ok so I am fully prepared to admit that while I was completely unavailable for a while I should have been able to update all my dedicated followers much earlier than today! Sorry Mom!
The past week and a half has been nothing but a learning experience and lucky for you I will fastforward through the boring things so that I don't spread the suffering... for those of you who love me so much that you want even the boring details (MOM) please send a formal request for footnotes.
Step one of this adventure was getting on the plane, and therefore getting up and leaving the house by 3am! I don't recommend this to anyone who is going to be going somewhere they have decided they don't want to anymore. That's basically how I felt that morning up until about...
To make things really interesting that morning my flight from Ottawa to Montreal boarded about ten minutes after we were suppose to be leaving because Air Canada didn't send anyone to check boarding passes. Our pilot was particularly expressive and decided to yell at someone on the phone, barge through the exit door (setting of the alarm in the process) and tell us on board that they "have absolutely no good reason for running late." On the other end I waited half an hour to collect my bag and go to a small building to catch a charter flight to Kuujjuaq with all the other poor souls going to "orientation" for a week.
I'll save you details of the plane to Kuujjuaq because well it was fairly unexciting. There was a bright point to the trip which was stopping in Schefferville because I had a special greeting party who I have definitly missed! Thanks Mel for braving the black flies to come see a girl for twenty minutes, you really made my day!
Upon landing in Kuujjuaq we were greated by the lovely people who we would be staying with and who were leading the orientation. I spent most of the week hearing most of what I was told in teacher's college (which I did pass and was granted a degree for so please don't make me do it again) so the best part of the week was a picnic on friday at the end of the road that leads to nowhere.
I have been in Aupaluk for a week now. It literally has two streets and is in the absolute middle of nowhere. It is the smallest village in Nunavik and the only one to be created by the Inuit, not the government. We are on the Ungava Bay and migration path of the cariboo. My house is right on the bay and since here I have been witness to some beautiful sunsets and a beautiful show of the Northern Lights! We have to order our groceries from "The South" because we only have a small Co-Op but the people here are friendly and I think though it is small Aupaluk may be the type of place that gets into your heart. Right now it is cool but not cold, and the sun shines most days so it is difficult to stay indoors when it is like this! Today a group of us went out onto the land for a picnic. We spent the afternoon taking photos of cariboo and the tundra, eating and lounging around the fire. After all the fresh air I'm certain I will sleep well tonight!
Tomorrow is our first day of school! I am really excited to be in a classroom again, though I am still a little aprehensive about being a primary teacher. I will have 2 grade 3 students, 1 grade 4, 1 grade 5, and 3 grade 6 students all at the same time every day! It will be a whole different challenge from my last teaching assignment but if I can survive Oasis I can do just about anything... right Kim?!!!
Now that things are settled I promise to write more often and give a better discription of what life is like here. Already I think it is an experience that everyone should have! Miss you all very much though!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Shoe Separation Anxiety...
Only four more days and I will be on my way! The bag is packed for the most part, when you can only bring one 20kg bag it fills up fairly quickly! The boxes were picked up almost two weeks ago so I have no choice but to go now.
Today I am suffering from the early signs of Shoe Separation Anxiety! You know you have SSA because you keep taking shoes out of the closet and trying to find ways they may fit in your suitcase or reason with yourself (or others if present) how they would be sensible even if your reasoning is a complete lie. For example I tried to pack my purple suede boots with the flower because I swear they are warm and sensible fall footwear! Well they are comfortable... as long as you are inside and don't have to stand for too long....
Yesterday after I went through my closet and packed only my running shoes, black flats, and purple slippers I realised the full impact of this move. I know realistically that red wedge heels have no place where I am going but that doesn't mean I feel less regret for leaving them behind.
My only comfort is knowing that in a few months I could buy a few more pairs to keep them company!
Today I am suffering from the early signs of Shoe Separation Anxiety! You know you have SSA because you keep taking shoes out of the closet and trying to find ways they may fit in your suitcase or reason with yourself (or others if present) how they would be sensible even if your reasoning is a complete lie. For example I tried to pack my purple suede boots with the flower because I swear they are warm and sensible fall footwear! Well they are comfortable... as long as you are inside and don't have to stand for too long....
Yesterday after I went through my closet and packed only my running shoes, black flats, and purple slippers I realised the full impact of this move. I know realistically that red wedge heels have no place where I am going but that doesn't mean I feel less regret for leaving them behind.
My only comfort is knowing that in a few months I could buy a few more pairs to keep them company!
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Beginning- Packing Sucks!
Moving is far easier when you are not responsible for it! When I was a kid people would come into our house and pack all our stuff for us. When we got to wherever we were going there would be people there to unload and unpack for us as well. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way anymore!
Over the past few weeks I have been collecting and packing things up and...well I'm over it now! With only a few days until the first of July and just over a month until I actually leave time is ticking and there is still plenty to do.
I recently accepted a position teaching in a community called Aupaluk in Nunavik on Ungava Bay. There have been mixed reactions to my decision to move; some think I'm crazy, some envy the opportunity. After all this packing I wonder why I have chosen to move yet again! Ok not really... to be honest I am anxious to get back into the classroom and experience yet another culture.
Usually I record my adventures in a journal, but I thought it would be easier to share with my family and friends via blog... so I hope you all enjoy following my adventures as much as I hope I enjoy them!
And so begins Kelly's Adventures in the Great White North!... as soon as I am packed anyway!
Over the past few weeks I have been collecting and packing things up and...well I'm over it now! With only a few days until the first of July and just over a month until I actually leave time is ticking and there is still plenty to do.
I recently accepted a position teaching in a community called Aupaluk in Nunavik on Ungava Bay. There have been mixed reactions to my decision to move; some think I'm crazy, some envy the opportunity. After all this packing I wonder why I have chosen to move yet again! Ok not really... to be honest I am anxious to get back into the classroom and experience yet another culture.
Usually I record my adventures in a journal, but I thought it would be easier to share with my family and friends via blog... so I hope you all enjoy following my adventures as much as I hope I enjoy them!
And so begins Kelly's Adventures in the Great White North!... as soon as I am packed anyway!
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