Famine and feast

I know the words are usually placed the other way around, but, in my case, the placement is correct. Despite being cleared to go back to work since the start of the year, I have simply not been able to secure any casual teaching days. It’s an unfortunate fact in my line of work that, if you get out of the loop, it’s very hard to break back in. Schools still need their pool of relief staff and, if you are unavailable, for any reason at all, they will simply call someone else who can take the day. If you REMAIN unavailable for a period of time, then you simply drop off the end of the conveyor belt and cease to exist.

I have canvassed the schools where I normally work and let them know that I am available, but haven’t had any calls because my place has been taken by others and the schools have a pool that meets their needs. It has been so very frustrating.

However, a couple of weeks ago, a teacher from a school at which I have registered but never taught, called me up and said, “We’re updating our database of relief teachers, are you still available?” My answer was, of course, “Yes.”

A few days later I received a call from the same teacher offering me three days works spread out over the next few weeks so, last Tuesday I headed off to my first teaching job for 18 months!. I had a Year 5 class and they were great and it was a wonderful start. Then, that afternoon, I got a call from another school at which I had put down my name but not taught before (sort of – I’ll get back to that in a minute) asking me if I was available on Thursday. That Thursday ended up being Friday as well so I had 3 days last week, hooray.

Last night I got a call asking me if I could come back to the same school for today and that has now expanded to Wednesday as well along with the Tuesday I’m doing at the first school, so that will be 3 day’s work this week too, so far. As I said, famine and feast.

Now I must tell you about the school where I did two days last week and was at today. It is actually the first school where I ever taught. I did a 3 week practice teaching assignment there in first term of my first year at Wollongong Teachers College. That was in March 1969. It’s funny going back there after 43 years, I can tell you.

And another amazing thing as well. The teacher that is in charge of booking the casual staff teaches Kindergarten and, last Thursday afternoon, I had her class for the afternoon session. On Friday morning the teacher approached me and asked me if I had ever taught in the area when I finished college. I replied that I had taught at Koonawarra School back in the mid-70’s. “I thought so,” she said, “You taught me in Year 6 at Koonawarra in 1975.” As soon as she told me her name I recognised her and today she brought in a class photo from that year. “I knew it must have been you because you were teaching my class the same songs that you taught us back then.” Amazing, that was 37 years ago.

In racing news, some good results for the Aussies overnight in the BSB. Benny Burke won the Superstock 600 race and Patrick Medcalf finished 2nd in the Superstock 1000 race. Josh Brookes bagged two 3rd placings to keep himself well in the points contention in the main championship standings. The fact that the wins in the two races were shared between two riders also helps his cause.

So, it’s back to the salt mine tomorrow and Wednesday. I’m finding that the work is far less mentally demanding than it is physically. At the end of the day I’m absolutely knackered.