A Good Change

It's been a stressful couple of months as I had been told I needed to transfer to a new school, and even though I knew it wasn't the end of the world, it's not something I would've chosen to do as things were really good where I was working before. I knew how lucky I was to be teaching at my boy's school, and I was devastated that I had to move. 

Unfortunately though in the Education Department, you've got to go where you are told to go.  I knew I was lucky to be going to a great school, but there are lots of reasons why it was hard to move, as it not only affected me, but other people as well.

I was lucky that I already knew about five people who work at the school I was transferred to.  The other EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers there have been so lovely in welcoming me, and making me feel like a part of the team, even though they have been the only teachers there all year.  They even bought me flowers! At first I had a secret admirer! ;)

Everyone at the school have been so friendly and have made me feel really welcome. It's a very multicultural school, and I love walking around seeing all the Afghan students everywhere, as well as all the other nationalities.

I was anxious to get the first week over with, so that I knew the boy's were okay without me around at school, and so I could get to know the kids and routines.

I have gone from teaching nine students on my own, to teaching twenty students (but having to get to know forty students as we work together a lot with all of the students). The first week was a blur of kids, and names that all sounded and looked similar, and I never thought I would get to know them.   I'm into the third week and feel like I know most of them now.  Now I just have to get to know all the staff's names!

I've already fallen in love with the kids. They're all so friendly, and happy despite what they've been through.  The girls are very cute and always come in with new drawings or notes that they've written for the teachers.  I'm already getting a little collection.

The kids make me laugh all the time, and yesterday I had to smile when a young girl looked at my bare legs (I had a skirt on to my knees) and she pointed to them and said 'no this!!' and then showed me that I should be wearing tights like she was.  She then pointed to her head scarf and said 'and this!'.  I reminded her that she was an Afghan girl and that they wore tights and head scarves, but I am Australian and I don't wear them.  She then smiled at me and said 'I bring you scarf!'.  I couldn't help but have a little chuckle.  

On one of my days off work, I took the boys up to my new school after school was over, to show them around. I thought it would be nice for them to be able to picture where I was working.  They loved the school, and were especially impressed with the oval area as it has so many things to do in a small area.   Kobe and Harri were excited that it has soccer and footy goals permanently set up, and also a basketball court.  Since I took them there, they had been begging me to take them up for a play on the weekend. 

Last Saturday we finally went up there, and not long after we arrived two of my new EAL students also arrived to play soccer.  They saw me and one of the boys said 'Mrs King! Your boys here!? Tell them play soccer!'.  I called the boys over, and they joined in on a game with them.  I love seeing my boys interact with them, and also my past EAL students.  

Some of my new students, are friends with my old students. The first week I was there one of the boys said 'you were my friend's teacher at Punchbowl - he said you are good teacher'.  That made me smile :) Yesterday I realised that one of the families, knew one of my families from my old school.  I asked a girl if she knew one of my old students and her eyes lit up and she said very excitedly 'she said she had very special teacher.....Mrs King!! YOU are Mrs King!!' when it clicked that I was the one she was talking about.

Even though it has been very stressful to move schools, I'm really loving the change.  Because there's so many kids I feel like I don't have a lot of time to get to know them very well as I only see some of them a couple of times a week, but I love going to work and seeing them every day.

It's hard to really settle in as I don't know what will happen next year, but for now I'm trying not to think about that too much and just enjoy the change, as it's been a good one.