New school part 2
So I've been at RGS for a week now and here are my first impressions:
- Whoa the principal is kind of hot
- Whoa the students are really keen!
- The students say "thank you" after every lesson which is really sweet <3
- The students just do the work. Like... you tell them to do X and they just DO IT. How is this even a real place?
- It was easier than expected to slip back into my super-confident-and-charismatic work persona
- The school has anti-homophobia posters up around the senior school YAY
- When a kid comes across an Anton Chekhov quote in a magazine article, they're not like "Whodat", instead they're like "Oh didn't he write the play we performed with Scotch last year?"
You may already be picking up a snob element and you would be right. Here are some more negative observations:
- There are students here who will look up your LinkedIn profile and turn their noses up at you if your CV isn't impressive enough
- If your first lesson is not academically rigorous, kids here will complain to their parents, and you will be called into the principal's office to attend a meeting with the parents, the principal and the Dean of English (this did not happen to me but it happened to someone else)
- There is a system called SEQTA on which you have to upload your basic lesson outlines and any resources you give the kids/homework after EVERY LESSON. The parents check. The school principals check. This is time-consuming af.
- I got moved out of my normal room for Year 12 Classics which was really devastating for various reasons both logistical and curriculum-related. So I emailed and phoned the Director of Studies (person in charge of timetables, rooms, extras and yard duties - you do not want to piss her off) to try and keep our room but she was like "I can't help you". So then I had a meeting with the VP in charge of curriculum and she said she'd either try to get our original room back or install an Apple TV in the new room we've been moved to. I hope I haven't pissed off the Director of Studies.
- There's a lot of meetings. A lot.
- PRESSURE. SO MUCH PRESSURE. I get the very strong feeling that if you don't bring your A-game 24/7, people will notice.
The good thing is that because I'm a conscientious little perfectionist, people have been noticing good things. I've gotten random praise/good feedback from the Year Level Coordinator and the Vice Principal already. Of course, the VP's comment was like "I talked to some of your Year 12 girls and asked them how they were going and they were really positive... raving about how you're a real expert and how enthusiastic you are." I was like "hah, I'm not an expert by any means" and she said "of course, but as long as the girls think you are..." Anyway, the point is, the school asks your students about how you're doing. That is kind of terrifying.
So for the forseeable future it's going to be 12-hour days and working on Saturday afternoons.
On the bright side, The 100 Season 3 Episode 3 was fucking amazing and the Supercat fandom is still wonderful and heart-warming. Life is pretty good.
- Whoa the principal is kind of hot
- Whoa the students are really keen!
- The students say "thank you" after every lesson which is really sweet <3
- The students just do the work. Like... you tell them to do X and they just DO IT. How is this even a real place?
- It was easier than expected to slip back into my super-confident-and-charismatic work persona
- The school has anti-homophobia posters up around the senior school YAY
- When a kid comes across an Anton Chekhov quote in a magazine article, they're not like "Whodat", instead they're like "Oh didn't he write the play we performed with Scotch last year?"
You may already be picking up a snob element and you would be right. Here are some more negative observations:
- There are students here who will look up your LinkedIn profile and turn their noses up at you if your CV isn't impressive enough
- If your first lesson is not academically rigorous, kids here will complain to their parents, and you will be called into the principal's office to attend a meeting with the parents, the principal and the Dean of English (this did not happen to me but it happened to someone else)
- There is a system called SEQTA on which you have to upload your basic lesson outlines and any resources you give the kids/homework after EVERY LESSON. The parents check. The school principals check. This is time-consuming af.
- I got moved out of my normal room for Year 12 Classics which was really devastating for various reasons both logistical and curriculum-related. So I emailed and phoned the Director of Studies (person in charge of timetables, rooms, extras and yard duties - you do not want to piss her off) to try and keep our room but she was like "I can't help you". So then I had a meeting with the VP in charge of curriculum and she said she'd either try to get our original room back or install an Apple TV in the new room we've been moved to. I hope I haven't pissed off the Director of Studies.
- There's a lot of meetings. A lot.
- PRESSURE. SO MUCH PRESSURE. I get the very strong feeling that if you don't bring your A-game 24/7, people will notice.
The good thing is that because I'm a conscientious little perfectionist, people have been noticing good things. I've gotten random praise/good feedback from the Year Level Coordinator and the Vice Principal already. Of course, the VP's comment was like "I talked to some of your Year 12 girls and asked them how they were going and they were really positive... raving about how you're a real expert and how enthusiastic you are." I was like "hah, I'm not an expert by any means" and she said "of course, but as long as the girls think you are..." Anyway, the point is, the school asks your students about how you're doing. That is kind of terrifying.
So for the forseeable future it's going to be 12-hour days and working on Saturday afternoons.
On the bright side, The 100 Season 3 Episode 3 was fucking amazing and the Supercat fandom is still wonderful and heart-warming. Life is pretty good.