New start, new ride

Just a quick one on this glorious Wednesday!

Today was my first day at a brand new school. Last year I formed a pretty significant bond with my advisory as part of the Big Picture Education pedagogy, and I was dreading having to leave them and start fresh. I’ve never been a big fan of change, and I had settled in so well at my old school that I ended up in a panic on the drive down to my new school this afternoon.

However my old school was nowhere near perfect (it is solely the familiarity and the students that have me missing it). So as soon as I got all my induction information and realised that I could finally be in an environment where I could learn and not have as much premature responsibility as at all my previous schools, I was a LOT happier. I loved being a part of a Big Picture school because of the emphasis on knowing your students and having a strong relationship with them, which is one of my biggest strengths as a teacher by far. My relationships with those kids were some of the best in the school, and I am very proud that in my farewell speech my line manager told everyone how I was a big sister figure for the disengaged kids especially,and that I was frequently the only one they responded to and would complete work for. Even now it brings me to prideful tears thinking how far I was able to bring those kids, though they are coupled with fearful tears knowing some of those same kids will go backwards without someone investing that same amount in them as I did.

As great as my student relationships were though, the staff were another story. Not dissimilar to my previous two schools, often I was left to my own devices with a huge amount of responsibility for someone only two years into her careers. The English department was nonexistent both in support and function. I would have my reports all ready to go with very little guidance, only to be told I had done them wrong and I should have been told the correct way to do them.

My new school already has a vastly different feel amongst the staff. The English department head has been amazingly helpful and there are a lot of existing systems in place for personal and professional support. One of my personal beliefs when it comes to teaching is that I will be less than useless in looking after and educating kids if I am not looking after myself. I struggled a lot in my first two years with that, overworking myself and taking on a lot of duties that were beyond me, and only recently finding a balance between work and self care.

Maybe that’s why I was hesitant and on edge this afternoon before arriving to school. I had finally found that routine and balance only for it to be swept out from under me without being able to do anything about it. I like to have control over things, and I do tend to panic first before letting go and enjoying the ride. Hopefully I have the panic all out of the way now, and can enjoy being at what seems to be an amazing school.

Hope you all are having an awesome week and that you Australian teachers are taking care of yourselves ahead of a new school year!

Summer!!

Drums please…

 

 

Hope you have great first day of summer!

Hello October!

Things that I want to accomplish this month include:

• Finish reading the Thone of Glass series by Sarah J Maas – I’m addicted and currently in the middle of Heir of Fire (book 3).
• Swimming at the pools a minimum of 1km per session, and at least three times a week.
• Eating at least two pieces of fruit per day, and at least two servings of vegetables per day. Doctor says I have dangerously low iron levels so I’m looking to completely revamp my diet, starting with a new love of mushrooms and spinach!
• Going to the beach at least four times this month. I’m ridiculous, the second the sun comes out a light goes off in my head saying “well. must be summer, time for thongs and bathers and sand and seaweed!”
• Walking/running at least once a day – again. with the aforementioned revamp. I call it “Operation Hottie.” I’m also doing the Colour Run on the first of November, which I know is more fun than run, but I still want to do well!
• Keep my bedroom clean. End of term saw me doing a lot of mindless dressing in the mornings without any time for laundry at night, resulting in the Everest of dirty clothes piles in my bedroom.
• Stick to my Lorna Jane Active Planner – it’s all pink and amazing, and the core of my 12 week aim/Operation Hottie for the next three months. And on that note..
• Lose at least 2cm from some measurement in my Lorna Jane planner. I’m trying hard to remember it’s less about weight and more about how my clothes fit me (especially with all my swimming making my arms so BUFF), but who doesn’t want to see that number on the scale go down? And finally:
• Watch my darling Eagles take the flag this Saturday!

Hope you had a fantastic September and that your plans for the last three months of the year are coming along great! Just 12 weeks until Christmas!(shudder)

Andrea’s First Fun Run!

So I have just gotten back from my first fun run (with little to no preparation)! 4km for the HBF Run for a Reason  here in Perth. I have been wanting to do one for awhile, and although my lead in was not at all what I would have liked, my results turned out better than I expected.

I went with my best friend who is a hardcore runner (she’s in a running club and told me her 4km PB was 23 minutes!!) so I knew I was already pushing myself, and we put ourselves in the “C” category which had a suggested race time of 35-45 minutes. My goal was to finish in under 50 minutes (this coming from someone who’s usual outdoor 5km is one whole hour..) but I ended up with a time of 42:19! AND this would have been lower had it not been for all the prams and walkers I had to dodge and try get in front of, as well as the gravel on the last 1km at Gloucester Park (I had planned to try actually run as opposed to power walk the last kilometre, but figured that gravel+running+Andrea=falling.)

For my first one I think I did well, next time I think I’m going to try get under 40 minutes, but baby steps I know! I had fun, listened to Gilmore Guys the whole way instead of music but I was more just looking around trying not to bump into people. The route was great and I had a lot of fun (except for the “getting up early on my Sunday” part).

Feeling great, hope you all are too!
Love,
Andrea 

Last Month of Summer (Day 63)

So I have been all too sporadic with my posts for January. I really wish I could say I was doing fun stuff, but unfortunately not. Although I suppose finally finishing up with uni counts as something pretty fun! Next step now is to find employment for myself, which so far has eluded me for far too long.
So I thought I would pictorially update you all on my January activities, which have been quite varied.

My first time taking the car through the car wash.

Wildcats vs Townsville at Perth Arena.

My newest cross stitch and my favourite hero.

Greatest food ever invented!

Pink and sparkly ♡

My baby cousin, the super sleeper

Gozleme from the Turkish food truck at the Bather's Beach Sunset Markets

Mum went on a cruise and all I got was this wicked cool t-shirt.

Nancy Boy cocktail from Chik and Kent

Mark Worthington practicing his future game winning shot

Dad's 50th birthday, making me feel way old!

Australia Day Skyworks

Gold and sparkly, cultivating a slight glitter addiction!

Kicking ass and winning prizes on my final day of uni!

Frangipani from my friend's backyard, after I swam in the ocean properly for the first time

Wildcats vs Cairns at Perth Arena

A lot of pictures, plus a lot more amazing moments undocumented, so I guess I had a pretty good January.

Here’s to an awesome February which hopefully bears the fruits of employment!
Love,
Andrea

My first time taking the car through the car wash.

A Southern Hemisphere Christmas (Day 25)

I have been terribly lax with my blogging aims, but it’s been a busy time of year so I’ll use that as an excuse. But today is Christmas Day, so it’s all downhill and holiday fun filled from here!

Although I know Rolf Harris isn’t exactly in public favour at the moment, I still love this song around Christmas time. One of my earliest memories is listening and singing along to this in kindy, and it’s impact was so much so that even now it is still one of my favourites.

This song was written in Perth, Western Australia, in 1960. Rolf Harris was working at a television station with an American named John D. Brown and, thinking it was crazy to be singing Christmas songs about snow and ice when the temperature was around 40 degrees (Celsius, so about 100 F), they wrote this song. And I think that it is a wonderful story of the generosity that should be embraced at Christmas time.

Merry Christmas to you all! (Or Merry Christmas Eve if you’re not on the 25th yet)
Love,
Andrea

Dear Social Media of Australia

Dear Andrea, thanks for voting, love Australia

Did you know there’s this thing called the economy?  The economy is how we pay for everything; schools, hospitals, roads, infrastructure, defence, pretty much everything you buy or take part in has at one stage contributed to or benefited from the economy.

When Peter Costello was treasurer, the Australian government had a billion dollar surplus fund that was set aside for a rainy day, accumulated during John Howard’s entire term as Prime Minister. So for 11 years and eight months a Liberal government invested in the economy and gave the country stability and security. 

In Kevin Rudd’s first term, so just three years, that fund was drained. I don’t know about you, but I rather enjoy being able to buy and sell things, and help contribute to my country’s stability and security instead of seeing that money poorly spent, and in a short amount of time.

Fair enough Tony Abbott has said some awful things. So did Howard, so did about a million other leaders who went on to successfully run their country. but regarding those things, what has Abbott done to you? And not to your social identity as an Australian woman or a gay man, but specifically as Jane Doe, a 23 year old uni student with no job. Has something he has said affected your life specifically and personally? Most likely not.
There is a reason our legislative is bicameral; even if Abbott wanted to pass a law taxing birth control or something else ridiculous that I have heard people moaning about, he has to get it passed in the Senate.

Also last I heard, Australia is about 50% female and Abbot won more than 50% of the country’s vote. Like it or not, money makes the world go ‘round and so it will always be the number one priority and election issue. If you vote for someone because of their policies and their effectiveness in running the country, fair enough, go nuts. I personally vote based on my electorate; if a candidate has been effective or if I think they can make the electorate in which I live a better place? Then I vote for them.
But if you’re voting for someone purely based on whether you like them superficially? Because you want them to be the first female prime minister or because you don’t like the way someone speaks in one of the hundreds of interviews they do daily? That is just dumb.

Yes Abbott has said things that are concerning. But actions and words are two very different things. You can post all the “I’m moving to Canada” and sexism things you like; but are you actually going to? You can ether actively involve yourself if something bothers you or just sit back and watch and wait and do nothing.
I know which one I prefer,  and which one I prefer not seeing all over my social media platforms.
But then again, I’m a journalist; who am I to stop you from voicing your opinions. We live in a free country, and having a Liberal government is not going to change that.

Love,
Andrea

Wonderful Afternoon For Loving

Wet grass.

Seemingly harmless old ladies screaming “Haselby you wanker!!”

Flag boys.

The squeals of boyfriend chasers in heels running for cover while the regulars just pull on their ponchos and squint through the rain.

The kids and old men who try but can’t jump the fence.

The little girl who’s brothers won’t let her have a kick.

The physio girls flirting with the runner boys.

That one family who think it’s a good idea to feed the seagulls.

The little girl who then steals the ball from her brothers and ends up booting it further than either of them.

Watching the seagulls land in the middle of the ground, then fly away when the ball comes near them.

The first gamers, usually exchange students or adorable little English kids, who ask “is that a foul?”

The odd looks from people trying to figure out why this girl is taking notes in the rain, and who is she?

Umpires meticulously warming up.

Dodging bird poop.

The whining that kicks in at three quarter time.

Old men listening on the radio while they are watching the same game.

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I defy you to find a better way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. WAFL footy, God I love it!