RAIN HAIL OR SHINE

Yes the PD is still on... email me if you want to RSVP late so I can make sure we cater for you... amberssupplyanddemand@gmail.com

Sharing

I spent entirely too long on the phone with a friend tonight (apologies to her son for taking up so much of her time!) talking about a single classroom game. Silent Ball. I use it, well as a ballgame. She uses it for spelling, times tables/number facts, phonics... really it's the Magic Pudding of games- it never, ever ends. . .

I'm hoping that's what our PD on Sunday is- the sharing of resources that grow rather than shrink from being shared. If you would like to come on Sunday we still have places available- come along and share or enjoy the show. Email me at amberssupplyanddemand@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to RSVP for the event. And I promise that everyone there will be a lot less grumpy than the Magic Pudding man!

DIY PD

When:       Sunday 28th August 2011, 
                        11am to 4pm

Where:      Raven Street Reserve, 815 Rode Road, McDowall

(heaps of on-site parking available at a lovely air-conditioned data-projected room!)

Program:    Networking, Q&A, your favorite lessons presented, quick lesson planning (the famous 3 step planning process), quick lesson ideas, PE and game ideas.

Cost:                 $55 including lunch, refreshments, afternoon tea,

take-home (emailed to you) resources & PD certificate

RSVP:         ASAP!!!
email amberssupplyanddemand@gmail.com for “bring a friend” discounts & payment details

**Photo notes** 
I love this photo. I think of it when I need to be reminded that sometimes everyone just needs to muck in and get on with the job***

Put Your Thinking Hats on for the 28th...

Put your thinking hats on and get ready to share your Supply Teaching Secrets with your colleagues on the 28th of August... more news to come...

New Workshop Dates

Well we are half-way through the year- but how many of us have half our PD requirements done? I've got two exciting PD opportunities coming up next month- my "Surviving and Thriving As a Supply Teacher" on Sunday 21 August and the band-new "DIY PD" on Sunday 28 August. Start-times are still to be finalised, but put these dates in your diary. Both will be $55 for 5 hours of PD.

*** I'm resisting posting a million "cat in the hat" photos here... but please put your thinking hats on and think about what you could present at the DIY PD day***

Undivided Attention...

Amazing... one of his lesser-known poems- but it does take your breath away...

Pink Gumboots... adapting to your environment without losing your identity

If I've had the pleasure of meeting you- you will know if humanly possible I'll be wearing pink shoes. They make me smile. They make the kids smile. Really- what more could you want? Well, with the recent rain I've discovered you could want gumboots. For those cold days where the rain just keeps going, gumboots are a very useful adaptation to the school environment. And today I was able to find... yes... you guessed it... pink gumboots. It made my day. It made the checkout lady smile. And it made me think... how much of "me" do I get to keep when I teach?

I think that's really a challenge for us Supply Teachers- balancing between adapting to our ever-changing environment and staying true to ourselves. As much as we adopt the behavior management plans of the different schools we teach in, we all have our own personal philosophy about discipline. Every day do our best to work within a different set of school values, different moral frameworks and different learning environments- but we really do need to make sure we don't lose ourselves. It's not really about pink shoes at all- it's about the right express our own identity. Without getting too deep I'd hope that as teaching professionals we are able to work in a way that aligns with our personal teaching philosophy. I think I'm lucky enough to have found schools that allow me to do that... and I hope you do too.

PS- I think my gumboots will also remind me to make the best of whatever comes my way... because now even on a rainy day I can have a reason to smile. And yes... that is a part of my personal teaching philosophy!