Pure Joy & Teenagers

I am sometimes asked by others what my favourite job has been in education.  I can honestly say that I’ve loved all of them — Teacher, Science Department Head, Vice-Principal, Principal, Director of Instruction, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent and now Superintendent.

chemistry

I Loved Teaching Chemistry

But the one with the greatest Pure Joy has to be teaching — being in my own classroom and interacting with my students was awesome!  I was a ‘substitute’ teacher (now known as a TTOC) in my first year and then taught in 3 different schools for the next 9 years.  Those 10 years in the classroom at the beginning of my career were magical.

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My Good Luck Shoes

University Exams — even saying the words brings back anxiety — that pit in my stomach that feels like I might not keep my breakfast down.  It was one of the few times in my life where I found my nervousness getting the better of me.  I remember the anxiety, the lack of interest in eating, the inability to concentrate when I really needed to bear down and study.

puma shoes

Kinda looked like these –  but mine had more tape

On the actual exam day, I wore my favourite pair of Puma runners — to EVERY exam for good luck.  Those shoes lasted through 2 undergraduate degrees, dozens of mid-term and final exams … and lots and lots of tape holding them together.

I’m sure I’m not alone in my memory of those times studying when I just couldn’t get stuff  to stick inside my head — no matter how many times I read that #$%& paragraph.  Of course, it really didn’t help that I was tired and impatient.

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