Finish line in sight

In only five and a half weeks the time, effort and sacrifice of those around me and myself will reach its climax with my final exams. It has been a varied journey, sometimes rocky, other times smooth but overall a positive one, encouraged by the enjoyment I get from being in the classroom.

Once my final teaching practice finished in February I have been acting as a substitute (relief) teacher in a variety of schools in the area. It has been interesting to teach in straight class and multiclass situations, at both senior and junior ends of the school. I certainly think I prefer the senior classes but am certainly more open to the multiclass idea than I was in the past. Smaller schools, though, don't have the same social interaction among teachers and that is something I think I'd miss.

Two essays, one more day of training and three exams separate me from being qualified - roll on mid-May!

Eighteen months of change

Around the time I last posted I was beginning to realise that my heart was not with the retail furniture business. The previous month (ie April 07) three people who would be close to me asked me, independently of each other, whether I had ever considered primary school teaching. As it happened I had, many years previously, but had done nothing about it. I began to research the possibility of a thirtysomething husband and father starting out again after a completely new career. Thanks to the internet it is possible and I am now six months away from my final exams as the course is available on line with a local centre for onsite classes too. I have been blessed with continuous income too through substitute (supply) teaching throughout my course.

To say I have made the right decision is an understatement. Firstly the furniture business recently went bust and the shop closed. I had received 70% of my investment back before this happened, thank God. There is more to this story which I may come back to in a future post. Secondly the course, while demanding, is very family friendly and of course what job could be more family friendly than teaching? That's not to say life is a bed of roses and spending more time with wife and children can bring out new tensions that need to be addressed and dealt with too.

Until the next time...

PS Following on from my previous post, the incumbent Fianna Fail, Progressive Democrat coalition was returned to power but needed the Green Party and some independent support to form a decent majority. The Progressive Democrat party disbanded last Saturday, after their dismal showing in that election.