When It Rains It Pours….

A heading well suited for this post!

This week has really tested my multi-tasking ability to the utmost. An annual general meeting for the union, meetings about my two guys, negotiations regarding proposed staff-cuts, regular classes and standardised testing to prepare – a bit more than I normally have to face in any given week. Today I sure am glad this week is over, but part of the reason why I’ve been thinking about a possible career change lately is that I can perform too much of my present job on sheer routine.

We’ve been using the same textbooks in English for a number of years. I have tried most exercises, know which ones are good tools for learning, which ones are OK and also which ones are downright useless. I can use my instructions for each text/chapter mostly without changes from one year to another…. Boring! For me, that is – the students are a different bunch every year… Still and all – I feel as if I’m stagnating and nothing scares me more than the thought that my teaching will turn stale. I don’t think that is the case yet, but…

No wonder the job offer I received (and have -sort of – accepted, but not negotiated all terms of) felt like a gift from the heavens! Yes – I’ll be using the same textbooks for my classes next year, so no change there. I will however be challenged with new duties during part of my workday, and I think this will benefit my students as well. The need to think in new and different ways during part of the day should “spill over” into my teaching… Going from teaching-only to teaching/admin also meant that I could step down from the position of chairperson for the union local. Truth be told – I was more than ready to do so, as it must be one of the more thankless jobs there is! I’ll remain as a member of the board though, mostly to help our new chairperson during her first year in office.

Yesterday my students in Grade 9 did two parts of the standardised tests they have to sit. This was reading- and listening comprehension – remains an essay and an oral examination done in groups of two or three. I’ve done a lot of preparatory work with my students during the week and I could see that it was beneficial for many of them. One student who threatened to skip school left the room with a smile on his face and there were many of them who seemed to be much more confident than what they were even a week ago!

I went through all of their answers last night and by the looks of it everyone will get a passing grade!

Now for the one thing I hadn’t factored in for this week. Dealing with a bureaucrat.

There has been some disturbing events surrounding the youths who are placed here while their applications for refugee status are being processed. A couple of them (among others -B-) was jumped by some local thugs at a recent disco dance. They have met some rather unsavory comments from others in the community and the level of frustration is on the rise. A handful of them have been given refugee status, but the majority of them are basically waiting to get deported. The other day one youth was to be escorted to the nearest airport and sent back to his home country – which really set off everyone else. No surprise there!

Right in the middle of this, a minor bureaucrat with the county insisted on holding interviews with the two boys I am entrusted to care for. An interview which is NOT called for – unless they have received their permanent visas and travel documents, indicating their future status of becoming full-flegded citizens.

I tried reasoning…

I tried explaining…

I finally said I did not want the interviews to take place at the present time and signed a paper to that effect. With that I felt the matter had been dealt with.

Not so.

This person went behind my back and arranged for interviews with the two boys and an interpreter. As a trustee for these teenagers I am in the place of a parent for everyone – except a bureaucrat who can’t read the regulations by which her job should be exceuted.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you what the interviews were all about…

Every person who receives a permanent visa is required to have an Introductory Plan to determine what level of education they have, what further education is required and what career path they envision for themselves in the future… The interview CAN be conducted before the person has received their visa – but. it. is. not. necessary.

The result?

-H- was totally befuddled and couldn’t understand why he would have to answer all these questions now… -B- took the opportunity to voice his rather selfish feelings about everything under the sun, but refused to answer her questions…

After this she can, however, put a tick mark in another box on a list of  To-Do’s.

Isn’t it amazing that snow can be this viscous? You’d think this is snow on ropes but it’s not – just the stuff that has sort of slid off the top of the djungle gym.