Encouraging feedback...

It's quite a rare occurrence, but every now and again a parent will take the time to send me a simple message of thanks for my tutoring work. It makes it seem worthwhile when I know I'm making a small difference in one student's life. I have had students where the parents are very directive of me. It's very much a business transaction in their eyes. In those situations, I usually start to realise that it will be hard to make progress with their child. The tutor does need some agency. I am sometimes relieved when these clients discontinue tutoring. They often don't give a reason, but I suspect it's usually financial - they're very much about getting immediate results for their investment. You put in so much effort to help their son or daughter (sometimes hours and hours beyond what you're remunerated for), and their child never meets their unrealistic expectations. It's tough to witness.

A while ago now, I received the lovely message above from a grateful mother. One time, this parent wanted me to bill her for three hours rather than the two worked due to my preparation time, etc. (such decency is rare indeed). Of course, I didn't accept. If I was paid for every extra hour I have dedicated to teaching over the past 30 years, I would be a very wealthy woman indeed! - Mel

Teachers deserve to be valued...

 

I read quite a few anonymous posts on Facebook groups and so many teachers are dissatisfied with their jobs. It's easy to understand the frustration they feel. Many teachers are very altruistic. They're the kind of people who go above and beyond. On the whole, they are very giving people, generous with their time, knowledge and skills. There is a lot of unpaid work in teaching that the general public doesn't grasp. There is no real hourly rate even though seven or so hours per day are recorded on our payslips. I won't even bother outlining the additional tasks that go on in one's personal life, all centred around teaching. I prefer not to dwell on all the hours I've spent since 1993 when I first started studying to be a teacher. It's a rewarding profession overall and the holidays are a welcome period of respite. 

What's most disconcerting is the treatment that teachers face from some leaders, colleagues, parents and students. I learnt long ago that teaching is not as secure as some people think. Workplaces can be fickle, and full of politics, nepotism and cronyism. While not everyone is in a position to take charge of their own destiny, I encourage all unhappy teachers to make the sacrifices needed to keep teaching. Move if you need to; complete further study if you have to; find teaching roles that are edifying and enjoyable. Some teachers say, "Well someone has to do it. Someone needs to help those kids who are challenging and disrespectful." That's true, but it's not for everyone. Although teachers are social workers in many ways, they often did not enter the profession thinking that would be their main role. University certainly doesn't communicate that message often. 

Teaching is all about the love of learning - teaching students how to grow, think and be decent people. A disconnect is starting to emerge of late - teachers' goals are not aligning with families' worldviews. I'm sure this has always been the case to some extent, but more than ever teachers are finding it harder to actually teach. If this relates to you, I encourage you to seek positions that make going to work manageable. Life is too short to feel unappreciated and mistreated. Please don't allow people to bring you down when you're actually so talented, devoted and hard-working. - Mel

A rare leader in education...

 

Every now and again, you meet a truly remarkable educator - someone with passion, wisdom and the skills to inspire. I find that these teachers are becoming increasingly rare, which saddens me. Jenny, your leadership is greatly missed. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words. - Mel

Dear Melanie,

I hope you have a year where you feel challenged and given scope to forge your wonderful talents. The students benefit enormously from you because you know your subject so well and have the depth of intelligence and curiosity that makes students feel confident and trusting of you. I now view so much through the prism of what I'd like for my granddaughter and grandson, and my wish would be for them to have teachers like you. Treasure your career; you are so capable and have so much more to give.

Jenny xx

Recognising your significance...

Sometimes it can be difficult to see any significance in what you do. You work hard, try your best, give it your all. You try to better yourself, learn more, give more. You do it to share your skills, your understandings, your life lessons. Sometimes, however, your reach seems so limited and your efforts worthless. At this point, it becomes harder to see your purpose in this world. I'll always remember a priest who spoke at a Sydney youth festival: "A lot goes into a person." It made me reconsider what my parents wanted for me and some of the conscious choices they made.

Each one of us is unique, the product of a myriad of experiences, teachings and interactions. Each one of us has so much to share, but sometimes the opportunity to do so is lacking. I've worked hard in my life to learn new things, improve my knowledge, be the best teacher I can be. But, I have learnt that I can't please everyone in the way they might want. If they want a 'yes-man', then I'm definitely not who they're after. If they want someone who is happy with being undervalued and disrespected, I won't ultimately work out for them either.

I've spent a lot of time in my life trying to impress the wrong people. Only now have I come to recognise my worth. All those public holidays spent studying. The many all-nighters spent planning the perfect sequence of lessons as an RFF teacher. The intricate feedback comments that were barely read by students and parents. The hours of preparation put into planning lessons or tutoring sessions.

This time and effort has amounted to something. The product is a teacher who thinks critically, who has something of worth to share with her students. A person who has never been motivated by the pay cheque is a person who will truly shine as an educator. I have been very fortunate to receive fantastic feedback in recent years from parents whose children I tutor. For the first time my teaching is being witnessed in their homes, its merits evaluated. In schools, limits are set on what I am able to contribute, but outside of that context, the sky is the limit... 

- Mel

Great artwork...

I love this artwork by artist Natalie Perkins. None of us want to be ignored but I'll admit that sometimes I appreciate it. I seem to be the type of person who needs a lot of space, so when faced with the prospect of being ignored, it's not something I'll get all forlorn about. Being ignored certainly makes you question your own significance. To me, it's a humbling experience and helps me maintain a realistic view of self. When I have really cared about people and projects - I mean passionately cared - with limited positive response or feedback, I used to keep beating that dead horse in an effort to gain respect or approval. I've since learned that life's too short to care deeply about those who don't notice it in the slightest. I'm learning to care more about those who, perhaps, I've ignored, and those who truly care about me...

- Mel

Reflecting on 2021

It's certainly been a crazy year. On the one hand, it has seemed ridiculously long, and on the other, it's as though it never really got started. I was sent an email today that encouraged me to do some reflecting and I thought I would share my responses online (this is more for my own benefit than the internet's).

What are your biggest wins of the year? What made you proud?

One of the biggest wins was being able to connect with students via Zoom during the lockdown period of around 16 weeks. Even though many students were 'missing in action' during this time, I was able to conduct some effective sessions with students I hadn't formally worked with before. For those students and parents who were keen, the interactions were worthwhile and productive.

How did you take care of yourself this year? What did you learn about your needs?

I really haven't done a good job of this at all this year and the lockdown didn't help. I've neglected my health and have developed a medical issue that I'm still trying to get to the bottom of. Hopefully I will be able to find out soon as it's painful and concerning.

How did you help your family this year? What relationships did you cultivate?

I've zoomed online and had some rather long phone calls with family members. It has reminded me that I need to prioritise my time better. Family is more important than any job or occupation. Who are you really if you're not supporting those closest to you?

What changes (big or small) did you make to help the environment? What do you want to do more of? Remember—all the small actions add up, even expanding your awareness is action. It all makes an impact.

I started recycling soft plastics for the first time. I have always been an avid recycler and do what I can in the home (because my workplaces are terribly irresponsible when it comes to recycling). The volume of these soft plastics really adds up! I think everyone needs to give it a go to place pressure on the system to develop better infrastructure. I choose to believe that my efforts aren't simply ending up in landfill. The more people participate in these kind of programs (e.g. REDcycle), the more they will develop. [2023 edit: This paragraph didn't age well!]

What goals did you set for yourself this year and what actions did you take to get closer to achieving them? Were there any barriers to achieving your goals? Are your goals still meaningful?

It's been a tough year because I sensed the job I had heavily invested my time into over the past 6 years was going to come to an end, and it did. Overall, I think I dealt with the situation well. Since most of my superiors were devoid of warmth and the attributes of true leaders, their communication was perfunctory and impersonal. I needed to grit my teeth and carry on under their unfair leadership. Despite this untenable work climate, ameliorated a little by the lockdown situation (there are silver linings!), I ensured that my teaching was not affected in any way. Never let anyone else kill your passion.

What were some of the biggest challenges this year? How did you overcome them, how are you working on them and what did you learn from them?

One of my biggest challenges this year has been time management. This is always a challenge for me, but it has been an even bigger hurdle this year. I had a single day per week at at one workplace and I was determined not to let it take over other days of the week. It still did, but not as much as it had in the past. I kept reminding myself - imagine this day as a casual teaching day: Would I be required to work extra days for one day's pay? No. This mindset assisted me to prioritise other areas of my life, such as my home-tutoring business. I was still hounded from time to time via email on days off, but I didn't let it get to me.

Who/what helped get you through this year? Who did you help get through this year?

My husband - amazing man - that's the long and short of it! In terms of me helping others, I'd like to think I have been an encouragement to some of my colleagues, as well as my students. I have also helped my husband in return by proofreading every piece of writing he has composed this year: newsletter articles, yearbook reports, job/ scholarship applications and assignments for uni. He was been rewarded with a fantastic job and his first High Distinction in a postgraduate subject. It's not over yet since he has elected to get ahead by studying a subject during summer Session. Oh, happy joy!

How did you surprise yourself this year?

I surprised myself by planning and implementing some very effective online lessons, conducted with children as young at 7 and students as old as 17. It's not my preferred method of teaching but I tried to make the best of a bad situation. Teaching online is very slow compared to face-to-face interactions. It made me realise how much I had underestimated the power of gesture, highlighting, handwriting and in-person modelling. I'm really hoping that lockdowns will be a thing of the past some day soon. - Mel

Upcycled Wrapping Paper

Upcycled wrapping paper was used to make these cards

I am often taken aback by the people who like my market stall because of its jewellery items, most of which I hand bead, create and put together myself. My heart drops a little because I am actually a 'paper crafter'. When they just keep going on about the jewellery items, I point out that I really don't specialise in it and that I love making cards and stationery. They're always a little shocked and then take a polite, yet disinterested, glance at the handmade cards on display. It's strange to me how some people love the self-adorning aspect of jewellery, but don't really value the encouragement and care that can be expressed when giving someone else a special card. I have had to accept that some people simply don't get it. Of course, I still do keep doing jewellery items, as it helps pay the stall costs, but it really isn't my passion.

The cards above were made using old wrapping paper (from Holland) as the background design. I just love collecting interesting paper to use on my cards. Being 'Green Gifts', I am always trying to reclaim, reuse and upcycle as many materials as possible in my cardmaking. Being a bit of a hoarder, I don't like throwing out beautiful things that I know will make a unique, one-of-a-kind card. Recently, a wonderfully generous lady I know gave me hundreds of old, used greeting cards from the 60's, 70's and 80's. Printed greeting cards were made so beautifully then (they're nice today too, but different). The dry embossed surfaces and wet embossed titles in gold and silver are just exquisite, and I almost don't want to part with these beautiful cards. However, I have been upcycling them into new handmade cards, and this will continue for many years to come! How wonderful it is to be able to revive old cards and convert them into new, fresh cards! I really enjoy this creative process and I encourage you to give it a go too ;)

Why Buy Handmade Greeting Cards?

This card is hand: stamped, torn, inked, drawn (e.g. swirls & dots), coloured, cut, glued and embellished.

As I interact with customers, I am sometimes surprised by people's hesitancy to buy handmade greeting cards. What with the glut of commercial cards available in shops, there seems to be an inherent trust in overpriced factory-produced cards. I am trying to challenge this notion by providing affordable gifts and cards, handmade using quality materials, unusual techniques and unique designs.

Handmade cards are not mass-produced by a printing press. Each one is hand constructed and designed. Common cardmaking techniques used include hand: stamping, drawing, embossing, inking, painting, cutting, gluing, mounting and embellishing. If you have ever dabbled in cardmaking yourself, you start to realise just how much effort goes into one card and the number of steps needed to create the finished product. Each card is a miniature artwork which reflects the creator’s passion for originality, aesthetics and design.

When you buy handmade cards, you have the opportunity to communicate your personal style and message to the recipients, which will ultimately hold a deeper meaning for them. There is something different about the way a handmade card looks and feels. The hand-embellished, multi-dimensional and artistic elements of a handmade card provide the recipient with something to treasure for many years to come, so it is unlikely to be discarded. I have known people to paste a favourite quote over the “Happy Birthday” sentiment on the front, for example, and frame their card.

People will genuinely value the thought you have put into selecting a creative handmade card for their special occasion whether it be a birthday, the birth of a baby, marriage, or simply a little note of thanks.

Handmade cards are great value for money and are often cheaper than mass-produced cards. Unsold and damaged cards are factored into the price of commercial cards. Why not consider buying an individually constructed product, which has been locally made with limited waste or environmental impact, and which has been made with great care and passion!

Text by Melanie © 2011

Time for a Change!

So inspired was I by yesterday's photographic journey, that I decided to change the header of this blog today. I think this might be a good thing to do once or twice a year to keep it looking fresh and interesting. I really like 'blogging' as a medium of communication and have noticed that, for many people, it has taken a back step to their Facebook page updates. As I have always found it quite difficult to self-promote, I have decided to keep my fb profile for personal connections. Many of my customers are visitors, tourists or passers-by so, at this point, I'm not sure if I can justify spending yet more time online. I've even given Twitter consideration, as everyone in the art/craft world seems to have an account, but have decided that this would just be another distraction from my real passion--creating!