Practise empathy...

Recently, I revisited the novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' so I could assist a Year 9 tutoring student. I had dipped into it to help students at school but I hadn't read it in its entirety since I was 15 years old. The language is so powerful, the lessons shared are indelible. I still believe it is a substantial literary text although some schools are no longer choosing to study it. Atticus Finch's words continue to ring true across all social, economic and historical contexts: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from [their] point of view - until you climb into [their] skin and walk around in it."

If you feel different...

Teaching students who are 'New Arrivals'

It was a huge year in 2022, but a very rewarding one. A particular highlight was the opportunity to work with students who had recently arrived in Australia. Every session involved teaching speaking, reading and writing skills, as well as the mathematical language needed to access the Australian curriculum. All the time and effort spent making and selecting the very best resources was definitely worth it! 

Maths Tuition

Although I am a specialist teacher of the English language, Maths was actually my best subject in high school! Lately, I have gained so many students who need tuition in Maths. Oftentimes, they don't see the point of this subject and part of my role is to convince them that it is vital for the development of financial understandings, logical thinking, attention to detail and problem solving strategies (just to name a few!).

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 in 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.

What is happiness?

When we were young, most of us had dreams (most if us still do). I always had simple, fairly realistic dreams. Most of my dreams were based on feeling freedom, happiness and escaping the anguish of my home life. Since many of these dreams were met when I left home, I possibly stopped dreaming... it doesn't really take much for me to feel happy. I think too many of us agonise about holding onto this precious life on earth, wanting to experience every kind of perfection that the world has to offer. There is nothing wrong with this but it can be a trap. I think a person's reality is very much defined by what they think about and do on a daily basis. Too many of us are obsessed with a self-pleasing reality. I believe in living in the moment and being conscious of my contribution/ interactions. I am not overly into seeking some kind of ultimate goal as I find that small personal challenges just pop up every day. It's not healthy to put all of one's eggs in the same basket--there is just too much that is out of our control. I think that people in Australia sometimes don’t realise just how fortunate their lives already are. The things that they nitpick about frequently boggle my mind. Life is too short to bemoan its shortcomings; instead, I view it as an opportunity to constantly grow and evolve since not one of us was born perfect.