It has been a real challenge finding time to sit and update this blog! Classroom teachers do not get much in the way of preparation time here in Canada so most work has to be done after school or on weekends. I didn't have time at the beginning of the year to get really well prepared as we: arrived, had to buy two cars, get settled as well as learn a new curriculum and plan lessons with very few resources. This all happened within a few days of actually starting teaching. I feel like I am constantly catching up rather than being in front of all that I have to do!
Another challenge I am now facing is having to write reports after only teaching for a few weeks. This time frame has barely given me the information I need to assess English and Mathematics let alone areas such as Science and Social Studies. It always takes a couple of weeks to get to know students before you can start to teach to their needs. I have a good idea of where each child is at in terms of their learning so should hopefully be able to give informed comments on their reports.
The lifestyle in Canada is very similar to Australia except for all the snow and winter sports. We share all the same first world advantages, benefits, issues and problems. The society is stable, clean and safe. People generally go about their lives doing similar kinds of work to Australians. There are differences in the way things are done but generally the outcome is the same e.g. the rubbish gets collected from the verge, kids get taught in school, the Police maintain law and order etc etc.
The biggest differences I have noticed between life in Perth and living in Vernon (besides driving on the wrong side of the road, people speaking with a funny accent and having this cold white stuff fall from the sky ;) ) is the natural environment. Here we are surrounded with picturesque mountains and lakes that are snow covered or covered in ice. This environment provides people with so many varied opportunities for recreation eg. hiking, snow shoeing, down hill or cross country skiing, ice-skating.
Life with snow is certainly very different. Where we are in Vernon there has been some good falls but now it has pretty much cleared up and is starting to melt.
Here I am with Rhys at Silver Star ski resort in front of a humorous sculpture of a snowball.
My daughter captured in a drawing the kind of clothes that is needed in the cold climate. And here she is modelling it.
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