Five weeks teaching in a remote community school in WA!
Getting up on Tuesday was hard… And it was a hard day at school as well! My low energy (mixed with late students coming mid activities, truant students coming in then disappearing, varied student motivation (partly due to an issue on the weekend) and some general everyday student behaviour) meant that even little things felt draining!
Also, found out news from home that my little sister is having her second child! So once again I’m in another state for her pregnancy and birth. Little disappointed but excited for her.
Wednesday was good. We worked hard together on our fractions and persuasive language. No dramas! The staff meeting went for two hours after early close. We learnt about spelling strategies and then covered some maths teaching.
After school was the father vs son (or males in the community vs Clontarf boys) football match. About half hour before it was due to start… The rains start to pelt down in HEAVY sheets! I assume it will be called off, expecting to see half the community huddled under the sports pavilion waiting it out. As I drive through the completely flash- flooded roads, I instead see the fellas splashing, slipping and sliding over the football oval!
Thursday was fairly enjoyable at school. I’m pleased that some days I feel like we are making progress and things are working well. At lunchtime however I helped with some netball tryouts, given that I have been asked to go on camp next week with the girls. Being a more uncompetitive sport player- enjoying bush walking, swimming and other relaxed pursuits- I ended up getting hit in the face with a netball. Then later that day, standing in the doorway an accidental elbow in the chest… I was feeling a little bruised and battered!
Thursday night was trivia night though 
So i went along headache and all! The teacher’s table won first prize. Lots of laughs and fun.
Friday however, was an exhausting day. Headachy- My energy levels were drained and my students continued to demand more from me. Little bits of bickering, throwing pencils at each other, students wagging class, students throwing tantrums and sneaking into my computer… Just a long messy, exhausting day.
When the bell went however, two colleagues and I piled into our cars and made the long trip to the nearest big town for some relaxation and supply shopping. A lovely dinner followed by a good night sleep.
Early Saturday I was up and awake for a trip over the Bungle Bungles, Lake Kununurra and the Argyle Diamond Mine. Stunning. I then managed to find a massage therapist for a delightful hour massage… Much needed! Lunch with a mate and then some shopping. As we stepped out of the last shop the heavy rain began, effectively keeping us indoors for the rest of the afternoon until it stopped around 3. Two colleagues and I climbed the lookout in town and had many laughs on the slippery way. Dinner at the local Asian cuisine restaurant then to the caravan park to sleep.
It’s currently Sunday as I type. Plans include breakfast, big supply shop and leaving town relatively early with maybe a stop at a rock pool on the way back to our remote community.
Overall, life remote is still full of massive highs and lows. I really feel like my class is my class! My colleagues are turning into great mates. And the landscape keeps giving me exciting places to explore
On a completely un-teaching related note- the town’s bore water and the humidity are doing horrors to my hair!!
The crickets in my house continue to sneak out at night to torment me on toilet trips in the dark!