"It has to hurt if it's to heal." - Never Ending Story The term is nearly over. Tomorrow is the last day. Friday. I did it. I've been looking back a lot lately, at moments and memories from the last 10 weeks. There has been so much growth that my family and I have had since school started. Tom has become an expert as a stay-at-home dad. Good lunches are packed every morning. Homework is done ever afternoon. Laundry hangs on the line nearly every day. Wonderful dinners are prepared. The kids and I are spoiled! Alta and Olin also have adjusted so well to all the changes with starting new schools. Their uniforms are worn everyday without hesitation. They are used to them now (and they are so dang cute in them too.) They've adjusted to the increase in after school homework compared to what they get in Seward. Sometimes it is a couple hours of work that they have to do after school. And they have managed to sort through the changing social world of Gosford Primary School. And then there is my growth.... It is incredible to me how much growth can happen during such a short amount of time. I know I have a whole hell-of-a-lot more to learn, but I'm so incredibly thankful and relieved when I look back at my experiences. Being on exchange is a lot like physical therapy. See, you go into physical therapy because something is wrong. Something happened suddenly, or maybe an ailment gradually crept up on you, but either way, something was wrong. Something was wrong with my teaching career in Seward. I was bored. I'd been teaching the same subjects for 10 years and had approached them from every angel possible. I had analyzed my teaching upside down and backwards. I wasn't growing anymore. I needed something new. I needed a challenge - to feel inspired again. When you first start going to physical therapy you know it is good for you, but it is incredibly uncomfortable (and sometimes painful!) The physical therapist stretches you. They massage you. They push your body so that you can recover and be whole again. Through the process, something other than healing happens, though. You also learn about yourself. You might learn that you have an odd gait, and that is what caused the ailment to begin with. Maybe the physical therapist will discover that you have mild arthritis and will recommend supplements to keep down the degeneration. Maybe they'll let you know that you really should just run on trails rather than on roads as your body doesn't respond well to road running. Regardless of what it is, you come out of it knowing yourself better. You return to your old life "fixed" but also more aware of yourself - including both your strengths and weaknesses. I needed Narara Valley High School. Narara is my physical therapy. In the last 10 weeks Narara has stretched me in ways that I have not experienced in many, many years. Did it hurt? Hell yes. Was it uncomfortable? More than anyone can imagine. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Without a doubt! Do I want more? You bet! (But I will take that two week holiday first!) This week I started some of my Term 2 units with my classes (Year 8 and 9). Based on my reflection blog a couple weeks ago I decided that I'm happiest and most comfortable connecting history with student's lives and so that I was going to do my best to structure my lessons the way I used to. This week I introduced Shakespearean language through analysis of Cockney Rhyming and Australian Slang. It was some of the best fun I've had with my Year 8s. Today with my Year 9s, I introduced militarism (as one of the causes of WWI) and used North Korea's goals of nuclear proliferation and Trump's defense budget increases and quotes of US military supremacy as examples of militarism. The kids loved it. It was by far my best class with my Year 9s all year. Hands down the best. In Seward I taught like this. But I needed to come here, try something new, and be uncomfortable to be able to come full circle with my style. I know this approach works for me not because I've only ever used this approach with one set of kids in one little town, but because I gave it up, tried new approaches and learned from the experience. I now can reintroduce this approach to my classroom knowing why it works for me and my students, not just that it does. I'm writing with some increased confidence here, but I'm well aware that I'm still in the early stages of physical therapy. There will be some good days and some not so good days, but one thing I know is that growth is guaranteed. Walk to Work tally: 302miles + 6miles for tomorrow = 308 Miles, 496 km (Term 1 Total)
5 Comments
Tracey Byrne
4/6/2017 01:08:54
You are so inspiring 🖒
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Myla Liljemark
4/6/2017 01:16:11
Thanks Tracey! I love that you are following my blog through all of this and that no matter what, you are so supportive! Thank you so much!
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So happy to read you're feeling more confident and sure of yourself, back to the Myla we know and love and your students admire. So happy to see photos of smiling faces and fishing hauls, glad you are all finding your way, making friends and enjoying all to wonderful things Oz has to offer. x
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Naomi
4/6/2017 09:44:34
As always, you inspire me.
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Michaela
4/6/2017 13:37:48
Nice one Myla x
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AuthorThe Liljemark's enjoy exploring the world. This blog chronicles our adventures. Archives
December 2017
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