Substituting, Exams, and Enjoying Summer

Feel like I should add a few posts once and a while before I'm gone to China: it's two months away!

Been substituting off and on for the past month and a half at my practicum school. It's funny how all of my substitution jobs have been in middle years school. It's definitely helped my practice my classroom management skills. I doubt I'll need to worry too much about it this upcoming school year.

I just found out I'll be teaching Grade 11/12 Physics, Grade 11/12 Applied Math, and Grade 10 Precalculus. The math courses have me on my toes a little bit, but I'm excited and up for a challenge. I'm primarily a Phyiscs/Computer Science teacher, which I guess makes people assume that I'd also love to teach math... not usually the case.

I'm not a fan of "pure math" any more than the next person. To me, I use the least amount of math needed to solve problems: either physical problems, or virtual ones. So to that degree, it will be interesting revisiting high school mathematics from a different perspective. I think I'm a bit scared that I'll love it and turn into that "Math" teacher stigma. I guess I think, vainly, that Physics and Computer Science is too cool for math.

Another friend and fellow B.Ed. graduate will be joining us to China, I just found out. All very exciting as well. It's nice knowing I'm joining three others that I know relatively well (to varying degrees). I'm not too concerned about meeting great people overseas though - that's part of the beauty of traveling if you ask me!

Oh, and I just completed/finished my CTESL (Certificate of Teaching English as a Second Language), which is a huge accomplishment for me. I literally 'stumbled' upon the whole EAL/ESL teaching profession by accident and I love it... almost if not more than teaching science in the K-12 system. The beauty of teaching EAL to adults is how appreciative and life changing it is for them. You really feel like your making a positive change in peoples lives.

So... not much really holding me back before China. A few more days of the 2008-2009 school year left to substitute, and then I'm off on a road trip to Toronto/Montreal/Quebec for two weeks starting (aptly enough) on Canada Day. Really lucky and excited to do it with two great friends. Lots to do and think about before China, that's all for now.