15/03/11. I'm getting very frustrated now. This out of work business has just got to stop. I did a job interview yesterday and I am waiting to hear if I've been successful or not. At this stage I am getting increasingly disappointed and deflated as I feel the job is now gone. Is it crazy to want to work for a living. I am passionate about what I do. I love to teach, I love being with the students and feel energized by their enthusiasm. I love to make a difference. I am an RE teacher, with Computer Studies and hopefully at some point in the future English. I have a particular interest in Special Education Needs. This comes from having had the experience of Dyslexia in the family. I also did a certificate course which is recognised by the Dept of Education and Science in Dyslexia and another in Inclusion. Both of these courses I found to be highly beneficial giving lots of information and tips for successful integration of all students and also how to find the key to teaching a student with Dyslexia. One of my past pupils did not realise that dyslexia is for life. She was struggling with the transition from primary to secondary school and I was her tutor. We had a good relationship and she was able to confide in me. This for me was the pinnacle of my training. A student felt comfortable enough with me as her tutor to be able to confide her troubles in me. My heart went out to her and I immediately allayed her fears that she was stupid and useless and helped her to understand that she was not 'stupid' or 'useless' but that she had a different way of learning to other students. I explained about how the wiring of her brain was different to 'normal' students but that it was not a reason for her not to be able to work in school and do well. We just had to work to find which key was for her to unlock the door to her education. This is two years ago and I have lost touch with her now. I hope that she has been able to continue with her progress and achieved something of what she wanted for herself.
But at the end of the day I cannot help other students if I cannot get work. Perhaps I need to think of another way of doing it. It is not feasible to offer private lessons in the current climate and one of the reasons I became a teacher in the first place was to be able to offer my skills to benefit all students not just the ones whose parents could afford to pay for private tuition. I want to be able to make a difference to all the students who need my skills. Perhaps I am being a bit too idealistic now. Whatever it is, I am not getting the opportunity to do it for now.
We are heading toward the Spring Equinox and I will write more about that when the time comes. St Patrick's Day is almost upon us as well but more about that on the day.
Do you dream, I had the most amazing and realistic dream last night. I can still recall it like I've just woken up from it. Tell me when you look at a tree what do you see. Tell me and then I will tell you what I see. Not just leaves and bark and wood but something living, vital, powerful, home giver, transport systems, food processing, strength, grounding, light, praising, hug-able, food chain, nitrogen giver, nutrient maker and giver, chemical powerhouse, energy maker, colorful, heaven and earth. The list could go on from here can you join the dots. A tree, symbol of a lesson in english, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, environmental science, agricultural science, anything else. There seems to be an idea forming deep in the mind for something magical to happen, but more on this anon.
Toby continues to grow and is spending most of his days out in the garden with Liam. We have some potatoes in, lots of seeds planted, onion sets. My dad told me today that seeds and crops should be planted before the last quarter of the moon in its going down phase. He always had his garden planted before this time and also before St Patrick's Day. This was to have an early harvest and we always had the first of our early crop of potatoes for my sister's birthday on the 29th June. He was checking up with me if Liam had his spuds in or not. He seemed happy when I told him this evening that the spuds were in.
The bees are busy and back at work, I have to say they are incredible to watch. I could easily spend an hour watching them no problem. They are busy bringing in pollen of different colors to the hive at the moment. I am looking forward to watching Liam harvest some honey this year in August. Hopefully we will have a good crop from the tunnel and the garden again this year. I have only one bad of broad beans left in the freezer from last year now and I think I will use them tomorrow. I still have some green bean chutney to try and I got a lovely present of beetroot from a friend who harvested and pickled his own. Nothing tastes as good as the veg from your own garden.
I'm sure I have lots more news for you but I am tired now and am going to head to the leaba (bed). It is seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish week) here in Ireland this week so I will have a few Irish words in my blogs over the next couple of days. The Irish language is a very beautiful one but it is not used very much by the general population here in Ireland. Each year they hold a Seachtain na Gaelige to try to encourage people to speak a few words every day. If we all did it, the language might survive. There is nothing quite like a story or a poem written as Gaeilge and when translated into English it loses something in the translation. The beauty of the words does not come across or the beauty of the meaning is also lost in translation. Here is one for now with the English translation underneath.
Go raibh tú daibhir i mí-áidh
Agus saibhir i mbeannachtaí
Go mall ag déanamh namhaid, go luath a déanamh carad,
Ach saibhir nó daibhir, go mall nó go luath,
Nach raibh ach áthas agat
Ón lá seo amach.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
Slow to make enemies,
quick to make friends,
But rich or poor, quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward
Here is a web site to look up some other sayings http://www.maths.tcd.ie/gaeilge/general.html
Enjoy. Tá mé ag dul a chodladh anois. Grá agus solus doibh agus slán go foill anois, codladh sámh doibh anocht. (I am going to sleep now. Love and light to ye all and good bye, may you all sleep well tonight)
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