Dave’s State of the Blogosphere
I find this article on “Darren Rowse: Problogger“, quite staggering. 2 blogs created per second. It seems humans have a lot to say out loud.
I guess with the amount of posting online, it also makes it seem quite amazing to find a random blog you like reading. I feel like it is still quite anonymous due to the vast amount of voices out there. The chances of other people finding your blog and reading it seem less than the chance of someone overhearing you telling your secrets to your best friend.
I still can’t quite feel free enough to tell anything online that I wouldn’t want the world to know. I notice that the teenagers I work with don’t seem to have any such reservations on their ‘myspaces’.
Five Years In One Job
I just realised this morning I have been a teacher for five years this July. I am not beginning anymore. This is the longest time I have been in a job. I have had a couple of different roles in the five years to make the challenges vary, but essentially it has been one job.
I love teaching though because there is always change and variety as well as different kinds of challenges. There is freedom for creativity and problem solving, which are essentials to me in the work I like to do. I would have to say that the thing that I feel has always been important in every job I have had and is crucial in teaching is being able to build positive relationships and interact with others.
There has been changes in staff, but I have had relationships with other teachers for that time also. It feels like a family really and a large one! You learn how to work with one another and can rely on the strengths of them as well as learn tolerance for the weaknesses.
I am glad I took this path. It hasn’t always been easy, but has usually been enjoyable and rewarding.
A success but never again….
I was crazy enough to give my 16 year old son a birthday party on Saturday night. The guest list grew out of proportion, as they do and I existed through the night in absolute stress bordering on fear to be honest. I was cranky and uptight with many of the kids and watched as about 80 kids trouped through my home out to the back yard concealing amounts of alcohol beyond thier capacity. I watched as they swayed and heard the noise level rise until I could tolerate it no longer. I turned of the music and sent them all home. They went. It was over and I breathed a sigh of relief.
They forgave me my crustiness. Only one small thing was broken and the breaker quickly reported it to me and promised to return the next day to fix it, which he actually did to my surprise and delight. No fights or agressive behaviour. My neighbour put a card in my letter box today thanking us for handling the party so well, which was a really touching and amazing thing.
There were a handful of kids who drank too much and caused me concern. Interestingly enough none of these kids were listed when the invitations went out and were all people I let in at the door because I felt sorry for them and didn’t want to turn them away as all their friends were there. I guess that is why they weren’t on the list – because they behave themselves in such a way as to leave themselves out. It wasn’t that bad though, just annoying mostly.
I felt extra stressed because I received some really sad news on Friday night, which I won’t be writing about because it is private but it made me very sad and I would have preferred to spend the weekend alone with my reminiscences. Sometimes you just don’t have that option.
I will not be having any more parties like that. It was too stressful for me and not necessary. I am sad to think kids that young are drinking alcohol to enjoy themselves and I don’t want it in my face again. They are good kids most of them though. This has been reinforced to me again.
For parents reading this, the kids whose parents phoned me and said they weren’t allowed to drink, did not drink. They enjoyed themselves just as much and were a pleasure to have. It is a shame more parents don’t make that stand, including myself.