First impressions of teaching, part 2

I’ve made it to the end of term 3! As I’ve spent more time in various classrooms, here are some more things I’ve noticed that differ from schools in Manitoba:

School year organization

In Victoria the school year is comprised of 4 terms, about 9 weeks each, starting at the end of January. Between each term, we get two weeks’ break to rest and recharge before moving into the next chunk of the school year.

Duty free lunch? Never heard of her.

I’ve often had to supervise students while they’re on their breaks, and the way they have it set up isn’t intolerable. Often, each break is divided into half so if you have duty, you still get a break to breathe.

Who needs paper?

In the secondary (7-12) schools I’ve been in, each student has a laptop and access to their digital classes. It is rare for me to be left a task where they need an actual pencil and paper. Even math tests! I oversaw one, and it had a virtual and written component. Each student got a printed sheet with their test code on it, and however many written response questions they needed to do. For some students, this was zero! My hypothesis is that they are only being given the opportunity to demonstrate their learning on concepts they have not yet demonstrated proficiency in. 

Day layout

In the schools I’ve been at, the day has one twenty-five minute-ish break in the morning, usually at about 10:30. Lunch comes later on, usually starting between 12:30 and 1. By the time we are back from lunch, there is only about ninety minutes left of the school day. I actually really like this setup, as the afternoon feels very short. Front-loaded days for the win!

Break structure, or lack thereof

There is no ‘eat until X time, then play’ because the students are free to use their break as they choose. It’s very different to what I’m used to, but it’s nice. I like that students have the option to listen to their hunger cues and eat at some time during their prescribed break rather than have to follow a rigid schedule.

When I’m at primary schools, the kids get half an hour to play, followed by 10 minutes of ‘supervised eating’. The idea is that they burn off some energy, then realize ‘hey I could use some grub,’ and the abbreviated eating period means they don’t have time to fool around. Seems good in principle, but by the time we transitioned, many students were unable to finish eating in time. Everything is a balance! There’s so much to do in a day, and the administration needs to find the optimal day set-up. I give them credit for being open to trying new things. 

Uniforms and Dress Codes

This is SO different. Each school has a set uniform, which students’ families can purchase. Different garments like a collared shirt, rugby shirt, pullover, blazer, pants, shorts, skirts, softshell jacket, hats, etc. Some schools have backpacks to match the uniform too. It’s very different to me – students lose the ability to express themselves via their clothing choices, but maintain the ability to change their hair, makeup, accessories (provided they fit within the school dress code). Some of the schools even have a policy where students need to have a clean-shaven face. 

Teachers don’t really have a home classroom

Many teachers are the ones to change rooms, while the students may stay in one room throughout the day, or also change rooms. I think this is to accommodate that there are more teachers than available classrooms, but it makes it difficult to have decor to reinforce what they are learning, like anchor charts and to display student work when other classes also use the space. Not that I haven’t seen any! Just that there is more of a collaborative spirit within the school.

I’m off to Darwin this week, going to see what it’s like up north! Today was full of packing and last minute preparations, with a detour to one of my local cafes to find a London Fog (which I learned was invented in Vancouver in the 90s) and a treat. Kodama Coffee did not disappoint!

See you soon!

– Kate