Italy Bound

Back in April I accepted a summer teaching job with an organization called Blyth International Summers. I was hooked up with this opportunity through a friend of mine (also a teacher) that I know from my summers at Sauble Beach.

So... as of tonight, I'm off for Italy where I will be teaching 3 different math courses (Grade 11U, Grade 11M, and Grade 12 Advanced Functions) in 3.5 weeks to a group of 6 students while we travel to Sienna, Sardinia, and Rome.



We'll see how it all unfolds!

Stay tuned to my blog for more updates. I hope to make posts if I have time.

Final Exams

We are in the home stretch right now. In the middle of exam week right now.

Am currently sitting at the kitchen table, marking, with a glass of wine in hand. Just finished marking my Grade 11 College exam and came across a couple of hand written notes that the students had left for me on their paper. Thought they were so cute that I had to document them for future reference the next time I start to feel like my students don't appreciate me! (lol)...

1. Sorry I couldn't pull through for you this year Ms. Edwards. Maybe next year... when I'm in the same class. Great being taught by your this year though! :)

2. Thanks for a great year and letting me come in for extra help because that shows your not just here for a job. Thanks!

Career Update

I officially have employment for next year. I will be teaching at the Bishop Strachan School (www.bss.on.ca) - an all girls private school in downtown Toronto.

This comes with mixed emotions:

A) I'm stoked to have employment for next year and to know that I will not have to worry about finding a job for another whole year! For the record - the teaching market in Ontario is the worst it has been in years and jobs come far and few between these days. My board alone has had somwhere close to 50 surplus and redundant teachers this year.

B) I'm totally thrilled with the opportunity that I have here - to be teaching at one of Canada's oldest and most renowned private schools. I have a feeling I will be learning a WHOLE lot next year!

C) I'm not so happy about having to move - again. Yes, it's a pain having to relocate all of my stuff (something you'd think I'd be used to by now given how nomadic my life has become), but that's not so much it. I'm more upset about having to pick up and relocate my life, yet again. I don't want to say goodbye to the friends that I've made and the relationships that I've formed here in Barrie :(

At times like this I am able to lean on my faith, and I do believe that this is all part of the grand plan. At some point, things will piece together and it will all make sense as to why I'm having to move right now.

Turning 30!

I realize I've been AWOL with my blogging since, well, December 24th. I plan to rectify that one somehow if I have time this summer by making some back-blog posts with a few snap shots that I've taken since then and possibly with the aid of some Facebook status updates too...

Alas, I just thought I'd make a wee post to commemorate the weekend that I turned 30. The day has come and gone, and it really wasn't so bad afterall. Nothing better than bringing in your 30s with a great group of friends (and a 12.3km trail race to kick off the day too!).

I'm just about to crawl into bed but I thought I'd share this adorable note that I received from my sister-in-law, Anita, in my inbox this evening:

Hi Heather,

I hope you had a really nice birthday celebration with your friends yesterday.

Ooops - Andrew is awake now He’s feeling a little bit sick to his tummy – maybe too much food this weekend? He wanted to type a few words to you –

Auntie Heather,

I want to know if you had a good birthday. I cant wait to see you to wish you a happy birthday. Uh oh. Nathan is awake now too.

Oh but I lost a tooth last week. And the tooth fairy gave me a toonie and I found two seashells at the Smith picnic. Nathan found a bullet shell from a shot gun. Mommy didn’t like that.

From Nathan –

Happy Birthday Auntie Heather. I love you. Have a good night, it’s time for bed now.

Good Lord – he wants to type his own words too:

Nnnnaewum09qa53333333333’099999999999999999999eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee3 ippp9o0e3ws777 ….,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,rdxs3e

Have a good night and a good week at school. We’ll be talking to you soon.

With love from Andrew, Nathan and Anita.