I still get asked quite a lot about what I actually do at the school, so I though I'd write a journal entry about what I do at school!! I will start of with what I wear. I have to wear a shirt and tie on a Monday (because there is a staff meeting) morning and a Thursday (because I have no P.E) morning. The rest of the time I just wear shorts and a school polo or rugby shirt. I am actually in the process of abolishing the shirt and tie on a Thursday, because I can assure you that when it's 35degrees it is not very nice wearing a tie!!! I start work at 9am every morning (Monday to Friday). I am still getting used to not having to do anything on a Saturday morning!! I usually start with an hour or so of Multilit. This is a learning support program, where I help out the kids individually from years 2-6. I actually enjoy doing this, as it is basically something I can do myself. I don't have people telling me what to do, and you can clearly see the benefits it brings to the kids reading. After Multilit in the morning, until lunch my time is usually divided between helping certain classes (math's groups, reading groups etc), and the ECC (Early Childhood Centre). This is the 3-5 year olds. This is probably the area I least like in the school. I get frustrated quite a lot, because I sometimes feel I am only there to make the numbers up legally, so I have little do and is a waste of my time!!! It's not that bad, I just get a bit bored in there sometimes. Since chronologically we are at around about lunch time, I will tell you a little about food!!! The school canteen is not like Gtoun, where you get your food and then there is a big area to sit down and eat your meal. Hear it's more like a little store where you buy some food, and then you go eat in the play ground. It suits me fine; as I get my food and eat it in the staff common room (It still feels weird saying that, and the kids even call me Mr Cass!!!!). The food at the canteen ranges from slush puppies, pies, ice cream, (salad..), and lots of other yummy stuff. What makes it better is I get it all free, and trust me I take advantage of that!!! I live in a home stay with a bunch of the Asian students from the senior school. The family that own the home stay actually own an Indian restaurant in nearby manly. So every night I am in the home stay, they bring be back curries from the restaurant for me!! I think I'm getting a bit of a belly. After lunch I am usually doing P.E. I do P.E in the morning as well, but just not on Mondays and Thursdays (hence why I have to wear I tie on those days). I really enjoy doing the P.E, as I can take a step back and just help out a bit, or really get stuck in and have some fun. It is also nice to be outside when you have gorgeous weather!! So that is my day. I actually have a timetable for where I have to be etc, but I very rarely have a day where I follow it to the dot, as I have to fill in for when the teachers are occupied/ill and so on. I can go home at around 3.30, so it's not a long day. On occasion I go along to the schools camps. The family that founded the school own a property in the middle of New South Wales called Abercrombie House in Bathurst. This is around about a 3 ½ hour drive from Sydney. It's called the country life scheme, and the kids basically spend a working week (4-5 days) living in the accommodation there, and participating in activities during the day (where I help out). It's always an interesting experience, as it is usually the first time a lot of the students have been away from home, and have to live and interact with a large group of people outside of school. I am quite lucky actually, as I get to sleep in a renovated train cabin!! It's really cozy, with a huge big bed and mosquito net (essential). What makes it even better is that the kids sleep in huge dorms with stone walls and floors etc, Aberlour style in shabby bunk beds and sleeping bags!! I get on well with the family that runs the scheme, witch makes it a lot easier for me, but I still get frustrated sometimes when I'm sent there to the middle of nowhere. There has been times I've gone up to Bathurst on a Monday, back to Sydney on a Friday, then back to Bathurst the next Monday, then back to Sydney the next Friday!! So that's 14 hours on a coach (the same scenery) in the space of 12 days. I get free food though, so I can't complain. I am actually looking forward to going back in a few weeks. I get a lot of time to read and play guitar there, and like I said I love sleeping in the train cabin!!!